What an exciting day!  Today marks the biggest academic day in the Kingsport City Schools academic calendar, as the class of 2016 will graduate from Dobyns-Bennett High School.  This year’s class is an extraordinary group, with a tremendous list of accomplishments that rival some of the greatest classes in D-B history.

Today, let’s look at some of the accolades received by this phenomenal group of students.  They truly reflect what we mean when we use the term “World Class!”

1. This year’s class contained 8 National Merit Semi-finalists, 6 National Merit Commended Students, and 3 Presidential Scholar semifinalists.
2. 70 of this year’s graduates earned a GPA over 4.0.
3. There were 102 AP Scholars in the Class of 2016.
4. Graduating today will be 114 graduates with distinction (roughly 1/4 of the senior class).
5. The class of 2016 has been offered in excess 11 million dollars in scholarship money… and still counting!
6. This year’s graduates have been a part of one of the most successful years in the history of D-B.  For instance…

• This was the 10^th consecutive year the D-B AFJROTC program has been named a unit of distinction, which is exactly how long they have been in existence at D-B.
• More than a dozen Career and Technical state-level competition winners and national qualifiers occurred this year.
• In 2015-16, D-B had over 50 conference, district, and regional athletic titles, including several state champions and state tournament participants.
• This year’s graduating band class has performed on some of the biggest stages in Tennessee and across the country, while entertaining dignitaries from the mayor to the governor and even the President of the United States. They are recognized by many to have just completed the most successful four-year career for a high school band.
• Two D-B students earned a perfect score on the ACT this year.
• D-B has been named in the top 5% of all high schools in the country by Newsweek Magazine and US News and World Report and one recognized as of the most rigorous high schools in the nation by the Washington Post.

Wow, what a successful year for the students and staff of Kingsport City Schools!

Like our students, starting today, the KCS Saturday Six goes on summer vacation.  Be on the lookout for other We Are KCS blog entries over the summer, as well as the return of the Saturday Six next fall.  Have a great summer!