Caeser25
05-19-10, 19:10
you couldn't make this stuff up if you tried :D
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/05/obama_may_personally_greet_eac.html
Update: Kalamazoo Central seniors aren't the only ones asked the 'Citizen status' question
View full sizeCourtesy of Anthony Dugal.Kalamazoo Central High School Principal Von Washington, Jr., informs Seniors and parents of the venue for 2010 Commencement. The Seniors attended the Senior Breakfast, hosted by parents, on Friday May 14, 2010. Washington also explained the information cards which must be submitted by all students, for Secret Service security screening, as the graduates will be honored with President Obama at their June 7 Commencement, to be held at WMU University Arena.
View full sizeCourtesy of Anthony Dugal.Kalamazoo Central High School Principal Von Washington, Jr., informs Seniors and parents of the venue for 2010 Commencement. The Seniors attended the Senior Breakfast, hosted by parents, on Friday May 14, 2010.
View full sizeCourtesy of Anthony Dugal.Kalamazoo Central High School Principal Von Washington, Jr., informs Seniors and parents of the venue for 2010 Commencement. The Seniors attended the Senior Breakfast, hosted by parents, on Friday May 14, 2010.
KALAMAZOO — The White House appears to be laying the groundwork for President Barack Obama to shake the hand of each senior at Kalamazoo Central High School’s commencement ceremony next month.
Seniors are being asked to provide their birthdates, Social Security numbers and citizen status to the Secret Service so background checks could be performed. Such a check is required for anyone who gets within an arm’s length of the president, students were told at their senior breakfast Friday.
Of the fact that the White House is requesting information on all the graduating seniors, K-Central Principal Von Washingon Jr. told the students, “I’ll let you figure out what that means,” said senior Simon Boehme, who was at the breakfast.
“Everyone is excited that we might have the opportunity to shake the president’s hand,” Boehme said.
K-Central found out May 4 that the school won a national competition, for which the school submitted a video, that will bring Obama to its commencement as graduation speaker. The ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. June 7 at Western Michigan University’s basketball arena.
K-Central seniors also were told Friday that graduation tickets will come from the White House, and the tickets will have bar codes to heighten accountability and prevent them from being sold. “Any irregularities can be traced back to the student who was given the ticket,” Boehme said.
Kalamazoo Public Schools spokesman Alex Lee said Sunday that creating a ticket system is a top priority for district officials and the White House right now. “But I’m not sure what that will look like,” Lee said.
He pointed out that tickets can’t be issued until the White House and district officials determine how many seats will be available. University Arena can hold up to 5,000 people for a basketball game, but the setup for graduation may reduce that number.
Each graduate will get eight tickets for guests, an amount that drew cheers from students at Friday’s breakfast, Boehme said.
“People were elated hearing we’d get eight tickets each. Most students were assuming it would be five,” he said. “Some people are still unhappy, but the general consensus is that eight is enough for most people.”
Boehme also said that most students are happy that the graduation is being held at University Arena versus WMU’s Waldo Stadium, another venue under consideration. While the stadium could hold up to 30,000 people, Boehme said many seniors were apprehensive about the potential of having an audience comprised mainly of people interested in seeing the president. The smaller audience will mean the focus will stay on graduation, Boehme said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check MLive.com/Kalamazoo to watch live video of his speech June 7 at 7 p.m.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Students are feeling reassured that not a lot of things are going to change ... outside of having the big man there,” Boehme said. He said it appears the president’s speech will not preclude the traditional elements of graduation, including performances of the high school band and choir, student speeches and a slide show of pictures of the graduates over the years.
Boehme, who is student government president and class salutorian, expects to be on stage with class valedictorian Cindy Lee, both of whom will give speeches.
“I’m more than excited. I’m honored” to speak at the same event as the president, Boehme said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
There will be no tickets available to the general public for the ceremony. Graduating seniors at Loy Norrix and Phoenix, the district’s other two high schools, will be allowed to attend, and there also will be a lottery for Central students in grades 9-11 who would like a ticket.
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/05/obama_may_personally_greet_eac.html
Update: Kalamazoo Central seniors aren't the only ones asked the 'Citizen status' question
View full sizeCourtesy of Anthony Dugal.Kalamazoo Central High School Principal Von Washington, Jr., informs Seniors and parents of the venue for 2010 Commencement. The Seniors attended the Senior Breakfast, hosted by parents, on Friday May 14, 2010. Washington also explained the information cards which must be submitted by all students, for Secret Service security screening, as the graduates will be honored with President Obama at their June 7 Commencement, to be held at WMU University Arena.
View full sizeCourtesy of Anthony Dugal.Kalamazoo Central High School Principal Von Washington, Jr., informs Seniors and parents of the venue for 2010 Commencement. The Seniors attended the Senior Breakfast, hosted by parents, on Friday May 14, 2010.
View full sizeCourtesy of Anthony Dugal.Kalamazoo Central High School Principal Von Washington, Jr., informs Seniors and parents of the venue for 2010 Commencement. The Seniors attended the Senior Breakfast, hosted by parents, on Friday May 14, 2010.
KALAMAZOO — The White House appears to be laying the groundwork for President Barack Obama to shake the hand of each senior at Kalamazoo Central High School’s commencement ceremony next month.
Seniors are being asked to provide their birthdates, Social Security numbers and citizen status to the Secret Service so background checks could be performed. Such a check is required for anyone who gets within an arm’s length of the president, students were told at their senior breakfast Friday.
Of the fact that the White House is requesting information on all the graduating seniors, K-Central Principal Von Washingon Jr. told the students, “I’ll let you figure out what that means,” said senior Simon Boehme, who was at the breakfast.
“Everyone is excited that we might have the opportunity to shake the president’s hand,” Boehme said.
K-Central found out May 4 that the school won a national competition, for which the school submitted a video, that will bring Obama to its commencement as graduation speaker. The ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. June 7 at Western Michigan University’s basketball arena.
K-Central seniors also were told Friday that graduation tickets will come from the White House, and the tickets will have bar codes to heighten accountability and prevent them from being sold. “Any irregularities can be traced back to the student who was given the ticket,” Boehme said.
Kalamazoo Public Schools spokesman Alex Lee said Sunday that creating a ticket system is a top priority for district officials and the White House right now. “But I’m not sure what that will look like,” Lee said.
He pointed out that tickets can’t be issued until the White House and district officials determine how many seats will be available. University Arena can hold up to 5,000 people for a basketball game, but the setup for graduation may reduce that number.
Each graduate will get eight tickets for guests, an amount that drew cheers from students at Friday’s breakfast, Boehme said.
“People were elated hearing we’d get eight tickets each. Most students were assuming it would be five,” he said. “Some people are still unhappy, but the general consensus is that eight is enough for most people.”
Boehme also said that most students are happy that the graduation is being held at University Arena versus WMU’s Waldo Stadium, another venue under consideration. While the stadium could hold up to 30,000 people, Boehme said many seniors were apprehensive about the potential of having an audience comprised mainly of people interested in seeing the president. The smaller audience will mean the focus will stay on graduation, Boehme said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check MLive.com/Kalamazoo to watch live video of his speech June 7 at 7 p.m.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Students are feeling reassured that not a lot of things are going to change ... outside of having the big man there,” Boehme said. He said it appears the president’s speech will not preclude the traditional elements of graduation, including performances of the high school band and choir, student speeches and a slide show of pictures of the graduates over the years.
Boehme, who is student government president and class salutorian, expects to be on stage with class valedictorian Cindy Lee, both of whom will give speeches.
“I’m more than excited. I’m honored” to speak at the same event as the president, Boehme said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
There will be no tickets available to the general public for the ceremony. Graduating seniors at Loy Norrix and Phoenix, the district’s other two high schools, will be allowed to attend, and there also will be a lottery for Central students in grades 9-11 who would like a ticket.