Schools
Chicago Virtual High School Graduation With Oprah Set For June 14
Oprah and "Voice" star Katie Kadan are set to join virtual Chicago high school graduation ceremonies streaming online June 14 at 1 p.m.
CHICAGO — Chicago's first-ever virtual graduation ceremony will be a star-studded live stream set for June 14 as an alternative to traditional celebrations cancelled due to the coronavirus.
"While Chicago's 2020 graduating class cannot walk across their school's stage to get their diplomas, we are asking them to don their caps and gowns on June 14 as the entire city celebrates this unforgettable milestone together," Mayor Lori Lightfoot said.
Chicago's "Hamilton" star, Miguel Cervantes, is slated to emcee the ceremony, blues singer Katie Kadan of NBC's "The Voice" will sing the national anthem, and Oprah Winfrey will deliver a commencement address at the virtual event, city officials said.
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"Our graduating seniors have displayed incredible persistence over the past few months and deserve this one-of-a-kind celebration to honor their accomplishments. ... [T]his virtual graduation truly exemplifies how special it is to grow up in Chicago and graduate from Chicago Public Schools," public schools CEO Dr. Janice Jackson said.
In addition to these guests, the ceremony will also include a comedy skit from Chicago's own Second City, as well as a number of graduate shout outs from surprise celebrities and sports figures from across the city.
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The virtual graduation aims to celebrate high school seniors graduating from Chicago Public Schools, charter schools, Catholic schools and all other private schools across the city. High School seniors are encouraged to submit their own "Grad Walk" video for a chance to appear in the virtual celebration at www.chicagograd2020.com.
The graduation ceremony is set to be broadcast at 1 p.m. on June 14 on ABC7, WGN-TV, WTTW, FOX32, Univision Chicago, and streamed live on the ABC Localish Network. WBEZ 91.5 FM will air portions of the graduation celebration on 91.5 and the entire ceremony on WBEZ.org. CBS2 will be running a delayed broadcast later that evening. You can also find the broadcast on the city's website and social media channels.
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