HUNTERSVILLE — The Christ the King High School Crusaders celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony before playing on their new turf under the Friday night lights Sept. 11 while students cheered from the new bleachers.
“This is an exciting night for us all, as we add to the legacy of Christ the King,” said Principal Mark Tolcher. “From our humble beginnings some fifteen years ago, the school has grown from twenty-eight students to over four hundred and fifty.”
This milestone is the first planned for CTK, as later this fall they will open its building expansion, a $12 million project that started last October. It will expand the footprint of the school with new classrooms, a larger cafeteria, a band room and a Crusaders shop.
“This year we celebrate fifteen years of Faith, Reason, and Mission at CTK” President Shaileen Riginos said. “You may have already noticed the Marian Grotto taking shape, or the greenhouse Father Cuppett has taken on near the cross that stands at the highest point. Soon, a Holy Family statue will watch over this field as well.
“We invite you to keep believing in the mission as we lay the stones for the next fifteen years and fifteen after that.”
Lead donor Jim Phillips said the new improvements were indeed a great feat. Yet, the spirit of the school must keep focus on the end goal, reminding the Crusaders that the Catholic faith is the cornerstone that must keep them grounded, and the greater responsibility is to get the Crusaders' student body to heaven.
“There will be exciting victories, difficult losses, and countless memorable moments. But it will also be a classroom without walls,” Phillips said. “Here, students will learn to trust their teammates respond to adversity, respect their opponents, and put the needs of the team above their own. They will learn that God has given each of them unique abilities, and that those gifts come with a responsibility to develop and use them well.”
— Photos provided
