CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Friday and Saturday will be busy days for those who have a high school student graduating from the Corpus Christi ISD.
Between 10 a.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday, the district will see thousands of students walk the stage in six different ceremonies, all at the same place.
Of course, being in the thick of graduation season means that folks in the Coastal Bend can expect plenty of pomp, circumstance and traffic. Lots of traffic.
On Friday and Saturday, most of it will be headed downtown to the American Bank Center Arena.
"Well, if you are the first one of the day, that’s going to be a lot easier for you," Corpus Christi ISD Police Chief Kirby Warnke said. "But understand that for the second and third one of each day, we’re going to have folks coming and folks going."
You may remember last year, when a local mom got caught in a traffic backup along I-37 while trying to make her way downtown. Rather than risk being late to graduation, she decided to get out and walk. Eventually, she and two graduates ended up catching a ride on a fire truck.
A cautionary tale if ever there was one, and a reminder to give yourself more time than you think you’ll need.
"I guess the order of the day is patience," says Warnke. "Everyone is super proud of their graduates, as we all are, but be patient, and I think with patience, everything else will work out."
An additional challenge this year will be for people coming down the Crosstown Expressway from SPID. You will need to be in the left lane in order to take Highway 181, something most of us are used to seeing on the right side of the road. If you miss the exit to go downtown, you could end up headed out of town.
Corpus Christi Police say they will be downtown as well, helping CCISD with traffic control.
Graduations start Friday with King High School at 10 a.m., Miller High School at 2 p.m. and Veterans Memorial High School at 6 p.m.
Then on Saturday, Moody High School will take the 10 a.m. slot, followed by Ray High School at 2 p.m. and Carroll High School at 6 p.m.