Chicago’s first citywide virtual graduation in mid-June will be hosted by Oprah Winfrey, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Thursday.
“We are thrilled and honored to have the one-and-only Oprah Winfrey joining us for this incredible moment with Chicago’s high school seniors,” Lightfoot said in a news release.
“While we can’t recreate these in-person memories, I feel strongly that we need to recognize and celebrate the achievements of our many high school seniors in Chicago.”
Lightfoot teased the announcement Thursday morning via a Tik Tok video before officially announcing that Winfrey would be virtually attending.
Chicago Public Schools are shuttered through the end of the school year, leaving the city’s 25,000 public high schools without an in-person graduation ceremony. The virtual ceremony is scheduled for mid-June but the exact date has not yet been announced.
This week Winfrey announced she will deliver a commencement address for 2020 graduates next month as part of an online celebratory event being hosted by Facebook and Instagram.