George Rogers Clark High School celebrates Class of 2024; salutatorian honors late classmate

George Rogers Clark High School held its Class of 2024 commencement in Clark County with speeches from the salutatorian and valedictorian and diploma conferrals led by Superintendent Dustin Howard and members of the Clark County Board of Education.

Salutatorian Lauren Clem recalled the senior class’s shared experiences and asked the audience to remember a late classmate, Ryan Phelps. Clem said she never had the opportunity to know Phelps personally but described him as “incredibly loved by our entire community,” and asked the crowd to “continue to lift up his family and dear friends in prayer.” Clem urged graduates to learn from mistakes, quoting, “If you erase the mistakes of your past, you would also erase all the wisdom of your present.”

Valedictorian Kylie Hensley encouraged classmates to maintain optimism facing uncertainty. Hensley thanked teachers and family for support and said, “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will,” adding that graduates should “be confident in yourselves” as they begin their next chapter.

Superintendent Dustin Howard, joined by assistant principals Emily Cook, Chelsea Heilley, John Stratman and Terry East, read names and oversaw the wording and conferral of diplomas. Chairperson Ashley Ritchie and Clark County Board of Education members Billy Bennett, Ben Dorsey, Dora Hall and Jennifer Simpkins were acknowledged as representing the district.

The ceremony included student tributes to teachers and reflections on community and faith. A complete roll call of graduates was read aloud during the diploma presentation; the transcript includes the names called but the total number of graduates was not specified in the record.

The ceremony closed with the formal conferral of degrees and congratulations to the Class of 2024.