ed ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁ext rac urr icular ▁activities , ▁but ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁academ ics ▁is ▁str essed . ▁Rec ent ▁administr ations ▁have ▁made ▁impro ving ▁academ ics ▁and ▁test ▁scores ▁a ▁priority . ▁S AT ▁scores ▁are ▁on ▁the ▁rise ▁and ▁the ▁gradu ation ▁rate ▁has ▁ris en ▁about ▁ 6 % ▁over ▁the ▁past ▁two ▁years . ▁ ▁Central ▁has ▁won ▁many ▁hon ors ▁in ▁sch ol astic ▁and ▁literary ▁compet itions ▁through ▁the ▁years , ▁including ▁the ▁AA ▁State ▁Championship ▁in ▁One - Act ▁Play ▁( 1 9 7 4 ) ▁and ▁in ▁Deb ate ▁( 1 9 7 5 , ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁ 1 9 7 7 ), ▁and ▁the ▁All - Class ▁Championship ▁in ▁Deb ate ▁( 1 9 7 6 , ▁ 1 9 7 7 ). ▁Central ▁has ▁also ▁featured ▁a ▁strong ▁agricult ural ▁program ▁since ▁its ▁in ception ▁and ▁the ▁award - win ning ▁F FA ▁Club ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁in ▁the ▁state . ▁ ▁Arts ▁The ▁March ing ▁P ride ▁band ▁has ▁always ▁been ▁a ▁strong ▁program ▁at ▁Central , ▁from ▁the ▁first ▁band ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁with ▁ 3 6 ▁performing ▁members ▁( half ▁of ▁them ▁" bor row ed " ▁elementary ▁students ), ▁to ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁when ▁a ▁visual ▁ensemble ▁was ▁added , ▁bringing ▁the ▁total ▁to ▁over ▁ 1 0 0 ▁members . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁the ▁Central ▁Major