. >>> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome president at&t foundation beth shiroishi. >> thank you. it is such an honor and a privilege to be here today. as a former teacher, as a mother of the class of 2021 and 2024 and representing at&t, a proud partner in the grad nation campaign. at at&t we challenge ourselves to rethink possible, to ask what if? in my role at at&t i was handed recently a serious what if. what if we invest $250 million to try to change the trajectory of our country? what if we aspire to an america where every student graduates high school with the power and knowledge and skills to power this nation's workforce? this isn't new for us. four years ago we launched at&t aspire because we believed then as we believe now, that it is one of the most important things we can do for our company, our communities and our country. but reaching the end of those four years we had decision to make dork we change directions, turn towards something new or do we take the successes we shared, the learnings and challenges and ramp it up? and as you heard this morning from our ceo, th

extraordinary leadership from one of the most significant companies in america, at&t, we'll hear from beth shiroishi. please, first warmly welcome the ceo of the corporation for public broadcasting, pat harrison. >>> i want to thank bob for all he's doing to help america become a grad nation. it's great to be with so many people concerned with america's young people and putting that concern into action through america's promise alliance. as alma powell says in the grad nation report, we can't afford excuses. and america's promise alliance is one of the most effective and largest partnerships increasing champions for the nation's children and champions never make excuses. they do work toward the mission every single day. and our kids really need these champions. we should think of them as our kids. our best and brightest. because that's how they start out. believing that they do have a bright future. believing that they can be among the best. who do eventually graduate. but somewhere along the way, they lose their way. and when that happens, they and we all lose. because, as their success goes forwar

it is about trust and being united in the community. >> please welcome beth shiroishi. >> it is suchteacher, a mother, and representing at&t, a proud a partner in the campaign, and at&t we challenge ourselves to rethink possible, to ask, what if? i was handed a serious what if. millionwe invest $250 to try to change our country? what've we invest to graduate every person with the skills to power the workforce? this is not new for us. four years ago as we watched this program because we believed then that as we do now that it is important for our company, our community, and our country. reaching end of those four years, we had a decision. do we change directions or do we take the six sexes we shared, though the earnings and the challenges, -- successes we s hared, treaty learning and the challenges, or do we build on the successes? we will continue our commitment to invest locally. funding those proven programs that are truly helping more students graduate from american high schools. we are not stopping there. driven by that what if, we are looking to seek exponential change. what is

it is about trust and being united in the community. >> please welcome beth shiroishi. >> it is suchand privilege to be here today. as a former teacher, a mother, and representing at&t, a proud a partner in the campaign, and at&t we challenge ourselves to rethink possible, to ask, what if? i was handed a serious what if. what if we invest $250 million to try to change our country? what've we invest to graduate every person with the skills to power the workforce? this is not new for us. four years ago as we watched this program because we believed then that as we do now that it is important for our company, our community, and our country. reaching end of those four years, we had a decision. do we change directions or do we take the successes we shared, the learning and the challenges, or do we build on the successes? we will continue our commitment to invest locally. funding those proven programs that are truly helping more students graduate from american high schools. we are not stopping there. driven by that what if, we are looking to seek exponential change. what disruptive innovat