第一篇：奧巴馬在韋克菲爾德高中開學時的演講稿

奧巴馬在韋克菲爾德高中開學時的演講稿 嗨，大家好！{掌聲，歡呼聲} 謝謝，謝謝大家！{掌聲，歡呼聲} 好，大家請就座！

你們今天過得怎么樣？{掌聲，歡呼聲} 蒂姆`斯派賽還好嗎？{掌聲，歡呼聲} 我現在位于佛吉尼亞阿林頓郡，與韋柯菲爾德中學的高中生們在一起，全國各地有從幼兒園到高三的眾多學生們通過電視關注這里。我很高興你們能共同分享這一時刻，我還要感謝韋柯菲爾德中學出色的組織安排，請為你們自己熱烈鼓掌！我知道對于你們中的許多人來說，今天是開學的第一天。對于剛進入幼兒園或什上初中高中的學生今天是你們來到新學校的第一天，因此，假如你們感到有些緊張，那也是很正常的！我想也會有許多畢業班的學生們自信滿滿，還有一年就畢業了！{掌聲，歡呼聲}不論在那個年級，許多人都打心底里希望現在還在放暑假，今天早上還能多睡一小會兒！我可以理解這份心情，小時候，我們家生活在海外，我在印度尼西亞住了幾年，我媽媽沒有錢送我上其他美國孩子上的學校，但她認為必須讓我接受美國式教育，因此，她決定從周一到周五自己給我補課，不過她還要上班，所以只能在清晨四點半給我上課，你們可以想象，我不太情愿那么早起床，有很多次，我爬在餐桌上就睡著了。每當我抱怨的時候，我媽媽總會用同一幅表情看著我說：“小鬼，你以為教你我就恨輕松？”所以，我能理解你們有些人還在適應開學后的生活，但今天我站在這里，是為了和你們談一些重要的事情，我要和你們談一談你們每一個人的教育，以及在這個新學年對你們所有人的期望。我做過許多關于教育的講話，也常常用到“責任”這個詞，我談到過教師們有責任激勵你們，督促你們學習，我談到過家長們有責任確保你們走正道，完成家庭作業，不要成天只會看電視或打游戲機，我也多次談到過政府有責任制定高標準協助老師和校長們的工作，改變在有些學校學生得不到應有學習機會的現狀，但哪怕這一切都達到最好，哪怕我們擁有最敬業的教師，最盡力的家長，和全世界最好的學校，假如你們不去履行自己的責任的話，那么這一切努力都會白費，除非你們每天準時去上學，除非你們認真地聽老師講課，除非你們把父母，長輩和其他大人們的話放在心上，除非你們肯付出成功所必需的努力，否則，這一切都會失去意義！而這就是我今天講話的重點：你們每個人對自己的教育應盡的責任 我首先要講講你們對自己應盡的責任，你們每個人都有自己的長處，你們每個人都是有用之才，你們對自己的責任是發現自己的才能所在，而教育能夠提供這樣的機會，或許你能寫出優美的文字，甚至有一天能讓那些文字出現在書籍和報刊上，但假如不在英語課上經常練習寫作，你不會發現自己有這樣的才能；或許你能成為一名創新者或發明家，甚至可能設計出新一代IPhone，或研制出新型藥物與疫苗，但假如你不在自然科學課堂上做上幾次實驗，你不會發現自己有這樣的才能；或許你能成為一名市長，參議院或最高法院大大法官，但假如你不去加入學生會或參加幾次辯論賽，你不會發現自己有這樣的才能；不論你的生活志向是什么，我敢肯定你都需要相應的教育，你想當醫生，教師或警官嗎？你想當護士，建筑師，律師或軍人嗎？你必須接受良好的教育，才能從事上述任何一種職業。你不能指望輟學后能碰上個好工作，你必須接受培訓，為之努力，為之學習。這并非只對你個人的人生和未來意義重大，教育給你帶來的益處將決定這個國家的未來，美國的未來取決于你們，今天你們在學校中學習的內容，將會決定我們整個國家在未來迎接重大挑戰時的表現。你們需要在數理科學課程上學習知識和技能，去治療癌癥，艾滋病那樣的疾病，開發新的能源技術，保護我們的環境，你們需要歷史社科課程上獲得的觀察力與判斷力，來抗擊貧困和解決無家可歸問題，打擊犯罪和消除歧視，讓這個國家變的更加公平和自由。你們需要在各類課程中逐漸培養的創造力和智慧去創辦新公司。制造就業機會和推動經濟增長。我們需要你們每個人都發揮天賦，技能和才智，幫助老一輩人解決我們面臨的最棘手問題。如果你們不這樣做，如果你們輟學，那么你們不僅是放棄了自己，也是放棄了自己的國家。我當然明白讀好書并不總是件容易的事，我知道你們中的許多人在生活中面臨著各種問題，很難把精力集中在專心讀書上，我明白這一點，我有親身感受，我父親在我兩歲時離開了家庭，是母親一人將我拉扯大，母親不得不工作，并時常為支付生活費用而苦苦掙扎，但有時仍無法為我們提供其他孩子享有的東西，有時我渴望生活中能有位父親，有時我會感到孤獨無助，感覺與周圍的環境格格不入，我并非總是像我應該做到的那樣專心學習，我做過許多自己覺得丟臉的事情，也惹出過不該惹得麻煩，我的生活岌岌可危，隨時可能急轉直下，但我很幸運，我在許多事上都的到了重來的機會，我有幸能上大學，上法學院，追求自己的理想。我的妻子，我們的第一夫人米歇爾`奧巴馬，也有著相似的人生經歷，她的父母都沒讀過大學，也沒有什么財產，但他們都非常勤奮，她也是如此，因此她得以進入美國一些最好的學校，你們中的有些人可能沒有那些有利條件，或許你的生活中沒有能為你提供幫助的長輩，或許你們家中有人失業，經濟非常拮據，或許你住的社區并不那么安全，或許你認識一些會對你產生不良影響的朋友，但歸根結底，你的生活狀況，你的長相，出身，經濟條件，家庭氛圍，都不是疏忽學業和態度惡劣的借口。這些不是你去跟老師頂嘴，逃學或輟學的借口。這些不是你不好好學習的借口，你們目前的狀況并不決定著你們的未來，沒有人為你騙編排好你的命運，在美國，你的命運由你自己來書寫，你的未來由你自己來掌握，這就是像你們這樣的年輕人每天都在做的事情。全美各地都是如此。

例如德克薩斯州羅馬市的賈斯敏?佩雷茲（Jazmin Perez）。剛進學校時，她根本不會說英語，她住的地方幾乎沒人上過大學，她的父母也沒有受過高等教育，但她努力學習，取得了優異的成績，靠獎學金進入了布朗大學，如今正在攻讀公共衛生專業的博士學位。

我還想起了加利福尼亞州洛斯拉圖斯市的安多尼?舒爾茲（Andoni Schultz），他從三歲起就開始與腦癌病魔做斗爭，他熬過了一次次治療與手術——其中一次影響了他的記憶，因此他得花出比常人多幾百個小時的時間來完成學業，但他從不曾落下自己的功課。這個秋天，他要開始在大學讀書了。

又比如在我的家鄉，伊利諾斯州芝加哥市，身為孤兒的香特爾?史蒂夫（Shantell Steve）換過多次收養家庭，從小在治安很差的地區長大，但她努力爭取到了在當地保健站工作的機會、發起了一個讓青少年遠離犯罪團伙的項目，很快，她也將以優異的成績從中學畢業，去大學深造。

賈斯敏、安多尼和香特爾與你們并沒有什么不同。和你們一樣，他們也在生活中遭遇各種各樣的困難與問題，但他們拒絕放棄，他們選擇為自己的教育擔起責任、給自己定下奮斗的目標。我希望你們中的每一個人，都能做得到這些。

因此，在今天，我號召你們每一個人都為自己的教育定下一個目標——并在之后，盡自己的一切努力去實現它。你的目標可以很簡單，像是完成作業、認真聽講或每天閱讀——或許你打算參加一些課外活動，或在社區做些志愿工作；或許你決定為那些因為長相或出身等等原因而受嘲弄或欺負的孩子做主、維護他們的權益，因為你和我一樣，認為每個孩子都應該能有一個安全的學習環境；或許你認為該學著更好的照顧自己，來為將來的學習做準備……當然，除此之外，我希望你們都多多洗手、感到身體不舒服的時候要多在家休息，免得大家在秋冬感冒高發季節都得流感。

不管你決定做什么，我都希望你能堅持到底，希望你能真的下定決心。我知道有些時候，電視上播放的節目會讓你產生這樣那樣的錯覺，似乎你不需要付出多大的努力就能腰纏萬貫、功成名就——你會認為只要會唱rap、會打籃球或參加個什么真人秀節目就能坐享其成，但現實是，你幾乎沒有可能走上其中任何一條道路。

因為，成功是件難事。你不可能對要讀的每門課程都興趣盎然，你不可能和每名帶課教師都相處順利，你也不可能每次都遇上看起來和現實生活有關的作業。而且，并不是每件事，你都能在頭一次嘗試時獲得成功。

但那沒有關系。因為在這個世界上，最最成功的人們往往也經歷過最多的失敗。J.K.羅琳的第一本《哈利?波特》被出版商拒絕了十二次才最終出版；邁克爾?喬丹上高中時被學校的籃球隊刷了下來，在他的職業生涯里，他輸了幾百場比賽、投失過幾千次射籃，知道他是怎么說的嗎？―我一生不停地失敗、失敗再失敗，這就是我現在成功的原因。‖

他們的成功，源于他們明白人不能讓失敗左右自己——而是要從中吸取經驗。從失敗中，你可以明白下一次自己可以做出怎樣的改變；假如你惹了什么麻煩，那并不說明你就是個搗蛋貴，而是在提醒你，在將來要對自己有更嚴格的要求；假如你考了個低分，那并不說明你就比別人笨，而是在告訴你，自己得在學習上花更多的時間。

沒有哪一個人一生出來就擅長做什么事情的，只有努力才能培養出技能。任何人都不是在第一次接觸一項體育運動時就成為校隊的代表，任何人都不是在第一次唱一首歌時就找準每一個音，一切都需要熟能生巧。對于學業也是一樣，你或許要反復運算才能解出一道數學題的正確答案，你或許需要讀一段文字好幾遍才能理解它的意思，你或許得把論文改上好幾次才能符合提交的標準。這都是很正常的。

不要害怕提問。不要不敢向他人求助。——我每天都在這么做。求助并不是軟弱的表現，恰恰相反，它說明你有勇氣承認自己的不足、并愿意去學習新的知識。所以，有不懂時，就向大人們求助吧——找個你信得過的對象，例如父母、長輩、老師、教練或輔導員——讓他們幫助你向目標前進。

你要記住，哪怕你表現不好、哪怕你失去信心、哪怕你覺得身邊的人都已經放棄了你——永遠不要自己放棄自己。因為當你放棄自己的時候，你也放棄了自己的國家。

美國不是一個人們遭遇困難就輕易放棄的國度，在這個國家，人們堅持到底、人們加倍努力，為了他們所熱愛的國度，每一個人都盡著自己最大的努力，不會給自己留任何余地。

250年前，有一群和你們一樣的學生，他們之后奮起努力、用一場革命最終造就了這個國家；75年前，有一群和你們一樣的學生，他們之后戰勝了大蕭條、贏得了二戰；就在20年前，和你們一樣的學生們，他們后來創立了Google、Twitter和Facebook，改變了我們人與人之間溝通的方式。

因此，今天我想要問你們，你們會做出什么樣的貢獻？你們將解決什么樣的難題？你們能發現什么樣的事物？

二十、五十或百年之后，假如那時的美國總統也來做一次開學演講的話，他會怎樣描述你們對這個國家所做的一切？

你們的家長、你們的老師和我，每一個人都在盡最大的努力，確保你們都能得到應有的教育來回答這些問題。例如我正在努力為你們提供更安全的教室、更多的書籍、更先進的設施與計算機。但你們也要擔起自己的責任。因此我要求你們在今年能夠認真起來，我要求你們盡心地去做自己著手的每一件事，我要求你們每一個人都有所成就。請不要讓我們失望——不要讓你的家人、你的國家和你自己失望。你們要成為我們驕傲，我知道，你們一定可以做到。

謝謝大家，上帝保佑你們，上帝保佑美國。

The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release September 14, 2010

Remarks by the President in Back to School Speech in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaJulia R.Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania1:05 P.M.EDT 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.)END 1:23 P.M.EDT

第二篇：奧巴馬韋克菲爾德高中演講

奧巴馬總統在弗吉尼亞州阿靈頓郡（Arlington, Virginia）韋克菲爾德高中演講

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT IN A NATIONAL ADDRESS TO AMERICA’S

SCHOOLCHILDREN

Wakefield High School, Arlington, Virginia

September 8, 2009

美國總統奧巴馬對全美中小學生的講話 弗吉尼亞州阿靈頓郡韋克菲爾德高中

2009年9月8日 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[收聽，調諧畫面] 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 summerand 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[印度尼西亞] 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.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[微軟游戲機產品].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 dedicatedteachers, 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 upto 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[個人] 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 assignedto you.Maybe you could be an innovatoror 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 intoa 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 insightsand 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[獨創性，精巧] 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.If you don’t do that--if you quit on school--you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.Now, I know it’s not always easy to do well in school.I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.I get it.I know what it’s like.My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mom who had to work and who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us the things that other kids had.There were times when I missed having a father in my life.There were times when I was lonely and I felt like I didn’t fit in.So I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been on school, and I did some things I’m not proud of, and I got in more trouble than I should have.And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.But I was--I was lucky.I got a lot of second chances, and I had the opportunity to go to college and law school and follow my dreams.My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, she has a similar story.Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have a lot of money.But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.Some of you might not have those advantages.Maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need.Maybe someone in your family has lost their job and there’s not enough money to go around.Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren’t right.But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life--what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home--none of that is an excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude in school.That’s no excuse for talking backto 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[德克薩斯 羅馬城].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[布朗大學]--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[加利福尼亞 洛斯阿爾托斯], 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 fellbehind.He’s headed tocollege this fall.And then there’s Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois[伊利諾斯 芝加哥].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 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[真人明星秀].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[合拍，處得來] 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[大學代表隊的] 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 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[大蕭條] 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.Thank you very much, everybody.God bless you.God bless America.Thank you.(Applause.)

第三篇：奧巴馬在韋克菲爾高中開學時的演講稿

奧巴馬在韋克菲爾高中開學時的演講稿

THE PRESIDENT:

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.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.If you don't do that--if you quit on school--you're not just quitting on yourself, you're quitting on your country.Now, I know it's not always easy to do well in school.I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.I get it.I know what it's like.My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mom who had to work and who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn't always able to give us the things that other kids had.There were times when I missed having a father in my life.There were times when I was lonely and I felt like I didn't fit in.So I wasn't always as focused as I should have been on school, and I did some things I'm not proud of, and I got in more trouble than I should have.And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.But I was--I was lucky.I got a lot of second chances, and I had the opportunity to go to college and law school and follow my dreams.My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, she has a similar story.Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn't have a lot of money.But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.Some of you might not have those advantages.Maybe you don't have adults in your life who give you the support that you need.Maybe someone in your family has lost their job and there's not enough money to go around.Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don't feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren't right.But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life--what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you've got going on at home--none of that is an excuse for neglecting 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 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 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.Thank you very much, everybody.God bless you.God bless America.Thank you.(Applause.)

第四篇：奧巴馬總統在弗吉尼亞州阿靈頓郡(Arlington, Virginia)韋克菲爾德高中演講

奧巴馬總統在弗吉尼亞州阿靈頓郡（Arlington, Virginia）韋克菲爾德高中演講

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT IN A NATIONAL ADDRESS TO AMERI

CA’S SCHOOLCHILDREN

Wakefield High School, Arlington, Virginia

September 8, 2009

美國總統奧巴馬對全美中小學生的講話 弗吉尼亞州阿靈頓郡韋克菲爾德高中

2009年9月8日

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.)大家好！謝謝你們。謝謝你們。謝謝你們大家。好，大家請就坐。你們今天都好嗎？（掌聲）蒂姆?斯派塞（Tim Spicer）好嗎？（掌聲）我現在與弗吉尼亞州阿靈頓郡韋克菲爾德高中的學生們在一起。美國各地從小學預備班到中學12年級的學生正在收聽收看。我很高興大家今天都能參與。我還要感謝韋克菲爾德高中出色的組織安排。請為你們自己熱烈鼓掌。（掌聲）

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.我知道，今天是你們很多人開學的日子。對于進入小學預備班、初中或高中的學生，今天是你們來到新學校的第一天，心里可能有點緊張，這是可以理解的。我能想象有些畢業班學生現在感覺很不錯——（掌聲）——還有一年就畢業了。不論在哪個年級，你們有些人可能希望暑假更長一點，今天早上還能多睡一小會兒。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.我了解這種感覺。我小時候，我們家生活在海外。我在印度尼西亞住了幾年。我媽媽沒有錢送我上其他美國孩子上的學校，但她認為必須讓我接受美式教育。因此，她決定從周一到周五自己給我補課。不過她還要上班，所以只能在清晨四點

半給我上課。

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.)

你們可以想見，我不太情愿那么早起床。有很多次，我趴在餐桌上就睡著了。但每當我抱怨的時候，我媽媽都會那樣地看我一眼，然后說：“小子，這對我也并

不輕松。”（笑聲）

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 o

f all of you in this new school year.我知道你們有些人還在適應開學后的生活。但我今天來到這里是因為有重要的事情要和你們說。我來這里是要和你們談談你們的教育問題，以及在這個新學年對

你們所有人的期望。

Now, I’ve given a lot of speeches about education.And I’ve talked about resp

onsibility a lot.我做過很多次有關教育問題的演講。我多次談到過責任問題。

I’ve talked about teachers’ responsibility for inspiring students and pushing you

to learn.我談到過教師激勵學生并督促他們學習的責任。

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 fr

ont of the TV or with the Xbox.我談到過家長的責任，要確保你們走正路，完成家庭作業，不要整天坐在電視前

或玩Xbox游戲。

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.我多次談到過政府的責任，要制定高標準，支持教師和校長的工作，徹底改善不能為學生提供應有機會的、教育質量差的學校。

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.然而，即使我們擁有最敬業的教師，最盡力的家長和全世界最好的學校——如果你們大家不履行你們的責任，不到校上課，不專心聽講，不聽家長、祖父祖母和其他大人的話，不付出取得成功所必須的勤奮努力，那么這一切都毫無用處，都無關緊要。這就是我今天講話的重點：你們每個人對自己的教育應盡的責任。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.我首先要講講你們對自己應盡的責任。你們每個人都有自己的長處。你們每個人都能做出自己的貢獻。你們對自己應盡的責任是發現自己的能力所在。而教育能

夠提供這樣的機會。

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.你或許能成為一名出色的作家——甚至可能寫書或在報紙上發表文章——但你可能要在完成那篇英文課的作文后才會發現自己的才華。你或許能成為一名創新者或發明家——甚至可能設計出新一代iPhone或研制出新型藥物或疫苗——但你可能要在完成科學課的實驗后才會發現自己的才華。你或許能成為一名市長或參議員或最高法院的大法官——但你可能要在參加學生會的工作或辯論隊后才

會發現自己的才華。

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.不論你的生活志向是什么，我敢肯定你必須上學讀書才能實現它。你想當醫生、教師或警官嗎？你想當護士、建筑師、律師或軍人嗎？你必須接受良好的教育，才能從事上述任何一種職業。你不能指望輟學后能碰上個好工作。你必須接受培

訓，為之努力，為之學習。

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.這并非只對你個人的人生和未來意義重大。可以毫不夸大地說，教育給你帶來的益處將決定這個國家的未來。美國的未來取決于你們。你們今日在校學習的知識將決定我們作為一個國家是否能夠迎接我們未來所面臨的最嚴峻挑戰。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.你們將需要利用你們通過自然科學和數學課程所學到的知識和解決問題的能力來治愈癌癥、艾滋病及其他疾病，開發新的能源技術和保護我們的環境。你們將需要利用你們在歷史學和社會學課堂上所獲得的知識和獨立思考能力來抗擊貧困和解決無家可歸問題，打擊犯罪和消除歧視，使我們的國家更公平、更自由。你們將需要利用你們在所有課堂上培養的創造力和智慧來創辦新公司，增加就業

機會，振興我們的經濟。

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.If you don’t do that--if you quit on school--you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.我們需要你們每個人發揮你們的聰明才智和技能，以便幫助老一輩人解決我們面臨的最棘手問題。如果你們不這樣做，如果你們輟學，你們不僅僅是自暴自棄，也是拋棄自己的國家。

Now, I know it’s not always easy to do well in school.I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on you

r schoolwork.我自然知道要做到學業優秀并非總是易事。我知道你們許多人在生活中面臨挑

戰，難以集中精力從事學業。

I get it.I know what it’s like.My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mom who had to work and who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us the things that other kids had.There were times when I missed having a father in my life.There were times when I was lonely and I felt like I didn’t fit in.我明白這一點。我有親身感受。兩歲時，我父親離家而去，我是由一位單親母親撫養成人的，母親不得不工作，并時常為支付生活費用而苦苦掙扎，但有時仍無法為我們提供其他孩子享有的東西。有時，我渴望生活中能有一位父親。有時

我感到孤獨，感到自己不適應社會。

So I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been on school, and I did some things I’m not proud of, and I got in more trouble than I should have.And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.我并非總是像我應該做到的那樣專心學習，我也曾做過我如今不能引以為豪的一些事情，我曾惹過不應該惹的麻煩。我的人生原本會輕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 the opportunity to go to college and law school and follow my dreams.My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, she has a similar story.Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have a lot of money.But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.但是，我當年際遇不錯。我有過許多第二次機會，我有幸能上大學，上法學院，追求自己的理想。我的妻子，我們的第一夫人米歇爾?奧巴馬，也有著類似的經歷。她的父母都未曾上過大學，家里很窮。但他們非常勤奮，她也是如此，因

此她得以進入一些美國最好的學校。

Some of you might not have those advantages.Maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need.Maybe someone in your family has lost their job and there’s not enough money to go around.Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren’t right.你們中有一些人可能沒有那些有利條件。或許你們生活中沒有成年人為你們提供你們所需要的支持。或許你們家中有人失業，經濟非常拮據。或許你們生活在使你們感覺不安全的社區，或有朋友逼迫你們去做你們知道不對的事情。But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life--what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home--none of that is an excuse for neglecting 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.然而說到底，你們生活的環境、你們的膚色、你們的原籍、你們的經濟收入、你們家中的境況等等，這一切都不能成為你們不用功或不努力的理由。你們沒有理由不服從你們的老師、逃學、或輟學。沒有理由不付出努力。

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.你們目前的狀況并不決定著你們的未來。沒有人決定你們的命運，在美國，你們決定自己的命運。你們掌握自己的未來。

That’s what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.這就是像你們這樣的年輕人每天都在做的事情，全美各地都是如此。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 beco

ming Dr.Jazmin Perez.來自得州羅馬城的賈茲敏?佩雷斯（Jazmin Perez）就是一個例證，她剛開始上學時并不會說英文。她的父母都沒有上過大學。然而，她非常勤奮，成績優秀，獲得了布朗大學的獎學金，她如今正在讀研究生，攻讀公共衛生專業，不久將成為

賈茲敏?佩雷斯博士。

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.H

e’s headed to college this fall.我想起了加州洛斯阿爾托斯城的安多尼?舒爾茨（Andoni Schultz），他從三歲開始就一直與腦癌進行抗爭，他不得不忍受各類治療和手術帶來的痛苦，其中一項手術曾影響了他的記憶，因此他花在功課上的時間比一般人長得多，要多出數百個小時。然而，他從未落后。他今年秋季將邁進大學。

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.我還想起家鄉伊利諾伊州芝加哥市的尚特爾?史蒂夫（Shantell Steve）。她曾在芝加哥最困難的社區生活，寄養于多個不同的家庭，但她最終在一家地方醫療中心找到工作，并開始了一項幫助年輕人遠離流氓團伙的計劃，她即將以優異成績

從中學畢業，緊接著將上大學。

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.賈茲敏、安多尼和尚特爾與你們中間的每個人沒什么兩樣。跟你們一樣，他們在生活中面臨種種挑戰。在某些情況下，他們的處境比起你們許多人更差。但他們拒絕放棄。他們決定要為自己的一生、自己的教育負起責任，為自己設定各項奮斗目標。我期待你們大家都會這樣做。

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 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.因此，我今天呼吁你們每一個人為自己的教育設定目標，并盡自己的最大努力來實現這些目標。你的目標可以是一件十分簡單的事情，例如完成家庭作業、上課專心聽講、或每天花一點時間讀一本書。也許你會決定要參加課外活動或在你的社區提供志愿服務。也許你會決定挺身而出保護那些因為身份或長相而受人戲弄或欺負的孩子，原因是你和我一樣認為所有的年輕人都應該享有一個適合讀書和學習的安全環境。也許你會決定更好地照料自己，以便有更充沛的精力來學習。順便提一下，除了這些事情外，我希望大家要勤洗手，身體感到不舒服的時候要呆在家里不去上學，這樣我們能防止人們在今年秋冬季節染上流感。But whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it.I want you to re

ally work at it.但無論你決定做什么，我希望你保證去做。我希望你腳踏實地地去做。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.我知道有時候你會從電視上得到這樣的印象：你不用做任何艱苦的工作就能發財致富并取得成功，唱小調、打籃球或成為真人秀明星是走向成功的途徑。但實際情況是：你可能不會成為其中的一員。

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.事實上，取得成功不是輕而易舉的事情。你不會喜歡你學習的每一門課目。你不會與你的每一位老師都很投契。不是所有的家庭作業似乎都與你眼前的生活完全有關。你第一次嘗試做每件事的時候，不一定成功。

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 su

cceed.”

這些都沒關系。世界上最成功的人士中有一些是遭遇失敗最多的人。作者J?K?羅琳（J.K.Rowling）所寫的系列小說《哈利?波特》（Harry Potter）第一部在獲得出版之前被退稿12次。邁克爾?喬丹（Michael Jordan）曾被他的高中籃球隊除名。在喬丹的籃球生涯中，他輸過數百場比賽，有成千上萬個球沒有投中。但他曾說過：“在我的一生中，我失敗了一次又一次、一次又一次。這就是我成功的原因。”

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.這些人士獲得成功，因為他們懂得：你不能讓失敗來限制你，而必須讓失敗來開導你。你必須讓失敗向你展示下次如何以不同的方式去做這件事情。因此，如果你遇到麻煩，那并不表示你是麻煩的制造者，而意味著你需要更加努力去把它做對。如果你有一門課分數低，那不表示你比別人笨，而只表示你需要花更多的時

間學習。

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.沒有一個人天生擅長做各種事情。你通過勤奮而變得擅長于各種事情。第一次從事新的體育項目時，你不可能是一位主力隊員。第一次唱一首歌曲時，你不可能唱準每個音。你必須練習。同樣的道理適用于你的學業。你可能要把一道數學題做幾次才把它做對。你可能要把一些材料閱讀幾遍才能理解。在交出一篇優美的作文之前，你肯定需要打幾遍草稿。

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 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.不要害怕提問。不要在需要幫助時害怕請求別人幫助。我天天請求別人的幫助。請求幫助不是軟弱的表現，它是力量的標志，因為它表明你有勇氣承認自己對某些事情不懂，這樣做會使你學到新的東西。因此，請確定一位你信任的成年人，例如家長、祖父母或老師、教練或輔導員，請他們幫助你遵循既定計劃實現你的目標。

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.即使當你苦苦掙扎、灰心喪氣、感到其他人對你不抱希望時，也不要對你自己喪失信心，因為當你自暴自棄時，你也拋棄了自己的國家。

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.書寫美國歷史的不是在困難時刻退縮的人，而是堅持不懈、加倍努力的人，他們

對國家的愛促使他們全力以赴。

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.書寫美國歷史的是250年前坐在你們的位置上的學生，他們后來進行了獨立戰爭并創建了這個國家。還有75年前坐在你們的位置上的年輕人和學生，他們走出了大蕭條并打贏了一場世界大戰；他們為民權而奮斗并把宇航員送上了月球。至于20年前坐在你們的位置上的學生，他們創辦了谷歌（Google）、嘰喳網（Twitter）和臉譜網（Facebook），改變了我們交流溝通的方式。

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 o

f you did for this country?

而今天，我要問問你們大家，你們將做出什么貢獻？你們將解決什么問題？你們將有什么發現？20年、50年或100年后來到這里講話的總統將會怎樣評價你們

大家為這個國家所做的一切？

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.你們的家人、你們的老師和我正在竭盡全力保證你們接受必要的教育，以便回答上述問題。我正在努力工作，以便你們的教室得到修繕，你們能夠得到學習所需的課本、設備和電腦。但你們也必須盡自己的努力。因此，我希望你們大家從今年起認真對待這個問題。我希望你們盡最大努力做好每一件事。我希望你們每個人都有出色的表現。不要讓我們失望。不要讓你們的家人或你們的國家失望。而最重要的是，不要辜負你們自己，而要讓我們都能[為你們]感到驕傲。Thank you very much, everybody.God bless you.God bless America.Thank

you.(Applause.)

非常感謝你們大家。愿主保佑你們。愿主保佑美國。謝謝你們。（掌聲）

第五篇：奧巴馬在社區大學開學時的演講

The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release October 05, 2010

Remarks by the President and Dr.Jill Biden at White House Summit on Community Colleges

East Room 12:17 P.M.EDT DR.BIDEN: Hello.Good afternoon, and welcome to the first ever White House Summit on Community Colleges.I’m Jill Biden, and I’m proud to stand here today as a community college professor.This is an historic and exciting opportunity for all of us in the community college world.For years I have said that community colleges are one of America’s best-kept secrets.Well, with the President of the United States shining a light on us, I think that secret is out.(Laughter.)Today’s summit is an important next step in our efforts to meet the President’s goal of having the best-educated, most competitive workforce in the world by the end of this decade.As we meet here today, families all across our country are struggling.We see that struggle firsthand in community colleges.We see people who are determined to build a better life for themselves and their families, no matter how hard it is.Today, community colleges are the largest, fastest-growing, most affordable segment of America’s higher education system.For generations, these schools have been an option for many students who didn’t have other options: recent immigrants, working adults, or students who could not afford or were not quite ready for a four-year institution.Community colleges are uniquely American--places where anyone who walks through the door is one step closer to realizing the American Dream.These schools are flexible and innovative.For that reason, countries around the world are looking at community colleges as a model to increase workforce preparedness and college graduation among their own citizens.Community colleges are uniquely positioned to provide the education and training that will prepare students for the jobs in the 21st century.Schools are forming partnerships with businesses in their communities, ensuring that students are trained for jobs that need to be filled.Getting Americans back to work is America’s great challenge.And community colleges are critically important to preparing graduates for those jobs.We are here today because community colleges are entering a new day in America, and here’s why: For more and more people, community colleges are the way to the future.They’re giving real opportunity to students who otherwise wouldn’t have it.They’re giving hope to families who thought the American Dream was slipping away.They are equipping Americans with the skills and expertise that are relevant to the emerging jobs of the future.They’re opening doors for the middle class at a time when the middle class has seen so many doors close to them.As the President said, the nations that out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow.That is why he is committed to increasing the number of college graduates in America, so that we will once again lead the world in the percentage of our citizens with a college degree.Community colleges are absolutely critical to reaching this goal, and to ensuring out country’s economic prosperity in the future.That is why the President has also challenged all of us to graduate an additional 5 million community college graduates by 2020.Reaching that goal will take the commitment of everyone in this room, and all of the hardworking community college leaders, faculty and students you represent.Community college students and graduates across the country are working in jobs that will enable us to expand our green economy, provide Americans with the excellent health care they deserve, and rebuild our country’s infrastructure.These are the students like the ones I visited in their state-of-the-art radiology lab last spring at Delgado Community College in New Orleans.Or the woman I met who, after 16 years as a lab tech, came to Kingsborough Community College in New York for retraining, and graduated in nursing with a job offer waiting.I meet students and learn about industry partnerships on every campus I visit that reinforce what we in this room know well: Community colleges are at the center of Americans’ effort to educate our way to a better economy.I’ve been a teacher for nearly three decades, and I have spent the past 17 years teaching at a community college.I know the power of community colleges to change lives.I have seen the wisdom of Yeats who said that, “Education is not the filling of the pail, but the lighting of a fire.” All of the teachers here today know the magic of lighting that fire in the soul of a student.But as I work hard every day to inspire students, it is ultimately they who inspire me.I’m inspired by students who overcome significant odds just to show up, workers who have returned to school to improve their job prospects, mothers who juggle jobs and childcare while preparing for a new career, and students who spend two years at a community college before transferring to a four-year school.At the President’s request, I have visited community colleges around the country to see innovative job partnerships and creative student support programs.At each school, I hear stories about the perseverance of community college students to make a better life for themselves and their families--students like Albert, who inspire me and who I am thrilled to welcome here today.You’re amazing, Albert.The programs are different, the students are different, but the aspirations are the same.These students are working hard to get the training and education they need to make their lives better.They know that education can open the door to a world of new opportunities.They are students like the mother who shared her experience with us on the White House website of working towards a degree while raising three children and straddling financial challenges.Now employed and the holder of a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree, she wrote, “Community colleges didn’t just change my life, they gave me my life.”

Community colleges do that every day.With the support and the attention of the people in this room, we can serve more students and serve them better than ever.Our challenge is not just to get students into college, but to keep them there and to graduate them faster with the skills they need to succeed in the American workforce.This is the moment for community colleges to shine.Teaching is my life’s work.I am grateful and tremendously proud to work with a President and Vice President who value that work.President Obama is committed to restoring the promise of the American education system.He recognizes the value of community colleges and is investing in them so that they are the best that they can be.His leadership is inspiring to all of us who believe that each and every American deserves the opportunity to realize his full potential.I am honored to introduce a leader who shares our belief in the power of the community college, President Barack Obama.(Applause.)THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.Thank you very much.Thank you so much.Thank you, everybody.Thank you very much.Everybody please have a seat.Thank you so much.I want to acknowledge some of the folks who are here who are making an incredible contribution to this effort.First of all, our Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, is here.(Applause.)Our Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis, is here.(Applause.)Someone who cares deeply about our veterans and the education that they receive, our Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, and his wife, Ms.Mullen, are here.(Applause.)Representative Brett Guthrie, Republican of Kentucky, is in the house, and has been doing great work on this.And obviously I am thrilled to not only see Jill Biden here but also Albert Ojeda, who introduced Jill Biden, because I think the story he tells is representative of so many incredible stories all across the country.I’m so grateful for Jill being willing to lead today’s summit, first of all because she has to spend time putting up with Joe.(Laughter.)And that’s a big enough task.Then to take this one on, too, on behalf of the administration is extraordinarily significant.I do not think she’s doing it for the administration.She’s doing it because of the passion she has for community colleges.Jill has devoted her life to education.As she said, she’s been a teacher for nearly three decades, although you can’t tell it by looking at her--(laughter)--a community college professor for 17 years.I want it on the record Jill is not playing hooky today.The only reason she’s here is because her college president gave her permission to miss class.(Laughter.)And this morning, between appearing on the Today Show, receiving briefings from her staff and hosting the summit, she was actually grading papers in her White House office.(Laughter.)So I think it’s clear why I asked Jill to travel the country visiting community colleges-– because, as she knows personally, these colleges are the unsung heroes of America’s education system.They may not get the credit they deserve.They may not get the same resources as other schools.But they provide a gateway to millions of Americans to good jobs and a better life.These are places where young people can continue their education without taking on a lot of debt.These are places where workers can gain new skills to move up in their careers.These are places where anyone with a desire to learn and to grow can take a chance on a brighter future for themselves and their families--whether that’s a single mom, or a returning soldier, or an aspiring entrepreneur.And community colleges aren’t just the key to the future of their students.They’re also one of the keys to the future of our country.We are in a global competition to lead in the growth industries of the 21st century.And that leadership depends on a well-educated, highly skilled workforce.We know, for example, that in the coming years, jobs requiring at least an associate’s degree are going to grow twice as fast as jobs that don’t require college.We will not fill those jobs-– or keep those jobs on our shores –-without community colleges.So it was no surprise when one of the main recommendations of my Economic Advisory Board-– who I met with yesterday-– was to expand education and job training.These are executives from some of America’s top companies.Their businesses need a steady supply of people who can step into jobs involving a lot of technical knowledge and skill.They understand the importance of making sure we’re preparing folks for the jobs of the future.In fact, throughout our history, whenever we’ve faced economic challenges, we’ve responded by seeking new ways to harness the talents of our people.And that’s one of the primary reasons that we have prospered.In the 19th century, we built public schools and land grant colleges –-transforming not just education, but our entire economy.In the 20th century, we passed the G.I.Bill and invested in math and science –-helping to unleash a wave of innovation that helped to forge the great American middle class.But in recent years, we’ve failed to live up to this legacy, especially in higher education.In just a decade, we’ve fallen from first to ninth in the proportion of young people with college degrees.That not only represents a huge waste of potential;in the global marketplace it represents a threat to our position as the world’s leading economy.As far as I’m concerned, America does not play for second place, and we certainly don’t play for ninth.So I’ve set a goal: By 2020, America will once again lead the world in producing college graduates.And I believe community colleges will play a huge part in meeting this goal, by producing an additional 5 million degrees and certificates in the next 10 years.That’s why last year I launched the American Graduation Initiative.I promised that we would end wasteful subsidies to big banks for student loans, and instead use that money to make college more affordable, and to make a historic investment in community colleges.And after a tough fight, we passed those reforms, and today we’re using this money towards the interest of higher education in America.And this is helping us modernize community colleges at a critical time-– because many of these schools are under pressure to cut costs and to cap enrollments and scrap courses even as demand has soared.It’s going to make it possible for colleges to better harness technology in the classroom and beyond.And it’s going to promote reform, as colleges compete for funding by improving graduation rates, and matching courses to the needs of local businesses, and making sure that when a graduate is handed a diploma it means that she or he are ready for a career.We’re also helping students succeed by making college more affordable.So we’ve increased student aid by thousands of dollars.We’ve simplified the loan application process.And we’re making it easier for students to pay back their loans by limiting payments to 10 percent of their income.But reaching the 2020 goal that I’ve set is not just going to depend on government.It also depends on educators and students doing their part.And it depends on businesses and non-for-profits working with colleges to connect students with jobs.So that’s why we’re holding this summit.That’s why I’m asking my Economic Advisory Board to reach out to employers across the country and come up with new ways for businesses and community colleges to work together.Based on this call to action, yesterday we announced a new partnership called Skills for America’s Future.And the idea is simple: Businesses and community colleges work together to match the work in the classroom with the needs of the boardroom.And already, businesses from PG&E, to UTC, to the Gap have announced their support, as have business leaders like my friend Penny Pritzker, and the Aspen Institute’s Walter Isaacson.I hope that the companies, schools and nonprofits that all of you lead will take part.Today, we can also announce the Gates Foundation is starting a new five-year initiative to raise community college graduation rates.This is critically important because more than half of those who enter community colleges fail to either earn a two-year degree or transfer to a earn a four-year degree.So we want to thank Melinda Gates, who’s here, for that terrific contribution.And the Aspen Institute and several leading foundations are launching a competitive prize for community college excellence.It’s going to shine a spotlight on community colleges delivering truly exceptional results –-places that often don’t get a lot of attention, but make a tremendous difference in their students’ lives.So we’re investing in community colleges.We’re making college more affordable.And we’re bringing together businesses, nonprofits and schools to train folks for the jobs of a new century.Now, all of this will help ensure that we continue to lead the global economy-– but only if we maintain this commitment to education that’s always been central to our success.That’s why I so strongly disagree with the economic plan that was released last week by the Republican leaders in Congress, which would actually cut education by 20 percent.It would reduce or eliminate financial aid for 8 million college students.And it would leave community colleges without the resources they need to meet the goals we’ve talked about today.Instead, this money would help pay for a $700 billion tax cut that only 2 percent of the wealthiest Americans would ever see –-an average of $100,000 for every millionaire and billionaire in the country.And that just doesn’t make sense-– not for students, not for our economy.Think about it.China isn’t slashing education by 20 percent right now.India is not slashing education by 20 percent.We are in a fight for the future-– a fight that depends on education.And cutting aid for 8 million students, or scaling back our community--our commitment to community colleges, that’s like unilaterally disarming our troops right as they head to the frontlines.So we obviously have to get serious about our deficit.That’s why, after decades of profligacy, my administration report pay-as-you-go rules, proposed a three-year freeze on non-security spending.That’s why we’ve formed a bipartisan deficit reduction commission.But what we can’t do is fund tax cuts for those who don’t need it by slashing education for those who do.There’s a better way for us to do this.And I want to work together with everybody concerned--Republican and Democrat--to figure that out.To use an expression familiar to those of you who are from the Midwest: You don’t eat your seed corn.(Laughter.)We can’t accept less investment in our young people if our country is going to move forward.It would mean giving up on the promise of so many people who might not be able to pursue an education, like the millions of students at community colleges across this country.So I just want to use as an example Derek Blumke, who’s here today.Where’s Derek? Right here.Derek spent six years in the Air Force, three deployments in the Afghan theater, putting his life at risk to keep this country safe.And when he returned, he started classes at his local community college in northern Michigan.Now, apparently, what I’m told is, he wasn’t sure whether he was smart enough to do the work, and he also was concerned that he wouldn’t get the support that he needed.And he was wrong on both fronts.His professors not only helped him transition from the military-– even as he continued to serve in the Michigan Air National Guard-– but also helped him to earn his associate’s degree with honors.Then he transferred to the University of Michigan--Go Blue--(laughter)--where he graduated just a few weeks ago.And while he was there, he co-founded Student Veterans of America to help returning veterans like himself.So congratulations, Derek.(Applause.)Or we can look to the example set by Albert Ojeda, who just spoke to you.He didn’t have any advantages in life--grew up in a tough neighborhood in Phoenix, lost his father to violence, lost his mother to prison.But that didn’t stop him from pursuing an education.It didn’t stop him from attending community college, become an honor student, become the first member of his family to graduate from college.There are so many folks out there like Derek and Albert.And I think about the many community college students who’ve written letters to me or emails through whitehouse.gov about how important community college has been to them.One person said he had been laid off and decided to return to school after 17 years.And attending community college “literally helped save my life”--that’s what he said.“I can not only see an associate’s degree next year, but a new future filled with possibilities for the first time.” A new future filled with possibilities.That’s why we’re here today.That’s the promise of an education not just for any one student, but for our entire country.And that’s why it’s so important that we work together on behalf of community colleges-– and an education system that harnesses the talents and hard work of every single American.So thank you for the incredible work that each and every one of you do out there in schools, business folks who are supporting these community colleges, the students who are doing so much to contribute to our country.Let’s get busy.Thank you very much.END 12:40 P.M.EDT