Nearly 10,000 high school seniors from across the Houston Independent School District will receive their diploma at graduation ceremonies held this week for the Class of 2016.

The district’s first graduation ceremony will be held Tuesday, May 24 for the Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner as keynote speaker. The school will graduate its second class of seniors this year with 11 students. The 6th through 12th grade campus is one of two single-sex academies established by HISD in 2011. The ceremony is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Kingdom Builders Center, 6011 West Orem Dr. Mayor Turner also will speak at the graduation ceremony Thursday, May 26 for Energized for STEM Academy High School and at the ceremony for Carnegie Vanguard High School on Friday, May 27.

Additional graduation ceremonies will take place around the city between Friday, May 27 and Sunday, May 29 at various locations, primarily at the Barnett Fieldhouse, Butler Fieldhouse, NRG Stadium, Texas Southern University campus, and Williams Pavilion.

“The Class of 2016 is ready for the world!” said HISD Board of Education President Manuel Rodriguez Jr. “I’m very proud of all of our seniors. They are truly global graduates, having proven they are responsible decision makers and critical thinkers in order to reach this major milestone in their lives. I’m confident that the skills they have learned in HISD will serve them well on whatever path they choose in life. Their future is now in their own capable hands.”

HISD’s Class of 2016 have been accepted to state colleges as well as top-tier colleges and universities across the country. To date, the entire senior class has racked up more than $275 million worth of scholarships and financial aid awards.

Nearly 100 of these students will graduate at the top of their class as high school valedictorians and salutatorians. The number of HISD students graduating high school with associate degrees has risen steadily since 2010 to a total of 452 this year, 140 more than last year. Several students also will graduate with industry certifications in high-demand technical fields.

“We have prepared every single one of these students to achieve their highest potential whether they choose to continue their studies in college or launch right into their career,” said HISD Interim Superintendent Ken Huewitt who plans to attend graduation ceremonies at Chavez, East Early College, Washington, Westside, and Yates high schools. “Each one of them are one step closer to their dreams. I’m excited about what their future will bring.”

To learn more about the students from HISD’s Class of 2016, follow the hashtag #Ready4TheWorld on social media and visit HoustonISD.org/2016scholars. To view the district’s high school graduation calendar, visit HoustonISD.org/graduationcalendar.