Crossroads High holds September graduation ceremony

By SEAN HANEY

Cove Leader-Press

Last Friday, Copperas Cove’s Crossroads High School held its September graduation ceremony.

There were a total of 20 students who graduated, with 17 walking the stage at Lea Ledger Auditorium on Friday evening.

Crossroads High holds three graduation ceremonies a year, in January, May, and September.

Each student crossed the stage to receive their diploma holder from Copperas Cove Independent School District Board President Joan Manning and shake hands and receive congratulations from  CCISD Superintendent Joseph Burns and Crossroads High School Principal Patrick Crawley.

As they exited the stage, each student received a rose and a hug from Sharon Whitis, secretary at Crossroads High School. They were also presented with a gift bucket full of snacks and goodies before getting their picture taken in the lobby.

“I’m really excited to graduate today because that means I can go to college a whole semester early,” graduate Jaelyn French stated.

French was ahead in her classes by the time her senior year started and she only needed six credits to graduate, so instead of waiting a whole school year to graduate she decided to go to Crossroads and finish early.

“All the time I’m not in school right now is more time that I can spend working and making money for college,” French added.

Another graduate talked about the significance of Friday evening’s ceremony.

“Being able to graduate today means I have a milestone in my life, to know that I have been successful and there is a new chapter in my life…I am starting a new chapter in the book. And I doubt that I’ve finished this one,” stated Christian Rue.

For Rue, he was not ahead like French was, but he still graduated early.

“If I was to stay at Copperas Cove High, I felt like I would have to do a lot more work than if I was at Crossroads,” Rue commented. “Crossroads High has been the best experience school wise that I have had in a very long time. The reason I say this is, because all my life it’s been a struggle. In all my life it’s been trying my hardest, and trying my hardest sometimes is not enough at certain schools.”

“They’re done,” Principal Patrick Crawley said of the students. “So, I see no sense in waiting for 11 months in some circumstances in order to walk across the stage. So, we’ve started three graduations, a year and it’s working out.”

Crossroads does not offer the extracurriculars such as band, theater arts, choir, but Crawley did say that where some of the sports are concerned, Crossroads students are eligible to play and also in afterschool activities. He said that there are three playing football right now.

The entire program at Crossroads is at the students’ own pace, although it is sometimes difficult for some students because they are not self-motivated, it will take them longer to graduate.

“It’s all online curriculum, and the kids learn very well from a computer. They can tap in and tune in check in and get it done. And that’s what a lot of them do. We have quite a few students that graduate early,” Crawley added. “It’s just different, it’s a place for the square peg that doesn’t fit in a round hole at the general high school.