Celebrating the Class of 2020
- nlong903
- Sep 2, 2020
- 1 min read
Cam Jordan surprises YEP grads during virtual ceremony
The Class of 2020 may be the most memorable yet. Our students persevered through personal and societal challenges to finish high school and begin a new chapter of their lives.
We weren't able to watch our 22 graduates cross the stage at Mahalia Jackson Theater this year, but we still found a way to celebrate. First, we delivered graduation packages to everyone, including Cris, this year's valedictorian.
"When I found out I was the valedictorian, I was in shock," says Cris. "I'm the youngest of 5 siblings, and it makes me feel really good about myself that I'm the only valedictorian." At 16, he has already completed his first semester of college.
The celebration continued with a virtual graduation ceremony with 60 attendees, including a surprise appearance from Cam Jordan of the Saints. To top it off, our graduates were featured on NBC's Today Show along with Peter Gold of Strong City, one of YEP's longtime community partners and supporters.
YEP's valedictorian, Cris, featured on NBC's Today Show