‘Graduate Together’ Virtually Honors Class of 2020, Obama and Celebrities Participate
The high-school class of 2020 didn’t expect such a traumatic end to its senior year. COVID-19 has made public gatherings dangerous — but we can still celebrate May 16 at 8 p.m. ET.
“Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020” salutes more than 3 million seniors nationwide. The list of participants includes prominent names from politics, entertainment and sports — all trying to make the occasion memorable.
Former President Barack Obama will deliver a commencement message, along with vignettes and musical performances from an array of talent, including LeBron James, Lana Condor, the Jonas Brothers, Olivia Wilde and Ben Platt.
The one-hour, ad-free show will be carried by various networks, as well as streaming channels throughout the U.S., including Complex Networks, Facebook App, People, SiriusXM, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube and CBS All Access.
“Graduate Together” has been curated by high-school students and educators with the support of the American Federation of Teachers.
People will have the opportunity to interact with the #GraduateTogether campaign, before and after the tribute. Students, educators and families can share their personal stories with the campaign at graduatetogether2020.com or tag their social-media posts #GraduateTogether.
Twitter has released a special hashtag emoji to honor the Class of 2020 and is hosting a virtual watch party.
Artist JR and his participatory art project Inside Out partnered with XQ Institute to create the #GraduateTogether Yearbook. Any senior from the class can submit a photo and submit to graduatetogetheryearbook.com.
Three entities — the XQ Institute, the LeBron James Family Foundation and the Entertainment Industry Foundation — teamed to host the event. Corporate/philanthropic giving associated with the project will benefits DonorsChoose and America’s Food Fund to help students in underserved communities.