McCORMICK, S.C. (WJBF) – Graduation season is in full swing, and the town of McCormick is celebrating this year’s graduating class in a special way.
If you drive through the town this week, you will see 38 banners, honoring the 38 graduating seniors from McCormick High School’s Class of 2024.
The tradition started with last year’s graduating class–the idea coming from Principal Gena Wideman.
“I was driving through a little town–my husband and I–and I saw some banners of some children,” said Wideman. “And I said wait a minute, why can’t McCormick do the same thing?”
She brought the idea to the McCormick County School District, and it was an opportunity they were more than happy to give the go-ahead.
Superintendent Dr. Jaime Hembree says it’s a big deal to recognize the ones she knows as “world-class students”. “We want everyone to know that our Chiefs are world class, can go anywhere and do anything they want to do because they have a degree here from McCormick High School. So, it’s important to give them that honor that they most definitely deserve,” Hembree said.
Wideman says their efforts to do this last year and this year would not have been possible without McCormick High School’s classes of 1993 and 1994.
“One of the graduates from 1993 reached out to me, and asked what they could do for the senior class, and that was my opportunity,” Wideman said. “So last year the class of 1993 sponsored, and the class of ’94 jumped right on it to pay for each child’s banner this year.”
Wideman says this is also a chance for the town and community to celebrate the graduates’ hard work.“When you have guests that come downtown, such as the gold rush parade, you may have little events that take place downtown. But these individuals who are not a part of McCormick County – or don’t really get a chance to come into the school a lot – get a chance to see our seniors and celebrate them too,” Wideman said. “So not only are we celebrating them as a school, but the community is allowed to celebrate them too.”
Taaj Greene is one of the 38 seniors who will be graduating from McCormick High this week.
He spent all four years as a Chief, but says the transition to high school wasn’t easy, after he and family moved to the area in 2020 from New York.
“It was a jump. It really was a jump,” Greene said. “It took a little bit to get out of our shells, but down here it’s a chance to take things slower, enjoy life, and see the differences in people, and it gave me a chance to find myself.” He says it’s a mix of emotions this week, as he reflects back on how his high school career began in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I somehow got lucky and made some great friends, and to see where I came from 9th grade to now. It’s like a movie, because it’s such a good transformation,” said Greene.
Hembree says she has a special connection with this year’s graduating class, because she entered the school district when they were freshman.
“I came in during COVID as well, so to see the transformation coming in as 9th graders and now these incredible young men and women–they’re just ready for anything and everything,” Hembree said. Greene says through it all, seeing his banner is an honor.
“We’re in a small town. You have screens to look at all the people you look up to–your idols, sports idols, political idols–all these people have their faces plastered somewhere. And we all want to be seen, because we’ve been through so much, even in COVID. So being seen around town, it’s amazing,” Greene said.
McCormick High School’s graduation ceremony is this Friday, May 31st, at 10:00 AM.
It will take place at McCormick Middle School’s Gymnasium.