Obama commencement speech up for grabs

WASHINGTON, April 8 (UPI) -- Six public high schools remain in the Race to the Top competition for a commencement address by U.S. President Obama, the Education Department said Friday.

Out of hundreds of applications received and judged on school performance, essay questions and supplemental data, the six were selected to move to the second round, the department said in a release.

The six were chosen because, among other things, they engage and support students, academic results and progress in preparing students to graduate college- and career-ready.

"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," Obama said. "I look forward to meeting the students and teachers of the winning school at their commencement."

The finalists are:

-- Bridgeport High School, Bridgeport, Wash.

-- Wayne Early Middle College High School, Goldsboro, N.C.

-- Booker T. Washington High School, Memphis.

-- Science Park High School, Newark, N.J.

-- Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, School for Creative and Performing Arts, Pittsburgh.

-- High Tech High International, San Diego.

Each school's students will work with the Get Schooled Foundation to create a video highlighting how the school best fulfills the challenge's criteria, the Education Department said. The videos will be posted on the White House Web site, providing the public a chance to vote on the top three, from which the winner will be selected.