On Friday, May 13th, Central High School held a ‘senior night’ in order to congratulate and celebrate the seniors who will be graduating and leaving Central behind this year. At this event, various teachers, alumni, and staff gave speeches and handed out awards to multiple seniors. These awards included academic awards, moral awards, and, most spectacularly, scholarships.

In total, there were thirty-seven scholarships handed out.

Of these scholarships, thirteen were ‘local scholarships’. These scholarships were awarded to the following students: Edickson Cruz (Jacob Campbell), Maurice Williams (Kimberly Campbell), Janetth Colunga (Rob Campbell), Michael Barr and Luke Keown (Carolyn Fairbanks), Blake Chambers (Bud Knowles), Cordelia Araiza (Harrison Ruritan Club), Karleigh Schwarzl (Central Ruriteen Club), Fernando Hernandez Garcia (Saranell D. Smith), Blake Chambers (D9 Education Foundation scholarship), Messiah Partridge (Together We Can), Messiah Partridge (Pamela L. Price Scholarship).

There were nine of the total fifty-one which were ‘institutional scholarships’. These scholarships were awarded to the following students: Sabrina Campbell, Blacke Chambers, Jack Graham & Matthew Merfert (the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga), James Sevanick (Chattanooga State), Anna Frazer, Tongun Gore, Jack Graham, Kendra Jones & Ozzy Paulus (Tennessee Tech), Nicholas Garnand, Dylan Grampp, Logan Stegmaier & Addason Wellington (BlueSky Institute/East Tennessee State University).

Last but certainly not least, fourteen of the fifty-one were Central Alumni scholarships. These scholarships were awarded to the following students: Karleigh Schwarzl (Luther Massingill), Zane Ferrying (Ray Moss), Luke Keown (E.B. Etter), A’Driana Knight (Stan Farmer), Fernando Hernandez Garcia (John Holden), (Michael Barr) Gordon Smith, Sydney Stone (Principals), Jack Graham (Spirit of Central), Anna Frazier (Robert Kirk Walker), Hannah Christian and Tylor Murphy (Warren Mackey Jr.), Blake Chambers (Summers Family), and Kendra Jones (Central Teacher).

Each scholarship was handed out to a well-deserving senior; some, even, had not previously been made aware that they would be receiving it.

One senior, Nicholas Garnand, won the BlueSky Institute/East Tennessee State University institutional scholarship. “Although I had already been aware of this scholarship for a while, it was nice to be recognized publicly,” he states.

Several seniors were presented the opportunity to be recognized for their admirable hard work and efficiency as a student, as they deserved to be. Though many of us are sad to see our seniors go, at least we know that they are leaving with a helping hand!