| 00:04:1318 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you very much. Everybody, please have a seat. Well, Madam President, that was an outstanding introduction. (Laughter.)... |
| 00:04:3150 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
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... |
| 00:05:2158 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
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... |
| 00:06:1949 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
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... |
| 00:07:0839 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
So all of you have a lot on your plates. You guys are growing up faster and interacting with a wider world in a way that old folks like me, frankly,... |
| 00:07:471 min. |
Obama, Barack - President
It starts, obviously, with being the best student that you can be. Now, that doesn’t always mean that you have to have a perfect score on every assignment.... |
| 00:08:4850 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
That’s what school is for. Discovering new passions, acquiring new skills, making use of this incredible time that you have to prepare yourself and... |
| 00:09:3843 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Now, if you promise not to tell anybody, I will let you in on a little secret. I was not always the very best student that I could be when I was in... |
| 00:10:2126 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
But here’s the interesting thing. I still remember that ethics class, all these years later. I remember the way it made me think. I remember being... |
| 00:10:4744 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Each of these questions led to new questions. And I didn’t always know the right answers, but those discussions and that process of discovery --... |
| 00:11:3123 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Those are all questions that date back to this class that I took back in 8th grade. And here’s the thing. I still don’t always know the answers... |
| 00:11:5429 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
So that’s a big part of your responsibility, is to test things out. Take risks. Try new things. Work hard. Don’t be embarrassed if you’re... |
| 00:12:2323 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Down the road, those will be the traits that will help you succeed, as well -- the traits that will lead you to invent a device that makes an iPad look... |
| 00:12:4623 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Now, to do almost any of those things, you have to not only graduate from high school, -- and I know I’m just -- I’m in the "amen" corner with Principal... |
| 00:13:0934 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
That might mean, for many of you, a four-year university. I was just talking to Donae, and she wants to be an architect, and she’s interning with... |
| 00:13:4351 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
So I want all of you to set a goal to continue your education after you graduate. And if that means college for you, just getting into college is not... |
| 00:14:3418 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
If we do that, you guys will have a brighter future. And so will America. We’ll be able to make sure the newest inventions and the latest breakthroughs... |
| 00:14:5234 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
So I don’t want anybody who’s listening here today to think that you’re done once you finish high school. You are not done learning. In fact,... |
| 00:15:2648 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
I know that may sound a little intimidating. And some of you may be wondering how you can pay for college, or you might not know what you want to do... |
| 00:16:1436 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
You’ve also got people all across this country -- including myself and Arne and people at every level of government -- who are working on your behalf.... |
| 00:16:5050 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Let me say something about teachers, by the way. Teachers are the men and women who might be working harder than just about anybody these days. (Applause.)... |
| 00:17:4051 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
And they don’t do it for a fancy office. They don’t -- they sure don’t do it for the big salary. They do it for you. They do it because nothing... |
| 00:18:3130 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
But I also want to emphasize this. With all the challenges that our country is facing right now, we don’t just need you for the future; we actually... |
| 00:19:0134 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
There are students like Will Kim from Fremont, California, who launched a nonprofit that gives loans to students from low-income schools who want to... |
| 00:19:3522 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
There is a young man, Jake Bernstein, 17 years old, from a military family in St. Louis, worked with his sister to launch a website devoted to community... |
| 00:19:5745 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
And then last year, I met a young woman named Amy Chyao from Richardson, Texas. She’s 16 years old, so she’s the age of some of you here. During... |
| 00:20:4230 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
The point is you don’t have to wait to make a difference. You’re first obligation is to do well in school. You’re first obligation is to make... |
| 00:21:1235 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
When I meet young people like yourselves, when I sat and talk to Donae, I have no doubt that America’s best days are still ahead of us, because I... |
| 00:21:4727 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
So I want all of you who are listening, as well as everybody here at Banneker, I want you to make the most of the year that’s ahead of you. I want... |
| 00:22:149 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Your country is depending on you. So set your sights high. Have a great school year. Let’s get to work. |
| 00:22:234 min. |
Obama, Barack - President
Thank you very much, everybody. God bless you. God bless the United States of America. (Applause.) |