Aiken County high school graduations returning to Convocation Center in 2022

Shakailah Heard, Aiken Standard, S.C.
·1 min read

Oct. 31—High school graduations in the Aiken County Public School District will return to the USC Aiken Convocation Center in the spring.

The 2022 graduation ceremonies will not be held outside at the school's campuses, but inside of the USCA Convocation Center off Robert M. Bell Parkway. The graduations will be held from June 1 to June 3.

"We surveyed parents, parents of graduating students and students, and the majority across the school district wanted to return to the Convocation Center, air-conditioned facility, guaranteed a number of tickets, not worried about the weather," said Aiken County Public Schools Superintendent King Laurence.

Laurence said last school year, schools were "sweating it" with concerns due to weather.

"We had one graduation that was rained out last year; fortunately, it was Ridge Spring-Monetta so the amount of guests who would have been in the stadium also fit inside the gymnasium. That would not have been the case for a larger school," Laurence said.

Moving the graduations inside of the Convocation Center would alleviate the fear of weather complications and would have consistency with families having a set number of tickets, Laurence said.

The schedule for Aiken County Public Schools 2022 graduation are as follows:

Wednesday, June 1

—Aiken County Career & Technology Center: 5 p.m.

—Aiken Scholars Academy: 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, June 2

—Midland Valley High School: 2 p.m.

—Ridge Spring-Monetta: 5 p.m.

—North Augusta High School: 8 p.m.

Friday, June 3

—Aiken High School: 9 a.m.

—Wagener-Salley High School: 12 p.m.

—Silver Bluff High School: 3 p.m.

—South Aiken High School: 6 p.m.