U. S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will join D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education in recognizing the one-year anniversary of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Initiative and National College Signing Day. D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson and Acting State Superintendent of Education Hanseul Kang will also attend the event. Duncan will give remarks that celebrate more than 1,500 high school seniors from D.C.’s traditional public and charter schools who have committed to graduating high school and college.
The Reach Higher Initiative is the First Lady’s effort to inspire every student in America to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year college or university.
In an effort to show support of the initiative, the First Lady has made a nationwide call to celebrate the students in local communities with their own Signing Day Celebration. Those interested can check out the Signing Day Toolkit.
To date, more than 600 communities and schools have signed up at ReachHigher.gov to host a college signing day celebration.