As Aiken County senior students eagerly await graduation next week, more than 50 Aiken High School students are also focused on a goal of obtaining an additional diploma. The Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Diploma, which requires students to take seven college-level courses from a variety of disciplines prior to graduating high school, is on the minds of the fifty-three Aiken High School candidates who were inducted into the AICE Diploma program during a ceremony held Thursday, May 27, 2021.
In 2017, Aiken High School became the first in the state of South Carolina to be designated as a Cambridge International School, allowing high school students to receive college credit for advanced global coursework with an opportunity to earn an AICE diploma upon passing the rigorous Cambridge exam.
“This program allows students a personalized learning opportunity to become global thinkers,” said Cambridge Lead Teacher Lauren Cantey. “We’re excited to be the state’s first Cambridge school, and we’re proud of the commitment, dedication, and perseverance of our candidates.”
The program focuses on creative thinking, inquiry, and problem solving, and recognizes five attributes of a Cambridge student, one who is Confident, Responsible, Reflective, Innovative, and Engaged. Two additional attributes, Expressive and Determined, were selected by Aiken High students and staff, and acknowledged Thursday by the top seven students in the program during candle lighting ceremony as they read what each attribute meant.
“This is a great representation of the very best and brightest we have here at Aiken High School,” said Dr. Jason Holt, the school’s Principal.
The following students were recognized during the induction ceremony: Chloe Biddle, Natalie Bland, Benjamin Bowers, Anne Masters Calfee, Rylee Charnock, Lawson Cline, Connor Couture, Anajae Curry, Emily Cutler, Eavan Douglas, Jaiden Duncan, Jason Embrose, Aiden Fox, Nicole Gonzalez- Echeverri, Gracie Goss, Joshua Grant, Andrew Guerry, Parker Hall, Payton Hall, Wren Hamrick, Luke Hanna, Franklyn Howard, Graham Hucks, Laura Huff, Elizabeth Hurd, Brendan Judd, Lillian Judd, Michele Kihnley, Brianna Mahoney, Lindsey Malyszek, Emma Grace Maroni, Liam McCarthy, Reece MCarthy, La’Bron McClue, Mattison Mclain, Cassie Nichols, Lillian Orr, Amelia Overstreet, Sophie Redd, Mallory Rich, Ellis Runnels, Tucker Samaha, Zion Sampson, Aubrey Schweder, Abigail Smith, Jessica Smith, Madelyn Smith, Aiden Snead, Luke Stringfield, James Strom Thurmond, Jane Timmerman, Eliot Toury, and Amber Williams.
School staff, including Lauren Cantey and AICE teachers Philip Barkhau, Emily Geyer, Carolyn McCurdy, and Francesca Pataro handed out certificates, lanyards signifying candidacy for the AICE diploma, medallion ribbons and graduation cords to each candidate during the ceremony.
Cambridge Scholar Award recipients also recognized for their exceptional performance during June 2020 exams, including earning high marks across several subjects, were Chloe Biddle, Ellakyn Brinkley, Anne Masters Calfee, Lawson Cline, Anajae Curry, Lila Dawson, Katie Day, Andrew Guerry, Wren Hamrick, Luke Hanna, Laura Huff, Brendan Judd, Lindsey Malyszek, Liam McCarthy, Cassie Nichols, Lillian Orr, Zion Sampson, Abigail Smith, Jessica Smith, Madelyn Smith, and Amber Williams.
Cambridge students Parker Hall, Cassie Nichols, and Zion Sampson are the first three students in the state to qualify for the AICE diploma. They will receive those diplomas in the fall upon successfully passing the Cambridge exam.
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LINK TO DISTRICT PRESS RELEASE: 2021 PR AICE INDUCTION CEREMONY