313 Central Residents to Graduate This Month

Class of 2012 Graduates from 8 Area Schools

CENTRAL — Over the next 10 days, more than 300 Central residents will receive their diplomas from eight area high schools — Central High, Central Private, Catholic High, St. Joseph’s Academy, Redemptorist, Parkview Baptist, Bethany, and Baton Rouge High — and 12 different home schools.

Central Private will hold its graduation on Friday, May 11 at 6 p.m. at Zoar Baptist Church.  Central High will hold its baccalaureate at 2 p.m. this Sunday, May 13 at Zoar.  Graduation will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 18 at Bethany World Prayer Center in Baker.

Central residents will graduate from the following schools (all numbers are approximate, because final grades have not been posted):

• Central High School (226)

• Central Private School (33)

• Catholic High School (14)

• Home Schools (12)

• Redemptorist High (10)

• St. Joseph’s Academy (8)

• Bethany Christian (4)

• Parkview Baptist (4)

• Baton Rouge High (2)

At Central High School, the Class of 2012 is smaller — 226 — than some other classes in recent years.  However, next year the Class of 2013 is expected to graduate more than 300 seniors, Central schools Supt. Mike Faulk said.

Central High School has not yet announced the names of the Valedictorian or Salutatorian, pending final exams and the announcement of final grades.  Similarly, the school has not yet announced the number and dollar value of scholarship earned by this year’s seniors.

Supt. Faulk said the Central High Class of 2012 had a large number of seniors who were simultaneously enrolled in high school and college.  At Central High, every student must complete a Senior Project.  “This year’s projects were better than ever!” Faulk said.

One landmark accomplishment for this year’s seniors was that they were the No. 1-performing senior class in Louisiana in ACT testing.

As a result, they are expected to  earn many college scholarships and enjoy excellent college careers.

But, they have also left a legacy for future Central High students.

Because of their stellar performance on the ACT tests, Central High principal Bob Wales decreed that students will henceforth be able to wear shorts to school.  That rule is expected to stay in place — a legacy from the Class of 2012.

At Central Private, principal Ellen Frazier said the 33 graduating seniors in the Class of 2012 have earned more than $350,000 in college scholarships and more than $300,000 in TOPS scholarship funds.

They have been accepted at 16 universities across Louisiana and the nation.

A total 12 of the 33 graduates have attended Central Private since they were in kindergarten.

Four of the graduates have parents who also graduated from Central Private, including both of the Valedictorians.

Three of the graduates are from Australia. One of these is an exchange student, while two of them hold dual U.S.-Australian citizenship.  One Central Private graduate is already earning his pilot’s license.

Among the estimated 313 graduates, there are 12 homeschoolers, who are graduating from 12 different homeschools.

On Tuesday night, the Honor Society of Christian Home School Fellowship recognized two Central homeschoolers for their achievements — Stephen Sumrall and Emily Kemp.  Sumrall plans to attend LeTourneau University.