One week ago today my children and countless numbers of other children across the country returned to school. And on that bustling first day President Obama spoke to all of them, whether they were free to listen or not. He charged our children to do right by their school, their family, but chiefly, to do right by themselves, making the most of the education they have before them. I believe whole heartedly that our children want to be excited about school. They want to achieve. They want to succeed. Children have an innate sense of excitement and anticipation about school on the first day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn2–WIsvgM
It is a flame that is either fanned or extinguished based on how we as a community respond to their quest for the fires of knowledge. So now that we are in the second week of school I challenge you, just as President Obama challenged our kids, to step up, embrace and fulfill your responsibility. The responsibility to your kids, your community, your country. Help kids put education first by supporting schools and their efforts to do right by our children and thus pave the way for a brighter future for us all. To inspire you on this journey I share some of my favorite points from President Obama?s school speech.
Miss Lori
Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV , Wearetherealdeal.com and ChiacgoMomsBlog. You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Excerpts from President Obama’s speech to cchool children:
Now I?ve given a lot of speeches about education. And I?ve talked a lot about responsibility.
I?ve talked about your teachers? responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.
I?ve talked about your parents? responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don?t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with that Xbox.
I?ve talked a lot about your government?s responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren?t working where students aren?t getting the opportunities they deserve.
But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world ? and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.
And that?s what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.
Every single one of you has something you?re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That?s the opportunity an education can provide.
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That?s why today, I?m calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education ? and to do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending time each day reading a book. Maybe you?ll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you?ll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you?ll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn.
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Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.
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So today, I want to ask you, what?s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?
Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I?m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you?ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don?t let us down ? don?t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.
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