Sixty-First Commencement
Class of 2026
Avari Simmons
Liberal Arts – KECSS
Avari Simmons, 16, is graduating from the Kingsborough Early College Secondary School this June with a high school diploma and an associate degree in liberal arts, making her one of the youngest members of the Class of 2026.
"Graduating with both a high school diploma and an associate degree feels a little surreal yet normal at the same time," Avari said. "Looking back on it, it's a really huge accomplishment. I’mproud to have achieved the milestone and gotten as far as I have."
The Brownsville resident enrolled at KECSS because of its signature promise: graduate with a college degree in hand. From the start, she embraced the challenge, even when it got tough.
"Despite the amount of work that was put on me as a freshman, I had always been inclined to take those challenges in stride," she said. "It wasn't always easy. It took having the confidence to feel like I could measure up to what people expected of me and a lot of second-guessing myself, but I worked hard and am very grateful to be where I am today."
Balancing high school and college coursework meant navigating two very different environments. She found that college required a different kind of thinking. "I would describe college as a more expansive experience than high school, with a more complex workload that wasn't harder or easier — just different," said Avari. “I was exposed to different parts of life and of history that I wouldn’t normally have seen. It led me to become more open-minded and interpret things more deeply.”
In her four years at Kingsborough, two professors stood out. Professor Sarah Bowker made her sociology course material feel both accessible and meaningful. "I felt like I was able to write better while also interpreting topics that both interested me and impacted my everyday life," Avari said. “She was also a very kind professor. I enjoyed her lectures.”
She also found that a theatre class with Professor Jay Michaels was unlike any class she had ever taken. “Engaging with the material allowed me to move out of my comfort zone."
Outside the classroom, Avari has been a member of the National Honor Society since her freshman year, participating in fundraising efforts for breast cancer and MS research. She volunteered with the Identity Project, a student-led social services and community action program, and counts their Broadway trips as some of her most memorable moments at the school.
Avari also completed a hospital internship through the HE3AT program at Maimonides Medical Center, where she got a close look at the career path she is hoping to pursue. “I saw how hard each medical professional worked no matter what department they were in while still maintaining their humanity,” she observed. “It showed me how the hospital functions through many moving parts and is somewhere that never really sleeps.” She was even encouraged to think of her own solutions to problems in medicine.
This year she joined the school's new gardening club, tracking plant growth and experimenting with seeds. "I actually enjoyed getting my hands dirty and learning how to plant things," she said.“I hope the club will expand and provide some good crops for the school.”
Through all of it, her family kept her grounded. "They always were there with a helpful hand," she said. "They knew when I was overwhelmed and didn't shame me for wanting a break, which is very comforting for a person who doesn't usually ask for help."
This fall, Avari will attend Pace University in Manhattan through the honors program, where she plans to major in biology. “I hope to go into medicine or become a biologist and do research.”
Her advice for students thinking of enrolling in the early college program is to show up for what matters and may benefit them and not to take themselves too seriously. “Take time to experience more things, take every opportunity you can get, and appreciate all that you have accomplished.”