More high school students attending LAUSD schools are dropping out before graduating, according to the Daily News. However, figures compiled by the LAUSD show there are more dropouts, but by a decreasing rate, as opposed to what's reported in figures released by the California Department of Education. more ›

Voting ended yesterday for which school President Barack Obama should give a commencement speech at and a local one didn't make the cut. Environmental Charter High School in Lawndale, with its 92% rate of students accepted to universities, was one of six across the country in the running. Three remain with one to be chosen by the President next Tuesday. more ›

Students at Liechty Middle School engaged in a silent protest during their graduation ceremony last week and it wound up costing them their diplomas. "The students turned their backs on graduation speaker Monica Garcia, LAUSD Board President, to express their displeasure to teacher layoffs and cutbacks," press materials explain. more ›

Bill Clinton canceled his UCLA Commencement Speech scheduled for this Friday due to the "never-ending" labor disputes between University of California officials and American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (it's not the first time for a celebrity to drop their speech for the same issue). more ›

Back in the heyday of CalArts, there are true stories of graduation ceremonies where the president of the institute would make his entrance by helicopter or where Lilian Disney (Walt's Sister) was writing a very large check to the school on stage only for a large inflated penis to be thrown from the roof of the building onto her. Once, when a students name was read, he repelled from the roof to the stage.... more ›

Alonzo King has a dance company called LINES Ballet in San Francisco. Last night he received an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts (DFA) in the annual graduation tradition at CalArts. His speech is short and simple, but his message is so very true for artists entering into the "real world" for the beginning of the end of the beginning.... more ›

The inspiring and occasionally hilarious Points West columnist delivered the commencement address to graduating undergrads and graduate students of USC's Annenberg School of Journalism (and Strategic Public Relations) on Friday. more ›