By Khaliah Blount Staff Writer
On June 9, Benjamin Carson High School seniors will walk across the stage at the Opera House to receive their diplomas. This will be the school’s first graduation ceremony and at that point the class of 2015 will experience yet another first as they become the first alumni class.
Since walking through the doors for the first time four years ago, the class of 2015 has seen a lot of firsts: first class, first homecoming dance, first end–of-year picnic, first sunrise breakfast, the first day of senior year, first Grammies, first senior pinning ceremony, and the first senior breakfast.
What started in 2011 as 80 students, six teachers and a dream is now 434 students, many more classes, more than 15 teachers. One thing that hasn’t changed much is the makeup of the class – with very few exceptions most of the students have been here for all four years. Seniors remember being the only students in the school and say that this has created an unusual identity for them.
“Over the four years, we’ve become like family,” senior Ukhari Coates said. “It’s going to be very hard to lose that comfort zone.”
There are still a few more firsts to come.
Students plan to gather to watch the sunset on the last day of school, and the first prom will be on June 5.
“As I reflect on the past four years, I recall many successes, enduring lessons, breakthroughs and discoveries,” principal Brenda Belcher said. “I am extremely proud of the Class of 2015 and I will follow their careers with much interest and pride.”
