Congratulations to the Senior Class of 2020 on the accomplishment of completing your high school academic requirements, and not allowing a pandemic to stop you from celebrating this great achievement. Although it would have been ideal to walk across the stage wearing your graduation regalia, with family and friends in attendance screaming your name, all hope is not lost. The XQ Institute, The LeBron James Family Foundation, and The Entertainment Industry Foundation paid tribute to high school seniors nationwide in a one-hour multimedia special event, Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020, held tonight, Saturday, May 16.
The commencement special honored the more than 3 million high school seniors across the nation whose final weeks of high school, including graduation ceremonies, were postponed or canceled due to COVID-19. President Barack Obama delivered a commencement message during the historic special that also featured an impressive lineup of prominent leaders, educators, and entertainers, including LeBron James, Bad Bunny, Timothée Chalamet, Kevin Hart, H.E.R., the Jonas Brothers, Alicia Keys, Liza Koshy, Julianne Moore, Ben Platt, Megan Rapinoe, Yara Shahidi, Lena Waithe, Olivia Wilde, Pharrell Williams, Malala Yousafzai, Zendaya, and more. More than 40 broadcast and cable networks and online streaming channels throughout the U.S. and across the world carried the commercial-free program.
As part of the celebration, high school seniors from across the country submitted portraits to the largest-ever high school yearbook. Created by renowned artist JR and his participatory art project Inside Out, the project offers graduates a place to share their portraits and stories while making a collective statement. Visit Graduate Together Yearbook for more information.
View highlights from the special event below and congratulations once again to this amazing group of resilient human beings. Go out and shine brightly in the world.
