Secretary of Defense delivered commencement address

On Sunday, May 23, Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, delivered the commencement address to the Blue Valley Northwest High School Class of 2010.

Blue Valley Northwest (BVNW) received this honor for their extraordinary achievement and outstanding effort in the first annual Race to the Top Commencement Challenge sponsored by the White House and the U.S. Department of Education.

The Commencement Challenge offered public high schools around the country a chance to show how they are challenging their students to excel in academics, take personal responsibility for their education, and graduate high school ready for college and career. More than one thousand schools submitted applications. BVNW was named as one of six finalists in the contest.

Click here to read the speech Secretary Gates' delivered at the May 23 graduation ceremony. Additionally, the BVNW commencement is currently a featured story at www.defense.gov.