• Graduation 2019
     Ashbrook        Bessemer City        Cherryville        Stuart W. Cramer
    East Gaston        Forestview        Gaston Early College        Highland        Hunter Huss
    North Gaston      South Point       Warlick Academy     Webb Street

Graduation Schedule

  • It's time for high school graduation in Gaston County Schools. The schedule is below.

     
    • Ashbrook: Held Saturday, June 8, 9:00 a.m., Stadium.
    • Bessemer City: Held Saturday, June 8, 9:00 a.m., Stadium.
    • Stuart W. Cramer: Held Saturday, June 8, 9:00 a.m., Stadium.
    • Cherryville: Held Saturday, June 8, 9:00 a.m., Stadium.
    • East Gaston: Held Saturday, June 8, 9:00 a.m., Gymnasium.
    • Forestview: Held Saturday, June 8, 9:00 a.m., Stadium.
    • Gaston Early College: Held Thursday, May 16
    • Highland: Held Saturday, June 8, 11:00 a.m., Auditorium.
    • Hunter Huss: Held Saturday, 8, 9:00 a.m., Stadium.
    • North Gaston: Held Saturday, June 8, 9:00 a.m., Gymnasium.
    • South Point: Held Saturday, June 8, 9:00 a.m., Stadium.
    • Warlick Academy: Held Wednesday, June 5, 2:00 p.m., Gymnasium. 
    • Webb Street School: Held Wednesday, June 5, 12:00 p.m., Gymnasium.

Tickets for Graduation

  • Admission tickets are required for ceremonies that are held indoors (East Gaston, Highland, North Gaston, Warlick). 

    If outdoor ceremonies are moved indoors because of inclement weather, a ticket is required. Because of space constraints, most schools require tickets for ceremonies that are held in the football stadium. 

    Anyone with questions about admission tickets for graduation should contact the school for specific information.

Safety at Graduation

  • All high schools have a comprehensive safety plan for graduation, and school officials have spent time working with local law enforcement to ensure that graduation is an enjoyable experience for everyone in attendance. 

    To ensure safety, the following procedures will be in place:

    โ–ช Each school will have additional security personnel – a police presence will be noticeable on campus.

    โ–ช Attendees should arrive early and be prepared to stand in line to enter the ceremony.

    โ–ช Metal detectors (walk-through units and hand-held wands) will be used. Everyone at graduation, including students, parents, relatives, school personnel, and guests, will be subject to metal detection screening.

    โ–ช Attendees are discouraged from bringing purses and handbags to graduation. Purses/handbags must be screened, a process that slows down the entrance line.

    โ–ช Traffic congestion is likely near the high schools beginning one hour before the start of graduation. Attendees should plan accordingly to allow enough time for parking and entering the ceremony.

    โ–ช Being vigilant is important. Anyone who sees or is aware of suspicious activity at graduation should contact a school official or law enforcement immediately.

Star Teacher-Student Awards 2019

Outstanding Achievements

  • We have gone through our monthly "Good News" reports from schools and compiled this list of outstanding achievements by seniors in the Class of 2019.
     
    Zachary Fargher (Ashbrook) received a full scholarship to attend Brown University.

    Jadeanne Grant     (Ashbrook) received the Gaston County JROTC Outstanding Service Scholarship. 

    Antwone McClee     (Ashbrook) won the individual 3A state wrestling title in the 285-pound weight class.  McClee completed the season with a perfect 44-0 record. He will attend Mars Hill University where he signed a letter of intent to play football.
     
    Asia Spinks (Ashbrook) received a Gold Key Award and was a National Silver Medalist in the Mid-Carolina Regional Scholastic Art and Writing Awards program.

    Ja’Ciya Guthrie (Bessemer City)  was named the 1A track and field most outstanding performer after winning three events and setting a state record.  She won the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, and the 100-meter hurdles and set a new state record for the 100-meter dash at 12.08 seconds.

    Emily Harris     (Stuart W. Cramer) won the Blumey Awards' Technical Achievement Award for her outstanding work to create costumes for “You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown.”  She also won the award last year for the school’s production of “Cinderella.”  Additionally, Harris received the Mary Doctor Performing Arts Scholarship valued at $10,000 (renewable for four years). She plans to attend the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. 

    Mikiya Gamble (Forestview) received the Lewis and Elizabeth Dowdy Scholarship to attend North Carolina A&T State University.
     
    Emily Faust (Forestview) was awarded the $1,000 Jon H. Poteat Scholarship from the National Technical Honor Society. She plans to attend Western Carolina University to major in elementary education with a concentration in English. 

    Colton McElveen     (Forestview) organized a school supply collection drive for students at the Boys and Girls Club of Gastonia.

    Rogan Smith (Forestview) was recognized as the first student in Gaston County to successfully complete state requirements for the North Carolina Pre-Apprentice for Masonry program.  In addition, Rogan was featured in a segment on the “Carolina Impact” show that airs on WTVI - PBS Charlotte.

    Kimberly Queen (Gaston Early College) was selected to present at the prestigious Community College Undergraduate Research Initiative (CCURI) in Glendale, Arizona.  Her research topic was “How plants react to reflective light instead of direct light.”

    Kyra Rhyne (Gaston Early College) received the Wayne F. Shovelin Scholarship from the CaroMont Health Foundation. 

    Addison Beam (Highland) signed a national letter of intent to play golf at Appalachian State University.  He finished as the runner-up in the 1-A state golf championship after winning the state title last year.  
     
    Christiana Daniel and Daniel Friday (Highland) received the Park Scholarship to attend North Carolina State University. The Park Scholarship is among the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship programs in the United States.
     
    Maddy Rostmeyer (Highland) was selected for the Broadway Experience sponsored by the N.C. Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. She attended Broadway shows, enjoyed backstage tours, and visited various tourist attractions.
     
    Mariah Jones (Highland) and Luiz Baldizon Montejo (Hunter Huss) were the two recipients of the James Buie Scholarship, which provides full tuition to study criminal justice at Belmont Abbey College. The scholarship is presented by the Gaston County Police Department.

    Prince Bemah (Hunter Huss) was selected for the 2018 Shrine Bowl. He received a football scholarship to attend UNC-Charlotte.

    Tony Davis (Hunter Huss) was named one of the Charlotte area’s top preseason football players in the High School Football Extra’s Big 22 program. Davis was also selected for the 2018 Shrine Bowl. He received a football scholarship to attend Duke University.

    Jennifer Galarza (Hunter Huss) received the Gaston Music Education Foundation Scholarship.

    Marcus Mauney (Hunter Huss) signed a national letter of intent to play football at Yale University.  He also received an academic scholarship.

    Zane Andrews (South Point) won the 2-A state championship in the pole vault competition.

    Larry Dowdy (South Point) was selected for the 2018 Shrine Bowl. He received a football scholarship to attend Appalachian State University.

    Claire Mitchell (South Point) won a $1,000 scholarship in the “Best and Brightest” recognition program sponsored by The Gaston Gazette. She plans to attend Dartmouth University.

    The following students received the State Employees Credit Union “People Helping People” four-year scholarship: Christine Ewart (East Gaston), Erin Fletcher (Hunter Huss), Eleanor Kay (Stuart W. Cramer), Marie Hanks (Stuart W. Cramer), Alexander Hardin (Highland), Taryn Jenkins (Cherryville), Nelson Lomick (South Point), Anna Mason (Ashbrook), and Lauren Patton (North Gaston).  The scholarship is valued at $10,000 and payable at $1,250 for up to eight consecutive semesters for a senior to attend one of the campuses in the University of North Carolina system.

    The following high school students were awarded the Albert G. Myers Scholarship: James Abee (Gaston Early College), John Bedford (East Gaston), LaDameion Butler (Bessemer City), Daphne Martinez-Cruz (North Gaston), Marcus Mauney (Hunter Huss), Kyra Rhyne (Gaston Early College), and Gracie Smith (South Point).

Congratulations to the Gaston County Schools Class of 2019!

  • Students in the Class of 2019 have spent four years of high school learning, growing, and finding success inside and outside the classroom.

    With the guidance and support of teachers, counselors, coaches, and other school personnel, the students balanced challenging academic courses with volunteer work and athletic schedules. They became school leaders and made an impact on the community, founded their own clubs and nonprofit organizations, and earned state and national awards.

    Their four years of high school in Gaston County Schools have prepared them for success in college and beyond.

    Some of our graduates have earned full-tuition scholarships to prestigious universities including Yale, Dartmouth, Duke, and Brown. They are planning ahead for careers in fields such as engineering, education, medicine, architecture, and business, and some are already planning to return to Gaston County after graduating from college to contribute to their community.

    Congratulations to the Class of 2019 - this is your moment to shine!

Outstanding Seniors

  • We are highlighting outstanding seniors in the Gaston County Schools Class of 2019 (one from each high school).  Check out our profiles below.