Like thousands of local graduates before them, the seniors at Christian County and Hopkinsville high schools walked Friday evening into their school gymnasiums in caps and gowns as the sound of “Pomp and Circumstance” played. Both gyms were filled with family and friends cheering as each senior walked across the stage to receive a diploma.
While these may have appeared as typical high school graduations, for both of the classes of 2026 and members of the community, these ceremonies marked the final goodbye for two schools that will consolidate into one in August.
“It’s just bittersweet,” said Christian County High School graduate Chassady Cornett. “I would have never guessed that us, the Class of ’26, would be the last class.”
CCHS has many traditions, such as senior reflections, pep rallies and the blue and red handprints in the school hallway on Glass Avenue. However, what Cornett said she will miss is how her future children won’t get to go to the same school that she and her family did.
“My mom, my aunts, my uncles, like they were all here, teachers know them — and to me it’s very sad that I am never going to see these people again.”
Christian County High School was established through the consolidation of five rural county schools in 1959. Its name will carry over to the new school, but its Colonel mascot will be replaced with Hoptown’s Tiger mascot. The colors, mainly blue and orange, will be a blend of the two schools.
HHS traces its history to the community’s first public school, which was established on Clay Street in 1881. It was named Hopkinsville High School in the early 1900s.
“It feels kind of crazy, like I am the last. Are you serious, nobody else is after me? It’s just so surreal,” said Hopkinsville graduate Deontre Coleman.
“The teachers really did have an impact on me,” he said. “They changed my whole perspective of life …”
Friday’s ceremonies — which were moved back to the school gyms after rain forced administrations to abandon plans for both graduations at the Stadium of Champions — weren’t only a time of reflection for students, but also for teachers and community members.
The top academic achievers recognized during the graduations were HHS valedictorian Kristen Hale and salutatorian Wendy Del Angel, and CCHS valedictorian Lacey Paige and salutatorians Andrew Mayes and Gage Montes.
CCHS commencement speaker Robert Burnham has served the school for 27 years as a teacher and a wrestling coach — and for the past four years he has been an assistant principal.
Burnham has a tradition of his own, taking a classroom selfie with all of his students. So he lifted his phone and took a larger view at the final graduation ceremony, shooting a selfie of the Class of 2026 during his speech.
The HHS commencement speaker was Jeff Sisk, general manager of WHOP Radio and a 1983 Hopkinsville graduate. He’s been broadcasting ballgames for HHS for 25 years and for CCHS for four years.
“This school will not exist, but it will exist in your memories,” Sisk told the graduates.
From the last “Hoptown-County” games to the final proms and pep rallies, this year marked the end of an era for CCHS and HHS. The graduations were the final goodbye. Now the two schools become part of history.
See more photos from the graduation ceremonies here.
Aly Adler is a journalism student at Murray State University. She is a 2022 graduate of Christian County High School.
