The Final State of the Union
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Summary:
We’re excited to announce First Lady Michelle Obama is joining the site Upworthy as a guest curator. As part of her Reach Higher initiative, the First Lady will share videos and other content to inspire America's young people to take charge of their future.
Today, we’re excited to announce that First Lady Michelle Obama is joining the site Upworthy as a guest curator. As part of her Reach Higher initiative, the First Lady will share videos and other content to inspire America's young people to take charge of their future. Mrs. Obama kicks off the series as she hits the road with Secretary Duncan on his annual Back to School Bus Tour, beginning at Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta.
In her first Upworthy post, the First Lady highlights inspiring stories from first-generation students at Kansas State University who have overcome challenges. “Neither of my parents graduated from college, so when I got to campus as a freshman, I'll admit I was a little overwhelmed,” the First Lady writes. “It's up to all of us to make sure we're helping our young people reach higher and take charge of their futures.”
Check out the First Lady’s post on Upworthy, or below.
I Really Hope The Parents Of These People Get To See What They Said Here. They'd Probably Cry.
Neither of my parents graduated from college, so when I got to campus as a freshman, I'll admit I was a little overwhelmed. I didn’t know anyone on campus except my brother. I didn’t know how to pick the right classes or find the right buildings. I didn’t even bring the right size sheets for my dorm room bed.
But then I had an opportunity to participate in a three-week, on-campus orientation program that helped me get a feel for the rhythm of college life. And if it weren’t for those resources and he friends and the mentors, I honestly don’t know how I would have made it through college.
In the video below, you'll hear inspiring stories from first-generation students at Kansas State University who have overcome challenges and are preparing to give back as educators. As a country, we're missing out on too much potential because too often young people don't believe that college can be a reality for them – or they don't know the steps to take to prepare themselves for higher education.
So it's up to all of us to make sure we're helping our young people reach higher and take charge of their futures.
Because our young people need to know that no matter where you come from or how much money your family has, you can succeed in college, and get your degree, and then go on to build a better life for yourself.
