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Lebron James honors class of 2020 during pandemic

The event brings special meaning as many students graduating this year will not have a scheduled ceremony following the coronavirus pandemic.

ATLANTA — Lebron James is honoring the graduating class of 2020 with an all-star event!

The one-hour special is called "Graduate Together: America Honors The High School Class Of 2020".

The event brings special meaning as many students graduating this year will not have a scheduled ceremony following the coronavirus pandemic.

ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC will simultaneously air the special along with leading entertainment, social media and streaming platforms—including Complex Networks, Facebook App, Instagram, PeopleTV, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube—which will all create dynamic experiences for each of their unique audiences. 

“We learned early on in our work with students and families in Akron that education is so much more than academics. It’s about a shared experience, a journey we’re all on together—students, parents, educators, community members, and everyone around them. With that not being possible right now, we’ve been working to find ways to help families get through this really difficult time,” James said in an announcement. “These students have worked incredibly hard for this and there’s no way we can let that go unrecognized. While this won’t be the graduation experience they were supposed to get, we hope we can still give them something special because they deserve it.”

In Georgia, the school system says more traditional ceremonies will be delayed until the summer or a later "safe date" that is more amenable to guidance from the CDC and the Georgia Department of Public Health. 

It will feature appearances from stars such as Pharrell Williams, Yara Shahidi, Lena Waithe and H.E.R.

The event will air on May 16 at 8 p.m

If the ceremonies need to be delayed any further, they are considering other venues or ticketed ceremonies at individual schools, perhaps during Thanksgiving or winter break to maximize graduate or family attendance. 

11Alive is focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the virus. We want to keep you informed about the latest developments while ensuring that we deliver confirmed, factual information. 

We will track the most important coronavirus elements relating to Georgia on this page. Refresh often for new information.

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