April 21--First lady Michelle Obama will deliver commencement remarks June 9 at King College Prep in Chicago, the school that Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old girl slain after participating in the president's 2013 inauguration festivities, attended.
Hadiya, an honor student and drum majorette, was killed Jan. 29 in Harsh Park about a mile from the Obamas' home in the Kenwood neighborhood. The president told the story of her death at the conclusion of his State of the Union address that year, and the first lady attended the girl's funeral in Chicago.
The school is among three chosen by the first lady for commencement speeches this year. The others are Tuskegee University in Alabama and Oberlin College in Ohio.
The announcement from Michelle Obama's office made no mention of Pendleton, but noted King College Prep had won a video challenge from the first lady to spur completion of the federal financial aid forms for college assistance.
King College Prep's video featured a mock episode of the TV program "Scandal" to showcase schoolwide efforts to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form, the first lady's office said.
kskiba@tribpub.com
