CCHS graduates walk tonight

The Churchill County High School commencement ceremony for more that 200 students will be tonight at 7 p.m. on the Edward Arciniega Athletic Complex’s football field.

This year’s guest speaker is Deputy Trevin Goodrick from the Churchill County Sheriff’s Office.

Principal Kevin Lords said the school has a group of seniors who make up the graduation committee, which decides a speaker for the event.

“We look for people from the community who have inspirational stories, success stories,” Lords said. “(Goodrick) can relate to the kids, has a lot of energy and is a positive role model. He received the Gold Award in the Law Enrichment Olympics for the second time in a row and used to coach and assist on the athletic team here.”

The exercises will kick off with a prelude of recorded senior messages to family and friends prior to the procession. The program will continue with features including the CCHS Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets, the National Anthem performed by the advanced choir, the presentation of the class gift, teacher and staff recognition, and remembering a classmate.

“We’re ready to go,” said Monica Fairbanks, the event organizer and senior English teacher.

This will also be the first year members of the Jump Start College program will be graduating. The seniors joined the program when they were juniors, the first year this special program was offered at Western Nevada College. Upon completion of the program, they receive an associate’s degree in either the sciences or arts in addition to a high-school diploma.

Lords pointed out that on Monday in Carson City, these eight students graduated from Western Nevada College and on Friday, they’ll graduate from high school. Many other high schools in the area have launched this program.

After tonight’s graduation, seniors and their chaperons will attend a Grad Nite party a Naval Air Station Fallon.

Each senior class graduate received seven tickets to give to their guests, allowing the guests to sit on the football field for gradation. All other guests are invited to sit in the grandstands.

The gates for parking and the stadium will open at 5:30 p.m. Guests should park in the student parking lot off Sheckler Road, and enter the stadium through the ticket gate off that lot. There will be additional parking at the fairgrounds when the student lot is filled. Handicapped parking will be available, as well as golf carts for transporting handicapped individuals to the field.

There will be no seat-saving before 5:30 p.m.