It seemed like a simple enough idea: Take Deonte Bridges‘ moving valedictorian speech at the Booker T. Washington graduation ceremony that had been recorded by our Learning Technologies staff and put it up on our newly opened YouTube channel.
Well, next thing you know, Bridges’ speech went viral, currently surging past 60,000 page views and earning him admirers, media coverage from local TV stations and shout-outs on radio stations around the nation. It’s all been a bit overwhelming, says Bridges, who in his speech recounted some of the personal challenges he overcame en route to graduation and enrollment this month at the University of Georgia. Check out this video, and see how hard it is not to hang on his every word. We’ll have more from this interview session, and more, in an upcoming “APS Today” episode.