Kaine Highlights Winners Of ‘Everybody’s The Graduation Speaker’ Video Contest
Watch his video announcing the contest here.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Over the last two months, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine has highlighted graduating high school seniors across Virginia as part of his “Everybody’s the Graduation Speaker” video contest. Because many in-person graduations were postponed or canceled due to the coronavirus, Kaine encouraged Virginia’s graduating high school seniors to submit a video of an original speech they would have liked to give at graduation. The winners were highlighted each day on the Senator’s Facebook page and Senate website.
“I felt a sense of loss for the Class of 2020 because they didn’t have the graduation experience they expected, so I wanted to do something fun for them and give them a chance to be a graduation speaker,” Kaine said. “The speeches submitted by these graduating seniors demonstrated the resilience and wisdom of Virginia’s students, and I was proud to offer them a platform to showcase their remarks. I’m encouraged by the inspiration Virginia’s future leaders shared in their speeches and am excited to see what they accomplish next.”
Kaine selected 50 speeches from students in every region of Virginia to highlight. The videos collectively garnered over 300,000 views on Facebook. You can see the full list of winners here and below.
“Everybody’s the Graduation Speaker” contest winners:
Deamoni Denson from Colonial Heights High School in Colonial Heights
Anna Kasun from Tuscarora High School in Leesburg
Yasmine Harrison from Bethel High School in Hampton
Melissa Meng from Blacksburg High School in Blacksburg
Jamori Harris from Louisa County High School in Louisa County
Valeria Vargas from Patriot High School in Nokesville
Alyssa Rapole from Randolph Henry High School in Charlotte Court House
Darius Holweg from Westfield High School in Fairfax
Krystal Rubio from CodeRVA Regional High School in Richmond
Lasata Tuladhar from Briar Woods High School in Ashburn
Annalyse McHone from Eastern Montgomery High School in Elliston
Mathieu Zahlan from T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria
Alyson Armentrout-Lancaster from Riverheads High School in Staunton
Kelsey Little II from Deep Creek High School in Chesapeake
Cameron Cherry from James W. Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax
Tyler Hamm from Gate City High School in Gate City
Taylor Wreath from Randolph Macon Academy in Front Royal
Shreyaa Venkat from Broad Run High School in Ashburn
Meredith Marks from Jamestown High School in James City County
Jakeline Gonzalez from Salem High School in Virginia Beach
Christian Hermann from Tuscarora High School in Leesburg
Alexandra Wong from Hayfield Secondary in Fairfax County
Aliyah Webster from Ocean Lakes High School in Virginia Beach
Maggie Mace from Brookville High School in Lynchburg
Emon Green from Woodbridge Senior High School in Prince William County
Julia Hyde from Battlefied High School in Haymarket
Vivian Frazier from Western Branch High School in Chesapeake
Mindi Freed from Stonewall Jackson High School in Quicksburg
Abigail Clouse from Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax
Ayanna Chambers from Bethel High School in Hampton
Deepti Narayanan from Briar Woods High School in Ashburn
Nicholas Richardson from Landstown High School in Virginia Beach
Zoree Jones from Patriot High School in Nokesville
Calvin Loverude from Glenvar High Schoool in Salem
Caitlyn Jung from Bethel High School in Hampton
Tania Salmeron from Osbourn High School in Manassas
Ashley Fitzgerald from Rustburg High School in Rustburg
Samuel Barthel from Tuscarora High School in Leesburg
Seniors of Potomac Senior High School in Dumfries
Audrey Marie Cruey from Madison County High School in Madison
Violet Neikirk from Giles High School in Pearisburg
Ally Monahan from Wilson Memorial High School in Fishersville
Kaylee McDonald from Tabb High School in Yorktown
Ayinde Bradford from Landstown High School in Virginia Beach
Christian Shushok from Blacksburg High School in Blacksburg
The Senior Executive Council from Bethel High School in Hampton
Margaret Huan from Central High School in Woodstock
Ryan Paul from Osbourn Park High School in Manassas
McKenna Messerole from Floyd E. Kellam High School in Virginia Beach
Mojda Al-Majid from Tuscarora High School in Leesburg
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