We were thrilled to celebrate KIPP DC College Preparatory’s Class of 2016 on Friday, June 10th! This impressive class earned over $4.5 million in college scholarships and was accepted to more than 120 different colleges and universities.
Valedictorian Ivy Williams – the first KCP graduate to attend an Ivy League institution – will be an Edward Lenkin scholar at the University of Pennsylvania, and Salutatorian Brionna Hicks will be a Posse Scholar at Bucknell University. In their speeches, both young women reminded their classmates of their individual and collective strength and challenged their peers to defy stereotypes and strive for excellence as they continue their journeys to college graduation and fulfilling careers.
Aimée Eubanks Davis, the Founder and CEO of Braven, spoke to the importance of persisting through obstacles and letting your “light shine,” even when that means asking for help from a classmate or professor or leaning on KIPP Through College and Career.
In her closing remarks, principal Jessica Cunningham challenged her graduates to be great – to raise their sights beyond simply graduating from college and put in the hard work that will allow them to stand for something larger than themselves. By the end of the ceremony, the Class of 2016 was chanting her mantra “everyone wants to be Harriet Tubman, but nobody wants their feet to hurt.”
The program also included an inspiring performance from the KCP choir and a special musical dedication from Coach David Leonard.
Thank you to everyone who made their send-off so special — we could not be more proud of the Class of 2016!
