Students want this 60-second graduation speech to go viral, because it’s about time their voices were heard

If you have 60 seconds to spare, keep reading. Students across America are trying to persuade commencement speakers, class presidents, and peer leaders to donate 60 seconds of their upcoming graduation speeches to a great cause. Donate:60 is an organization founded by students aiming to bring awareness to the new generation entering adulthood. They specifically want the class of 2018 to realize that their voices and their votes are going to determine the future of America.

"17 million of us will vote for the first time in the next election," a statement on Donate:60's website reads. "That’s powerful. And that’s what Donate:60 is all about. The force of our generation."

Student leaders affiliated with Donate:60 wrote a 60-second long speech that they hope will inspire, break down party lines, and urge Gen Z to be the much-needed backing force for equality, safety from gun violence, and positive action on climate change.

The hope is that the speech goes viral and is included in the 37,000 high school graduation ceremonies taking place right now across the nation. But that’s just the start of Donate:60’s mission. Soon, the group will ask students and recent graduates to take a united pledge and come together as an entire generation to fight for what is right.

If you’re a student leader planning to speak at graduation this year, you can include the below pledge at the end of your speech to contribute to Donate:60’s cause:

“Today, along with thousands of other students across the country, I’m donating the next 60 seconds of this speech to take a pledge for our future. In the next four years, 17 million of us will be eligible to vote. That makes Generation Z this country’s largest swing state. Not red, not blue, but human. And together, we have the power to shape the world we want to live in.

So, today I’m pledging to vote on three basic human rights: equality across race, gender, and sexual orientation, safety from gun violence, and action on climate change. If you care about the world we’re inheriting, I urge you to text ‘Donate60’ to 64336 and take the pledge with me.”

"Together, we can create a healthier, safer, brighter America. We’re the adults now."

Even if you’re not giving a graduation speech, record a video of yourself taking the pledge to vote on equality, gun violence, and climate change, and share it with Donate:60 on social media.