Bridgeport High School is one of six rural schools to be chosen as a finalist in a competition to have President Barack Obama deliver its commencement address in June. The other finalists are from communities in North Carolina, Tennessee, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and California

Students from Bridgeport High School submitted essays in a nationwide “Race to the Top” competition, beating out hundreds of competitors for their school to become one of six finalists to win a chance at the presidential visit. The topic was how their school prepares them for college and careers.

Bridgeport High School serves a student body of about 200 students. Due to the region’s economics, the school provides free and reduced lunch to all students. Yet, the district manages to send the vast majority of its graduates to college or technical school.

Bridgeport has a population of nearly 2,400 and is known for abundant fruit orchards supported by a huge seasonal agriculture work force.

The “Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge” invited the nation's public high schools to submit applications that demonstrate their commitment to preparing students for college and a career. In the next step of the competition, students will create a video highlighting how the school best fulfills the criteria.

The videos will be posted on the White House web site and you will get an opportunity to narrow the field down to just three schools by voting on which schools you think best meet the president's goal. President Obama will select the winner from these three finalists.