Chicago Hosts Virtual Citywide Graduation June 14, Oprah To Deliver Commencement Address

CHICAGO (CBS) -- With COVID-19 shortening the school year early in Chicago - and cancelling graduation events - seniors will get to have a one-of-a-kind ceremony with Oprah Winfrey delivering the commencement address for the class of 2020.

"Hamilton" actor Miguel Cervantes will be the event's emcee.

"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," Lightfoot said. "The times we are living in are truly unprecedented and now, more than ever, our future rests on the talent, ideas, and ambition of our next generation of leaders.

The mayor is asking all Chicago graduating seniors to submit a "grad walk" video of their own graduation walk for a chance to appear in the virtual celebration. All seniors can upload their walk videos at the Chicago Grad 2020 website.

High school seniors will write and perform a single valedictorian speech for the class of 2020 event. The ceremony will also include student performances, including the Dunbar Vocational Career Academy drumline, a class poem, written and performed by ChiArts students as well as a spoken word performance by students from Kenwood High School.

The city of Chicago will have a live-stream feed from its website and its social media channels.   CBS 2 will run a delayed broadcast of the event.

In:
• Chicago Public Schools
• Oprah Winfrey