Over the last two months, U.S. Sen. 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 COVID-19 government response, 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.
‘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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