Students earn $5.5 million in scholarships
Durango High School seniors stand for the national anthem during their graduation ceremony Friday at the DHS stadium.
Durango High School seniors get ready for their graduation ceremony on Friday at DHS. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Durango High School seniors get ready for their graduation ceremony on Friday at DHS. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Durango High School seniors get ready for their graduation ceremony on Friday at DHS. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Durango High School seniors get ready for their graduation ceremony on Friday at DHS. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Siena DiGiacomo, Durango High School class president, addresses the crowd during the graduation ceremony on Friday at DHS. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Durango High School seniors get ready for their graduation ceremony on Friday at DHS. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Durango High School seniors make their way down to the football field on Friday for the start of their graduation ceremony on Friday at DHS. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Durango High School seniors make their way down to the football field on Friday for the start of their graduation ceremony on Friday at DHS. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Durango High School seniors stand on the football field during their graduation ceremony on Friday at DHS. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Durango High School seniors stand for the national anthem on the football field during their graduation ceremony on Friday at DHS. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Durango High School seniors wait to receive their diplomas on Friday at DHS. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Students decorated their mortar boards with all kinds of messages for the Durango High School graduation ceremony on Friday at DHS. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Kat Reed directs the Durango High School band at the start of the graduation ceremony on Friday at DHS. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
The Durango High School class of 2019 raised the bar for academic achievement at the school.
Collectively, the class earned $5.5 million in scholarships, and 10% of the graduating class achieved a GPA of 4.11 or higher, Principal Jon Hoerl said. Students achieve GPAs of greater than 4.0 by taking advanced classes.
Almost 80% of the 252 students plan to attend a four-year college or serve in the military, an increase of 6% from last year, he said. Academic advisers are working with the same students year after year, which helped to increase the percentage of students planning to go to college or serve in the military, he said.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
