The Clarke Central High School Class of 2024 throw their caps in the air at their graduation ceremony in Billy Henderson Stadium on May 24, 2024. CCHS’s Class of 2025 will graduate on May 22 at the Akins Ford Arena, which left CCHS senior Breyanna Williams excited for this year’s graduation. The energy at graduation is beautiful, and I can’t wait to experience that for myself,” Williams said. Photo by Jazlyn Gonzalez Albarran
CCHS will hold its Class of 2025 graduation ceremony on May 22, starting at 2 p.m. in the Akins Ford Arena.
For the last two years, the Clarke Central High School graduation ceremony has been held at the Billy Henderson Stadium at CCHS. But this year, the ceremony has moved to an entirely new venue: the Akins Ford Arena.
The arena officially opened on Dec. 13, 2024, and with the new setting available, the Clarke County School District decided to move both CCHS’ and Cedar Shoals High School’s graduation ceremonies there. CCHS’s ceremony will be on May 22, starting at 2 p.m followed by CSHS’s ceremony at 6 p.m. the same day. The location change was for a variety of reasons, but is primarily due to the venue being indoors.
“The thing is, if it rains, what do we do?” CCHS Family Engagement Specialist Christian Barner, who coordinated graduation, said. “We can’t fit 400-plus students plus all (of) their families and everybody in the (CCHS Competition) Gym.”
“It’s (going to) take some of the emotion out of it. I run track, I’ve been on that field hundreds of times, that’s like home to me. That arena is new, it’s awkward to be in there and try and celebrate the last four years of my life,”
— Bryanna Williams,
CCHS senior
Although the location is expected to provide more seating and concessions for sale, the location has its challenges. The arena is in Downtown Athens, which presents parking and traffic issues, factors Barner considered while planning.
“There will be shuttles from Clarke Central and shuttles from Clarke Middle (School),” Barner said. “Starting at 12:15 (p.m., people) can come and get on one of those shuttles (and) ride in (and CCHS) students will be bussed to the graduation (to solve) the traffic issues.”
For some graduating seniors like Bryanna Williams, the change in venue from Billy Henderson Stadium to the arena was initially a disappointment. However, Williams has since found some positives in the situation.
“It’s (going to) take some of the emotion out of it. I run track, I’ve been on that field hundreds of times, that’s like home to me. That arena is new, it’s awkward to be in there and try and celebrate the last four years of my life,” Williams said. “(But,) I’m reassuring myself by telling myself my friends will be there. I’m not gonna be in that new place on my own, which is really comforting.”
