White House memo notes shortage of applicants for contest to have Obama to speak at high school graduation

President Obama speaks as he delivers the commencement speech for Kalamazoo Central High School at Western Michigan University arena in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

/ MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

The White House is ramping up an effort to promote a nationwide competition to decide which high school wins a commencement speech by President Obama.

An internal White House memo indicates that the White House is facing a shortage of applications less than a week before the deadline.

The competition was extended from the February 25 deadline until Friday, March 11 after few schools met the original application deadline. CBS News has learned a White House Communications Office internal memo dated February 22 noted "a major issue with the Commencement Challenge."

"As of yesterday we had received 14 applications and the deadline is Friday," the memo said. The memo also urged recipients to, "please keep the application number close hold."

A follow-up memo on February 28 reported receipt of 68 applications. Noting the competition among more than 1,000 schools last year, the memo said, "Something isn't working." It called on staffers to ask "friendly congressional, gubernatorial and mayoral offices" to encourage schools to apply. 

"We should also make sure the Cabinet is pushing the competition out to their lists," the memo said. The note reiterated, "We do not want the actual application number out there (we didn't release the number of applications we received last year until after the submission period)-so folks should not use it in their pitches."

On Monday, officials declined to cite the number of applications received so far.

The president will travel to the school that is judged to best prepare students for college and careers. The competition is part of Mr. Obama's ultimate goal of making the U.S. the country with the highest proportion of college graduates by 2020.

Officials were unable to explain the reason for the apparent lack of interest, beyond pointing to possible procrastination by school systems.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan told CBS Radio News, "It's a huge opportunity for high schools to tell their story." Asked about the lagging application numbers, Duncan said, "Folks are working hard." He called on schools to "put their best foot forward and join the competition."

Education Department press aide Elizabeth Utrup said the deadline was extended "to provide an ample amount of time to reach out to schools from across the country." Utrup added, "Like last year, we anticipate the overwhelming majority will be submitted near the close of the Challenge."

The White House has posted on-line video appeals from President Obama and a student from last year's winning school, Kalamazoo (Michigan) Central High. Entertainers John Legend and Nick Jonas recorded their own videos for the challenge when they were in Washington for a recent "In Performance at the White House" event.

The exact deadline for schools to apply is 11:59P.M., Eastern Time, March 11. More on the application process is posted here.

Update, March 8, 6:15 p.m. ET: Responding to questions about the CBS News story on Tuesday, White House spokesman Jay Carney reported the White House has received "a large number" of applications and we look forward to a process that will produce a winner and a commencement speech from the president."

But Carney said he did not know how many schools have applied for the honor. The press secretary spoke to reporters Tuesday as President Obama flew to an education event in Boston.

 

Below, CBS News "Early Show" Special Contributor Ayla Brown reports on the students at Kalamazoo Central High School, where President Obama spoke last year:

Peter Maer is a CBS News White House correspondent. You can read more of his posts in Hotsheet here. You can also follow him on Twitter.

[houda51]

Can you post the link to your info? I want to look at it. Wikipedia says he was born in Hawaii.

And I didn't say I got 100s of emails from Snopes.com. That's where I verified as false 100s of emails from right wing friends and relatives lies about Obama, including his birth place.

[ipeachobamaB4itstolate]

Why would any high school in the USA want him to speak?....He's a dictator....He would be better off speaking in a Dictator run country!......He's such a weak Pres.......Maybe the union could have him speak on how to screw over the people......He's on their payroll so they might as well get some use out of him some how.....Well their at it maybe the Dems could be used to run drugs for the unions!....or better yet....Airforce 1 could carry alot of drugs......The staple of the mafia mob run unions......Bought with union dues paid for with our hard earned moneys!

[houda51]

Has anybody ever thought that the staffing in schools, decimated by the Republican budget slashing so that they can give the ultra rich tax cuts, has caused many to not submit simply because they are understaffed and cannot devote time to that?

Most of these posts seem to have name calling as their main point with nothing substantial in it. This is third grade behavior. There is also a bunch of misinformation here being spread like an Urban Legend email. If you don't have a comment with useful factual info, you really shouldn't post.

Anyway, whether it's a Republican or Democratic dominated government, it really doesn't matter that much. When the Democrats were in control, they didn't get things done. They listened to the Republicans whining and stalled. Now, the Republicans are in control, they're trying to slash and burn the lower 98% of us and are trying to get things done the rich want them to. Bottom line is that we live in a plutocracy where our votes don't count that much.

In a 100 years, things haven't changed much:

"It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt."
"We have the best government that money can buy."
"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it."
"Patriot: the person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about."
"The radical one of one century is the conservative of the next. The radical invents the views. When he has worn them out, the conservative adopts them."
~ Mark Twain (American Humorist, Writer, and Lecturer 1835-1910)

[LEGION57]

So surprised this got reported at all! Only 14 before they extended the deadline? Now maybe above the last reported 68 from over a 1000 last year??? That is a 90% drop kiddies! The students going through the security check to have him speak there would go through more scrutiny that he did to become President. Manchurian candidate for Soro's gets wacked- HA!

[Ralphinphnx]

Oh how I love the way the flakey big headed mormon maroon and inventor of
Romneycare Mitt Romney keeps trying to distance from his own dismal failure Romneycare that wonderful prototype of Obamacare no less! Please
pretty Please Dear God NO More Obama and No Mittens Romney ever!

[LEGION57]

Oh please- the care in Massachusetts was NOT what Romney wanted- the super majority demonrat legislators put in what THEY wanted- if it worked it was to their credit- if it failed - as it did- it is Romney's fault- typical libtard tactics.

[Ralphinphnx]

Oh Good God,how funny and the fact that it still clearly has not even fully registered with Der Leader Barack Hussein Obama,and his Team Obama,
that an ever growing number of Americans even those in high school have
got extremely tired of seeing Comrade THE ONE Obama and his teleprompter
readings and finger waggings! So,do us all a favor Obama just resign and
take Team Obama with you! Why isn't it Election Day 2012 by now?

[fjerins]

I wouldn't want Obama speaking at any of our High Schools. He doesn't believe in our Constitution and bill of rights. Plus, his dog Bow has more papers then he does. Come on Obama, show us your papers and school records. If you have nothing to hide, then why in the world are you spending so much of your own money in keeping your records a big secret? Let's be done with it, just show us your papers and lets move on.

[TheKnowerseeker]

The writing's on the wall, Obama... I mean, the memo!

[billster68]

Speeches - - speeches - - we don't need no steeekin speeches.

[MokenaMike]

I have renewed faith in the public school system. Obviously more of them are teaching contemporary politics.