Good afternoon,

I need your help.

Earlier this year, I promised to speak at a high school’s graduation somewhere in the United States. To be considered, we asked schools to tell us how they achieve three important criteria:

• Set a positive example for other high schools around the Country;
• Engage students in learning and foster personal responsibility and academic excellence; and
• Prepare students to graduate college to help meet my 2020 goal that America have the highest proportion of college graduates of any nation in the world.

We’ve narrowed down more than 1,000 entries to six finalists that each have a three-minute video and short essay you can review and rate. From now until Thursday, anyone can participate. Once the voting is over, I’ll choose the winner from the top three.

Check out the six finalists:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/commencement

We’re calling this process the Race to the Top Commencement Challenge, and it’s just the beginning. I’m planning to speak at a high school graduation every year I’m in office to keep the focus on our commitment to our Nation’s schools, and to motivate teachers, principals, and students to keep improving.  And of course lifting up American education will take parents getting more involved in their child’s education.

This is also an opportunity to discover and highlight schools like these six finalists: excellent examples of the kinds of effective approaches to teaching and learning that I know are happening around the country.

Let me know what you think of the choices:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/commencement

Thank you,
President Barack Obama

P.S. The deadline is Thursday at midnight EDT, so take a moment to give your input on these six deserving finalists:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/commencement