Obama headlining Kalamazoo high school graduation

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - President Barack Obama's first high school graduation speech of his tenure will be delivered in southwest Michigan.

Obama is headlining Kalamazoo Central High School's ceremony Monday evening at a Western Michigan University arena.

Kalamazoo Central won the nationwide Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge. The contest is part of the Obama administration's efforts to improve schools and raise graduation rates.

A key factor was Kalamazoo's privately funded scholarship program that guarantees covering up to 100 percent of a student's college tuition at any of the state's public universities or community colleges for four years.

The event isn't open to the public but hundreds of people have gotten tickets to watch a live broadcast at spots across the city.