KAYCEE TOMPKINS

“The young lady from the [sic] Hammond School who just sang at the Governor’s inauguration. Wow! You DID that!”

These were the words of South Carolina state representative Marvin Pendarvis, shared via Twitter, after Kaycee Tompkins sang her signature solo alongside the Select Ensemble at Gov Henry McMaster’s 2023 inauguration Kaycee has made herself known in the Hammond community for her awe-inspiring voice, which she has shared as a four-year member of the Ensemble and also through her memorable performances as Morticia in The Addams Family and Ariel in Footloose

Her journey with music began when she was very young: her mother reports that Kaycee has been singing “since she was a baby,” and Kaycee has sung with her church choir for many years After winning a free voice lesson with Columbia Arts Academy at Hammond’s auction, she has pursued private vocal tutoring and recorded several songs with her uncle, Justin Mickens, who was featured during her senior speech

Kaycee counts her endeavors in the arts as her most important Hammond experiences She counts the Select Ensemble’s Italy tour as particularly special, saying that “being able to sing in front of people who don’t speak the same language as me, but conveying a certain message through music was really cool to me ” She elaborates further on how performing in the musicals allowed her to “add different aspects” to her music career, and also winning an award in contemporary dance at a dance competition with fellow Hammond students.

The arts haven’t been Kaycee’s only Hammond experience: she dabbled in softball briefly and played volleyball for her entire high school career, which she calls her “favorite sport at Hammond.” Though she would “never expect” to go water rappelling or whitewater rafting during experiential opportunities in Costa Rica or the Nantahala Outdoor Center, she counts these experiences as rewarding aspects of her time at Hammond, saying they “unlocked the thing in me that wants to try new things and just be an explorer instead of somebody that lets fear get the best of them ”

With this depth of involvement as well as an impressive academic record, Kaycee cites “not trying to be perfect all the time” as her greatest challenge while at Hammond She says that, in Hammond’s fast-paced, high-pressure environment, it has been difficult for her to learn that “it's okay to give some of yourself here, give some of yourself there,” but that she strives to continue working on this as she ventures to life outside Hammond

It’s no surprise that Kaycee loves gospel music, which she has grown up singing She is also quick to mention R&B and hiphop as her favorite genres and that Beyoncé is her “favorite artist of all time ” Outside her school activities, Kaycee values time spent with her mother in the kitchen and enjoys watching her favorite Netflix shows

Though candid about her challenges, Kaycee’s successes remain compelling: Columbia Urban League Young & Gifted honoree, honor graduate, recipient of Hammond’s prestigious Herbert B. Barks, Jr. Award. She was also one of three College of Charleston applicants to receive the university’s most prestigious scholarship, the Colonial Scholarship, a full-tuition award to attend the college’s honors program She will matriculate there this fall, intending to major in public health on a pre-medical track, but also to continue pursuing music “as a hobby ” Kaycee plans to release an EP and “share her thoughts through music with the world one day ”

As advice to younger Hammond students, Kaycee advises taking care of oneself, saying that “self care is really important” and that students should “keep close relationships and learn from different people ” She says further to “get yourself out of your comfort zone That’s the only way you’re going to learn to be a better person ”