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Obama Could Give Commencement at a Local High School
A charter high school in Lawndale--that city where vampires and garlic made the news earlier this year--is on the short list of schools under consideration to receive a graduation commencement speech by President Barack Obama, reports KPCC. Environmental Charter High School is one of the five to make the list out of thousands of high schools that entered the Race To the Top High School Commencement Challenge. The small campus of 470 has a 95% college acceptance rate. In the school's video and essay entries, students demonstrated how teachers connect subjects with nature, whether it be trips to Catalina Island or Joshua Tree National Park. The school even has Twitter and Facebook accounts.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
