奥巴奥巴马马开学演开学演讲讲ForImmediateReleaseSeptember8,XX WakefieldHighSchool Arlington,VirginiaTHEPRESIDENT:Hello,everybody!Thankyou.Thankyou.Thankyo u,everybody.Allright,everybodygoaheadandhaveaseat.Howisevery bodydoingtoday?(Applause.)HowaboutTimSpicer?(Applause.)Iam herewithstudentsatWakefieldHighSchoolinArlington,Virginia.And wevegotstudentstuninginfromallacrossAmerica,fromkindergartent hrough12thgrade.AndIamjustsogladthatallcouldjoinustoday.AndIw anttothankWakefieldforbeingsuchanoutstandinghost.Giveyourselve sabigroundofapplause.(Applause.)Iknowthatformanyofyou,todayisthefirstdayofschool.Andforthoseof youinkindergarten,orstartingmiddleorhighschool,itsyourfirstdayina newschool,soitsunderstandableifyourealittlenervous.Iimaginethere aresomeseniorsouttherewhoarefeelingprettygoodrightnow- (applause)- withjustonemoreyeartogo.Andnomatterwhatgradeyourein,someofy ouareprobablywishingitwerestillsummerandyoucouldvestayedinbe djustalittlebitlongerthismorning.Iknowthatfeeling.WhenIwasyoung,myfamilylivedoverseas.Ilivedin Indonesiaforafewyears.Andmymother,shedidnthavethemoneytosen dmewherealltheAmericankidswenttoschool,butshethoughtitwasimp ortantformetokeepupwithanAmericaneducation.Soshedecidedtotea chmeextralessonsherself,MondaythroughFriday.Butbecauseshehadt ogotowork,theonlytimeshecoulddoitwasat4:30inthemorning.Now,asyoumightimagine,Iwasnttoohappyaboutgettingupthatearly. Andalotoftimes,Idfallasleeprightthereatthekitchentable.Butwhenev erIdcomplain,mymotherwouldjustgivemeoneofthoselooksandshed say,“Thisisnopicnicformeeither,buster.“(Laughter.)SoIknowthatsomeofyouarestilladjustingtobeingbackatschool.ButI mheretodaybecauseIhavesomethingimportanttodiscusswithyou.Im herebecauseIwanttotalkwithyouaboutyoureducationandwhatsexpec tedofallofyouinthisnewschoolyear.Now,Ivegivenalotofspeechesabouteducation.AndIvetalkedaboutre sponsibilityalot.Ivetalkedaboutteachersresponsibilityforinspiringstudentsandpushi ngyoutolearn.Ivetalkedaboutyourparentsresponsibilityformakingsureyoustayont rack,andyougetyourhomeworkdone,anddontspendeverywakinghou rinfrontoftheTVorwiththeXbox.Ivetalkedalotaboutyourgovernmentsresponsibilityforsettinghighsta ndards,andsupportingteachersandprincipals,andturningaroundschoo lsthatarentworking,wherestudentsarentgettingtheopportunitiesthatt heydeserve.Butattheendoftheday,wecanhavethemostdedicatedteachers,themost supportiveparents,thebestschoolsintheworld- andnoneofitwillmakeadifference,noneofitwillmatterunlessallofyouf ulfillyourresponsibilities,unlessyoushowuptothoseschools,unlessyoupayattentiontothoseteachers,unlessyoulistentoyourparentsandgran dparentsandotheradultsandputinthehardworkittakestosucceed.That swhatIwanttofocusontoday:theresponsibilityeachofyouhasforyoure ducation.Iwanttostartwiththeresponsibilityyouhavetoyourself.Everysingleon eofyouhassomethingthatyouregoodat.Everysingleoneofyouhassom ethingtooffer.Andyouhavearesponsibilitytoyourselftodiscoverwhatt hatis.Thatstheopportunityaneducationcanprovide.Maybeyoucouldbeagreatwriter- maybeevengoodenoughtowriteabookorarticlesinanewspaper- butyoumightnotknowituntilyouwritethatEnglishpaper- thatEnglishclasspaperthatsassignedtoyou.Maybeyoucouldbeaninno vatororaninventor- maybeevengoodenoughtocomeupwiththenextiPhoneorthenewmedi cineorvaccine- butyoumightnotknowituntilyoudoyourprojectforyourscienceclass. MaybeyoucouldbeamayororasenatororaSupremeCourtjustice- butyoumightnotknowthatuntilyoujoinstudentgovernmentorthedebat eteam.Andnomatterwhatyouwanttodowithyourlife,Iguaranteethatyoullnee daneducationtodoit.Youwanttobeadoctor,orateacher,orapoliceoffic er?Youwanttobeanurseoranarchitect,alawyeroramemberofourmilita ry?Youregoingtoneedagoodeducationforeverysingleoneofthosecar eers.Youcannotdropoutofschoolandjustdropintoagoodjob.Youvego ttotrainforitandworkforitandlearnforit.Andthisisntjustimportantforyourownlifeandyourownfuture.Whatyo umakeofyoureducationwilldecidenothinglessthanthefutureofthiscountry.ThefutureofAmericadependsonyou.Whatyourelearninginscho oltodaywilldeterminewhetherweasanationcanmeetourgreatestchalle ngesinthefuture.Youllneedtheknowledgeandproblem- solvingskillsyoulearninscienceandmathtocurediseaseslikecanceran dAIDS,andtodevelopnewenergytechnologiesandprotectourenviron ment.Youllneedtheinsightsandcritical- thinkingskillsyougaininhistoryandsocialstudiestofightpovertyandho melessness,crimeanddiscrimination,andmakeournationmorefairand morefree.Youllneedthecreativityandingenuityyoudevelopinallyour classestobuildnewcompaniesthatwillcreatenewjobsandboostoureco nomy.Weneedeverysingleoneofyoutodevelopyourtalentsandyourskillsand yourintellectsoyoucanhelpusoldfolkssolveourmostdifficultproblem s.Ifyoudontdothat-ifyouquitonschool- yourenotjustquittingonyourself,yourequittingonyourcountry.Now,Iknowitsnotalwayseasytodowellinschool.Iknowalotofyouhav echallengesinyourlivesrightnowthatcanmakeithardtofocusonyoursc hoolwork.Igetit.Iknowwhatitslike.MyfatherleftmyfamilywhenIwastwoyearso ld,andIwasraisedbyasinglemomwhohadtowork