On Tuesday, December 13, nine Haywood High School seniors in the first REACH Academy received their high school diplomas. This program, implemented by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Marlon King, offers an innovative, rich, rigorous and engaging program designed to address the individual academic and developmental needs of the program’s students. REACH is an acronym for Receiving Educational Academic Credits Hastily. This allows those students who have gotten behind in their course work to catch up and graduate on time.

The graduates are Karl Lee Cleaves, Tisheanna Lataj Dorris, Steven Terrell Goff, Eddie Lee Gonzales, Sara Elaine Long (Salutatorian), Cory Chester Petty (Valedictorian), Candice Alanna Phillips, Derail Nathaneal Shaw and Tyler James Tindle. After receiving their diplomas, the graduates participated in a rose ceremony, presenting a rose to the one who was the greatest inspiration to them.

Hosts for the event were Superintendent of Schools Dr. Marlon King, HHS Principal Dorothy Bond, Vice Principal Michelle Tillman, Assistant Principal Drayton Hawkins and REACH Academy Director Stephen May. Special guests were Haywood County School Board members Harold Garrett, Robbie Jarrett-King and Pearlie Hess, and speaker Christopher Taylor, a HHS graduate and attorney in Memphis. The Haywood High School Show Choir performed for the large crowd of faculty, family and friends who attended. Also participating was HHS Senior Class President Cedric Tyus.