Donald and Melania hold White House commencement ceremony for 20 graduates from the class of 2020 - with FLOTUS urging the students to 'continue chasing their dreams' despite challenges of COVID-19 pandemic

Twenty high-achieving graduates from schools across the country have attended a special commencement ceremony held by the President and First Lady. 

The prestigious event took place Friday at the White House, with the graduates ranging in age and education level. Some were attaining a high school diploma, while others were receiving undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. 

Attendees sat spaced out from each other during the event and were required to take a coronavirus test before being admitted into the East Room, where the ceremony was held.

On Saturday, First Lady Melania Trump took to Twitter to share snaps  from the day and to send out a message to all graduates from the class of 2020.     

'Graduation is a pivotal moment for students of all education levels. @POTUS & I were proud to recognize & celebrate the class of 2020 with a few graduates at the @WhiteHouse yesterday. Keep chasing your dreams & striving to be your best self!' she wrote.  

20 high-achieving graduates from schools across the country have attended a special commencement ceremony held by the President and First Lady. Melania Trump is pictured speaking to the students 

Both the FLOTUS and POTUS addressed the attendees at the special ceremony held in The White House's East Room

The White House also shared video of the First Lady's address to the students, in which she urged them not to lose sight of their dreams amid the COVID-19 pandemic currently crippling the country. 

'You, our next generation, already possess the strength and resilience of the American spirit,' she said, remarking on their ability to adapt to changing circumstances while completing their studies.  

'My hope for each of you is that will you always focus on what you want in life. You will be overwhelmed sometimes and there will be bumps in the road ahead, but continue to strive for greatness,' she implored. 

'Believe in yourself and don't ever give up.'

FLOTUS ended her address with a quote from 'one of her favorite authors - Dr. Seuss'. 

'You're off to great places, today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!' she read from the writer's book Oh, The Places You'll Go!

Students sat spaced out from other at the ceremony. Each of them was required to take a coronavirus test before 

President Trump also spoke to the graduates, with whom he has a personal connection. 

His daughter, Tiffany, is also a member of the class of 2020 having just attained her law degree from Georgetown University. 

The Commander-in-chief congratulated his daughter on her achievements in a post on Twitter Wednesday, which read: 'Congratulations to my daughter, Tiffany, on graduating from Georgetown Law. Great student, great school. Just what I need is a lawyer in the family. Proud of you Tiff!'

Meanwhile, one graduate who attended Friday's ceremony gushed about the day during an interview with local media. 

'Getting to see other members of the Class of 2020, whether it be college, graduate school, that’s really interesting,” University of Virginia graduate Anna Wasserman told KRQE. 

First Lady Melania Trump is pictured watching on as her husband addresses the graduates

President Trump's daughter, Tiffany, is also a member of the class of 2020 having just attained her law degree from Georgetown University