HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – After years of construction, the 350,000 square foot Christian County High School campus is finished, furnished, and open in time for the start of the school year. Located at 1 Tiger Way, the state-of-the-art school is a consolidation of two historic rivals in the city, Christian County and Hopkinsville High School. The campus aims to give students a chance to learn in a brand-new facility specifically designed for the academy model.

“Today we celebrate not just a new building, but new opportunities,” said Christian County Public Schools Superintendent Chris Bentzel during the official ribbon cutting and its designation as a Ford Next Generation Learning (Ford NGL) community.

CCHS, home of the Christian County Tigers, is comprised of two floors and four wings spanning over 86 acres to hold around 2,000 students. Each wing holds its own academy for freshmen success, agriculture and skilled trades, business/engineering/manufacturing, along with health/community services. Each academy has a workshop, lab and their own media center with natural light filling each learning space.

The heart of the campus is the Hopkinsville Rotary Arena, which seats around 3,200 people. The school also has an auxiliary gym, student store, and a bright common space/cafeteria right inside the entrance. Still under construction as of Aug. 6 are the new athletic fields, with turf and fencing still being installed.

| RELATED STORY: Over 100 years of history, traditions merge with CCHS Tigers branding

Words from CCHS Executive Principal

“There are certain days in the life of a school and in the life of a community you will remember forever. Today is one of those days,” said CCHS Executive Principal Ken Carver, who was greeted with thunderous applause by present students and staff during the dedication ceremony. “Today we aren’t just cutting a ribbon, today we’re opening the doors of the new chapter in the story of Christian County.”

He went on to explain how the two previous schools are forever interlocked with each other in branding and in spirit, which led them to establish the “locked in” motto for students going forward. Carver added that the consolidation not only combines two schools, but also two traditions and two communities.

“We aren’t forgetting where we came from, we are carrying it with us,” said Carver. “We honor the Colonels, we honor the Tigers, we honor every teacher, coach, administrator, graduate, parent, and student who helped build those traditions.”

Speaking to students and guests during the ceremony, Carver added that he hopes that Hopkinsville embraces the campus as part of the community. He said, “Don’t just admire the building, use it.”

Leading the gymnasium in a “CCT, LOCKED IN” chant, an emotional Carver received a standing ovation from all in attendance.

Legacy of HHS and CCHS, future of campuses

Although both of the old high schools served different areas of Christian County, the two campuses were located less than four miles apart from each other. Over the past few decades, the HHS Tigers and the CCHS Colonels operated as athletic rivals, with a long history of healthy competition.

The first high school was established in Hopkinsville in 1881 on Clay Street, and was later named Hopkinsville High School in 1903. In 1912, Hopkinsville High School was moved to Walnut Street between Stanley and Central Avenue. The present HHS was built at Koffman Drive between 1962 and 1963.

Christian County High School was established in Hopkinsville just before HHS was moved, having opened in 1959 on Glass Avenue. The school was at the time also a consolidated school, absorbing the surrounding campuses that were spread out in various cities in the county.

Now that the new school is open, the old CCHS campus will be renamed to the Christian County Learning Center and will house all of the districts alternative programs, including their new day treatment program.

Bentzel previously told Christian County Now that once the school is vacated, the HHS campus will initially primarily be utilized for storage. While no plans have been set, over the next decade they may opt to demolish the current building to make way for a new elementary school.

Christian County joins Ford Next Generation Learning network

In a news release, CCPS says joining the Ford Next Generation Learning Network will strengthen the connection between education, business, and the community while preparing students for success in college, careers, and life. Ford NGL is internationally recognized for transforming traditional high schools into career-themed academies that better prepare students for today’s workforce while strengthening local economies and building a sustainable talent pipeline.

At Christian County High School, students will experience learning through one of four career-focused academies designed around their interests and future goals. Through hands-on, real-world experiences, students will engage in work-based learning, job shadowing, internships, industry partnerships, and career exploration opportunities with local and regional employers. These authentic experiences help students connect classroom learning to meaningful careers while developing the knowledge, skills, and professional relationships needed for future success.

To earn Ford NGL designation, Christian County Public Schools completed a comprehensive planning process involving educators, business leaders, higher education partners, workforce organizations, and community stakeholders. Together, these partners developed a strategic framework to ensure every student benefits from an academy experience that aligns with both individual aspirations and the workforce needs of Christian County and the surrounding region.

Local families and residents are able to attend a tour of the campus to learn about the academies, visit learning spaces and learn about the campus on the following dates.

  • Aug. 29, 10 a.m.–12 p.m.
  • Sept. 3, 4–6 p.m.
  • Sept. 12, 3–5 p.m.

| MORE ABOUT CCHS: