Memphis, TN., - Booker T. Washington High School has been selected as one of six finalists in the 2011 Race to the Top Commencement Challenge for an opportunity to have President Barack Obama serve as their keynote speaker at their 2011 commencement ceremony. Booker T. Washington was chosen as a finalist from thousands of entries of which nearly six-hundred met the rigorous criteria.

“I can not explain how proud I am of my students and staff for this outstanding accomplishment,” said Alisha Kiner, principal at Booker T. Washington. “This announcement is a testament to the wherewithal, hard work and dedication of our students, teachers, support staff, and the BTW community.”

The Commencement Challenge invited public high schools from across the country to demonstrate how their school best prepares them for college and a career, helping America win the future by out-educating our competitors and achieving President Barack Obama’s goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.

“I want to congratulate the six finalists for all they’ve done to prepare their students for college and careers, and I want to thank all of the schools that applied,” said President Barack Obama. “I look forward to meeting the students and teachers of the winning school at their commencement.”