Clarke Central High School Class of 2023 alumnus Antonio Starks receives his diploma from CCHS Principal Dr. Swade Huff in Billy Henderson Stadium on May 26. CCHS will host its third graduation in four years on campus rather than at Stegeman Coliseum on the University of Georgia’s campus. “It is a great place for students to close out their high school careers because this is where they have had all these memories that have been made. They’ve been playing sports on these fields, they’ve had classes out here,” Family Engagement Specialist and Graduation Coordinator Christian Barner said. “It’s just a natural place (for graduation). They walked into this building and now they’re literally walking out of the same building for the graduation.” Photo by Aza Khan
The CCSD released Class of 2024 graduation dates for Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central High Schools on Sept. 26.
The Clarke County School District disclosed plans for its Class of 2024 high school graduation ceremonies in a press release on Sept. 26.
Cedar Shoals High School’s graduation will be held on Thursday, May 23, 2024, beginning at 9 a.m. in Waters-Wilkins Stadium on the CSHS campus. Clarke Central High School’s graduation will be held the following day on May 24, beginning at 9 a.m. in Billy Henderson Stadium on the CCHS campus.
“I’m excited for the ceremony to again be held at home – on campus, on the field, where so many memories have been made. (It’s) the perfect place for our students to close out their high school careers,” Family Engagement Specialist and Graduation Coordinator Christian Barner said.
“I’m excited for the ceremony to again be held at home – on campus, on the field, where so many memories have been made. (It’s) the perfect place for our students to close out their high school careers.”
— Christian Barner,
Family Engagement Specialist and Graduation Coordinator
For years, CCSD graduation ceremonies were held at Stegeman Coliseum on the University of Georgia’s campus. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 and structural issues at the Coliseum in 2023, ceremonies were moved outdoors in 2021 at each high school school’s campus – a move, which Barner says can come with challenges.
“Well, the difficulties versus having it between here or UGA, there’s more planning when we have it here at the school as we have to take care of a lot more of the logistical things like the chairs and tables and organization of everything,” Barner said. “We also have to be concerned about rain for weather. That’s much more of a concern when we’re dealing with obviously an outdoor ceremony versus an indoor one, so they’re actually is a lot more that goes into (it).”
Clarke Central High School holds its annual graduation at Stegeman Coliseum on May 18, 2018. The CCHS Class of 2018 boasted 280 graduates, which made the 10,523-seat air conditioned Coliseum ideal for families in attendance. “My brother graduated last year at Cedar and it was just very, very crowded,” senior Kr’eme Smith said. “It was also on a football field and it was also very hot. So I hope it’s not comparable to that.” Photo by Krista Shumaker
Senior Kr’eme Smith also has logistical concerns about a graduation ceremony on-campus at a high school instead of at the air-conditioned 10,523-seat Coliseum.
“My brother graduated last year at Cedar (Shoals High School) and it was just very, very crowded,” Smith said. “It was also on a football field and it was also very hot. So I hope it’s not comparable to that.”
The CCSD had planned to return to the Coliseum for 2024 Graduation ceremonies, but UGA notified the district that the Coliseum would not be available for high school graduations in 2024 after being scheduled to undergo roof repairs in March.
Despite the potential challenges of a ceremony on the CCHS campus, senior Alwin Joseph is upbeat about graduation.
“Though our graduation may not be on a grand stage (Stegeman Coliseum), our futures are still boundless,” Joseph said. “Remember, it’s not where we graduate that matters, but what we achieve after we leave those school gates.”
