(NewsNation) — Students at a Maryland high school have learned that persistence pays off after getting a response from former first lady Michelle Obama, indicating she may be willing to speak at their 2026 commencement.
Earlier this year, seniors at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Maryland launched an all-out social media campaign to convince the former first lady to speak at their school’s 2026 graduation ceremony.
“This is day five of asking Michelle Obama to be our high school graduation speaker!” a student exclaims in one video, followed by chants of “Michelle Obama!” echoing in the background.
The school’s videos, often featuring hundreds of cheering students, have since gone viral and caught Obama’s attention last week.
“I’m so moved by your videos — it’s a credit to what you and so many others in your generation can get done through the power of organizing,” Obama wrote under one of the student government association’s posts. “My team is in touch with your school, and we’re working on something special. In the meantime, I want to hear more from you. What gives you hope?”
“I think that what gives me hope is the fact that Mrs. Obama — she heard what we were saying and she reached out to us. And that really shows that if we care about something and we try hard and we persist at something, then our voices can have an impact, and we can make a difference,” BCC’s SGA vice president told local outlet WRC-TV.