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8th-Grader Uses Graduation Speech To Impersonate Politicians
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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Now let's turn to the eighth-grade graduation ceremony at Thomas Middle School which is outside of Chicago. That's where Jack Aiello delivered a graduation speech. And the student decided to give that speech by impersonating candidates for president.
(SOUNDBITE OF SPEECH)
JACK: Congratulations. You are now getting to hear a speech from the magnificent Donald Trump.
(LAUGHTER)
JACK: And let me just tell you that Thomas has been such a great school. I mean, quite frankly, it's been fantastic.
(LAUGHTER)
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RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
First, Donald Trump, and then he moved on to Hillary Clinton.
(SOUNDBITE OF SPEECH)
JACK: I'd like to start out by thanking the great hard-working teachers of Thomas Middle School.
(APPLAUSE)
JACK: They've given us the skills we need to get through sixth grade and through seventh grade and through eighth grade. And now we're going to take those skills and apply them to high school. And they all deserve a big round of applause.
(APPLAUSE)
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INSKEEP: Mr. Aiello even helped to settle the score between Clinton and Bernie Sanders.
(SOUNDBITE OF SPEECH)
JACK: And I know that Senator Sanders agrees with me.
(LAUGHTER)
JACK: Yes. I do agree with the secretary. As far as schools go, TMS is in the top one-half of one-half of 1 percent of schools in the entire country. Thank you all so much. Congratulations.
(APPLAUSE)
MONTAGNE: Congratulations Jack Aiello and all the graduates at Thomas Middle School.
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(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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