Schools Compete to Get President Obama as Commencement Speaker
Public voting began Monday in a White House competition among high schools to get President Obama to deliver the commencement address.The "High School Commencement Challenge" is part of the Obama Administration's "Race to the Top" education program. Earlier this year schools across the country submitted applications -- along with essays and videos -- that show off their dedication to getting their students ready for college and a career.
The White House selected six finalists:
* Blue Valley Northwest High School (Overland Park, Kansas)
* Clark Montessori Junior High and High School (Cincinnati, Ohio)
* Denver School of Science and Technology (Denver, Colorado)
* Environmental Charter High School (Lawndale, California)
* Kalamazoo Central High School (Kalamazoo, Michigan)
* MAST Academy (Miami, Florida)
The administration is encouraging the public to go to the White House web site to review the schools and cast a ballot with the following criteria in mind: