奥巴马的开学演讲

奥巴马的开学演讲（精选6篇）

奥巴马的开学演讲 第1篇

奥巴马开学演讲词-奥巴马开学演讲词 奥巴马开学演讲演讲稿

奥巴马开学演讲演讲稿：Now, I’ve given a lot of speeches about education。And I’ve talked about responsibility a lot。I’ve talked about teachers’ responsibility for inspiring students and pushing you to learn。I’ve talked about your parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and you get your homework done, and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with the Xbox。I’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility for setting high standards, and supporting teachers and principals，and turning around schools that aren’t working, where students aren’t getting the opportunities that they deserve。

But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, the best schools in the world--and none of it will make a difference, none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities, unless you show up to those schools, unless you pay attention to those teachers, unless you listen to your parents and grandparents and other adults and put in the hard work it takes to succeed。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 that 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。Maybe you could be a great writer--maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper--but you might not know it until you write that English paper--that English class paper that’s assigned to you。

Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor--maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or the new medicine or vaccine--but you might not know it until you do your project for your science class。Maybe you could be a mayor or a senator or a Supreme Court justice--but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team。And no matter what you want to do with your life, I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it。You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military?

You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers。

You cannot drop out of school and just drop into a good job。You’ve got to train for it and work for it and learn for it。And this isn’t just important for your own life and your own future。What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country。The future of America depends on you。What you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future。You’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment。

You’ll need the insights and critical-thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination，and make our nation more fair and more free。You’ll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy。We need every single one of you to develop your talents and your skills and your intellect so you can help us old folks solve our most difficult problems。奥巴马开学演讲词 If you don’t do that--if you quit on school--you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country。奥巴马开学演讲词

奥巴马的开学演讲 第2篇

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT IN A NATIONAL ADDRESS TO

AMERICA’S SCHOOLCHILDREN Wakefield High School, Arlington, Virginia

September 8, 2009

Hello, everybody!Thank you.Thank you.Thank you, everybody.All right, everybody go ahead and have a seat.How is everybody doing today?(Applause.)How about Tim Spicer?(Applause.)I am here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia.And we’ve got students tuning in from all across America, from kindergarten through 12th grade.And I am just so glad that all could join us today.And I want to thank Wakefield for being such an outstanding host.Give yourselves a big round of applause.(Applause.)

I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school.And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it’s your first day in a new school, so it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous.I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now--(applause)--with just one more year to go.And no matter what grade you’re in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer and you could’ve stayed in bed just a little bit longer this morning.I know that feeling.When I was young, my family lived overseas.I lived in Indonesia for a few years.And my mother, she didn’t have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school, but she thought it was important for me to keep up with an American education.So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday.But because she had to go to work, the only time she could do it was at 4:30 in the morning.Now, as you might imagine, I wasn’t too happy about getting up that early.And a lot of times, I’d fall asleep right there at the kitchen table.But whenever I’d complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and she’d say, “This is no picnic for me either, buster.”(Laughter.)

So I know that some of you are still adjusting to being back at school.But I’m here today because I have something important to discuss with you.I’m here because I want to talk with you about your education and what’s expected of all of you in this new school year.Now, I’ve given a lot of speeches about education.And I’ve talked about responsibility a lot.美国总统奥巴马对全美中小学生的讲话

弗吉尼亚州阿灵顿郡韦克菲尔德高中

2009年9月8日 大家好！谢谢你们。谢谢你们。谢谢你们大家。好，大家请就坐。你们今天都好吗？（掌声）蒂姆•斯派塞（Tim Spicer）好吗？（掌声）我现在与弗吉尼亚州阿灵顿郡韦克菲尔德高中的学生们在一起。美国各地从小学预备班到中学12年级的学生正在收听收看。我很高兴大家今天都能参与。我还要感谢韦克菲尔德高中出色的组织安排。请为你们自己热烈鼓掌。（掌声）我知道，今天是你们很多人开学的日子。对于进入小学预备班、初中或高中的学生，今天是你们来到新学校的第一天，心里可能有点紧张，这是可以理解的。我能想象有些毕业班学生现在感觉很不错——（掌声）——还有一年就毕业了。不论在哪个年级，你们有些人可能希望暑假更长一点，今天早上还能多睡一小会儿。

我了解这种感觉。我小时候，我们家生活在海外。我在印度尼西亚住了几年。我妈妈没有钱送我上其他美国孩子上的学校，但她认为必须让我接受美式教育。因此，她决定从周一到周五自己给我补课。不过她还要上班，所以只能在清晨四点半给我上课。

你们可以想见，我不太情愿那么早起床。有很多次，我趴在餐桌上就睡着了。但每当我抱怨的时候，我妈妈都会那样地看我一眼，然后说：“小子，这对我也并不轻松。”（笑声）

我知道你们有些人还在适应开学后的生活。但我今天来到这里是因为有重要的事情要和你们说。我来这里是要和你们谈谈你们的教育问题，以及在这个新学年对你们所有人的期望。

我做过很多次有关教育问题的演讲。我多次谈到过责任问题。

I’ve talked about teachers’ responsibility for inspiring students and pushing you to learn.I’ve talked about your parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and you get your homework done, and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with the Xbox.I’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility for setting high standards, and supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren’t working, where students aren’t getting the opportunities that they deserve.But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, the best schools in the world--and none of it will make a difference, none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities, unless you show up to those schools, unless you pay attention to those teachers, unless you listen to your parents and grandparents and other adults and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.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 that 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.Maybe you could be a great writer--maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper--but you might not know it until you write that English paper--that English class paper that’s assigned to you.Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor--maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or the new medicine or vaccine--but you might not know it until you do your project for your science class.Maybe you could be a mayor or a senator or a Supreme Court justice--but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.And no matter what you want to do with your life, I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it.You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers.You cannot drop out of school and just drop into a good job.You’ve got to train for it and work for it and learn for it.And this isn’t just important for your own life and your own future.What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country.The future of America depends on you.What

我谈到过教师激励学生并督促他们学习的责任。

我谈到过家长的责任，要确保你们走正路，完成家庭作业，不要整天坐在电视前或玩Xbox游戏。

我多次谈到过政府的责任，要制定高标准，支持教师和校长的工作，彻底改善不能为学生提供应有机会的、教育质量差的学校。

然而，即使我们拥有最敬业的教师，最尽力的家长和全世界最好的学校——如果你们大家不履行你们的责任，不到校上课，不专心听讲，不听家长、祖父祖母和其他大人的话，不付出取得成功所必须的勤奋努力，那么这一切都毫无用处，都无关紧要。这就是我今天讲话的重点：你们每个人对自己的教育应尽的责任。

我首先要讲讲你们对自己应尽的责任。你们每个人都有自己的长处。你们每个人都能做出自己的贡献。你们对自己应尽的责任是发现自己的能力所在。而教育能够提供这样的机会。

你或许能成为一名出色的作家——甚至可能写书或在报纸上发表文章——但你可能要在完成那篇英文课的作文后才会发现自己的才华。你或许能成为一名创新者或发明家——甚至可能设计出新一代iPhone或研制出新型药物或疫苗——但你可能要在完成科学课的实验后才会发现自己的才华。你或许能成为一名市长或参议员或最高法院的大法官——但你可能要在参加学生会的工作或辩论队后才会发现自己的才华。

不论你的生活志向是什么，我敢肯定你必须上学读书才能实现它。你想当医生、教师或警官吗？你想当护士、建筑师、律师或军人吗？你必须接受良好的教育，才能从事上述任何一种职业。你不能指望辍学后能碰上个好工作。你必须接受培训，为之努力，为之学习。

这并非只对你个人的人生和未来意义重大。可以毫不夸大地说，教育给你带来的益处将决定这个国家的未来。美国的未来取决于你们。你们

you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.You’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment.You’ll need the insights and critical-thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free.You’ll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.今日在校学习的知识将决定我们作为一个国家是否能够迎接我们未来所面临的最严峻挑战。

你们将需要利用你们通过自然科学和数学课程所学到的知识和解决问题的能力来治愈癌症、艾滋病及其他疾病，开发新的能源技术和保护我们的环境。你们将需要利用你们在历史学和社会学课堂上所获得的知识和独立思考能力来抗击贫困和解决无家可归问题，打击犯罪和消除歧视，使我们的国家更公平、更自由。你们将需要利用你们在所有课堂上培养的创造力和智慧来创办新公司，增加就业机会，振兴我们的经济。

We need every single one of you to develop your talents and your 我们需要你们每个人发挥你们的聪明才智skills and your intellect so you can help us old folks solve our most 和技能，以便帮助老一辈人解决我们面临的最棘difficult problems.If you don’t do that--if you quit on school--手问题。如果你们不这样做，如果你们辍学，你you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.们不仅仅是自暴自弃，也是抛弃自己的国家。

Now, I know it’s not always easy to do well in school.I know a 我自然知道要做到学业优秀并非总是易事。lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard 我知道你们许多人在生活中面临挑战，难以集中to focus on your schoolwork.精力从事学业。

I get it.I know what it’s like.My father left my family when I was 我明白这一点。我有亲身感受。两岁时，two years old, and I was raised by a single mom who had to work and 我父亲离家而去，我是由一位单亲母亲抚养成人who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give 的，母亲不得不工作，并时常为支付生活费用而us the things that other kids had.There were times when I missed 苦苦挣扎，但有时仍无法为我们提供其他孩子享having a father in my life.There were times when I was lonely and I 有的东西。有时，我渴望生活中能有一位父亲。felt like I didn’t fit in.有时我感到孤独，感到自己不适应社会。

So I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been on school, 我并非总是像我应该做到的那样专心学习，and I did some things I’m not proud of, and I got in more trouble than I 我也曾做过我如今不能引以为豪的一些事情，我should have.And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.曾惹过不应该惹的麻烦。我的人生原本会轻易陷

入更糟糕的境地。But I was--I was lucky.I got a lot of second chances, and I had 但是，我当年际遇不错。我有过许多第二次the opportunity to go to college and law school and follow my dreams.机会，我有幸能上大学，上法学院，追求自己的My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, she has a similar story.理想。我的妻子，我们的第一夫人米歇尔•奥巴Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have a lot of 马，也有着类似的经历。她的父母都未曾上过大money.But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could 学，家里很穷。但他们非常勤奋，她也是如此，go to the best schools in this country.因此她得以进入一些美国最好的学校。

Some of you might not have those advantages.Maybe you don’t 你们中有一些人可能没有那些有利条件。或have adults in your life who give you the support that you need.Maybe 许你们生活中没有成年人为你们提供你们所需someone in your family has lost their job and there’s not enough 要的支持。或许你们家中有人失业，经济非常拮money to go around.Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you 据。或许你们生活在使你们感觉不安全的社区，don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you 或有朋友逼迫你们去做你们知道不对的事情。know aren’t right.But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life--what 然而说到底，你们生活的环境、你们的肤色、you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what 你们的原籍、你们的经济收入、你们家中的境况you’ve got going on at home--none of that is an excuse for neglecting 等等，这一切都不能成为你们不用功或不努力的your homework or having a bad attitude in school.That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school.There is no excuse for not trying.Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up.No one’s written your destiny for you, because here in America, you write your own destiny.You make your own future.That’s what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas.Jazmin didn’t speak English when she first started school.Neither of her parents had gone to college.But she worked hard, earned good grades, and got a scholarship to Brown University--is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to becoming Dr.Jazmin Perez.I’m thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who’s fought brain cancer since he was three.He’s had to endure all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer--hundreds of extra hours--to do his schoolwork.But he never fell behind.He’s headed to college this fall.And then there’s Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois.Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods in the city, she managed to get a job at a local health care center, start a program to keep young people out of gangs, and she’s on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.And Jazmin, Andoni, and Shantell aren’t any different from any of you.They face challenges in their lives just like you do.In some cases they’ve got it a lot worse off than many of you.But they refused to give up.They chose to take responsibility for their lives, for their education, and set goals for themselves.And I expect all of you to do the same.That’s why today I’m calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education--and 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 some 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 young people 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.And along those

理由。你们没有理由不服从你们的老师、逃学、或辍学。没有理由不付出努力。

你们目前的状况并不决定着你们的未来。没有人决定你们的命运，在美国，你们决定自己的命运。你们掌握自己的未来。

这就是像你们这样的年轻人每天都在做的事情，全美各地都是如此。

来自得州罗马城的贾兹敏•佩雷斯（Jazmin Perez）就是一个例证，她刚开始上学时并不会说英文。她的父母都没有上过大学。然而，她非常勤奋，成绩优秀，获得了布朗大学的奖学金，她如今正在读研究生，攻读公共卫生专业，不久将成为贾兹敏•佩雷斯博士。

我想起了加州洛斯阿尔托斯城的安多尼•舒尔茨（Andoni Schultz），他从三岁开始就一直与脑癌进行抗争，他不得不忍受各类治疗和手术带来的痛苦，其中一项手术曾影响了他的记忆，因此他花在功课上的时间比一般人长得多，要多出数百个小时。然而，他从未落后。他今年秋季将迈进大学。

我还想起家乡伊利诺伊州芝加哥市的尚特尔•史蒂夫（Shantell Steve）。她曾在芝加哥最困难的社区生活，寄养于多个不同的家庭，但她最终在一家地方医疗中心找到工作，并开始了一项帮助年轻人远离流氓团伙的计划，她即将以优异成绩从中学毕业，紧接着将上大学。

贾兹敏、安多尼和尚特尔与你们中间的每个人没什么两样。跟你们一样，他们在生活中面临种种挑战。在某些情况下，他们的处境比起你们许多人更差。但他们拒绝放弃。他们决定要为自己的一生、自己的教育负起责任，为自己设定各项奋斗目标。我期待你们大家都会这样做。因此，我今天呼吁你们每一个人为自己的教育设定目标，并尽自己的最大努力来实现这些目标。你的目标可以是一件十分简单的事情，例如完成家庭作业、上课专心听讲、或每天花一点时间读一本书。也许你会决定要参加课外活动或在你的社区提供志愿服务。也许你会决定挺身而出保护那些因为身份或长相而受人戏弄或欺负的孩子，原因是你和我一样认为所有的年轻人都应该享有一个适合读书和学习的安全环境。也许你会决定更好地照料自己，以便有更充沛的精力来

lines, by the way, I hope all of you are washing your hands a lot, and that you stay home from school when you don’t feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.But whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it.I want you to really work at it.I know that sometimes you get that sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work--that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star.Chances are you’re not going to be any of those things.The truth is, being successful is hard.You won’t love every subject that you study.You won’t click with every teacher that you have.Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right at this minute.And you won’t necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.That’s okay.Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who’ve had the most failures.J.K.Rowling’s--who wrote Harry Potter--her first Harry Potter book was rejected 12 times before it was finally published.Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.He lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career.But he once said, “I have failed over and over and over again in my life.And that’s why I succeed.”

These people succeeded because they understood that you can’t let your failures define you--you have to let your failures teach you.You have to let them show you what to do differently the next time.So if you get into trouble, that doesn’t mean you’re a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to act right.If you get a bad grade, that doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.No one’s born being good at all things.You become good at things through hard work.You’re not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport.You don’t hit every note the first time you sing a song.You’ve got to practice.The same principle applies to your schoolwork.You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right.You might have to read something a few times before you understand it.You definitely have to do a few drafts of a paper before it’s good enough to hand in

Don’t be afraid to ask questions.Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.I do that every day.Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength because it shows you have the courage

学习。顺便提一下，除了这些事情外，我希望大家要勤洗手，身体感到不舒服的时候要呆在家里不去上学，这样我们能防止人们在今年秋冬季节染上流感。

但无论你决定做什么，我希望你保证去做。我希望你脚踏实地地去做。

我知道有时候你会从电视上得到这样的印象：你不用做任何艰苦的工作就能发财致富并取得成功，唱小调、打篮球或成为真人秀明星是走向成功的途径。但实际情况是：你可能不会成为其中的一员。

事实上，取得成功不是轻而易举的事情。你不会喜欢你学习的每一门课目。你不会与你的每一位老师都很投契。不是所有的家庭作业似乎都与你眼前的生活完全有关。你第一次尝试做每件事的时候，不一定成功。

这些都没关系。世界上最成功的人士中有一些是遭遇失败最多的人。作者J•K•罗琳（J.K.Rowling）所写的系列小说《哈利•波特》（Harry Potter）第一部在获得出版之前被退稿12次。迈克尔•乔丹（Michael Jordan）曾被他的高中篮球队除名。在乔丹的篮球生涯中，他输过数百场比赛，有成千上万个球没有投中。但他曾说过：“在我的一生中，我失败了一次又一次、一次又一次。这就是我成功的原因。”

这些人士获得成功，因为他们懂得：你不能让失败来限制你，而必须让失败来开导你。你必须让失败向你展示下次如何以不同的方式去做这件事情。因此，如果你遇到麻烦，那并不表示你是麻烦的制造者，而意味着你需要更加努力去把它做对。如果你有一门课分数低，那不表示你比别人笨，而只表示你需要花更多的时间学习。没有一个人天生擅长做各种事情。你通过勤奋而变得擅长于各种事情。第一次从事新的体育项目时，你不可能是一位主力队员。第一次唱一首歌曲时，你不可能唱准每个音。你必须练习。同样的道理适用于你的学业。你可能要把一道数学题做几次才把它做对。你可能要把一些材料阅读几遍才能理解。在交出一篇优美的作文之前，你肯定需要打几遍草稿。

不要害怕提问。不要在需要帮助时害怕请求别人帮助。我天天请求别人的帮助。请求帮助不是软弱的表现，它是力量的标志，因为它表明你

to admit when you don’t know something, and that then allows you to learn something new.So find an adult that you trust--a parent, a grandparent or teacher, a coach or a counselor--and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.And even when you’re struggling, even when you’re discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you, don’t ever give up on yourself, because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.The story of America isn’t about people who quit when things got tough.It’s about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.It’s the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and they founded this nation.Young people.Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war;who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon.Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google and Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.So today, I want to ask all of 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 20 or 50 or 100 years say about what all of you did for this country?

Now, 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 and the equipment and the computers you need to learn.But you’ve got to do your part, too.So I expect all of 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 down or your country down.Most of all, don’t let yourself down.Make us all proud.有勇气承认自己对某些事情不懂，这样做会使你学到新的东西。因此，请确定一位你信任的成年人，例如家长、祖父母或老师、教练或辅导员，请他们帮助你遵循既定计划实现你的目标。即使当你苦苦挣扎、灰心丧气、感到其他人对你不抱希望时，也不要对你自己丧失信心，因为当你自暴自弃时，你也抛弃了自己的国家。

书写美国历史的不是在困难时刻退缩的人，而是坚持不懈、加倍努力的人，他们对国家的爱促使他们全力以赴。

书写美国历史的是250年前坐在你们的位置上的学生，他们后来进行了独立战争并创建了这个国家。还有75年前坐在你们的位置上的年轻人和学生，他们走出了大萧条并打赢了一场世界大战；他们为民权而奋斗并把宇航员送上了月球。至于20年前坐在你们的位置上的学生，他们创办了谷歌（Google）、叽喳网（Twitter）和脸谱网（Facebook），改变了我们交流沟通的方式。

而今天，我要问问你们大家，你们将做出什么贡献？你们将解决什么问题？你们将有什么发现？20年、50年或100年后来到这里讲话的总统将会怎样评价你们大家为这个国家所做的一切？

你们的家人、你们的老师和我正在竭尽全力保证你们接受必要的教育，以便回答上述问题。我正在努力工作，以便你们的教室得到修缮，你们能够得到学习所需的课本、设备和电脑。但你们也必须尽自己的努力。因此，我希望你们大家从今年起认真对待这个问题。我希望你们尽最大努力做好每一件事。我希望你们每个人都有出色的表现。不要让我们失望。不要让你们的家人或你们的国家失望。而最重要的是，不要辜负你们自己，而要让我们都能[为你们]感到骄傲。

Thank you very much, everybody.God bless you.God bless 非常感谢你们大家。愿主保佑你们。愿主保America.Thank you.(Applause.)佑美国。谢谢你们。（掌声）

奥巴马的演讲艺术 第3篇

他的演说富有节奏感, 味道十足, 语气恰到好处, 几乎带有一种催眠和传教的功能。即使当他面对成千上万人演讲, 也能让每个人都觉得奥巴马就是对他一个人在说, 这是在希拉里的竞选集会中难以看到的。美国历史上优秀的政治家, 如林肯、肯尼迪和马丁·路德·金, 都是演讲高手。

善用排比

奥巴马在演讲中善于使用排比句, 取得排山倒海般的效果。2007年9月12日, 奥巴马在艾奥瓦州克林顿市的一所大学里发表了题为《翻开伊拉克问题的新的一页》的演讲, 奥巴马说:“我在2002年反对这场战争。我在2003年反对它。我在2004年反对它。我在2005年反对它。我在2006年反对它。”

2008年1月3日, 奥巴马在艾奥瓦党团会议选举获胜之夜发表演讲, 这篇演讲激情澎湃。演讲一开始, 他首先肯定了今天的胜利, 宣布预言家的失败, 非常成功地渲染了作为第一位预选获胜所代表的深意。他连用排比句, 气势磅礴, 很具感染力:

我会是这样一位总统:让每个人都能看上病和看得起病。我在伊利诺斯州就通过民主党人和共和党人的携手合作实现了这一目标。

我会是这样一位总统:终止所有把工作运往海外的公司的税收优惠政策, 并给美国最值得享受减税的中产阶层减税。

我会是这样一位总统:让农场主、科学家和企业家发挥他们的创造力, 使我们国家一劳永逸地摆脱石油的主宰。

最后, 我会是这样一位总统:我要结束伊拉克战争并让我们的士兵回家;我要恢复我们的道德地位;我知道“9·11”不是骗取选票的借口, 而是使美国和世界联合起来应对21世纪这个世界面临的共同威胁:恐怖主义和核扩散, 全球变暖和贫困, 种族屠杀和疾病。

演讲的精义就在于要感染人、打动人, 从而“迷惑”大家理智, 赢得大家支持。所以, 煽情、升华是非常重要的因素, 而这篇演讲完全做到了这一点, 其中娴熟的排比句的运用功不可没。在场听到他演讲的美国学者认为奥巴马不仅仅是一个候选人, 他更是在发动一场运动。

爱讲故事

奥巴马也喜欢讲自己的成长故事。2004年7月27日, 在美国民主党全国代表大会上, 奥巴马是主要发言人之一。奥巴马这样介绍自己的身世:

我的父亲是个外国留学生, 在肯尼亚的一个小村庄出生并长大, 他幼时牧羊, 在简陋的铁皮校舍里上学。我的祖父是个厨师, 一个佣人, 但我祖父对他儿子的未来抱有很大的梦想。通过顽强拼搏, 我父亲拿到了去美国留学的奖学金。美国是一片神奇的国土, 对未曾来过的人而言, 美国是自由和机会的象征。在留学期间, 父亲遇到了母亲, 我母亲出生在堪萨斯的一个小镇上。她父亲在大萧条时期为了养家糊口, 不是在石油钻塔下打工, 就是在农场务农。珍珠港事件后, 他自愿入伍, 加入巴顿的部队, 曾在整个欧洲大陆辗转作战。在后方, 外祖母养育着他们的孩子, 并在一条生产轰炸机的工厂流水线上干活。战后, 他们研究了《士兵福利法案》, 通过联邦住宅管理局买了一套房子, 并移居到西部寻找机会。他们对自己的女儿也寄予了很大的梦想。一个共同的梦想, 在两个不同的大陆酝酿。我的父母不仅共享美好的爱情, 他们还共同坚信这个国家有巨大的潜力。他们赐予我一个非洲名字———巴拉克, 意为“老天保佑”。他们相信在宽容大度的美国, 一个人姓甚名谁不会妨碍其通向成功。尽管生活并不富裕, 但他们送我去这片土地上最好的学校就读。在富足的美国, 即使你并不富裕, 你也能发掘出你的潜力。现在他们都过世了, 不过我知道, 在这个夜晚, 他们正在星空骄傲地俯瞰着我。

正是在这次大会上, 奥巴马以一句坦诚告白“我是同胞弟兄的守护人, 我是同胞姐妹的守护人”, 使很多代表听得热泪盈眶。这篇著名的演讲使奥巴马在党内的名声一炮打响, 光芒直逼总统候选人约翰·克里。

语言通俗

和布什不同的是, 奥巴马可以自己写作、推理, 并提出基于个人思考的解决问题的方案。和克林顿不同的是, 奥巴马更加可信、坦白、透明, 但他和克林顿一样拥有雄辩的口才并对普通民众具有强大的吸引力。

奥巴马的演讲才华得益于在教会服务的经历, 他从中学到了一种很能打动人心的说话方式。知识分子说到种族平等, 可能会引用《独立宣言》里的名言, 但是奥巴马会像黑人牧师那样说“我们黑人也是上帝按照他自己的样子创造的”, 比较而言, 还是后一种说法更有感染力。

语言通俗, 并不意味着思想也浅薄。奥巴马在竞选中, 有一个演讲尽显其演讲中的冷峻一面, 让人们领略到奥巴马演讲的另类风采。2008年3月18日, 面对自己的牧师发表谴责美国的布道录像被公开后引起的轩然大波, 奥巴马选择在美国宪法诞生地费城发表了一篇具有历史性意义的演讲, 奥巴马说:“赖特牧师那一代人对他们当初所遭受的侮辱、怀疑和恐惧依然记忆犹新, 他们的愤怒和苦涩也就如影随形。如果我们现在选择逃避, 我们只是后退到各自的角落, 我们将永远无法一起面对挑战, 解决问题。”他指出:“黑人的愤怒是过去种族隔离政策的产品, 50年前, 歧视黑人被合法化, 到现在黑人与白人之间还是贫富悬殊。因此, 愤怒是真实的, 是强有力的, 要凭主观愿望使之消失, 及对其做出谴责, 只会令不同种族之间的误解造成的裂痕扩大。”

奥巴马总统的开学演讲 第4篇

一

我知道，对你们当中的许多人而言，今天是开学日，你们中有一些人刚入学或刚升学，这是上新学校的第一天，所以，假如你们感到有点儿紧张，那也很正常。我想那些毕业班的同学此时此刻自我感觉一定非常好——（欢呼）——因为再有一年他们就功德圆满、修成正果了。不过，我想，不管是哪个年级的，也许有的同学希望现在还是在过暑假，今天早晨可以在床上再赖一小会儿。

我知道这种感觉。我小时候曾移居海外，在印度尼西亚住过几年。妈妈没钱送我上美国孩子念书的学校。但她相信，接受美国教育对我至关重要。于是她决定星期一至五自己给我补课。但她又得去打工，所以只能每天凌晨 4:30 就开始教我。

当然，我也不喜欢那么早就爬起来，有好多次，我竟在餐桌上睡着了。我一撅起嘴来嘟囔，妈妈就会无奈地瞪我一眼，叹气说：“傻孩子，你以为我教你就那么好玩？”（笑声）

所以，我理解你们许多同学还需要时间来调整，来适应开学。但今天我来到这里，是为了和你们讨论一些重要的事情。我要和你们讨论你们的教育问题，以及在新的学年里，你们都应当做些什么。

二

我做过许多次有关教育问题的讲话。我特别强调责任。

我讲过，老师们有责任鼓励和启发你们，督促你们学习。

我讲过，家长们有责任确保你们能够心无旁鹜，在岗、在行、在状态，按时完成家庭作业，不要把很多时光都花在电视和游戏机上。

我也多次谈到过，政府有责任制定严格的教学规范，支持老师和校长们的工作，扭转某些学校工作失调、影响教学的现像。

但是，即使把一切做到最好，即使有最尽职的老师、鼎力支持的家长和极优越的教学设施，如果你们不恪尽自己那一份责任，一切也都会归于徒劳——除非你们能每天按时上学、注意听讲、把师长们的谆谆告诫铭记在心、付出成功所必需的努力，否则，一切都无济于事！这就是今天我要锁定的主题：对于你们所受的教育，你们每一个人都有责任，而且责无旁贷！

三

我先从你们对于自己都有什么责任讲起。

你们每一个人都有自己的专长。每一个人都会有所作为和贡献。发现自己——发现自己的潜质或潜能——首先就是你们自己的责任！教育给了你们发现自己的机会。

或许你会成为一位足以著书立说的大作家和记者，但是如果不在作文课上经常练习写作，你就永远不会意识到这一点。也许你会成为一位革新能手或发明家，让人们享用你开发的新一代手机，或救死扶伤的新药和疫苗，但如果你不上理科课、搞搞项目，就不会发现自己在这方面的天赋。你将来还可能是一位市长、参议员或大法官，但若不参加学生会工作或辩论团队，就很可能毫无觉察、自我埋没，让机遇擦肩而过。

不管你将来想要做什么工作，和自己现在生活条件怎样，你都需要接受相应的教育，来实现自己的理想。你想成为一位医生、教师或警官？还是想成为一位护士、建筑师、律师或是军人？无论你选择哪一种职业，接受良好的教育都是必由之路，别无选择。你不完成学业，就得不到一份称心如意的工作。无论做什么，你都需要接受培训，都需要勤奋工作，都需要努力学习。

你们所受到的教育，不仅会决定你们自己的生活和前途，更重要的是将会决定国家的未来。美国的将来依靠你们。你们今天在校学习的内容，决定着我们国家，将来能否应对各种重大挑战。

你们需要通过理科课程的学习，获取知识和解决问题的技能，治疗癌症和艾滋病，开发新能源技术，和保护人类的生存环境。你们需要从文科学习中培养洞察力和批判性思维，消灭贫困、愚昧、犯罪和歧视现象，使我们的国家体制更加公平和自由。你们需要在各门课程的学习中，厚积薄发，开发自己的创新能力和独门绝技，创业并组建公司，扩大就业机会，振兴我们的经济。

四

我们需要你们每一个人都充分开发自己的聪明才智，以帮助我们老一代人，解决我们国家最困难的问题。如果你不去做，如果你辍学，你的自弃，不仅是在抛弃自己，更是在抛弃你的祖国。

我也知道在校学习并非总是轻车熟道、一帆风顺。我很了解你们在生活中面临着很多困难和挑战，使你们难以潜心学业。

我深有体会。我两岁时，父亲离开了我们，我由单身母亲抚育成人。她不得不拼命去打工、奋斗，有时连帐单都无力支付，别人家的孩子有的东西，她常常买不起给我们。在我幼小的心灵里，虽说有母爱恩深似海，却仍然留有一大片空白和缺憾——多少次我怀念起父爱如山，多少次我深感孤独无助，与周边环境格格不入。

我没有像应当做的那样，在校始终全心就读，也做过不该做的事情，招到过不应有的麻烦。如果没有这些弯路，我的人生道路还会更加顺畅。

但是，我毕竟很幸运，有过很多第二次机会，得以重整旗鼓、反败为胜，后来还考入大学和法学院，去追求自己的梦想。我的夫人，我们的第一夫人米歇尔·奥巴马，也有过类似的坎坷经历。她的双亲都没进过大学，他们也很穷。但是他们都努力工作，她也很勤奋，所以她就能到我国最高学府深造。

你们当中有些同学可能更加困难，可能在你们的生活中，没有成人能给出你们所需要的那些支持。你们家庭中可能会有人失业，经济拮据。可能你们生活在不够安全的邻里环境，或受到过行为不端朋友的影响。

但无论如何，你的生活现状——你的外表、出身、家境——都不是你忽视家庭作业或在校表现不好的托辞。你们没有顶撞老师、旷课或辍学的理由。你们没有不努力学习的借口。

你将来的地位和前途不取决于现在的处境。没有人能改写你的命运，只有你才会写下你自己的历史和命运，因为这是在美国。你的将来就在你自己的把握之中。

全美国像你们一样的年轻人，都在这样地书写着自己的历史和命运。

像德州罗马市的加兹敏·佩雷斯，她刚上学时连英语都不会讲。她的双亲也都没进过大学。但她刻苦学习，成绩优异，赢得了布朗大学的奖学金，现在又进入研究生院，主修公共卫生，正在脚踏实地、一步一步地实现着自我——倍受尊敬的加兹敏·佩雷斯医学博士。

我还在想着加州洛斯阿托市的安多尼·舒尔兹。他从 3 岁起就得与脑癌殊死抗争，他不得不忍受着各种疗程和手术的煎熬，其中一项手术还严重损害了他的记忆力，以致他做功课要花去比别人多得多的时间——多花长达几百个小时。但他从不落人后。今年秋季他将升入大学。

此外还有来自伊州芝加哥市的、我的小同乡姗特尔·斯蒂夫。作为孤儿，她多次被辗转更换托养家庭，而且社区治安不靖，但她努力争取到了在当地保健站工作的机会，还发起了一个让青少年远离犯罪团伙的公益活动。她在校品学兼优，即将荣升大学。

加兹敏、安多尼、姗特尔，和你们没有什么不同。他们在生命中面对的挑战就像你们所面对的一样。他们的境遇常常比你们很多同学更糟。但是他们拒绝屈服和放弃。他们选择了担当，对他们的生命负责，对他们所受的教育负责，他们还为自己设定了奋斗目标。我期待你们也都同样去做。

因此，今天我也要号召你们每一位同学，为自己的教育规划设定奋斗目标——并且尽最大努力去做好每一件事，去实现这些目标。你们的目标可以很简单，像完成家庭作业、上课注意听讲、每天花些时间读本书。或许你们还想去参加课外活动、作个社区志愿者。或许你们想保护弱小，为那些受到嘲弄、欺凌、挨欺负的孩子们主持公道，因为你们也都和我一样，认为每个孩子都应该有一个安全的学习环境。或许你们认为应当更好地照顾自己，以便能更好地学习。这些目标都很有意义。顺便说，我也希望你们大家都经常洗手，不舒服的时候就在家多休息，预防秋冬季流感。不管你们决定做什么，我都希望你们能负责任地、实实在在地去做。

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我知道，有时候电视节目会给你们带来一种错觉，似乎不需要努力也能成功或致富——以为只要饶舌、打球或作个电视真人秀明星就能一步登天。但在现实生活中，那些神话几乎无法复制。

事实上，成功更像是一项艰巨的系统工程。你不会对每门课程都情有独锺，也难以与每一位老师都配合默契，每次布置给你的家庭作业未必都能正中下怀、恰到好处。而且，并不是做每件事，你都能一步到位。所有这一切，环环相扣，都离成功太远太远。

世界上一些最成功的人往往都有过最惨痛的挫折和教训。《哈里·波特》的作者 J. K. 罗琳的处女作，在最终出版之前，退稿竟达 12 次之多。“飞人”迈克尔·乔丹在高中球队时就被刷掉过。在他的职业生涯中，几百场比赛败北，几千次投篮失误。他说过，“我屡败屡战，这就是我成功的秘诀。”

成功人士之所以成功，就是因为他们懂得，不能让失败左右自己，但你必须让这些失败教会你，下一次应当怎样改进？所以，如果你闯了祸，并不说明你天生就是捣蛋鬼，而是表明你应当更严格地要求自己。如果没考好，也并非是自己笨，而是意味着你得多花些时间学习才能追上来。

人非生而知之，更何谈全能？只有努力才会学有专长。涉足新的体育项目时，你绝不会一开始就驾轻就熟；啼声初试，也不可能把歌唱得字正腔圆。都需要多练习。做功课也如是。解数学题你可能得算好几次才能得到正确的答案。阅读时可能需要反复咀嚼才能看懂它。一篇佳作在能拿得出手之前，肯定你还得再三润色。

勤学还要好问，不要羞于启齿。需要时就不要怕求助于人。每天我都会不耻下问和求助于人。求助并非示弱，它恰恰是自强的标志，显示你有勇气承认自己的不足。虚怀若谷，自能有容乃大，让你学到新东西，与时俱进。所以，找一位你所信得过的师长——父母、祖父母、老师、教练或辅导员，求助于他们，使自己在通往目标的正轨上阔步前进。

即使是在和逆境拼搏，即使是失落彷徨、有被抛弃的感觉，你都绝不要抛弃自己。你抛弃了自己，你也就抛弃了自己的祖国。

美国的历史绝不是懦夫知难而退的败绩，而是全民锐意进取、勇攀高峰的凯歌。美国人民是那样地爱国，大家无不全力以赴。

美国历史，就是 250 年前坐在你们座位的那些学生，后来革命建国的故事。年轻人，75 年前坐在你们座位上的那些学生，后来战胜了大萧条，赢得了二战。他们争取过民权，还把人类送上了月球。20 年前坐在你们座位上的那些学生，后来创建了 Google，Twitter，Facebook，改变了我们相互沟通的模式。

所以，今天我也要问你们每一位同学，你们将来要贡献什么？你们将要解决什么难题？你们将会有什么发明发现？20 年后、50 年后、100 年后，一位总统来到这里演讲，他会怎样评价你们为美国所做的一切？

所以，我期待着你们，要严肃认真地对待新学年。我期待着你们全力以赴地做好每一件事情。我期待着你们每一位同学的成功。请不要让我们失望，不要让你们的家庭失望，不要让你们的国家失望。更不要让你们自己失望。让我们都引以为荣、无比骄傲。

多谢大家，多谢每一位同学。上帝保佑你们。上帝保佑美国。谢谢。（欢呼）（摘自“译言网”）

奥巴马开学演讲 第5篇

Remarks by the President in Back-to-School Speech Benjamin Banneker High School Washington, D.C.September 28, 2011

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.(Applause.)Thank you very much.Everybody, please have a seat.Well, Madam President, that was an outstanding introduction.(Laughter.)We are so proud of Donae for representing this school so well.And in addition, I also want to acknowledge your outstanding principal, who has been here for 20 years--first as a teacher, now as an outstanding principal--Anita Berger.Please give her a big round of applause.(Applause.)I want to acknowledge, as well, Mayor Gray is here--the mayor of Washington, D.C.is here.Please give him a big round of applause.(Applause.)And I also want to thank somebody who is going to go down in history as one of the finest Secretaries of Education that we’ve ever had--Arne Duncan is here.(Applause.)

Now, it is great to be here at Benjamin Banneker High School, one of the best high schools not only in Washington, D.C., but one of the best high schools in the country.(Applause.)But we’ve also got students tuning in from all across America.And so I want to welcome you all to the new school year, although I know that many of you already have been in school for a while.I know that here at Banneker, you’ve been back at school for a few weeks now.So everything is starting to settle in, just like for all your peers all across the country.The fall sports season is underway.Musicals and marching band routines are starting to shape up, I believe.And your first big tests and projects are probably just around the corner.I know that you’ve also got a great deal going on outside of school.Your circle of friends might be changing a little bit.Issues that used to stay confined to hallways or locker rooms are now finding their way onto Facebook and Twitter.(Laughter.)Some of your families might also be feeling the strain of the economy.As many of you know, we’re going through one of the toughest economic times that we’ve gone through in our lifetime--in my lifetime.Your lifetime hasn’t been that long.And so, as a consequence, you might have to pick up an after-school job to help out your family, or maybe you’re babysitting for a younger sibling because mom or dad is working an extra shift.更多请访问http://

奥巴马开学演讲 第6篇

他告诉学生，在政府做好本职工作，帮助学生获得接受优质教育的机会的同时，学生仍然应该努力学习，为自己的未来担起责任。

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you!Hello!(Applause.)Thank you.Thank you.Well, hello, Philadelphia!(Applause.)And hello, Masterman.It is wonderful to see all of you.What a terrific introduction by Kelly.Give Kelly a big round of applause.(Applause.)I was saying backstage that when I was in high school, I could not have done that.(Laughter.)I would have muffed it up somehow.So we are so proud of you and everything that you’ve done.And to all the students here, I’m thrilled to be here.We’ve got a couple introductions I want to make.First of all, you’ve got the outstanding governor of Pennsylvania, Ed Rendell, in the house.(Applause.)The mayor of Philadelphia, Michael Nutter, is here.(Applause.)Congressman Chaka Fattah is here.(Applause.)Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz is here.(Applause.)Your own principal, Marge Neff, is here.(Applause.)The school superintendent, Arlene Ackerman, is here and doing a great job.(Applause.)And the Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, is here.(Applause.)

And I am here.(Applause.)And I am thrilled to be here.I am just so excited.I’ve heard such great things about what all of you are doing, both the students and the teachers and the staff here.Today is about welcoming all of you, and all of America’s students, back to school, even though I know you’ve been in school for a little bit now.And I can’t think of a better place to do it than at Masterman.(Applause.)Because you are one of the best schools in Philadelphia.You are a leader in helping students succeed in the classroom.Just last week, you were recognized by a National Blue Ribbon--as a National Blue Ribbon School because of your record of achievement.And that is a testament to everybody here –-to the students, to the parents, to the teachers, to the school leaders.It’s an example of excellence that I hope communities across America can embrace.Over the past few weeks, Michelle and I have been getting Sasha and Malia ready for school.And they’re excited about it.I’ll bet they had the same feelings that you do--you’re a little sad to see the summer go, but you’re also excited about the possibilities of a new year.The possibilities of building new friendships and strengthening old ones, of joining a school club, or trying out for a team.The possibilities of growing into a better student and a better person and making not just your family proud but making yourself proud.But I know some of you may also be a little nervous about starting a new school year.Maybe you’re making the jump from elementary to middle school, or from middle school to high school, and you’re worried about what that’s going to be like.Maybe you’re starting a new school.You’re not sure how you’ll like it, trying to figure out how you’re going to fit in.Or maybe you’re a senior, and you’re anxious about the whole college process;about where to apply and whether you can afford to go to college.And beyond all those concerns, I know a lot of you are also feeling the strain of some difficult times.You know what’s going on in the news and you also know what’s going on in some of your own families.You’ve read about the war in Afghanistan.You hear about the recession that we’ve been through.And sometimes maybe you’re seeing the worries in your parents’ faces or sense it in their voice.So a lot of you as a consequence, because we’re going through a tough time a country, are having to act a lot older than you are.You got to be strong for your family while your brother or sister is serving overseas, or you’ve got to look after younger siblings while your mom is working that second shift.Or maybe some of you who are little bit older, you’re taking on a part-time job while your dad’s out of work.And that’s a lot to handle.It’s more than you should have to handle.And it may make you wonder at times what your own future will look like, whether you’re going to be able to succeed in school, whether you should maybe set your sights a little lower, scale back your dreams.But I came to Masterman to tell all of you what I think you’re hearing from your principal and your superintendent, and from your parents and your teachers: Nobody gets to write your destiny but you.Your future is in your hands.Your life is what you make of it.And nothing--absolutely nothing--is beyond your reach, so long as you’re willing to dream big, so long as you’re willing to work hard.So long as you’re willing to stay focused on your education, there is not a single thing that any of you cannot accomplish, not a single thing.I believe that.And that last part is absolutely essential, that part about really working hard in school, because an education has never been more important than it is today.I’m sure there are going to be times in the months ahead when you’re staying up late doing your homework or cramming for a test, or you’re dragging yourself out of bed on a rainy morning and you’re thinking, oh, boy, I wish maybe it was a snow day.(Laughter.)

But let me tell you, what you’re doing is worth it.There is nothing more important than what you’re doing right now.Nothing is going to have as great an impact on your success in life as your education, how you’re doing in school.More and more, the kinds of opportunities that are open to you are going to be determined by how far you go in school.The farther you go in school, the farther you’re going to go in life.And at a time when other countries are competing with us like never before, when students around the world in Beijing, China, or Bangalore, India, are working harder than ever, and doing better than ever, your success in school is not just going to determine your success, it’s going to determine America’s success in the 21st century.So you’ve got an obligation to yourselves, and America has an obligation to you, to make sure you’re getting the best education possible.And making sure you get that kind of education is going to take all of us working hard and all of us working hand in hand.It takes all of us in government--from the governor to the mayor to the superintendent to the President--all of us doing our part to prepare our students, all of them, for success in the classroom and in college and in a career.It’s going to take an outstanding principal, like Principal Neff, and outstanding teachers like the ones you have here at Masterman--teachers who are going above and beyond the call of duty for their students.And it’s going to take parents who are committed to your education.Now, that’s what we have to do for you.That’s our responsibility.That’s our job.But you’ve got a job, too.You’ve got to show up to school on time.You’ve got to pay attention in your class.You’ve got to do your homework.You’ve got to study for exams.You’ve got to stay out of trouble.You’ve got to instill a sense of excellence in everything that you do.That kind of discipline, that kind of drive, that kind of hard work, is absolutely essential for success.And I can speak from experience here because unlike Kelly, I can’t say I always had this discipline.See, I can tell she was always disciplined.I wasn’t always disciplined.I wasn’t always the best student when I was younger.I made my share of mistakes.I still remember a conversation I had with my mother in high school.I was kind of a goof-off.And I was about the age of some of the folks here.And my grades were slipping.I hadn’t started my college applications.I was acting, as my mother put it, sort of casual about my future.I was doing good enough.I was smart enough that I could kind of get by.But I wasn’t really applying myself.And so I suspect this is a conversation that will sound familiar to some students and some parents here today.She decided to sit me down and said I had to change my attitude.My attitude was what I imagine every teenager’s attitude is when your parents have a conversation with you like that.I was like, you know, I don’t need to hear all this.I’m doing okay, I’m not flunking out.So I started to say that, and she just cut me right off.She said, you can’t just sit around waiting for luck to see you through.She said, you can get into any school you want in the country if you just put in a little bit of effort.She gave me a hard look and she said, you remember what that’s like? Effort?(Laughter.)Some of you have had that conversation.(Laughter.)And it was pretty jolting hearing my mother say that.But eventually her words had the intended effect, because I got serious about my studies.And I started to make an effort in everything that I did.And I began to see my grades and my prospects improve.And I know that if hard work could make the difference for me, then it can make a difference for all of you.And I know that there may be some people who are skeptical about that.Sometimes you may wonder if some people just aren’t better at certain things.You know, well, I’m not good at math or I’m just not really interested in my science classes.And it is true that we each have our own gifts, we each have our own talents that we have to discover and nurture.Not everybody is going to catch on in certain subjects as easily as others.But just because you’re not the best at something today doesn’t mean you can’t be tomorrow.Even if you don’t think of yourself as a math person or a science person, you can still excel in those subjects if you’re willing to make the effort.And you may find out you have talents you never dreamed of.Because one of the things I’ve discovered is excelling--whether it’s in school or in life--isn’t mainly about being smarter than everybody else.That’s not really the secret to success.It’s about working harder than everybody else.So don’t avoid new challenges--seek them out, step out of your comfort zone, don’t be afraid to ask for help.Your teachers and family are there to guide you.They want to know if you’re not catching on to something because they know that if you keep on working at it, you’re going to catch on.Don’t feel discouraged;don’t give up if you don’t succeed at something the first time.Try again, and learn from your mistakes.Don’t feel threatened if your friends are doing well;be proud of them, and see what lessons you can draw from what they’re doing right.Now, I’m sort of preaching to the choir here because I know that’s the kind of culture of excellence that you promote at Masterman.But I’m not just speaking to all of you, I’m speaking to kids all across the country.And I want them to all here that same message: That’s the kind of excellence we’ve got to promote in all of America’s schools.That’s one of the reasons why I’m announcing our second Commencement Challenge.Some of you may have heard of this.If your school is the winner, if you show us how teachers and students and parents are all working together to prepare your kids and your school for college and a career, if you show us how you’re giving back to your community and your country, then I will congratulate you in person by speaking at your commencement.Last year I was in Michigan at Kalamazoo and had just a wonderful time.Although I got to admit, their graduating class was about 700 kids and my hands were really sore at the end of it because I was shaking all of them.(Laughter.)

But the truth is, an education is about more than getting into a good college.It’s about more than getting a good job when you graduate.It’s about giving each and every one of us the chance to fulfill our promise, and to be the best version of ourselves we can be.And part of that means treating others the way we want to be treated--with kindness and respect.So that’s something else that I want to communicate to students not just here at Masterman but all across the country.Sometimes kids can be mean to other kids.Let’s face it.We don’t always treat each other with respect and kindness.That’s true for adults as well, by the way.And sometimes that’s especially true in middle school or high school, because being a teenager isn’t easy.It’s a time when you’re wrestling with a lot of things.When I was in my teens, I was wrestling with all sorts of questions about who I was.I had a white mother and a black father, and my father wasn’t around;he had left when I was two.And so there were all kinds of issues that I was dealing with.Some of you may be working through your own questions right now and coming to terms with what makes you different.And I know that figuring out all of that can be even more difficult when you’ve got bullies in a class who try to use those differences to pick on you or poke fun at you, to make you feel bad about yourself.And in some places, the problem is even more serious.There are neighborhoods in my hometown of Chicago, and there are neighborhoods right here in Philadelphia where kids are doing each other serious harm.So, what I want to say to every kid, every young person--what I want all of you--if you take away one thing from my speech, I want you to take away the notion that life is precious, and part of what makes it so wonderful is its diversity, that all of us are different.And we shouldn’t be embarrassed by the things that make us different.We should be proud of them, because it’s the thing that makes us different that makes us who we are, that makes us unique.And the strength and character of this country has always come from our ability to recognize--no matter who we are, no matter where we come from, no matter what we look like, no matter what abilities we have--to recognize ourselves in each other.I was reminded of that idea the other day when I read a letter from Tamerria Robinson.She’s a 12-year-old girl in Georgia.And she told me about how hard she works and about all the community service she does with her brother.And she wrote, “I try to achieve my dreams and help others do the same.” “That,” she said, “is how the world should work.” That’s a pretty good motto.I work hard to achieve my goals and then I try to help others to achieve their goals.And I agree with Tamerria.That’s how the world should work.But it’s only going to work that way if all of you get in good habits while you’re in school.So, yes, each of us need to work hard.We all have to take responsibilities for our own education.We need to take responsibility for our own lives.But what makes us who we are is that here, in this country, in the United States of America, we don’t just reach for our own dreams, we try to help others do the same.This is a country that gives all its daughters and all of its sons a fair chance, a chance to make the most of their lives and fulfill their God-given potential.And I’m absolutely confident that if all of our students--here at Masterman and across this country--keep doing their part, if you guys work hard and you’re focused on your education, you keep fighting for your dreams and then you help each other reach each other’s dreams, then you’re not only going to succeed this year, you’re going to succeed for the rest of your lives.And that means America will succeed in the 21st century.So my main message to all of you here today: I couldn’t be prouder of you.Keep it up.All of you I know are going to do great things in the future.And maybe some time in the 21st century, it’s going to be one of you that’s standing up here speaking to a group of kids as President of the United States.Thank you.God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.Thank you.(Applause.)