The tradition of receiving class rings continues at Thomas County Central High School.

On Aug. 27, the Class of 2017 and their families gathered in the TCCHS gym for the class ring ceremony.

Students were given the option to order a class ring in the spring of their sophomore year, to be presented to them in the fall of their junior year. Students chose the style of ring they wanted and were able to design the rest of the ring. The possibilities were endless with the various ring styles and intricate designs.

“I chose a simple, silver ring,” junior Kelcie Allen said. “The ring has 2017 and a yellow jacket on one side, and a nurse symbol with my name on the other side.”

To make the ceremony more personal, parents were given the option to present the ring to their child. Before the ceremony, students and parents lined up in alphabetical order, and then as students’ names were called, parents walked forward with the ring and placed it on their child’s finger.

“Receiving a ring is a very exciting rite of passage,” parent Mariea Hester, Allen’s mother, said. “I want to do everything to make sure Kelcie has what she needs. I went because she asked me to go and I was excited to present her with her class ring.”

TCCHS has presented students with class rings since the school’s beginning in 1959.

“We were presented with class rings my senior year,” Mary Dukes, a member of the first graduating class of (then) Central High School, said. “The school did not host a ceremony when we received our rings, but it was still an honor to be presented with a ring.”