Starkville High School Puts A Twist On Signing Day

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – We hear of signing days for athletes, but at Starkville High School, school leaders are having a signing day for their 2018 graduating class.

It’s to honor their academic achievements and to celebrate their next steps in life.

The Starkville High Principal thinks this group might break the school’s record in number of scholarships for a graduating class.

Three-hundred and fifty seniors at Starkville High are finishing up their last few days of school.

Over one-hundred and twenty of them, have more than a million dollars worth of scholarship money combined, with some still undeclared.

“We preach career and college ready every day for our students and it’s just exciting to see all of them excited about going to the next level and continuing their education,” says Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Superintendent, Dr. Eddie Peasant.

The Senior Signing Day is a way for the soon to be graduates to declare their post-grad plans, which include enrolling in college, serving in the military, or going to the workforce.

“We do it for our athletes, you know, a National Signing Day for football. We pack the auditorium and we do that, so let’s do it for everybody and that’s kind of where this idea came from, because why not celebrate the academics, as well as the athletics,” says Starkville High School Principal Sean McDonnall.

This 2018 grad has experienced putting the pen to paper at both signing days.

“The big difference is you know, the athletic signing is just you and your family and this one is all of the school and all of your friends and classmates,” says Kirsten Thompson.

College signee, Reese Dunne, received the Presidential Scholarship at Mississippi State, which rings true with a full-ride.

“There’s 150 seniors and not everyone gets recognized at where they’re going to college, so it’s like a great opportunity for all of us to see where our classmates are going and keep up with them.”

Joseph Noll is the only one in his class going to the Coast Guard and says the school’s twist on signing day is a great idea.

“It helps show that it’s not just the sports that are important. It shows that the educational aspect of schooling and future learning is important as well, and it shows that not everybody has to be a football star, or a baseball star, to attend college and get a degree.”

Seniors have to declare and verify all scholarship awards before their awards program on May 15th.

Graduation is May 25, 2018.

Congrats to the soon to be graduates!!