The cafeteria of Castleberry High School was filled with people of all ages to welcome home alumnus Clint RobertsonThursday.

A live band played while the 1988 graduate talked to his former classmates from Castleberry High and TCU as well as his family and the public.

When the chatter stopped, the welcome home reception began. The Castleberry band and cheerleaders performed their fight song and alma mater.

After the band and cheerleaders marched out of the area, Leigh Melton, president of Castleberry High School Exes Association, spoke.

Melton arranged the event, confirming two days before Christmas that Robertson would be at Castleberry High on January 13.

Mayor Herman Earwood of River Oaks read off a list of Castleberry’s successful alumni.The cafeteria filled with applause when Earwood said that Robertson would be added to that list.

Pat Hardy, Robertson’s freshman world history teacher, spoke next. She told the crowd about some of his stories from high school.

Hardy saidshe wasn’t surprised that Robertson appeared on ‘The Apprentice.’

“He was always the smartest kid in the class but he had to be number one,” Hardy said. “And he was.”

The last to speak was Robertson. He answered any questions the crowd had about his time on the show. Earlier thatday he spoke to the high school students at an assembly.

“The kids really got a kick out of it,” Hardy said.”But I would think that Clint has pretty strong ideas and able to relate to kids and push the kids since he has three of his own.”

After the question and answer session ended, Robertson continued what he was doing at the beginning of the night8212;talking individually to members of the crowd. He talked to them until maintenance said that the building needed to be locked up.

As the last person walked out of the cafeteria, those who attended the event left knowing that Mayor Earwood declared January 13 as Clint Robertson Day.