Clarke Central High School is located in Athens, Georgia, United States. In 1970, Clarke County schools were desegregated, and the high school for black children, Burney-Harris High School, and the high school for white children, Athens High, merged to establish Clarke Central. Classes in the newly formed school began in 1971. CCHS is in the Clarke County School District and is one of two traditional high schools in the county; the other is Cedar Shoals High School. The two schools have a rivalry known as the Classic City Championship. The Clarke County School District is also home to a third, non-traditional high school, Classic City High. Located in the heart of the city, CCHS's original building opened in 1952. Since then, the school has seen several renovations and additions. A modern three-story classroom and lab addition opened in 2006. Other improvements include a new gymnasium, theater, and food court. As of 2017, the school is on a seven-period rotating schedule with students completing seven credits per year.
Academics
Clarke Central High School's success in improving students' SAT scores earned the school the regional Governor's Cup in 2006 and 2007. The governor's office presents the award each year to Georgia schools that achieve the greatest gains in average SAT scores. In 2010, U.S. News and World Report awarded Clarke Central the Silver Medal and ranked the school in the top 3% of high schools nationwide and in the top 11 in the state of Georgia. Newsweek named CCHS one of America's Best Schools and placed it in the 96th percentile of high schools nationwide. In 2012, Clarke Central was named an AP Science, Technology, Electronics, and Mathematics Honor School by the Georgia Department of Education. It was ranked in the top 11% of high schools nationwide by the Washington Posts High School Challenge. In 2013, Clarke Central Principal Dr. Robbie P. Hooker was named the Georgia Principal of the Year by the NSSPC.
Athletics
Athletics teams at Clarke Central High School are known as the Gladiators. Sports offered include cheerleading, cross country, football, fast-pitch softball, volleyball, basketball, swimming and diving, wrestling, baseball, golf, soccer, tennis, and track. Most of Clarke Central's sports are represented by men's and women's teams. The former head football coach, Ahren Self, played defensive back for the Citadel from 1991 the 1994. There he was voted "Most Outstanding Defensive Back" following his senior year. In 1992, he was selected as Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Week, as well as South Carolina Defensive Player of the Week. Coach Self was also a member of the team that upset Division I-A Arkansas and won the Southern Conference Championship in 1992. In 2010, the Gladiators captured the Region 8-AAAA Championship and finished the regular season 10-0. In 2009, the team finished 8-2 in the regular season, appeared in the final round of the state football tournament, and finished #2 in the AP poll.
State championship titles
Student life
Fine arts organizations
The school has award-winning band, orchestra, drama, and chorus programs.
