On Friday, Michelle Obama gave an emotional final speech as First Lady of the United States. Obama graciously thanked her audience at the 2017 School Counselor of the Year event for being such an inspiration to young people around the nation. The majority of her speech focused on the Obama administration’s work to improve higher education but also make it “cool” over the past eight years.
These endeavors to highlight the importance of education include making College Signing Day a national event for not only athletes but also for students with significant academic achievements, as well as starting the Better Make Room campaign. This campaign worked to inspire young people to complete their higher education undertakings. Finally, she mentioned the administration’s efforts to make college more affordable for students.
After discussing her work with education reform, she reminded the world what incredible work teachers and counselors do inside school walls. She explained, “Our school counselors are truly among the heroes of the Reach Higher story” before turning to her younger viewers.
Obama also had an inspiring message to give the young people in this country. She encouraged young citizens to be proud of their heritage but to always know that each and everyone of them is a part of this country, regardless of background or race. According to the New York Times, Obama said, “Our glorious diversity – our diversities of faiths, and colors, and creeds – that is not a threat to who we are; it makes us who we are.”
She reminded the country of the power of the American Dream saying, “I want you to remember that in this country, plenty of folks, including me and my husband – we started out with very little. But with a lot of hard work and a good education, anything is possible – even becoming president.” Hearing this message as a college student is eye-opening because it reminded me that I'm working towards something. It is often difficult to get caught up in writing essays and reading literature and forget why exactly I'm working so hard. Although I have been extremely fortunate and provided with the tools to receive a strong education, it is good to be reminded that higher education can and will lead me down a more successful path.
She also advised young people to remember their value in society saying, "Do not ever let anyone make you feel like you don't matter." As a college student, it is easy to feel disregarded by adults. However, it was refreshing to hear an adult say that young people are valuable and that we will one day play an important role in our country. Finishing off she explained that we will encounter obstacles but that it is important to never give up. As a student, it is easy to feel like the real world is far away and that I will never be able to reach my goals when I come across setbacks. However, her advice that "something better is always possible if you're willing to work for it and fight for it" hit home for me.
She challenged young people to work hard and to never give up and this is the sort of lesson we should be hearing every single day. Young people shouldn't be hearing that they're too immature and uneducated to make a different or that we haven't been around long enough to understand certain things. We should feel empowered because we are the future of this country and if we put in a little extra work every day, we will ultimately come out more successful in the end.
Her message rang loud and clear: education is important, regardless of who you are and where you come from. Political beliefs aside, Obama’s speech demonstrated the influence the First Lady can have despite the fact that she has no constitutional power. She charged the young people in this country to educate themselves and to keep their heads up regardless of their situation. She asked that young people “lead by example with hope; never fear,” sending a message to be kind and caring in a time where hate and judgment is all too common.
