May 1, 2023 -- Since the first day of school as kindergartners, Columbus City Schools students were already preparing for the moment when they would move their tassels from one side to the other – graduation day.

With the excitement of graduation around the corner, National Decision Day, held on May 1, is an important milestone for high school seniors because it is when they make a final decision and officially announce where they will attend college in the fall. 

The stressful days of filling out college applications, ACT and SAT testing, and applying for scholarships are now over. Seniors can finally take a deep breath and celebrate their future!

Plans of CCS students range from attending colleges and universities across the country to serving in the military, joining the workforce, or taking a year for self-growth. No matter which path each student ended up choosing, they all required a great deal of reflection, contemplation, and research.

To mark this monumental occasion, Columbus Alternative High School students lined the pathway to Linden Community Center. They celebrated their seniors with a clap-out and signing day ceremony. During the ceremony, every student of the graduating class proudly stated their name and graduation plans in the microphone. 

Many students planned on staying close to home by attending colleges such as Columbus State Community College, The Ohio State University, Kent State University, and University of Cincinnati. Others planned to travel a little - or a lot - further out of state and attend programs like the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, DePaul University, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Howard University, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Washington Seattle.

Graduating seniors should be proud of what they accomplished through their years at CCS and excited for their next chapter in life. Congratulations to the entire Columbus City Schools Class of 2023!