Monday, May 2, 2011

Announcing the 2011 Commencement Challenge Finalists


[VIDEO] Melody Barnes from the White House Domestic Policy Council in the video above announces the finalists of the "Race to the Top Commencement Challenge. None of these high schools announced in this video are in the City of Chicago or the State of Illinois. Here's more about this Challenge:
The Commencement Challenge invites public high schools across the country to demonstrate how their school best prepares them for college and a career, helping America win the future by out-educating our competitors and achieving President Obama’s goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.

The application includes essay questions and statistical information that illustrate how schools are promoting college and career readiness for all students while establishing a culture of student success and academic excellence. The winning school will host President Obama as their 2011 commencement speaker.

The White House has partnered with Viacom and the Get Schooled Foundation to launch the 2011 Commencement Challenge. In a video launching the challenge, Simon Boehme, the salutatorian from last year’s winning school - Kalamazoo Central High - and current freshman at the University of Michigan, came to the White House to discuss the Commencement Challenge with President Obama. Watch the video above and check out the expanded version here.
It would be nice to see both of our ward high schools Robeson & Harlan be considered close enough to be finalists in this challenge. Also since the faculty at Harlan like to advertise the fact that three of their students have went to the White House this is something that would be worthwhile for them. Especially if they want to emphasize the importance of going to college.

I'm still trying to figure out if the "grand prize" is a visit and/or commencement address by the President of the United States to the winning high school. Hopefully next year the students at Harlan Community Academy High School will consider getting involved in this contest. That is if they haven't already.

The last link in the quote is of Kalamazoo Central High School talking about their experience in winning the 2010 contest. [VIDEO]


Will this be Harlan or any other city high school next year. Can we have a city high school as a finalist or semi-finalist.

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