Prom. Commencement. Grad Night. The Class of 2020 expected to have all of these things, only to see them all canceled by the COVID-19 crisis. Teenagers arranged their own, social-distant senior year events on Facebook, on Zoom, even in the new popular video game Animal Crossing, but they’re hardly good substitutes for the real things. These are supposed to be life events, things you remember all your life, and many have expressed deep disapointment over the loss.
One teenager took a proactive step, however. Lincoln Debenham, a senior at Los Angeles High School, sent a tweet in April to someone he found aspirational, asking for a favor. Not just for him, but for all the seniors of 2020.
“Hi @BarackObama!” read Debenham’s tweet. “Like most high school/college seniors, I’m saddened by the loss of milestone events, prom & graduation. In an unprecedented time, it would give us great comfort to hear your voice, We ask you to consider giving a national commencement speech to the class of 2020.”
Well, his tweet went viral. As of Tuesday, May 12th, it had over 226,000 likes and 51,000 retweets. Including one very special response.
“I know how hard the #Classof2020 has worked to make it to graduation, so @BarackObama and I want to give you the celebration you deserve. That’s why @ReachHigher and I are teaming up with @Youtube to host a virtual graduation on June 6!” tweeted Michelle Obama on May 5th.
Reach Higher, which is Michelle Obama’s initiative to empower students to complete their educations, is partnering with Youtube to arrange the event. More than just the simple speech Debenham asked for, it will be a celebrity event featuring both Obamas, Lady Gaga, Condoleezza Rice, and students-rights activist Malala Yousafzai. It will highlight student stories and graduates from around the world.
Source: Good News Network
Editorial credit: EPG_EuroPhotoGraphics / Shutterstock.com
