THEPRESIDENT:Hello,everybody!Thankyou.Thankyou.Thankyou,everybody.Allright,everybodygoaheadandhaveaseat.Howiseverybodydoingtoday?(Applause.HowaboutTimSpicer?(Applause.IamherewithstudentsatWakefieldHighSchoolinArlington,Virginia.Andwe'vegotstudentstuninginfromallacrossAmerica,fromkindergartenthrough12thgrade.AndIamjustsogladthatallcouldjoinustoday.AndIwanttothankWakefieldforbeingsuchanoutstandinghost.Giveyourselvesabigroundofapplause.(Applause.Iknowthatformanyofyou,todayisthefirstdayofschool.Andforthoseofyouinkindergarten,orstartingmiddleorhighschool,it'syourfirstdayinanewschool,soit'sunderstandableifyou'realittlenervous.Iimaginetherearesomeseniorsouttherewhoarefeelingprettygoodrightnow--(applause--withjustonemoreyeartogo.Andnomatterwhatgradeyou'rein,someofyouareprobablywishingitwerestillsummerandyoucould'vestayedinbedjustalittlebitlongerthismorning.Iknowthatfeeling.WhenIwasyoung,myfamilylivedoverseas.IlivedinIndonesiaforafewyears.Andmymother,shedidn'thavethemoneytosendmewherealltheAmericankidswenttoschool,butshethoughtitwasimportantformetokeepupwithanAmericaneducation.Soshedecidedtoteachmeextralessonsherself,MondaythroughFriday.Butbecauseshehadtogotowork,theonlytimeshecoulddoitwasat4:30inthemorning.Now,asyoumightimagine,Iwasn'ttoohappyaboutgettingupthatearly.Andalotoftimes,I'dfallasleeprightthereatthekitchentable.ButwheneverI'dcomplain,mymotherwouldjustgivemeoneofthoselooksandshe'dsay,"Thisisnopicnicformeeither,buster."(Laughter.SoIknowthatsomeofyouarestilladjustingtobeingbackatschool.ButI'mheretodaybecauseIhavesomethingimportanttodiscusswithyou.I'mherebecauseIwanttotalkwithyouaboutyoureducationandwhat'sexpectedofallofyouinthisnewschoolyear.Now,I'vegivenalotofspeechesabouteducation.AndI'vetalkedaboutresponsibilityalot.I'vetalkedaboutteachers'responsibilityforinspiringstudentsandpushingyoutolearn.I'vetalkedaboutyourparents'responsibilityformakingsureyoustayontrack,andyougetyourhomeworkdone,anddon'tspendeverywakinghourinfrontoftheTVorwiththeXbox.I'vetalkedalotaboutyourgovernment'sresponsibilityforsettinghighstandards,andsupportingteachersandprincipals,andturningaroundschoolsthataren'tworking,wherestudentsaren'tgettingtheopportunitiesthattheydeserve.Butattheendoftheday,wecanhavethemostdedicatedteachers,themostsupportiveparents,thebestschoolsintheworld--andnoneofitwillmakeadifference,noneofitwillmatterunlessallofyoufulfillyourresponsibilities,unlessyoushowuptothoseschools,unlessyoupayattentiontothoseteachers,unlessyoulistentoyourparentsandgrandparentsandotheradultsandputinthehardworkittakestosucceed.That'swhatIwanttofocusontoday:theresponsibilityeachofyouhasforyoureducation.Iwanttostartwiththeresponsibilityyouhavetoyourself.Everysingleoneofyouhassomethingthatyou'regoodat.Everysingleoneofyouhassomethingtooffer.Andyouhavearesponsibilitytoyourselftodiscoverwhatthatis.That'stheopportunityaneducationcanprovide.Maybeyoucouldbeagreatwriter--maybeevengoodenoughtowriteabookorarticlesinanewspaper--butyoumightnotknowituntilyouwritethatEnglishpaper--thatEnglishclasspaperthat'sassignedtoyou.Maybeyoucouldbeaninnovatororaninventor--maybeevengoodenoughtocomeupwiththenextiPhoneorthenewmedicineorvaccine--butyoumightnotknowituntilyoudoyourprojectforyourscienceclass.MaybeyoucouldbeamayororasenatororaSupremeCourtjustice--butyoumightnotknowthatuntilyoujoinstudentgovernmentorthedebateteam.Andnomatterwhatyouwanttodowithyourlife,Iguaranteethatyou'llneedaneducationtodoit.Youwanttobeadoctor,orateacher,orapoliceofficer?Youwanttobeanurseoranarchitect,alawyeroramemberofourmilitary?You'regoingtoneedagoodeducationforeverysingleoneofthosecareers.Youcannotdropoutofschoolandjustdropintoagoodjob.You'vegottotrainforitandworkforitandlearnforit.Andthisisn'tjustimportantforyourownlifeandyourownfuture.Whatyoumakeofyoureducationwilldecidenothinglessthanthefutureofthiscountry.ThefutureofAmericadependsonyou.Whatyou'relearninginschooltodaywilldeterminewhetherweasanationcanmeetourgreatestchallengesinthefuture.You'llneedtheknowledgeandproblem-solvingskillsyoulearninscienceandmathtocurediseaseslikecancerandAIDS,andtodevelopnewenergytechnologiesandprotectourenvironment.You'llneedtheinsightsandcritical-thinkingskillsyougaininhistoryandsocialstudiestofightpovertyandhomelessness,crimeanddiscrimination,andmakeournationmorefairandmorefree.You'llneedthecreativityandingenuityyoudevelopinallyourclassestobuildnewcompaniesthatwillcreatenewjobsandboostoureconomy.Weneedeverysingleoneofyoutodevelopyourtalentsandyourskillsandyourintellectsoyoucanhelpusoldfolkssolveourmostdifficultproblems.Ifyoudon'tdothat--ifyouquitonschool--you'renotjustquittingonyourself,you'requittingonyourcountry.Now,Iknowit'snotalwayseasytodowellinschool.Iknowalotofyouhavechallengesinyourlivesrightnowthatcanmakeithardtofocusonyourschoolwork.Igetit.Iknowwhatit'slike.MyfatherleftmyfamilywhenIwastwoyearsold,andIwasraisedbyasinglemomwhohadtoworkandwhostruggledattimestopaythebillsandwasn'talwaysabletogiveusthethingsthatotherkidshad.ThereweretimeswhenImissedhavingafatherinmylife.ThereweretimeswhenIwaslonelyandIfeltlikeIdidn'tfitin.SoIwasn'talwaysasfocusedasIshouldhavebeenonschool,andIdidsomethingsI'mnotproudof,andIgotinmoretroublethanIshouldhave.Andmylifecouldhaveeasilytakenaturnfortheworse.ButIwas--Iwaslucky.Igotalotofsecondchances,andIhadtheopportunitytogotocollegeandlawschoolandfollowmydreams.Mywife,ourFirstLadyMichelleObama,shehasasimilarstory.Neitherofherparentshadgonetocollege,andtheydidn'thavealotofmoney.Buttheyworkedhard,andsheworkedhard,sothatshecouldgotothebestschoolsinthiscountry.Someofyoumightnothavethoseadvantages.Maybeyoudon'thaveadultsinyourlifewhogiveyouthesupportthatyouneed.Maybesomeoneinyourfamilyhaslosttheirjobandthere'snotenoughmoneytogoaround.Maybeyouliveinaneighborhoodwhereyoudon'tfeelsafe,orhavefriendswhoarepressuringyoutodothingsyouknowaren'tright.Butattheendoftheday,thecircumstancesofyourlife--whatyoulooklike,whereyoucomefrom,howmuchmoneyyouhave,whatyou'vegotgoingonathomenoneofthatisanexcuseforneglectingyourhomeworkorhavingabadattitudeinschool.That'snoexcusefortalkingbacktoyourteacher,orcuttingclass,ordroppingoutofschool.Thereisnoexcusefornottrying.Whereyouarerightnowdoesn'thavetodeterminewhereyou'llendup.Noone'swrittenyourdestinyforyou,becausehereinAmerica,youwriteyourowndestiny.Youmakeyourownfuture.That'swhatyoungpeoplelikeyouaredoingeveryday,allacrossAmerica.YoungpeoplelikeJazminPerez,fromRoma,Texas.Jazmindidn'tspeakEnglishwhenshefirststartedschool.Neitherofherparentshadgonetocollege.Butsheworkedhard,earnedgoodgrades,andgotascholarshiptoBrownUniversity--isnowingraduateschool,studyingpublichealth,onherwaytobecomingDr.JazminPerez.I'mthinkingaboutAndoniSchultz,fromLosAltos,California,who'sfoughtbraincancersincehewasthree.He'shadtoendureallsortsoftreatmentsandsurgeries,oneofwhichaffectedhismemory,soittookhimmuchlonger--hundredsofextrahours--todohisschoolwork.Butheneverfellbehind.He'sheadedtocollegethisfall.Andthenthere'sShantellSteve,frommyhometownofChicago,Illinois.Evenwhenbouncingfromfosterhometofosterhomeinthetoughestneighborhoodsinthecity,shemanagedtogetajobatalocalhealthcarecenter,startaprogramtokeepyoungpeopleoutofgangs,andshe'sontracktograduatehighschoolwithhonorsandgoontocollege.AndJazmin,Andoni,andShantellaren'tanydifferentfromanyofyou.Theyfacechallengesintheirlivesjustlikeyoudo.Insomecasesthey'vegotitalotworseoffthanmanyofyou.Buttheyrefusedtogiveup.Theychosetotakeresponsibilityfortheirlives,fortheireducation,andsetgoalsforthemselves.AndIexpectallofyoutodothesame.That'swhytodayI'mcallingoneachofyoutosetyourowngoalsforyoureducation--anddoeverythingyoucantomeetthem.Yourgoalcanbesomethingassimpleasdoingallyourhomework,payingattentioninclass,orspendingsometimeeachdayreadingabook.Maybeyou'lldecidetogetinvolvedinanextracurricularactivity,orvolunteerinyourcommunity.Maybeyou'lldecidetostandupforkidswhoarebeingteasedorbulliedbecauseofwhotheyareorhowtheylook,becauseyoubelieve,likeIdo,thatallyoungpeopledeserveasafeenvironmenttostudyandlearn.Maybeyou'lldecidetotakebettercareofyourselfsoyoucanbemorereadytolearn.Andalongthoselines,bytheway,Ihopeallofyouarewashingyourhandsalot,andthatyoustayhomefromschoolwhenyoudon'tfeelwell,sowecankeeppeoplefromgettingthefluthisfallandwinter.Butwhateveryouresolvetodo,Iwantyoutocommittoit.Iwantyoutoreallyworkatit.IknowthatsometimesyougetthatsensefromTVthatyoucanberichandsuccessfulwithoutanyhardwork--thatyourtickettosuccessisthroughrappingorbasketballorbeingarealityTVstar.Chancesareyou'renotgoingtobeanyofthosethings.Thetruthis,beingsuccessfulishard.Youwon'tloveeverysubjectthatyoustudy.Youwon'tclickwitheveryteacherthatyouhave.Noteveryhomeworkassignmentwillseemcompletelyrelevanttoyourliferightatthisminute.Andyouwon'tnecessarilysucceedateverythingthefirsttimeyoutry.That'sokay.Someofthemostsuccessfulpeopleintheworldaretheoneswho'vehadthemostfailures.J.K.Rowling's--whowroteHarryPotter--herfirstHarryPotterbookwasrejected12timesbeforeitwasfinallypublished.MichaelJordanwascutfromhishighschoolbasketballteam.Helosthundredsofgamesandmissedthousandsofshotsduringhiscareer.Butheoncesaid,"Ihavefailedoverandoverandoveragaininmylife.Andthat'swhyIsucceed."Thesepeoplesucceededbecausetheyunderstoodthatyoucan'tletyourfailuresdefineyou--youhavetoletyourfailuresteachyou.Youhavetoletthemshowyouwhattododifferentlythenexttime.Soifyougetintotrouble,thatdoesn'tmeanyou'reatroublemaker,itmeansyouneedtotryhardertoactright.Ifyougetabadgrade,thatdoesn'tmeanyou'restupid,itjustmeansyouneedtospendmoretimestudying.Noone'sbornbeinggoodatallthings.Youbecomegoodatthingsthroughhardwork.You'renotavarsityathletethefirsttimeyouplayanewsport.Youdon'thiteverynotethefirsttimeyousingasong.You'vegottopractice.Thesameprincipleappliestoyourschoolwork.Youmighthavetodoamathproblemafewtimesbeforeyougetitright.Youmighthavetoreadsomethingafewtimesbeforeyouunderstandit.Youdefinitelyhavetodoafewdraftsofapaperbeforeit'sgoodenoughtohandin.Don'tbeafraidtoaskquestions.Don'tbeafraidtoaskforhelpwhenyouneedit.Idothateveryday.Askingforhelpisn'tasignofweakness,it'sasignofstrengthbecauseitshowsyouhavethecouragetoadmitwhenyoudon'tknowsomething,andthatthenallowsyoutolearnsomethingnew.Sofindanadultthatyoutrust--aparent,agrandparentorteacher,acoachoracounselor--andaskthemtohelpyoustayontracktomeetyourgoals.Andevenwhenyou'restruggling,evenwhenyou'rediscouraged,andyoufeellikeotherpeoplehavegivenuponyou,don'tevergiveuponyourself,becausewhenyougiveuponyourself,yougiveuponyourcountry.ThestoryofAmericaisn'taboutpeoplewhoquitwhenthingsgottough.It'saboutpeoplewhokeptgoing,whotri