Covington High celebrates grads after parts of city leveled by tornado

COVINGTON, Tenn. (WMC) - The Covington High School class of 2023 received their diplomas Monday night after learning a lesson in Mother Nature’s power and how their hometown can unite in service.

An EF-3 tornado hammered Covington, Tennessee, less than two months ago, damaging nearly 500 buildings, injuring 28 and killing one person.

But the weather for Monday night’s graduation ceremony on Covington High’s athletic field was postcard perfect.

The high schoolers made room for Crestview Middle School students who moved into the high school following the March 31 tornado.

The storm destroyed Crestview Elementary and Middle schools but sparked an outpouring of Covington community spirit.

“It means a lot to me especially with everything that’s happened in our community over the past month with the tornadoes and everything,” graduating senior Caleb Henry said. “We’ve had the middle schoolers housed in our school. It just means a lot with all the hard work I’ve put on over the 4 years. I’m finally out.”

While graduation went off in a magnificent sunset tonight, the re-building of Crestview Elementary and Middle Schools is now on hold in Covington due to groundwater concerns.

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