奥巴马在韦克菲尔德高中开学时的演讲稿

奥巴马在韦克菲尔德高中开学时的演讲稿

嗨，大家好！{掌声，欢呼声}

谢谢，谢谢大家！{掌声，欢呼声}

好，大家请就座！

你们今天过得怎么样？{掌声，欢呼声}

蒂姆`斯派赛还好吗？{掌声，欢呼声}

我现在位于佛吉尼亚阿林顿郡，与韦柯菲尔德中学的高中生们在一起，全国各地有从幼儿园到高三的众多学生们通过电视关注这里。我很高兴你们能共同分享这一时刻，我还要感谢韦柯菲尔德中学出色的组织安排，请为你们自己热烈鼓掌！

我知道对于你们中的许多人来说，今天是开学的第一天。对于刚进入幼儿园或什上初中高中的学生今天是你们来到新学校的第一天，因此，假如你们感到有些紧张，那也是很正常的！我想也会有许多毕业班的学生们自信满满，还有一年就毕业了！{掌声，欢呼声}不论在那个年级，许多人都打心底里希望现在还在放暑假，今天早上还能多睡一小会儿！我可以理解这份心情，小时候，我们家生活在海外，我在印度尼西亚住了几年，我妈妈没有钱送我上其他美国孩子上的学校，但她认为必须让我接受美国式教育，因此，她决定从周一到周五自己给我补课，不过她还要上班，所以只能在清晨四点半给我上课，你们可以想象，我不太情愿那么早起床，有很多次，我爬在餐桌上就睡着了。每当我抱怨的时候，我妈妈总会用同一幅表情看着我说：“小鬼，你以为教你我就恨轻松？”所以，我能理解你们有些人还在适应开学后的生活，但今天我站在这里，是为了和你们谈一些重要的事情，我要和你们谈一谈你们每一个人的教育，以及在这个新学年对你们所有人的期望。

我做过许多关于教育的讲话，也常常用到“责任”这个词，我谈到过教师们有责任激励你们，督促你们学习，我谈到过家长们有责任确保你们走正道，完成家庭作业，不要成天只会看电视或打游戏机，我也多次谈到过政府有责任制定高标准协助老师和校长们的工作，改变在有些学校学生得不到应有学习机会的现状，但哪怕这一切都达到最好，哪怕我们拥有最敬业的教师，最尽力的家长，和全世界最好的学校，假如你们不去履行自己的责任的话，那么这一切努力都会白费，除非你们每天准时去上学，除非你们认真地听老师讲课，除非你们把父母，长辈和其他大人们的话放在心上，除非你们肯付出成功所必需的努力，否则，这一切都会失去意义！而这就是我今天讲话的重点：你们每个人对自己的教育应尽的责任

我首先要讲讲你们对自己应尽的责任，你们每个人都有自己的长处，你们每个人都是有用之才，你们对自己的责任是发现自己的才能所在，而教育能够提供这样的机会，或许你能写出优美的文字，甚至有一天能让那些文字出现在书籍和报刊上，但假如不在英语课上经常练习写作，你不会发现自己有这样的才能；或许你能成为一名创新者或发明家，甚至可能设计出新一代IPhone，或研制出新型药物与疫苗，但假如你不在自然科学课堂上做上几次实验，你不会发现自己有这样的才能；或许你能成为一名市长，参议院或最高法院大大法官，但假如你不去加入学生会或参加几次辩论赛，你不会发现自己有这样的才能；不论你的生活志向是什么，我敢肯定你都需要相应的教育，你想当医生，教师或警官吗？你想当护士，建筑师，律师或军人吗？你必须接受良好的教育，才能从事上述任何一种职业。你不能指望辍学后能碰上个好工作，你必须接受培训，为之努力，为之学习。这并非只对你个人的人生和未来意义重大，教育给你带来的益处将决定这个国家的未来，美国的未来取决于你们，今天你们在学校中学习的内容，将会决定我们整个国家在未来迎接重大挑战时的表现。你们需要在数理科学课程上学习知识和技能，去治疗癌症，艾滋病那样的疾病，开发新的能源技术，保护我们的环境，你们需要历史社科课程上获得的观察力与判断力，来抗击贫困和解决无家可归问题，打击犯罪和消除歧视，让这个国家变的更加公平和自由。

你们需要在各类课程中逐渐培养的创造力和智慧去创办新公司。制造就业机会和推动经济

增长。我们需要你们每个人都发挥天赋，技能和才智，帮助老一辈人解决我们面临的最棘

手问题。如果你们不这样做，如果你们辍学，那么你们不仅是放弃了自己，也是放弃了自

己的国家。我当然明白读好书并不总是件容易的事，我知道你们中的许多人在生活中面临

着各种问题，很难把精力集中在专心读书上，我明白这一点，我有亲身感受，我父亲在我

两岁时离开了家庭，是母亲一人将我拉扯大，母亲不得不工作，并时常为支付生活费用而

苦苦挣扎，但有时仍无法为我们提供其他孩子享有的东西，有时我渴望生活中能有位父亲，有时我会感到孤独无助，感觉与周围的环境格格不入，我并非总是像我应该做到的那样专

心学习，我做过许多自己觉得丢脸的事情，也惹出过不该惹得麻烦，我的生活岌岌可危，

随时可能急转直下，但我很幸运，我在许多事上都的到了重来的机会，我有幸能上大学，

上法学院，追求自己的理想。我的妻子，我们的第一夫人米歇尔`奥巴马，也有着相似的人生经历，她的父母都没读过大学，也没有什么财产，但他们都非常勤奋，她也是如此，因

此她得以进入美国一些最好的学校，你们中的有些人可能没有那些有利条件，或许你的生

活中没有能为你提供帮助的长辈，或许你们家中有人失业，经济非常拮据，或许你住的社

区并不那么安全，或许你认识一些会对你产生不良影响的朋友，但归根结底，你的生活状况，你的长相，出身，经济条件，家庭氛围，都不是疏忽学业和态度恶劣的借口。这些不

是你去跟老师顶嘴，逃学或辍学的借口。这些不是你不好好学习的借口，你们目前的状况

并不决定着你们的未来，没有人为你骗编排好你的命运，在美国，你的命运由你自己来书写，你的未来由你自己来掌握，这就是像你们这样的年轻人每天都在做的事情。全美各地

都是如此。

例如德克萨斯州罗马市的贾斯敏?佩雷兹（Jazmin Perez）。刚进学校时，她根本不会说英语，她住的地方几乎没人上过大学，她的父母也没有受过高等教育，但她努力学习，取得了优

异的成绩，靠奖学金进入了布朗大学，如今正在攻读公共卫生专业的博士学位。

我还想起了加利福尼亚州洛斯拉图斯市的安多尼?舒尔兹（Andoni Schultz），他从三岁起就开始与脑癌病魔做斗争，他熬过了一次次治疗与手术——其中一次影响了他的记忆，

因此他得花出比常人多几百个小时的时间来完成学业，但他从不曾落下自己的功课。这个

秋天，他要开始在大学读书了。

又比如在我的家乡，伊利诺斯州芝加哥市，身为孤儿的香特尔?史蒂夫（Shantell Steve）换过多次收养家庭，从小在治安很差的地区长大，但她努力争取到了在当地保健站工作的机会、发起了一个让青少年远离犯罪团伙的项目，很快，她也将以优异的成绩从中

学毕业，去大学深造。

贾斯敏、安多尼和香特尔与你们并没有什么不同。和你们一样，他们也在生活中遭遇

各种各样的困难与问题，但他们拒绝放弃，他们选择为自己的教育担起责任、给自己定下

奋斗的目标。我希望你们中的每一个人，都能做得到这些。

因此，在今天，我号召你们每一个人都为自己的教育定下一个目标——并在之后，尽自己

的一切努力去实现它。你的目标可以很简单，像是完成作业、认真听讲或每天阅读——或

许你打算参加一些课外活动，或在社区做些志愿工作；或许你决定为那些因为长相或出身

等等原因而受嘲弄或欺负的孩子做主、维护他们的权益，因为你和我一样，认为每个孩子

都应该能有一个安全的学习环境；或许你认为该学着更好的照顾自己，来为将来的学习做

准备……当然，除此之外，我希望你们都多多洗手、感到身体不舒服的时候要多在家休息，免得大家在秋冬感冒高发季节都得流感。

不管你决定做什么，我都希望你能坚持到底，希望你能真的下定决心。

我知道有些时候，电视上播放的节目会让你产生这样那样的错觉，似乎你不需要付出多大

的努力就能腰缠万贯、功成名就——你会认为只要会唱rap、会打篮球或参加个什么真人秀

节目就能坐享其成，但现实是，你几乎没有可能走上其中任何一条道路。

因为，成功是件难事。你不可能对要读的每门课程都兴趣盎然，你不可能和每名带课教师都相处顺利，你也不可能每次都遇上看起来和现实生活有关的作业。而且，并不是每件事，你都能在头一次尝试时获得成功。

但那没有关系。因为在这个世界上，最最成功的人们往往也经历过最多的失败。J.K.罗琳的第一本《哈利?波特》被出版商拒绝了十二次才最终出版；迈克尔?乔丹上高中时被学校的篮球队刷了下来，在他的职业生涯里，他输了几百场比赛、投失过几千次射篮，知道他是怎么说的吗？“我一生不停地失败、失败再失败，这就是我现在成功的原因。”

他们的成功，源于他们明白人不能让失败左右自己——而是要从中吸取经验。从失败中，你可以明白下一次自己可以做出怎样的改变；假如你惹了什么麻烦，那并不说明你就是个捣蛋贵，而是在提醒你，在将来要对自己有更严格的要求；假如你考了个低分，那并不说明你就比别人笨，而是在告诉你，自己得在学习上花更多的时间。

没有哪一个人一生出来就擅长做什么事情的，只有努力才能培养出技能。任何人都不是在第一次接触一项体育运动时就成为校队的代表，任何人都不是在第一次唱一首歌时就找准每一个音，一切都需要熟能生巧。对于学业也是一样，你或许要反复运算才能解出一道数学题的正确答案，你或许需要读一段文字好几遍才能理解它的意思，你或许得把论文改上好几次才能符合提交的标准。这都是很正常的。

不要害怕提问。不要不敢向他人求助。——我每天都在这么做。求助并不是软弱的表现，恰恰相反，它说明你有勇气承认自己的不足、并愿意去学习新的知识。所以，有不懂时，就向大人们求助吧——找个你信得过的对象，例如父母、长辈、老师、教练或辅导员——让他们帮助你向目标前进。

你要记住，哪怕你表现不好、哪怕你失去信心、哪怕你觉得身边的人都已经放弃了你——永远不要自己放弃自己。因为当你放弃自己的时候，你也放弃了自己的国家。

美国不是一个人们遭遇困难就轻易放弃的国度，在这个国家，人们坚持到底、人们加倍努力，为了他们所热爱的国度，每一个人都尽着自己最大的努力，不会给自己留任何余地。

250年前，有一群和你们一样的学生，他们之后奋起努力、用一场革命最终造就了这个国家；75年前，有一群和你们一样的学生，他们之后战胜了大萧条、赢得了二战；就在20年前，和你们一样的学生们，他们后来创立了Google、Twitter和Facebook，改变了我们人与人之间沟通的方式。

因此，今天我想要问你们，你们会做出什么样的贡献？你们将解决什么样的难题？你们能发现什么样的事物？二十、五十或百年之后，假如那时的美国总统也来做一次开学演讲的话，他会怎样描述你们对这个国家所做的一切？

你们的家长、你们的老师和我，每一个人都在尽最大的努力，确保你们都能得到应有的教育来回答这些问题。例如我正在努力为你们提供更安全的教室、更多的书籍、更先进的设施与计算机。但你们也要担起自己的责任。因此我要求你们在今年能够认真起来，我要求你们尽心地去做自己着手的每一件事，我要求你们每一个人都有所成就。请不要让我们失望——不要让你的家人、你的国家和你自己失望。你们要成为我们骄傲，我知道，你们一定可以做到。

谢谢大家，上帝保佑你们，上帝保佑美国。

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

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