Before graduation, parents and friends packed the bleachers in the Effingham County and South Effingham high school gyms for the 2010 class nights, where graduates earned combined over $3.2 million in scholarship awards.

South Effingham High’s graduates broke the scholarship record for the school, earned $2,588,852 in scholarships — the most in the history of the school. Romell Boyce received a Navy ROTC scholarship worth $180,000. Others big bankers on bursary at SEHS included John Rodriguez and Victoria Hilton. Hilton was offered academic scholarships from Mercer, Berry and Shorter along with academic and softball scholarships to Young Harris, with a total of 11 earned awards. Rodriguez was awarded eight scholarships, including the University of Georgia One UGA Scholarship and Mercer Presidential Scholarship.

For the Rebels, Matt Rahn earned four awards for his work in 4-H, three other community service awards and a baseball scholarship to Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Taylor Roberson, the 2010 honorarium, was awarded six scholarships, including the Georgia Southern University 1906 Scholarship, Gulfstream Goldie Glenn Scholarship and a Future Georgia Educators Scholarship.

Senior night was also when the class presidents gave their class gifts. At SEHS, the 2010 Mustangs bought the school movable stage platforms that the students used for senior night and graduation. ECHS received a trophy case to display its current and future awards.

Students also were recognized by departments for outstanding work and for dual-enrolling in college courses while in high school.