Gwinnett Schools to Graduate Largest Class Ever

Thousands of students will graduate from a Gwinnett County high school this week.

Twenty-one graduation ceremonies will take place, as the district sends of its largest graduating class ever -- 10,556 high school seniors.

Brookwood High will graduate the largest class this year with 810 students, followed by Mill Creek High with 782, and Peachtree Ridge High with 769.

"We are very proud of this year’s senior class and all that these students have accomplished during their academic careers, said J. Alvin Wilbanks, GCPS superintendent and chief executive officer. "On behalf of the Board of Education and our community, I congratulate them and wish them the best as they start a new chapter in their lives."

He added: "As the members of the Class of 2013 head off to college and into careers, they will carry the lessons they learned in Gwinnett classrooms with them, which is a testament to our teachers and their hard work and commitment.

"After all, the success of this year’s senior class is a part of our school district’s story -- a story that focuses on graduating students with the knowledge, skills, and expertise they need to succeed in college, work, and life in the 21st century."

Facts and Figures on the Class of 2013:

• 84 percent of the students graduating this year say they will attend college or post-secondary schools.

• 86 percent of them plan to stay in their home state attending college in Georgia.

• Seniors headed off to college have been offered, more than $137 million in academic, athletic, and military scholarships, as of April 2013.

• The total number of this year's scholarship offers is $36 million more than last year’s class.

• More than $86.4 million of scholarships offered were for academic achievement. (This excludes HOPE scholarships, QuestBridge scholarships and Gates Millennium Scholars.)

• Students also received $45.4 in athletic scholarships.

• $5.2 million of the awarded scholarship money was due to military appointments, which were awarded to 13 students. 

• Six Berkmar High seniors earned a full scholarship through the QuestBridge College Match Program.

• A dozen Gwinnett County students, including five from Mountain View High, will have their college career paid in full after they were named Gates Millennium Scholars.

• The Class of 2013 includes 2,318 Honor Graduates, who are graduating with a grade percent average of 90 or better.

• While graduating seniors were working on their high school diploma, 518 of them also were already ahead in their college career as dual enrolled students.

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