MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Mogul and social media king DJ Khaled and Get Schooled surprised students at Miami Central Senior High School to launch the “Get Schooled Keys to Success” campaign. The campaign will tap into Khaled’s connection with young people and inspire and motivate them to graduate from high school and succeed in college. As part of the campaign, Khaled and Get Schooled will team up to create monthly “keys” offering young people advice on setting and achieving goals, finding your passion, and getting to and through college.

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DJ Khaled surprise visit to Miami Central High School. (Photo: Business Wire)

Since Get Schooled was founded in 2010, it has been part of a broader coalition that has helped to boost American high school graduation rates to a record high 83%. It has engaged more than five million students on its platforms – motivating and delivering a unique mix of entertainment and value to teens across the nation. According to a recent Get Schooled survey of its members, more than two-thirds who have graduated from high school point to Get Schooled as a key support in the journey. Despite this progress, there is still work to be done: about one in four African American and Latino students will not graduate for high school and about three in four will not earn a college degree.

“I made a priority in my life to inspire the young world that anything is possible as long as you follow the keys to success, a major key is commitment to education. I want the youth to know that if they stay away from "they" and stay in school, that this is the major key to success,” said DJ Khaled. “I have worked with Get Schooled and have seen what an impact the organization has on kids across America. I am excited and honored to launch this Keys program to motivate even more kids to succeed in school.”

To raise awareness of the campaign, the Ad Council, Viacom and Get Schooled are launching a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs), starring DJ Khaled, that will encourage students to obtain the information they need to apply to and succeed in college. The new PSAs urge teens nationwide to visit GetSchooled.com to access the free college preparation tools, information and activities to help guide them through the application and financial aid process.

The spots, created by Viacom Velocity and unveiled today at Miami Central Senior High School, will run on select Viacom networks and will be distributed this week, by the Ad Council, to media outlets nationwide. Each will run in donated time and space through the rest of the school year.

“Viacom’s goal in co-founding the Get Schooled Foundation was to leverage the best of media and entertainment to support young people in reaching their goals,” said Alexandra Jannello Tuck, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility. “DJ Khaled’s genuine commitment to education and his partnership with Get Schooled is a perfect reflection of Viacom’s mission and we are excited to have his energy as part of this effort.”

Campaign elements include:

• Khaled Keys will be available on Get Schooled.com each month, beginning today. Each Key will offer students advice and inspiration through interactive tools, exclusive video and even quizzes. Each time a student earns a Khaled Key, they unlock Khaled gear in the Get Schooled reward store.
• Reward Store: Get Schooled and We the Best will co-create swag available only when young people earn “Khaled Keys”. An exclusive line of co-branded merchandise and gear will include t-shirts, stickers, gear, etc.
• Khaled Key Ambassadors: Young people who complete Khaled Keys and are active in the Get Schooled community will become Khaled Student Ambassadors, eligible for exclusive swag, experiences and support from Get Schooled and We the Best.
• School Visits: Throughout the year, DJ Khaled will “drop in” to schools active in the Get Schooled Keys to Success campaign. The more students who earn “Khaled Keys” in a school, the more likely DJ Khaled is to recognize that school.
• Class Khaled: This Spring, one student will earn the right to be “Get Schooled” by DJ Khaled for a day. Khaled, as the ultimate mentor, will teach this young person about how to achieve success.
• Get Schooled Khaled Scholarships: Students who earn all ten “Khaled Keys” will be eligible to win a Khaled Scholarship in June 2016.

For more information visit GetSchooled.com or follow the campaign on Facebook and Twitter.

#KeystoSuccess

ABOUT DJ Khaled:

A major force in the music industry, mogul, executive, mega producer and recording artist, DJ Khaled, known as the "Anthem King" and commonly referred to as the "Quincy Jones of Hip Hop & R&B", has made dozens of chart topping hit records featuring JAY Z, Kanye West, Drake, Chris Brown, Ludacris, T.I., French Montana, Future, Big Sean, Rick Ross, John Legend, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne, among others. In 2006, he launched innovative label deals and started We The Best Music Group. His 2010 hit song "All I Do is Win" went 3x platinum, sold over 3 million singles, and crossed over all music genres to become a mainstream hit, solidifying him as a force to be reckoned with. That same year he also released “I’m On One” feat. Drake, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne. Khaled went on to release the hit single "No New Friends" featuring Drake, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross, which reached gold status and has sold over 500,000 singles worldwide. DJ Khaled has sold over 15 million singles in his career.

ABOUT Get Schooled:

Get Schooled is a non-profit organization that directly engages and motivates students to graduate from high school and succeed in college. Get Schooled is the premiere education brand for young people – linking students with high quality, cutting edge resources and tools they need to succeed. Get Schooled has developed a track record of success because it engages with young Americans using the media, technology and popular culture that is an integral part of their lives. Get Schooled's work is boosted by partners like Viacom and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Get Schooled is the marquee destination for comprehensive student support. Whether fueling passions, teaching youth financial literacy, or mapping out the steps they need to prepare for college, it is committed to student success both in and outside of school.

ABOUT Viacom

Viacom is home to premier global media brands that create compelling television programs, motion pictures, short-form content, apps, games, consumer products, social media experiences, and other entertainment content for audiences in more than 180 countries. Viacom's media networks, including Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, Spike, BET, CMT, TV Land, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., Channel 5 (UK), Logo, Nicktoons, TeenNick and Paramount Channel, reach over 3.8 billion cumulative television subscribers worldwide. Paramount Pictures is a major global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.

For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following Viacom's blog at blog.viacom.com and Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/viacom.

ABOUT The Ad Council

The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization with a rich history of marshaling volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical messages to the American public. Having produced literally thousands of PSA campaigns addressing the most pressing social issues of the day, the Ad Council has affected, and continues to affect, tremendous positive change by raising awareness, inspiring action, and saving lives. To learn more about the Ad Council and its campaigns, visit adcouncil.org, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or view our PSAs on YouTube.

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