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National American Graduate Day 2017

October 11, 2017


American Graduate Day:  http://americangraduate.org/grad-day


When:  Saturday, October 14, 2017
Time:  2:00- 6:00 EST
Check your local public television listing
#AmericanGrad

 Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium’s First Nation Launch program will be featured on American Graduate Day, a live public television broadcast and outreach event dedicated to engaging our country around the dropout crisis. Focused on telling stories, creating resources, and building community connections, this annual telecast seeks to successfully guide students along the path to graduation. This year, with the graduation rate at an all-time high, American Graduate Day is expanding the conversation and stories beyond the high school diploma, highlighting the inspiring individuals and organizations helping students graduate high school and look toward their next chapter: achieving career success.

Award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien hosts the four-hour special, which will be broadcast and streamed live from the Tisch WNET Studios at Lincoln Center on Saturday, October 14 from 2-6 p.m. ET on PBS stations (check your local listings). 

Live Stream: 


American Graduate Day will ask viewers to “Be a Mentor” and impact real change on a young person’s life as we once again team up with MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership (mentoring.org) to connect viewers with mentoring opportunities in their local communities.

WSGC is proud to be a partner organization with American Graduate Day.  First Nations Launch is a unique aerospace opportunity for students that provides a great aerospace experience unique to Native American communities.  It is through partnerships with NASA, industry professionals, and campus advisors, First Nations Launch is making a difference in tribal communities. 

Viewers can look forward to celebrity appearances including Rosita (Sesame Street); Juju Chang (Nightline, Good Morning America), who will speak about Junior Achievement; and musician Darryl McDaniels (Run-DMC), representing The Felix Organization. The broadcast will also feature Stories of Champions segments profiling people across America who are working to help students graduate.

Additional hosts include Lauren Wanko (NJTV News With Mary Alice Williams), Rehema Ellis (NBC), Susie Gharib (Fortune), Hakeem Oluseyi (Science Channel), and Sheba Turk (WLL-TV).

Northwest Indian College mentor and team advisor, Gary Brandt, has participated in the First Nations Launch competition since it first began nine years ago.  Brandt shares with the audience how students at Northwest Indian College and other tribal colleges and universities have been impacted by the excitement of high-powered rocketry. 

Join the conversation online at AmericanGraduate.org and on social media using the #AmGrad hashtag or by following American Graduate on Facebook (facebook.com/americangraduate) and Twitter (@amerigrad).

Sidebar: Become A Champion!

Below are a few of the other non-profit organizations that will be featured on American Graduate Day. Visit AmericanGraduate.org/Be-A-Mentor to become a Champion in your own community!

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