GRADUATES — Carroll Academy summer 2026 graduates pose with Principal Dawn Ervin. Pictured, from left, are Gracie Parham, Boston Johnson, Dawn Ervin, Aden Barnhart, and Chase Tharpe.
HUNTINGDON, Tenn. — Carroll Academy honored four program graduates and four high school graduates at a ceremony Tuesday morning, July 21.
Director of Mental Health, Sarah Bradford, opened the ceremony and introduced the morning’s commencement speaker.
WELCOMING REMARKS — Sarah Bradford, Carroll Academy’s director of mental health, addresses students and families during Tuesday’s graduation ceremony.
In her remarks, Bradford congratulated all eight students on their accomplishment, and reflected on the kind of progress that isn’t always visible from the outside. She mentioned the small, quiet changes in students’ choices and conversations that build over months without anyone quite noticing at the time.
“It’s an accumulation of all these small decisions and difficult conversations and moments when someone chooses to keep moving forward,” she told the crowd.
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS — Spiros Roditis delivers the commencement address to Carroll Academy graduates Tuesday.
Spiros Roditis, who serves as judicial assistant to Judge Michael King, gave the commencement address.
Roditis encouraged graduates to see their pasts as something to carry forward rather than something to hide from.
“Don’t hide from where you’ve been,” he said. “Use it as fuel for where you want to go.”
He closed by telling students that today wasn’t an ending, but the start of something he called “the comeback.”
Bradford, joined by Carroll Academy Principal Dawn Ervin, presented certificates to the program graduates: CJ Alexander, King Harris, Sophia Lee, Paige Lowe and Chase Tharpe.
AWAITING CERTIFICATES — Carroll Academy program graduates CJ Alexander, King Harris, Sophia Lee, and Paige Lowe wait in anticipation for their names to be called.
Director Renee Sutton and Ervin presented the high school graduates: Aden Barnhart, Boston Johnson, Gracie Parham and Chase Tharpe .
“The best chapters are not behind you,” Sutton told the graduates. “They’re still waiting to be written.”
Graduates then took part in the traditional turning of the tassels.
TURNING THE TASSELS — Carroll Academy graduates Aden Barnhart, Boston Johnson, Gracie Parham, and Chase Tharpe turn their tassels, marking the completion of the program.
Bradford closed the ceremony with thanks to students, families, staff and community partners, including a special acknowledgment of Dr. Michael King for his continued support of the program.
“The best chapters are not behind you. They’re still waiting to be written.” — Renee Sutton
