Charleston County School District, SC Stories of CCSD, 30 Jun 2020

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From YouTube: Garrett's Final Valedictorian - Stories of CCSD

Description

The Class of 2020 is the final graduating class for Garrett Academy of Technology; the school is closing this year. That makes Keyonne McKnight a part of history, as she becomes the school's final valedictorian. In this special graduation edition of the Stories of CCSD, we learn how McKnight grew as a person and student as well as what being Garrett's last valedictorian means to her.

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First and foremost, I would like to delete my classmates because we finally.

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Made it keyonna mcknight's outstanding.

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Accomplishments have made her a part of the history of gordon h, garrett academy,.

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Of technology, she is the falcons final valedictorian.

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The school is closing this summer, after serving students for the last 26 years,.

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If they ever look back on me feel like yeah, she was a really smart person. I bet.

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She did great things and they actually go back and look at me, emily yeah. She.

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Did do great things? That's all. I ever hope when everybody looks at me, but who.

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Kiana is, and her value to gerrits final graduating class is so much more than.

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That she is a shining example of maturity and.

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Kindness, for example, she had some doubts when she first found out. She was in the.

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Running for valedictorian at the start of her sophomore year, and even though I.

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Didn't really, I feel like want to be afrai so that I thought about it. Maybe.

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In eight three two, I'm, like that's terrifying, I'm going to have to speak in.

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Front of people and that's one of my biggest fear, I feel like mcknight, also.

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Expressed concerns about failing and letting others down. Fortunately, her.

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Drive coupled with a loving and supportive faculty at garrett, helped her.

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Grow I like this feeling of accomplishing things, so let me see how.

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High I could climb and I didn't really realize I was already there until I was.

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There I'm like well now I have to keep my spot and keep trying to do better. I.

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Sensed what was in her through her papers and when she would come and speak.

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With me, after class was over, she always desired academic excellence.

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Rosita wilder one of kiana's honors english teachers says that once kiana.

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Started working on service projects through the national honor society and.

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Students in action the potential was unlocked. She would always share with me.

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That I was pushing her out of her comfort zone, but I shared with her too.

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She reminded me so much of me with everything in her. It was equally.

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Important to use what was in her to impact the.

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Wow she's the pinnacle of what you want in a child. I mean she really grew as a.

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Person, and not just as not just her educational but in her personal life she.

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Grew tremendously in her four years here with garrett, and it's just great to see.

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Her blossom and fly principal dale metzger adds that tiana represents what.

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Garrett's class of 2020 was all about finishing strong, even in the face of the.

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Cova 19 pandemic and the school being physically closed for the final two and.

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A half months they have a 96 percent graduation rate and an 82 percent.

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College and/or career readiness rate, hard work and dedication in seeing it.

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Through is what this class is about, and we had a collection of young people that.

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Just refused to buy into the negative commentary that was out there. They chose.

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To look on the positive side, we're such a small class, so it was very easy to.

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Keep in touch with each other and reach out and motivate each other, and we all.

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Want to see each other become the best things we can in the future.

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Kiana's, genuine heart for others, sets her apart as well for her family. Her.

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School community or animals she went to garrett to focus on health.

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Science and plans to pursue a career as a veterinarian by going to the.

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University of south carolina, then the university of georgia. What animals it.

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Always felt like this type of thing clicked and ever since I was actually in.

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Kindergarten, I wanted to be a veterinarian and, as I see them, that's.

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Great I'm like I want to help these animals because they can't help themselves. Her connection with the staff at garrett goes back to when she was.

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Four years old, she attended the child development program house there at the.

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Time, no doubt this group of dedicated educators helped her grow into the.

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Strong compassionate young woman, she is today they weren't afraid to get close.

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To us and learn our lives maybe and eat hands-on and everything. Rather, it's just.

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Reaching out which they've done an awesome job with um the corona situation.

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Happening, I had everybody all right. Somebody calling me every week and I.

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Felt really special and cared about our faculty and staff at garrett academy.

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Really recognized the potential of this young lady early on simple things like.

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Our music teacher, getting here the drum line she developed a wider base.

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Friends and kind of came out of rochelle now that garret has given kiana mcknight.

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An opportunity for true life-changing success. She plans on taking advantage of.

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That opportunity, I truly believe that probably anything is possible with a.

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Little bit of care and time, could you really have to care about something you.

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Have to want something, and you can make that possible, even though the.

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Situation's aren't ideal, the world is going to be better because of her and.

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And I really believe that, as she continues to spread her wings, which I.

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Know she will in north charleston for the stories of ccsd, I'm andy pruitt.

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