American Graduate Day

September 22, 2017  |    |  2 min read

 

American Graduate Day 2017 is a four-hour, live broadcast and outreach event dedicated to engaging our country around the dropout crisis with special celebrity guests, relevant spokespeople and compelling stories from the students themselves.

Earlier this year, KCPT and Take Note collected community nominations of local champions of education and profiled two individuals, Ken Heitland and India Williams, with short video pieces.They will be featured in the broadcast.

American Gradaute Champion – Ken Heitland

American Graduate Champion – Ken Heitland – Watch American Graduate Day Oct. 14 on KCPT

Ken Heitland is a volunteer instructor at Della Lamb and Once We Were Refugees. To hear his students speak about his impact, it’s clear giving back in the form of education is of utmost importance to him. See this video and more on American Graduate Day, from 1-5 p.m. on KCPT.

American Gradaute Champion – India Williams

American Graduate Champion – India Williams – Watch American Graduate Day Oct. 14 on KCPT

India Williams, a Generation Rap mentor, challenges her students to fulfill their potential and to be givers in their communities. Watch her story and many more on American Graduate Day from 1-5 p.m. on Oct. 14 on KCPT Kansas City PBS – KCPT, Kansas City

American Graduate Day 2017 will be hosted by Soledad O’Brien and once again be broadcast from the Tisch WNET Studios at Lincoln Center in New York City. The broadcast’s primary theme will be mentorship — telling the story of Community Partners and how they provide support, advice, and intervention services to at-risk students, families, and schools.

This year’s American Graduate Day will emphasize the need for mentors beyond high school, and focus on how mentors can be helpful as students pursue a variety of post-secondary options, including traditional four-year colleges, skills-based certifications, vocational training or the military.

— Follow @KCPTedu on Twitter and @KCPTeducation on Facebook.

Tags:

Reading these stories is free, but telling them is not. Start your monthly gift now to support Flatland’s community-focused reporting.

Nick’s Picks | Roads, Bathrooms, Costco and More …

By | February 16, 2026

New Toll Road Opens Kansas City’s first toll road opens this week. Starting Saturday, you’ll pay up to $3.50 to travel the new express lanes on U.S. Highway 69 from 103rd to 151st streets in Overland Park. There are no toll booths — cameras scan your license plate, and a bill arrives by mail. KTAG…

Related Stories

Nick’s Picks | Roads, Bathrooms, Costco and More …

By | February 16, 2026

New Toll Road Opens Kansas City’s first toll road opens this week. Starting Saturday, you’ll pay up to $3.50 to travel the new express lanes on U.S. Highway 69 from 103rd to 151st streets in Overland Park. There are no toll booths — cameras scan your license plate, and a bill arrives by mail. KTAG…

Up From the Ashes: Warwick Theatre Revival Draws Applause

By | February 11, 2026

Two years ago, John Cleary met a fellow Kansas City actor for drinks. Their conversation centered on the fate of the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre. A large portion of the ensemble’s home, the Warwick Theatre, was ash, charred timbers and soot-saturated costumes and props — remnants from a recent massive fire. The destruction was so great…

Nick’s Picks | Baseball, Drones, Romance and More …

By | February 9, 2026

Royals Reveal Next week, the Kansas City Royals head to Arizona for Spring Training. And that’s the mayor’s self-imposed deadline to lock in a stadium deal. So, is this finally the week owner John Sherman steps to the plate and unveils where the Royals will build their next home? At last week’s council meeting, Mayor…