A-E has a signing day with a ‘sports touch’
By Steve Williams
In the early years of signing college scholarships one of the most popular ways simply saw the athlete put on a ball cap with their new school’s name and colors.
Later on and to this day some college bound athletes try to keep their future team a secret right up to their signing.
Sometimes a sly athlete will try to trick the fans once or twice before ending the suspense.
No matter how it’s done, smiles and cheers immediately flood the occasion.
Katrina Thaxton, M.Ed, and Professional School Counselor at Austin-East Magnet High School, wanted to make last year’s A-E College Signing Day just as fun for college bound students who were not athletes and it went off so well A-E held its 2nd annual Academic College Signing Day Friday afternoon, April 4.
In other words, Thaxton gave the event “the sports touch” again.
Currently, out of the overall 167 seniors in the Class of 2025 at Austin-East, 105 have received 372 acceptances into 95 different colleges, programs, or technical schools.
“We had 29 of those students who were willing to share their post-secondary paths on Academic College Signing Day,” said Thaxton.
“What I wanted to do was bring some excitement around the college learn process the same way you get excited about an athletics signing day.
“And so last year was our first year kind of doing it in that fashion and our kids enjoyed it, so we decided to do it a second year in that fashion because we want to make sure our kids get excited about doing something after high school – whether that be college two-year or four-year, military, TCAT, anything that they decide to do, we want to celebrate.”
At the recent signing day, A-E school registrar Hannah Humphrey was in her second-year helping kids backstage with the props they use to reveal where they are going to extend their education.
“All of the seniors get the opportunity to sign up to do it and then the other ones we still celebrate and recognize,” she said.
Thaxton and Humphrey mentioned some of their favorite skits this year that took place in the school’s Performing Arts Auditorium.
They liked Myles Crayton’s energetic signing skit, where he popped out in the crowd and took friends on stage to converse where he may be attending college. Once they name-dropped his choice, Crayton said “No, I’m waiting to go to this school.” They even had a ‘theme song’ playing when he ran up on stage.
Humphrey enjoyed the skit Deyonce Glover was in and assisted by faculty member Senetra Weaver. It was about going to TCAT for Cosmetology. “The crowd kind of hyped Ms. Weaver up,” said Humphrey. “She snatched off her cape.” The skit also showed one of her clients coming in so she could beautify them and the crowd was her mirror.”
Thaxton was impressed by Quinton Calhoun’s lively skit, which had a backdrop with all colleges. Calhoun first had a Miami Hurricane toboggan on, then mentioned Western Kentucky as a possibility, but quickly said “No,” that he was going to UT and he ripped up the other posters.
College representatives were invited to attend the signing day.
