Gaffney and Blacksburg high schools graduated their largest senior classes in years in early June.

Blacksburg High had 125 students participate in its graduation ceremony on June 2. Later that same evening, Gaffney High had 415 seniors graduate.

This was the first time in two decades that Gaffney High had more than 400 students participate in a graduation ceremony. There were 401 students in the school's 1986 graduating class.

Gaffney High Principal Marlene Davis cites a number of factors for the larger graduation rates. She notes high schools have benefited from an academic program focused on ninth and tenth graders and efforts by guidance counselors to help students plan their courses around individual career goals.

"This summer, we are instituting a computerbased credit recovery program that is more advanced than what we had available in the past," Davis said. "This program along with an absentee recovery program that will be carried over into next school year should open even more opportunities for students to be successful — especially those who get off to a rocky start."

South Carolina had the nation's best improvement in on-time high school graduation rates between 1996 and 2006, according to a "Diplomas Count" report recently released by Education Week. Education Week is a nonprofit organization which studies national education trends.

South Carolina's ontime graduation rate increased from 53.2 percent in 1996 to 66.3 percent in 2006. These graduation rates are based on the number of students who earn a high school diploma in four years.

These figures do not include school dropouts, students who earn high school equivalency diplomas through adult education, continue in school, or transfer out of the county.

State law allows public school students to continue their education until the age of 21.

Cherokee County school-to-work coordinator Dr. Dorse Cleveland said a recent district survey shows local high school students are becoming more interested in preparing for careers while in school.

"This year 188 high school students shadowed at 75 businesses. Students and businesses were asked to give feedback on their shadowing experiences," Cleveland said. "The student remarks confirmed that job shadowing played an important role in helping them to focus on college, careers and beyond."