Excelsior Classical Academy first class of senior graduated on June 1, 2024 at 10 am. The faculty members were led in by a bagpiper playing Highland Cathedral and the graduating class processed in to Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance. The school band led by Vlad Kary played the national anthem, Star Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key. Dr. Tammy Rodman gave the Invocation. Cynthia Gadol, the Executive Director, welcomed everyone and introduced Dr. Rodman for the keynote speech. Dr. Rodman, a community leader, was Excelsior’s founding board president. Fred Pierce, the Upper School Dean, introduced the co-valedictorians, Ellison White and Elijah Gadol, both of whom had 4.75 weighted GPAs and both of whom also graduated summa cum laude from Durham Tech with Associate in Arts degrees. Both students have been active members and officers of National Student Council and the National Honor Society, and have been student athletes. The recessional was Best Day of My Life by American Authors, accompanied by the Fifth Grade Drum Circle led by Grammar School music teacher Ronda Wagner.
Present at the ceremony were families and friends, faculty and staff members, board president Scott Sipe, board members Oshrat Doriocourt and Tammy Rodman, and two former faculty members, Ashley Loveless and Matt Bowen. Cathy Sebring, High School Counselor, Eleanor Young, Senior Advisor, Lynn Bowen, Senior Thesis Advisor were recognized.
Speakers related the nine year journey and the growth the school has gone through since it opened in 2015. Twelve of the 37 graduates attended Excelsior for fourth grade in 2015. Both valedictorians talked about the seniors being the first class to do many things, referring to the class as “pioneers” and humorously as “guinea pigs.” Their ninth grade year was mostly remote, so establishing the high school culture was difficult, but the students and staff worked on clubs, service projects, food truck Fridays, and sports teams, and started many traditions.
Statistics on our graduating class
Presidential Award for Academic Excellence 7
Governor’s School attendee 1
UNC College Endorsement on diploma 16
Early College Dual Enrollment participants 11
Associate’s Degrees 3 (2 summa cum laude, 1 cum laude)
AP Class participants 13
AP Scholars 4
AP Scholars with Distinction 3
Honors Class participants 33
Latin Honors 12 (5 summa cum laude, 2 magna cum laude, 5 cum laude)
National Honor Society members 12
National Student Council members 13
Student Athletes 24
World Language (2 or more credits) 37
Theater/Performing Arts 7
Band/Orchestra/Instrumental Music 6
Chorus/Music 4
Visual/Fine Arts 28
Computers/Technology 9
Federal Ethnicity and Race
American Indian or Alaska Native: 0, or 0.0%
Asian: 1, or 2.70%
Black or African American: 9, 24.32%
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: 0, or 0.00%
White or Caucasian: 10, or 27.03%
Hispanic/Latino: 13, or 35.13%
Two or More Race Categories: 4, or 10.81%
College Acceptances
Appalachian State University
Baylor University
Campbell University
Catawba College
Clark Atlanta University
Clemson University
Coastal Carolina Community College
Davidson College
Eastern Carolina University
Elon University
Furman University
Guilford College
High Point University
New College of Florida
Norfolk University
North Carolina State University
Palm Beach Atlantic University
Queens University of Charlotte
Savannah College of Art and Design
Sewanee, The University of the South
Shaw University
SKEMA at Raleigh
Southern Methodist University
University of Alabama
University of Alaska at Fairbanks
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Voorhees College
Wake Technical Community College
Western Carolina University
Wingate University
Wofford College
Immediate After-High School Plans
Four-year college/university 17
Two-year community college 17
Employment 2
Military (Army) 1
