Senior Slump day on May 18 kicked off Senior Week activities at Ballantyne Ridge High School, home of the Wolves. During first block, seniors could wear pajamas and watch childhood cartoons – from “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Phineas and Ferb,” to “Hannah Montana” and “Victorious” – to mark the beginning of the end of their high school career.

It was a nice break for the seniors, who as juniors opted to leave their established high schools and take a leap of faith on the new Ballantyne Ridge, which opened in August 2024. They were the pioneering “senior” class that didn’t just attend the school – they created a community.

Ballantyne Ridge opened with approximately 1,500 students and is now at nearly 2,000, pulled from former boundary areas of either South Mecklenburg or Ardrey Kell high schools. For many of the 279 graduating seniors, the chance to set the tone for future generations was irresistible, but they faced a blank slate. Every club, sports team and student council bylaw had to be created from scratch. While they faced their share of growing pains and learning curves, they embraced the challenge to mold their school’s identity.

“It means a lot to me to get to set the culture and see how everybody wants it to be,” said senior Reagan Fox, who plans to attend Davidson College and run track. “I’ve never been around this many diverse people, and while we now share our school culture, we all appreciate and see people for who they are. It feels like a very real-world experience.”

Unity and opportunities

What developed from that blank slate is a remarkable school culture. Described by Principal Michael Miliote as potentially the most diverse high school in Charlotte — with a demographic split of 30% white, 30% Hispanic, 20% African American and 20% Asian — Ballantyne Ridge has fostered a rare sense of community where standard high school social barriers don’t seem to apply.

Unlike larger, more established schools where students sometimes felt isolated within singular friend groups, the smaller senior class at Ballantyne Ridge created an ecosystem where “everybody knows everybody.”

“There is a real feeling of unity here,” said senior Teague Wilson, who has been in marching band for five years. During halftime at a football game, rather than vacating the stands for concessions, the student section and cheerleaders stayed behind to cheer on and perform alongside the band. Wilson said the programs seamlessly support one another – “It was incredible.”

Opportunities have been abundant as clubs and activities developed. “We have so many opportunities here,” said senior Nicoly Lima, who plans to become a radiologist. “I’m just a normal kid and didn’t really do much, but then I decided to run for prom queen. I would not have run for prom queen before.” But she went for it and won.

In athletics, the underclassmen developed into leaders fast, thrust into varsity roles against older, more physically mature opponents. “Junior year, I was a bit shocked by how young they were,” said Ty’Barious Young, a senior running back who will attend Catawba College to play football and study computer science. “But they were picking up the game really quick. A lot of them didn’t even know how to play football at first.” After a winless inaugural season, the team saw several victories this year. In fact, gains have been seen across the board in year two, Miliote said, in girls’ basketball, theater and clubs, including a DECA win in international competition.

Academically, the school guides students into highly competitive spaces through its International Baccalaureate program and Advanced Placement courses. Miliote said courses are student-driven, and they aim to hire teachers who are good people and will put the students first. Senior Rhea Uthaya Senthil has earned an associate degree from Central Piedmont Community College and will attend Tennessee State University. She was just one of the students who said the smaller environment and dedicated teachers made all the difference in unlocking their potential.

The big day

Although 22 students already walked the stage as midyear graduates, the first full commencement ceremony will be held on June 13 at Bojangles Coliseum. Miliote will give his first graduation speech and is expected to include his trademark quote from Rudyard Kipling: “The strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.”

“It’s the main event, right? We won’t be there with other schools like midyear,” Miliote said. “It is just for us, it is just for our families. It feels like an event that will be tailored specifically so we can celebrate as a whole school, a whole community. I think it’ll be even more exciting.”