Published: Friday, December 24, 2010, 8:00 PM ��� Updated: Friday, December 24, 2010, 9:01 PM
The Kalamazoo area's top stories of 2010
Kalamazoo Central High School usually has students as its main graduation speakers.
Not this year.
The headline speaker for the Class of 2010: President Barack Obama, in one of the first times a sitting president has addressed a high school commencement.
K-Central students got the honor for winning the first White House Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge, a national competition asking schools to document their efforts to prepare students for higher education.
In their entry, K-Central students highlighted The Kalamazoo Promise and the school"s efforts to ensure students can take advantage of the scholarship program.
Having Obama as a speaker meant K-Central had to change the date and location of its graduation ceremony, and admission to the event became one of the hottest tickets in town.
More than 5,000 people packed University Arena on Western Michigan University"s campus on the night of June 7. It was a true cross-section of Kalamazoo, from community leaders to poor single moms who had a child graduating.
The 280 graduates each got to shake Obama"s hand as they received their diploma. Obama also visited with students briefly as they were getting ready for the ceremony.
SI"m here tonight because I think that America has a lot to learn from Kalamazoo Central about what makes for a successful school in this new century, Obama said in his 24-minute address.
Students returned the love.
SIt was awesome, just awesome, said graduate Thomas Groesbeck. SIt was just an incredible experience to have the president there.
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