Help my high school!

[cryptique]

My high school, Kalamazoo Central, is one of six national finalists vying for the honor of having President Obama give their commencement speech this year. I graduated from there 24 years ago, but I'd still love for the kids there to have this opportunity.

 

If you're so inclined, please go here, go to the Kalamazoo Central video, and rate it a "5." Thanks!

 

(And of course, feel free to vote for one of the other schools, but I'd very much appreciate it if you could give KCHS a 5 and help them out.)

[OOO]

Done and done. Good luck!

[Beltmann]

My old high school, where I now teach, is in one of the most conservative counties in the entire nation (no kidding). If Obama was invited, I think the school administrators would receive multiple death threats (no kidding).

[Good Old Neon]

I voted.

 

Like me, does it freak you out that a quarter century has passed since you took your last high school exam???

 

I’m totally freaking the f*ck out….

[cryptique]

The twenty-years-since-college thing is freaking me out a bit more, but, yeah.

[Lammycat]

Sorry, cryp, but choice number 2 (Denver School of Science and Technology) is literally right across the street from my house. I can't pass on an opportunity to throw rocks at a presidential limo from my porch.

[cryptique]

Understood. But there's no way that school is even half as cool as mine.

 

Mostly because I didn't go there.

[Lammycat]

All I'm saying is, if anyone wants to see me get taken out by a sniper, or at the very least, incarcerated for a few years....vote Denver School of Science and Technology!

[mountain bed]

Lammy, I believe I've told you this before, but you're out of your goddamn mind.

[cryptique]

Both my school and the one across from Lammy made the top three!

 

Thanks everyone!

[Lammycat]

Sweet! Gonna start collecting some nice "throwin' rocks"....

[cryptique]

I think Obama himself makes the decision now. If he hears about some crackpot in Denver collecting rocks, it won't exactly help your chances...

[IATTBYB]

If Obama picks K-Central, it will show that he really loves the Wolverine State - U of M commencement tomorrow, Kalamazoo in June!

[cryptique]

They won!

 

Obama will deliver their commencement address in June.

[IATTBYB]

They won!

 

Obama will deliver their commencement address in June.

Even I'm excited about this . . . and I went to Gull Lake

[Lammycat]

I thought for sure the school across the street had won as there was a news truck set up to report this morning on the way to work....

[Wendy]

They won!

 

Obama will deliver their commencement address in June.

 

Nice! Congrats to your school, Tom.

[LaxR]

awesome stuff, this should turn out to be a very well attended HS graduation. Didn't even have a commencement speaker for my HS graduation now that I think of it...

[The High Heat]

They won!

 

Obama will deliver their commencement address in June.

You just want to be frisked by Secret Service agents, don't you?

[cryptique]

You just want to be frisked by Secret Service agents, don't you?

That happened on Saturday ... I went to the University of Michigan commencement, where he also spoke.

 

I probably won't have a chance to go to this high school event.

[The High Heat]

That happened on Saturday ... I went to the University of Michigan commencement, where he also spoke.

Does he have a private beach in Michigan?

[IATTBYB]

Just finished watching the K-Central graduation ceremony which was broadcast in its entirety by the local TV station. Each graduate got to shake the Prez's hand as he/she walked across the stage. Quite a ceremony and one that none of the participants will ever forget.

 

Edit: Well maybe one participant will forget.

[cryptique]

The speech was on C-SPAN, but I watched the online feed at http://www.whitehouse.gov/live

 

Very cool for those kids. And I noticed that my old choir director is still there, and has the same bad haircut, 24 years later.

 

They said something about there being 1700 students at the school now. It was over 2000 when I went there.

[calvino]

Just finished watching the K-Central graduation ceremony which was broadcast in its entirety by the local TV station. Each graduate got to shake the Prez's hand as he/she walked across the stage. Quite a ceremony and one that none of the participants will ever forget.

 

Edit: Well maybe one participant will forget.

 

This poor guy might remember for other reasons - yikes:

 

From CNN

 

Kalamazoo, Michigan (CNN) - Rescue workers had to resuscitate a man who collapsed in the middle of President Barack Obama's commencement address to a high school graduating class Monday night.

 

Obama was midway through the speech to graduates of Kalamazoo Central High School when witnesses say the man collapsed in the lower bleachers of Western Michigan University's arena where the event was held.

 

Paramedics and a local politician who is a doctor rushed to help the man. State Senator Tom George, a practicing physician and former medical director for Hospice of Greater Kalamazoo, told CNN affiliate WOOD he was a few rows in front of the man when he heard a "commotion".

 

Audience members fainting at presidential events, often in hot, crowded, rooms is not unusual. But spectators were surprised when this turned into a much more serious medical emergency.

 

"He was not breathing and he was pulseless", George said. Rescuers could be seen repeatedly pumping the victim's chest in the crowd, while the speech continued.

 

A stretcher was then brought, and he was wheeled to a waiting ambulance.

 

Medics told a pool reporter outside the area the man had been revived, and George told WOOD the victim was responding to treatment. He was taken to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, but there was no word on his condition.

[cryptique]

Wow. I guess if you're gonna go down at an event, it's good to do it at one where there are doctors.

 

If there's one thing Kalamazoo has, it's damn good hospitals. He should be in good hands at Bronson.