Improving Educational Opportunities for Service Members, Veterans and Their Families

April 27, 2012 | 23:13 | Public Domain

First Lady Michelle Obama and President Obama speak at Fort Stewart about a new executive order that will help ensure all of America’s service members, veterans, spouses, and other family members have the information they need to make informed educational decisions and are protected from aggressive and deceptive targeting by educational institutions.

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Remarks by the President and First Lady at Fort Stewart, Georgia

Fort Stewart
Hinesville, Georgia

12:45 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Hello, Fort Stewart!  (Applause.)  We are beyond thrilled -- beyond thrilled -- to be with all of you today.  And before I get started, there's just one thing I want to say, and that is, hooah!

AUDIENCE:  Hooah! 

MRS. OBAMA:  Did I do that right?

AUDIENCE:  Hooah!

MRS. OBAMA:  All right, good.  (Laughter.)  Phew. 

I want to start by thanking Sergeant Marshall for that very kind introduction and for sharing his story with us today.  And I want to thank all of you -- our men and women in uniform, our veterans and your extraordinary families.  (Applause.)  Absolutely.  For the families, yes!  (Applause.) 

One of my greatest privileges as First Lady has been meeting folks like you on bases and communities all across this country.  And I always say this, but I can never say it enough:  I am in awe of you.  I'm in awe of how many of you signed up to defend our country in a time of war, serving heroically through deployment after deployment.  I'm in awe of your families -- the spouses who run their households all alone, the kids who step up at home and succeed at school and stay strong through all the challenges they face.  With their service, they make your service possible.

And I'm also in awe of our veterans -- (applause) -- because I know that your service doesn’t end when you hang up your uniform.  For so many of you, your whole life is a tour of duty, and as you become leaders in our communities and continue to give back to our country, you keep serving.  And like so many Americans, the more I've learned about the sacrifices you all make, the more I wanted to find a way to express my gratitude, and that’s -- not just with words, but with action. 

And that’s why last year Jill Biden and I started Joining Forces.  It's a nationwide campaign to recognize, honor and support our veterans, our troops and our military families.  And I have to tell you, we had barely even finished announcing this campaign when we were inundated with offers to help.  I mean, so many people wanted to step up and show their appreciation that we hardly knew where to begin.

In our first year alone, more than 1,600 businesses hired more than 60,000 veterans, and they pledged to hire at least 170,000 more in the coming years.  (Applause.)  National associations of doctors and nurses representing millions of health professionals are working to improve treatment for post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.  We've had TV shows like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Sesame Street; organizations like NASCAR and Disney -- they're working to share the stories of our military families with the rest of the country.  And these are just a few examples out of thousands all across the country.

So if I can leave you with just one message today, I want you all to know that America does have your backs.  And we are just getting started.  We are going to keep at this.  We're going to keep on working every day to serve all of you as well as you have served this country. 

And the man who has been leading the way is standing right next to me.  (Applause.)  And ladies, I think he's kind of cute.  (Laughter and applause.)  He was fighting for all of you long before he ever became President. 

He's made veteran's employment a national priority, with tax breaks for businesses that hire veterans and wounded warriors.  He's working to end the outrage of veteran's homelessness once and for all.  (Applause.)  He championed the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which has helped more than half a million veterans and military families go to college.  (Applause.)  And today, with this new effort to ensure that you all get the education you've earned, that story continues.

So please join me in welcoming your strongest advocate -- your Commander-In-Chief and our President, my husband, Barack Obama.  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Hello, Fort Stewart!  (Applause.)  It is good to be here at Fort Stewart.  First of all, how about the First Lady, Michelle Obama?  (Applause.)  Hooah!  She is a tough act to follow.  For the gentlemen out there who are not yet married, let me just explain to you, your goal is to improve your gene pool by marrying somebody who is superior to you.  (Applause.)  Isn’t that right, General?  (Laughter.) 

Listen, and as you just heard, when it comes to all of you -- when it comes to our military, our veterans, your families –- Michelle Obama and Jill Biden have your back.  They are working tirelessly to make sure that our military families are treated with the honor and respect and support that they deserve.  And I could not be prouder of all the efforts that they’ve been making on their behalf.  (Applause.)
It’s a privilege to hang out with some of America’s finest.

AUDIENCE:  Hooah!

THE PRESIDENT:   The ‘Dog Face Soldiers’ of the Third Infantry Division!  (Applause.)  Rock of the Marne!  We’ve got a lot of folks in the house.  We’ve got the Raider Brigade!  (Hooah!)  We’ve got the Spartan Brigade!  (Hooah!)  We’ve got the Vanguard Brigade!  (Hooah!)  We’ve got the Provider Brigade!  (Hooah!)  And we’ve got the Falcon Brigade!  (Hooah!)

Let me thank Major General Abrams and his beautiful wife, Connie, for welcoming us.  Abe is doing an incredible job carrying on his family’s incredible tradition of service to our country.  So we are grateful for him.  Give him a big round of applause.  (Applause.) 

I want to thank Command Sergeant Major Edd Watson and his beautiful wife, Sharon.  (Applause.)  I want to thank someone who’s made it her life’s mission to stand up for the financial security of you and your families, somebody who knows a little bit about military families and military service.  And actually, this is a homecoming for her because she spent over three years when they were posted down here -- Holly Petraeus is in the house.  I want you guys to give her a big round of applause.  (Applause.) 

But most importantly, I want to thank all of you.  I want to thank you for your service.  I want to thank you for your sacrifice.  I want to thank you for your unshakeable commitment to our country.  You have worn the uniform with honor.  You’ve performed heroically in some of the most dangerous places on Earth.  You have done everything that has been asked of you, and more.  And you have earned a special place in our nation’s history. 

Future generations will speak of your achievements.  They’ll speak of how the Third Infantry Division’s ‘thunder run’ into Baghdad signaled the end of a dictatorship, and how you brought Iraq back from the brink of civil war.  They’ll speak of you and your service in Afghanistan and in the fight against al Qaeda, which you have put on the path to defeat. 

And to the members of the Special Operations Forces community, while the American people may never know the full extent of your service, they will surely speak of how you kept our country safe and strong, and how you delivered justice to our enemies. 

So history will remember what you did, and so will we.  We will remember the profound sacrifices that you’ve made in these wars.  Michelle and I just had a few moments at the Warriors Walk, paying tribute to 441 of your fallen comrades -- men and women who gave their last full measure of devotion to keep our nation safe.  And we will remember them.  We will honor them -- always.  And our thoughts and prayers also go out to the troops from Fort Stewart who are serving so bravely right now as we speak in Afghanistan.  (Applause.)  And I know many of you will be deploying there, too, so you know you’re going to be in our thoughts and prayers.
Your generation -- the 9/11 Generation -- has written one of the greatest chapters of military service that America has ever seen.  But I know that for many of you, a new chapter is unfolding.  The war in Iraq is over.  The transition in Afghanistan is underway.  Many of our troops are coming home, back to civilian life.  And as you return, I know that you’re looking for new jobs and new opportunities and new ways to serve this great country of ours.

And three years ago, I made your generation a promise:  I said that when your tour comes to an end -- when you see our flag, when you touch down on our soil -- you’ll be coming home to an America that will forever fight for you, just as you fought for us.

For me, as President, it’s been a top priority.  It’s something I worked on as a senator when I served on the Veterans Affairs Committee.  It’s something I continue to this day.  Since I took office, we’ve hired over 200,000 veterans to serve in the federal government.  (Applause.)

We’ve made it easier for veterans to access all sorts of employment services.  You just heard how Michelle and Jill have worked with businesses to secure tens of thousands of jobs for veterans and their families.  And with support from Democrats and Republicans, we’ve put in place new tax credits for companies that hire veterans.  We want every veteran who wants a job to get a job.  That’s the goal.  (Applause.)

And those of you who want to pursue a higher education and earn new skills, you deserve that opportunity as well. 

Like General Abrams’ dad, my grandfather -- the man who helped raise me -— served in Patton’s Army.  And when he came home, he went to school on the GI Bill, because America decided that every returning veteran of World War II should be able to afford it.  And we owe that same commitment to all of you. 

So as President, I’ve made sure to champion the Post-9/11 GI Bill.  And with that bill -- and the Tuition Assistance program -- last year we supported more than 550,000 veterans and 325,000 servicemembers who are pursuing a higher education.  (Applause.)  Because a higher education is the clearest path to the middle class.  That’s progress.  But we’ve got more to do.  We can’t be satisfied with what we’ve already done, we’ve got more to do.  We’ve got to make sure you’ve got every tool you need to make an informed decision when it comes to picking a school.  And that’s why Michelle and I are here today.

Right now, it’s not that easy.  I’ve heard the stories.  Some of you guys can relate; you may have experienced it yourselves.  You go online to try and find the best school for military members, or your spouses, or other family members.  You end up on a website that looks official.  They ask you for your email, they ask you for your phone number.  They promise to link you up with a program that fits your goals.  Almost immediately after you’ve typed in all that information, your phone starts ringing.  Your inbox starts filling up.  You’ve never been more popular in your life.  All of these schools want you to enroll with them. 

And it sounds good.  Every school and every business should be out there competing for your skills and your talent and your leadership -- everything that you’ve shown in uniform.  But as some of your comrades have discovered, sometimes you’re dealing with folks who aren’t interested in helping you.  They’re not interested in helping you find the best program.  They are interested in getting the money.  They don’t care about you; they care about the cash.

So they harass you into making a quick decision with all those calls and emails.  And if they can’t get you online, they show up on post.  One of the worst examples of this is a college recruiter who had the nerve to visit a barracks at Camp Lejeune and enroll Marines with brain injuries -- just for the money.  These Marines had injuries so severe some of them couldn’t recall what courses the recruiter had signed them up for.  That’s appalling.  That’s disgraceful.  It should never happen in America. 

I’m not talking about all schools.  Many of them -- for-profit and non-profit -- provide quality education to our servicemembers and our veterans and their families.  But there are some bad actors out there.  They’ll say you don’t have to pay a dime for your degree but once you register, they’ll suddenly make you sign up for a high interest student loan.  They’ll say that if you transfer schools, you can transfer credits.  But when you try to actually do that, you suddenly find out that you can’t.  They’ll say they’ve got a job placement program when, in fact, they don’t.  It’s not right.  They’re trying to swindle and hoodwink you.  And today, here at Fort Stewart, we’re going to put an end to it.  (Applause.)  We’re putting an end to it. 

The executive order I’m about to sign will make life a whole lot more secure for you and your families and our veterans -- and a whole lot tougher for those who try to prey on you.  Here’s what we’re going to do.

First, we’re going to require colleges that want to enroll members of our military or veterans or your families to provide clear information about their qualifications and available financial aid.  You’ll be able to get a simple fact sheet called “Know Before You Owe.”  Know before you owe.  (Applause.)  And it will lay out all the information that you need to make your own choices about how best to pay for college.  

Second, we’re going to require those schools to step up their support for our students.  They need to provide a lot more counseling.  If you’ve got to move because of a deployment or a reassignment, they’ve got to help you come up with a plan so that you can still get your degree.  (Applause.)

Number three, we’re going to bring an end to the aggressive -- and sometimes dishonest -- recruiting that takes place.  We’re going to up our oversight of improper recruitment practices.  We’re going to strengthen the rules about who can come on post and talk to servicemembers.  (Applause.)  And we’re going to make it a lot easier for all of you to file complaints and for us to take action when somebody is not acting right.  

This is about making sure you succeed -- because when you succeed, our country succeeds.  It’s that simple.  After all, at the end of World War II, so many Americans like my grandfather came home to new opportunities.  Because of the original GI Bill, by 1947, half of all Americans who enrolled in college were veterans.  And you know what, they did pretty well. 

They rose to become Presidents and Supreme Court Justices and Nobel Prize winners.  They went on to become scientists and engineers, and doctors and nurses.  Eight million Americans were educated under the original GI Bill.  And together, they forged the backbone of what would become the largest middle class that the world had ever seen.  They built this country.  They turned us into that economic superpower. 

And we can do it again.  We face some tough times.  We’ve gone through the worst recession since the Great Depression, two wars.  But you know what, we’ve faced tough times before.  And all of you know something that America should never forget:  Just as you rise or fall as one unit, we rise or fall as one nation.  Just as you have each other’s backs, what has always made America great is that we have each other’s backs.  Each of us is only here because somebody looked out for us.  Not just our parents, but our neighbors and our communities and our houses of worship and our VFW halls.  (Applause.)  Each of us is here because we had a country that was willing to invest in things like community colleges and universities, and scientific research and medicine, and caring for our veterans.  Each of us is only here because somebody, somewhere, had our backs.

This country exists because generations of Americans worked together and looked out for one other.  Out of many, we are one.  Those are the values we’ve got to return to.  If we do, there’s nothing this country cannot achieve.  There’s no challenge that's too great for us.  There’s no destiny beyond our reach.  As long as we’re joined in common purpose and common resolve, better days will always lie ahead, and we will remind everybody why the United States of America is the greatest country on Earth.

And as I look out at this sea of incredible men and women -- (applause) -- it gives me confidence that our best days are still ahead. 

God bless you.  God bless our armed services.  God bless the Third Division.  God bless the United States of America.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)

And now I’m going to sign this executive order. 

(The executive order is signed.)

END               
1:09 P.M. EDT

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White House Marks Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day

Jennie Fay
April 26, 2012
05:12 PM EST
First Lady Michelle Obama answers questions from children of White House staff (April 26, 2012)

First Lady Michelle Obama answers questions from children of White House staff during ”Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day” in the East Room of the White House, April 26, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Sonya N. Hebert)

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the National Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, and the eighth year the White House has formally participated in this event. Over 180 children of employees of the Executive Office of the President (EOP) spent the morning at the White House discovering the many avenues and career paths their futures may hold.

This year’s theme, Building Opportunities at the White House: Educating and Empowering a New Generation of Leaders was woven throughout the day’s activities. The children started their morning by taking the same Oath of Office their parent’s did when they started working in the Executive Office of the President. From there they heard from the White House Photo Office about the exciting people from around the world that the President, Vice President, First Lady and Dr. Biden have met, and learned about the importance of protecting our national parks from the National Park Service.

The kids got to put their thinking caps on and learn about exciting careers in science, the culinary arts, and national security. First Lady Michelle Obama concluded the event by answering questions from the children, including: What is her favorite part about being First Lady? How many types of fruits and vegetables are in the kitchen garden? And when did Bo join the First Family?

Jennie Fay is the Deputy Director of White House Personnel in the Office of Management and Administration
Related Topics: Education, Inside the White House, Working Families

Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day 2012

April 26, 2012 | 30:58 | Public Domain

First Lady Michelle Obama welcomes young people to the White House on Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.

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Remarks by the First Lady at Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day Event

East Room

11:05 A.M. EDT
 
MRS. OBAMA:  How are you guys doing?
 
CHILDREN:  Good!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Wow, sounds like you’ve had a busy morning already, right?
 
CHILDREN:  Yes!   
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Tell me about some of the stuff you’ve done.  Just shout out.  All right, one at a time.  Stand up.  Whoever stands up --
 
CHILD:  Pastry chef!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Pastry chef.
 
CHILD:  (Inaudible) when we got to check how much breath we had.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  You tested your breath?  (Laughter.)  Wow, we’ve never done that.  What did you do?
 
CHILD:  -- park rangers.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Park rangers.  That’s very cool.  I like that.  What else?  Yes.
 
CHILD:  We got to see a police car --
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, nice.  What’s in there?  I’ve never seen the inside.
 
CHILD:  Little shield things.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Shield things.
 
CHILD:  (Inaudible.)
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Yes, very cool.  Very cool.  What did you see?
 
CHILD:  We learned how important policemen are here around the White House.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Absolutely.  We could not do what we do if it weren’t for the Secret Service and the police officers.  We love them dearly, and they do a great job, right?
 
All right, well, before we begin we’re going to ask questions.  I just want to welcome you guys to the White House.  This is one of my favorite days because, I don’t know, I love spending time with kids.  And you kids are very special because your parents are very special, or your grandparents.  I know we may have parents and grandparents.  But they do wonderful work here at the White House.  And we know that sometimes they work so hard that sometimes they come home late, or maybe they miss some of your activities because they’re working so hard.  And that can be tough, right?  It can be a little annoying, too.
 
So one of the things we want you to know is that we know that it’s not easy to have parents who are doing busy, important work.  But because of the work that they do, the country runs and things get done, and millions of people get help.  And because you guys handle your business -- you’re doing well in school, and you’re staying out of trouble, and you’re listening and you’re helping out at home when things are busy -- you’re helping your parents serve, too, and your grandparents. 
 
So you guys are helping this country in very important ways.  And I don’t want you to ever take that for granted.  So we are grateful to you all for what you do to support your parents.  And that’s why I like to take the time and create this wonderful day so you get a better sense of what they’re doing when they’re not with you.  We’re taking care of them -- at least we’re trying to -- so that you understand what’s going on.  So we really appreciate you guys.  And we’re happy to have you here, and we hope you’ve had a good day.
 
So now I’m going to just take some questions, all right?  So, all right, here’s what we’re going to do:  We’ve got mics, and when you stand up I’m going to go from section to section.  So I’m going to take one person from here, one person from here, one person from here, and then I’m going to go back around, okay?  And tell me your name and how old you are. 
 
Okay, we’ll start over here.  Okay, I see a bright green hand right here.  Young lady, yes.
 
CHILD:  My name is Madeleine (ph) and I’m 12.  Do I state where my mom works?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  If you know.
 
CHILD:  My mom works at Office of National Drug Control Policy.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Nice.
 
CHILD:  And my question is, will you ever run for President?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Absolutely not.  (Laughter.)  No.  Being President is a really hard job and it’s an important job.  And when my husband is running for President, we’re right in there; we’re serving, too.  And I think that once his terms are over, we’ll go on to do other important things -- because there are so many ways that you can help this country and the world, even if you’re not President of the United States.
 
And I think one of the things you learn about yourself as you get older are what are your strengths and what are your interests.  And for me it’s other stuff that is not being the President.  So I probably won’t run.  But that’s a great question.
 
All right, we’re going to move to this section.  And I see a red jacket.  Young man, right there.
 
CHILD:  How do you like --
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Tell me your name.
 
CHILD:  Joseph.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Stand up. 
 
CHILD:  Joseph.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  What was that?
 
CHILD:  Joseph.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Yes?  How old are you?
 
CHILD:  Eight.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  It’s good to have you here, Joseph.  What is your question?
 
CHILD:  How do you like being the First Lady?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  I love it!  I really do.  And that’s the other thing -- I’ve been First Lady.  This is the better job.  (Laughter.)  Because --
 
CHILD:  Is it a hard job?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  It’s very busy.  I have a lot to do, but I couldn’t call it hard, because I’m doing the things that I really love.  I get to spend this time with you all, number one.  And as much as I can I try to spend time with young people, and I love doing that.  And I’m working on helping kids eat healthy and be more active and working with military kids.  And I got to be on iCarly.  And so it would be hard for me to call this job hard.
 
I love what I do, and I love serving this country.  So it’s been fun.  Although, sometimes it gets tiring because you get really busy, and sometimes you just want to goof off and watch a little TV and not do anything, right?  Yes, I tell my kids that all the time.  They say -- they wake up, they’re like, I’m tired, Mom.  I’m like, I’m tired, too.  Go to school.  (Laughter.)  Get over it, right?
 
All right.  Okay, let’s see, let’s see.  Oh, gosh, there are so many.  All right, this little one in the back.  You.  Yes, you, young lady.
 
CHILD:  My name --
 
MRS. OBAMA:  What's -- oh, go ahead.
 
CHILD:  My name is Danielle (ph), and today is my birthday and I’m turning eight.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  I heard about that.  Happy Birthday.
 
CHILD:  And my dad works at the military office.  And my question is, what do you like to do on your birthday?
 
AUDIENCE:  Aww --
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Aww.  What do I like to do?  That’s a very sweet question.  Does anybody else have a birthday here today?  All right, Danielle (ph) -- okay, when we get finished we're going to sing.  When we're done, before I leave, we're going to sing happy birthday, okay?  So we'll do that last.  We'll end with that, okay?  But happy birthday.
 
What do I like to do on my birthday?  I like to sleep late.  (Laughter.)  That’s the first thing.  So I try to make sure no one wakes me up until I'm ready to wake up.  And then I like to have a day where I can do exactly what I want to do, eat what I want to eat.  So I get to pick my meals.  And then my husband usually takes me out for dinner, and the girls -- or -- and we have a family dinner.  So I like to spend time with my family and just kind of relax and do a lot of nothing.  I know that's hard for kids to understand, but when you get old like us old people, doing nothing is a really big gift -- right, parents?  (Laughter.)  Nothing is -- happy birthday!  (Laughter.) 
 
Well, happy birthday, sweetie. 
 
All right, here.  Okay, young man in the black and blue stripes.
 
CHILD:  When did you -- oh, wait, sorry.  My name is William Metcalf (ph) and I'm 10 years old.  And my question is, when did you get Bo?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  We got Bo -- it was probably -- press, media, you guys know better than me.  (Laughter.)  It was -- he's three years old, and we got him in March of -- like, two years ago.  He was eight months old when he came to us, so we've had him for close to three -- he'll be three in October.  That's when his birthday is.  October birthday?  Yeah, yeah.  October!  A lot of October. 
 
So we've -- you've got an October birthday, too?  Great.  But we've had -- he'll be three in October, so he's lived with us since he was eight months old.  And he's awesome.  He's an awesome dog, and I love him dearly.  Any of you have pets?  How many pet kids do we have?  Do you love your pets, too?
 
AUDIENCE:  Yes.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Yes, we love our pets.  All right -- you just remembered your pet?  Yeah, all right.  (Laughter.)  All right, we've got hands here.  All right, young lady -- next to you -- I know, I'm going to get to -- yes.  You, in the red.
 
CHILD:  Okay.  My name is Madison Lewis (ph); my dad works for you.  And if you could change --
 
MRS. OBAMA:  What does he do? 
 
CHILD:  Joining Forces.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, I know who your dad is.  (Laughter.)
 
CHILD:  If you could change anything about the First Lady job, what would you do or what would you change?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  I don't know that I'd change anything about it.  Sometimes, when the First -- and it's not just the First Lady but the President -- but sometimes we can't sneak out often on our own without security and motorcades and people with us, right?  It's hard to sneak around and do what you want.  I've done it a couple of times.  But you know, one fantasy I have -- and the Secret Service, they keep looking at me because they think I might actually do it -- is to walk right out the front door and just keep walking.  (Laughter.)  Just go right over there and go into some shops, and stop and have some ice cream and -- yeah, go shopping. 
 
But I can't do that.  I can't just up and decide, I think I'm going to go for a walk and I am going to go for a -- I'm going to walk to Georgetown.  So if I could change something, I'd be able to sneak around a little bit more.  But it causes people a lot of stress when I do that so I try not to.
 
All right, we've got this section here.  Oh gosh, this is so hard.  All right, young lady, right in the front with the red ribbons.  Yes.
 
CHILD:  My name is Alison (ph) and I'm 10.  What is your favorite part of being First Lady?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  My favorite part of being First Lady is spending time with kids.  You guys are funny, let me tell you.  I've had some of the best questions, some of the funniest questions come from kids.  And kids are just, they're real -- you guys are real honest.  So you either -- if they don't like you, you know right away.  It's real clear.  It's like, keep away from me.  But you guys are open and you're curious and you're still trying to figure things out.  So it's a lot of fun to spend time.  And that's when I do all my playing.  You see me jumping rope, and I'm going to play with some kids when I leave here.  We're going to do some hula-hooping.  So you guys are fun.
 
All right, here, here, here.  All right, okay, I'm going to go in the back -- I'm going to go in the back.  Young man with the cast -- I see a cast on an arm.  We have an injured one here.  You have to tell me your name, age and what happened to your arm.
 
CHILD:  I'm Jacques Nissim (ph) and I'm 10 years old.  And I was playing soccer and I was at practice, and this kid on my team kicked the ball really hard when I was goalie.  And I stuck out my hand and the ball bent my arm back.

MRS. OBAMA:  Youch.

CHILD:  And my question was -- and my dad works for the United States Trade Representatives and he tells me a lot about his job and he really likes it.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Good.

CHILD:  Are you as big of a White Sox fan as your husband?  And did you congratulate Philip Humber after he threw the perfect game against the team.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, gosh.  (Laughter.)  Okay, the -- no, I'm not as big a fan because I grew up a Cubs fan.  We're a mixed marriage.  And people always wonder, well, why are you a Cubs fan, because we live on the South Side.  But I tell them, my dad was a Cubs fan from the time I was little.  And that's one thing that he and I did -- when I would come home from school, the Cubs would be playing; they'd usually be just in the third inning by the time I got home from school at 3:30 p.m., and José Cardenal would be third man up to bat, and we'd sit and we'd watch the game.  So there's sort of a sentimental connection that I have with the Cubs because of my dad.  So I'm kind of always a Cubs fan.  Although as a Chicagoan, I love all of our teams.  We're on record there.  (Laughter.)
 
And no, I didn't call the guy who pitched the game.  No, I didn't.  I saw that on SportsCenter but I usually stay out of the sports stuff.  I leave that to my husband.
 
All right, we’ve got a young lady in a pink shirt, hand up.  Yes.  Is that pink?
 
CHILD:  Yes.  My name is Maya (ph) and I’ll be 11 in eight days.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Congratulations.
 
CHILD:  Thank you.  And my question is, what is the newest project you’re working on?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Ooh, the newest project that I’m working on.  We just finished a tour for the first-year anniversary of Joining Forces, which your dad helps with.  And Joining Forces is the initiative we’re working on to help military families.  We want to make sure that other Americans who don’t have families in the military understand how much these families sacrifice so that their loved ones can serve.
 
So we’re really trying to rally the whole country around making sure that we’re aware of other military kids that may be in your lives, and understand how hard it must be for them to have a parent who has to be away -- not just away, but fighting in a war.  Can you imagine how tough that would be and how scared they might be?  And a lot of times, military kids, they have to move often, because soldiers move -- our troops, they move every couple of years, and their families have to move, too.  So the average military kid goes to seven or eight or nine schools over the course of their lifetime.
 
Do we have any military kids here?  You guys know the drill, right?  It’s not always easy.  But a lot of people don’t know what you go through because they're -- they don’t have families in the military, right?  So I want to make sure that other kids -- all you kids who aren’t in the military and don’t understand it, that you’re a little bit more sympathetic; that you reach out to new kids in your communities and you find out -- if there’s a new kid sitting in your class, help them.  Reach over, make a friend.  See how they’re doing.  Make sure that they feel like they’re a part of the school, a part of the community -- asking them about themselves.  If they’re not somebody that you normally invite, invite them for a play date or for a party; kind of go out of your way to help them out.
 
So those are the kind of things that we’re working on.  And it makes me very happy to work on those issues.  So that’s the latest thing.  But thank you for asking.
 
All right, we’re going to go back over here.  All right.  Young man right in the front row, in the blue.  You -- yes, you.
 
CHILD:  Would you ever want to move back to your old life?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  My old life?  I don’t know if that’s possible.  (Laughter.)  We still have our house in Chicago, and it’s there, and we go back and visit.  But who knows what -- I don’t know what the future holds.  So one of the things I’ve learned growing up and being a grown-up is that you always look forward -- you look to where you’re going to go, as opposed to looking back.  So we’re going to see how -- what the future has for us.  Okay?  Does that make sense to you?  So I think more about what am I going to do in the future. 
 
And who knows.  I’ve got two kids.  They’re going to be going to school.  They’re going to be going to college one day.  There’s a lot that’s going to be going on.  So I’m not sure.  I’m not sure whether the old life will be there.  But that’s a very profound question.  Thank you for that.
 
Okay, we’re right here.  All right, young man in the khaki jacket in the back.  Oh, yes.  (Laughter.)
 
CHILD:  My name is Reggie (ph), I’m 11 years old.  Actually, I have two questions.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  All right.
 
CHILD:  Aw, man.  Let’s go to the second one.  How many fruits and vegetables do you have in your garden?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Ooh, how many?  Ooh, I don’t know the exact number.  But we have -- it’s a vegetable garden, so everything in there is a vegetable.  So we have lots of lettuce -- different kinds of lettuce.  We just planted a few varieties of potato.  So we have lots of herbs that you use for cooking.  We have string beans.  We have snow peas.  We’ve got broccoli.  We have cauliflower.  We’ve got yams.  I mean, it’s stuff like that.  So it is a vegetable garden.
 
And the fruits that we have -- we’re still trying to work on getting our fruit bushes.  But we have some berry bushes.  We have a fig tree that’s starting to produce some figs.  We have some -- what else?  We’re thinking about planting some fruit trees, but we’re going to see whether that will work.
 
So that’s what we have over there.  We have some mushroom logs.  Have you all ever seen a mushroom log?  You know, where mushrooms -- they’re like fungus; they grow out of like damp, dark places.  We have a couple of logs that produce mushrooms.  And we’ve got bees.  We’ve got a beehive over by the --
 
So you said you had two questions.  Do you remember the second one?  All right.
 
Q    How much do you love gardening?  (Laughter.)
 
MRS. OBAMA:  I really enjoy gardening.  I wasn’t a gardener before I got here.  And I technically -- I wouldn’t call myself a gardener because I have a lot of people who help me.  It’s very different when you have a garden and you’ve got 12 people who can help you weed, and volunteers who come over all the time.  And I feel like it’s not my garden, it’s the White House’s garden.
 
But I’ve learned to -- I've learned that I love it more than I thought.  When I was little, I used to help one of my aunts.  We lived with one of my aunts, and she loved to garden.  And I would help her weed and plant flowers.  We never had a vegetable garden, but everyone had to help out.  And I used to like being out in the sun with the water hose and the sprinklers.  But then I started getting allergies and I started sneezing a lot.  And my mom would send me in the house because she was tired of seeing me sneeze.  I don't sneeze as much anymore. 

But I enjoy it.  I do.  It's fun being out, playing in the dirt and in the sun and watching stuff grow.  It's really cool.
 
All right, we're over here.
 
MS. JARVIS:  Ma'am, we have time for one more question.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, Kristen.  All right, we've got time for one more question.  This is -- we're going to do more than one, though.  All right, green jacket, right in the front.  I know, I always --
 
CHILD:  My name is Diego (ph) and I'm eight.  How big is the White House?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, gosh.  It's really big.  Jeremy, where are you?  You have the square footage?  It's huge.  Have you guys taken a tour?
 
CHILDREN:  Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  So what did you see?  Did you see everything on this floor?
 
CHILDREN:  Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  So this is the -- did you go to the West Wing, too?  And have you been to the East Wing?

CHILDREN:  Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  All right, so you've been pretty much everywhere on the main floors.  So you've seen how big that is.  But this is what's called the State Floor.  And then above us, two floors up, is where we live.  That's our house.  That's like our -- the Private Residence.  It's where Malia and Sasha have their rooms, where we eat dinner, where we -- so there are two more floors that are the same width as the State Floor that go up, okay?  And we have a gym, and there are guest rooms if we have visitors.  And grandma lives on the third floor and she has a couple of rooms where she lives.  And there are places where the kids watch TV.  So all that is upstairs.  So that's like our house.  So this is more the official place.  We don't hang out here during the day, but when we have important guests and we have dinners and we have big parties and there are press conferences and things like that, that happens down here.
 
So you've pretty much seen all of the White House except for the residence.  And did you guys -- when you cooked, did you cook -- did you go downstairs in the kitchen? 
 
CHILDREN:  No.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  All right, so there's lower levels, too, and there's a kitchen here where the chefs cook.  It's a bigger kitchen but it's not as big as you would think.  There's a bowling alley -- yeah.  You've been to the bowling alley?  So there's a bowling alley down there.  There's a place where the florist -- there's a florist shop here.  And then there's a bunch of stuff that's electronic stuff, engineering stuff that's way down there.  There's a dentist office here, did you know that?  A dentist office.  So it's got a little dental chair.  Stuff like -- there's a doctor's office here.  Did you guys see the doctor's office here?
 
CHILDREN:  No.

MRS. OBAMA:  But it's all in this space.  So the White House is as big as the space that you walked except there are some more floors down and a couple of more floors up.  Does that help you?
 
All right, okay.  All right, all right, all right, all right.  We have a pretty headband, redhead -- yes, you.
 
CHILD:  Hi, my name is Brianna (ph) and I'm eight years old.  And my question is, how hard was it to be a lawyer when you were a little girl?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, how hard was it to be a lawyer?  Well, I didn't know I wanted to be a lawyer until I went to college.  So you know the path -- the educational path:  You go to grammar school.  How many people are in grammar school?  Kindergarten, elementary school -- I don't know what you guys call it -- before eighth grade.  Then you go to high school.  Then after high school, college.  And how many years do you go to college usually?  Four years.  Excellent.
 
CHILD:  (Inaudible.)
 
MRS. OBAMA:  What is that?
 
CHILD:  (Inaudible.)
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Four or five; if you're on the five year plan it could be five.  (Laughter.)  Parents would probably rather have you did it in four, but there's no -- it depends on what you're studying.
 
And then after college, then you go to graduate school.  So if you want to study something special.  So you can go to med school.  You can go to law school.  You can go to business school.  You can go on to get a PhD and become a professor.  All that happens after college.
 
So when I was in college, that's when I had to decide whether I wanted to go on to graduate school, and I decided I would be a lawyer.  But before then, when I was a little girl, I thought I wanted to be a pediatrician.  And I just picked that like kids pick -- like right now, when people tell you what you want to be, you have an answer, right?  Sometimes you do.  But I had an answer.  But it really wasn't an answer because I was too young to know what I wanted to do.
 
So going to law school is a lot of work.  It takes a lot of work and you've got to read and you've got to study all the time.  So it takes a lot of work if you want to be a lawyer.
 
All right, I'm going to do two more questions.  Okay.  All right, all right, all right.  Yellow sweater, in the middle.  And then we'll have the last one here.
 
CHILD:  Hi, my name is Lily Lazarus (ph) and I'm 12 years old.  My question is, my mom was diagnosed with diabetes when I was five, and what are you going to do to help childhood obesity and diabetes?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Well, that's -- thank you for that question.  That's why I talk so much about health and making sure that kids are healthy because there are some types of diabetes that are preventable.  Some are hereditary -- that means you're born with it and there's not much you can do about it.
 
But there's something called Type II Diabetes that's directly linked to what kind of food you eat.  And if you're eating healthy foods, you're less likely to deal with those kind of issues.  And being a diabetic is a tough thing.  I mean, for kids, it's sometimes kind of hard to think about what does that mean if you've never had it.  But you have to take insulin shots and you have to really watch what you eat, and it can be -- it's a pretty serious disease.
 
And to know that it's a disease that you can prevent just by eating more fruits and vegetables and getting exercise, wouldn't you guys -- don't you guys think it would be easier to eat right and run around than to be sick and have to worry about your health?  And the reason why it's important for kids to learn those habits -- because those are habits, right?  If you get used to eating vegetables and you get used to incorporating fruit into your diet as a kid, you're more likely to do that when you're an adult.  So the habits that we're hoping you develop now at your age will be ones that you carry on into adulthood, and they'll be ones that you can teach your kids.  So that you know, having dessert and cake and fast food, that's fun; everybody enjoys that, but you just can't do it every day.  You've got to balance it out.

And the more -- when you learn that earlier, it just becomes easier to do.  So that's one of the reasons why we have Let's Move.  And that's why that initiative for me is so important, because we're going to change the health not just for kids now but for generations to come.  And hopefully you guys can all help be my ambassadors to good health.  And starting at home in your own houses -- don't turn your nose up when the vegetables are on the plate.  Just eat them.  Just eat them.  You promise?  Hello?
 
CHILDREN:  Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  Eat your vegetables.  Eat your fruit.  And exercise.  Move your bodies; don't sit in front of the TV all the time.  Do you hear me?  Get up.  Stand up and move.  Will you do that?  Like that -- just like that.  (Laughter.)
 
All right, the last question.  All right, purple shirt.  I know.  Last question.
 
CHILD:  Hi, my name is CJ.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Whoa, deep voice.  (Laughter.)
 
CHLD:  Thank you.

MRS. OBAMA:  What's going on?  How have you been?

CHILD:  My dad is a -- works as a butler.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  I know.  You've gotten taller.

CHILD:  Thank you.  (Laughter.)  And my question to you is, how do you feel about working here?  Like, is it good?
 
MRS. OBAMA: What does it feel like?

CHILD:  Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA:  It's great.  And it's great because of people like your dad.  I mean, your dad, I see him every day as well as many of the staff people here who help the house run.  And everybody is so nice.  They're funny.  They're nice to hang out with.  I love them all, everybody who works here.
 
And that makes our lives easy, which is why we love you guys.  Because I know your dad is here sometimes late, sometimes unexpectedly late because stuff goes on and he's calling in and he's saying, I've got to stay late, I've got to go in on the weekends, something changed.  And he's doing it because that -- is that you, too?  And he's helping us.  And you all are helping us.  So it is one of the best experiences. 
 
And I didn't expect it.  I didn't know what to expect when we moved into the White House.  I thought, we're moving into an old house, and people have lived here, and what's it like?  Is it going to feel like home?  It is going to feel like -- but everybody here feels like family.  And they treat us with the same respect and love.  And I feel like these kids, they -- that you kids are a part of that.  So we are grateful.
 
All right?  Yes.
 
CHILD:  What kind of charities do you support?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  What kind of -- in this position it’s difficult to support just one or two charities.  But we do tons of work with charities -- millions.  Like things -- organizations like the Fisher House, who provide wonderful places for military families to live while their loved one is recuperating at a military hospital.  If they have to go through surgeries, Fisher House is a really beautiful place where families can stay.  That’s one organization.
 
The Red Cross has done -- we’ve done great stuff with them, with the USO.  I mean, I could go on and on.  I mean, we work with many, many non-profit organizations.  So I couldn’t say that there is one single one that I work with.  We work with tons of them.  But that’s a great question.
 
So now we have a birthday treat.  Come on up, sweetie.  It’s a birthday.  Can I have a hug?  Happy birthday.  Are you ready for a “Happy Birthday” song?  All right, one, two, three, everybody.  (Children sing “Happy Birthday.”)  (Applause.)
 
All right, you guys, I've got to go.  Thank you.  You guys were awesome.  Awesome!  Awesome!  (Applause.) 
 
END
11:36 A.M. EDT

Close Transcript

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
April 26, 2012

Remarks by the First Lady at Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day Event

East Room

11:05 A.M. EDT
 
MRS. OBAMA:  How are you guys doing?
 
CHILDREN:  Good!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Wow, sounds like you’ve had a busy morning already, right?
 
CHILDREN:  Yes!   
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Tell me about some of the stuff you’ve done.  Just shout out.  All right, one at a time.  Stand up.  Whoever stands up --
 
CHILD:  Pastry chef!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Pastry chef.
 
CHILD:  (Inaudible) when we got to check how much breath we had.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  You tested your breath?  (Laughter.)  Wow, we’ve never done that.  What did you do?
 
CHILD:  -- park rangers.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Park rangers.  That’s very cool.  I like that.  What else?  Yes.
 
CHILD:  We got to see a police car --
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, nice.  What’s in there?  I’ve never seen the inside.
 
CHILD:  Little shield things.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Shield things.
 
CHILD:  (Inaudible.)
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Yes, very cool.  Very cool.  What did you see?
 
CHILD:  We learned how important policemen are here around the White House.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Absolutely.  We could not do what we do if it weren’t for the Secret Service and the police officers.  We love them dearly, and they do a great job, right?
 
All right, well, before we begin we’re going to ask questions.  I just want to welcome you guys to the White House.  This is one of my favorite days because, I don’t know, I love spending time with kids.  And you kids are very special because your parents are very special, or your grandparents.  I know we may have parents and grandparents.  But they do wonderful work here at the White House.  And we know that sometimes they work so hard that sometimes they come home late, or maybe they miss some of your activities because they’re working so hard.  And that can be tough, right?  It can be a little annoying, too.
 
So one of the things we want you to know is that we know that it’s not easy to have parents who are doing busy, important work.  But because of the work that they do, the country runs and things get done, and millions of people get help.  And because you guys handle your business -- you’re doing well in school, and you’re staying out of trouble, and you’re listening and you’re helping out at home when things are busy -- you’re helping your parents serve, too, and your grandparents. 
 
So you guys are helping this country in very important ways.  And I don’t want you to ever take that for granted.  So we are grateful to you all for what you do to support your parents.  And that’s why I like to take the time and create this wonderful day so you get a better sense of what they’re doing when they’re not with you.  We’re taking care of them -- at least we’re trying to -- so that you understand what’s going on.  So we really appreciate you guys.  And we’re happy to have you here, and we hope you’ve had a good day.
 
So now I’m going to just take some questions, all right?  So, all right, here’s what we’re going to do:  We’ve got mics, and when you stand up I’m going to go from section to section.  So I’m going to take one person from here, one person from here, one person from here, and then I’m going to go back around, okay?  And tell me your name and how old you are. 
 
Okay, we’ll start over here.  Okay, I see a bright green hand right here.  Young lady, yes.
 
CHILD:  My name is Madeleine (ph) and I’m 12.  Do I state where my mom works?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  If you know.
 
CHILD:  My mom works at Office of National Drug Control Policy.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Nice.
 
CHILD:  And my question is, will you ever run for President?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Absolutely not.  (Laughter.)  No.  Being President is a really hard job and it’s an important job.  And when my husband is running for President, we’re right in there; we’re serving, too.  And I think that once his terms are over, we’ll go on to do other important things -- because there are so many ways that you can help this country and the world, even if you’re not President of the United States.
 
And I think one of the things you learn about yourself as you get older are what are your strengths and what are your interests.  And for me it’s other stuff that is not being the President.  So I probably won’t run.  But that’s a great question.
 
All right, we’re going to move to this section.  And I see a red jacket.  Young man, right there.
 
CHILD:  How do you like --
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Tell me your name.
 
CHILD:  Joseph.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Stand up. 
 
CHILD:  Joseph.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  What was that?
 
CHILD:  Joseph.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Yes?  How old are you?
 
CHILD:  Eight.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  It’s good to have you here, Joseph.  What is your question?
 
CHILD:  How do you like being the First Lady?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  I love it!  I really do.  And that’s the other thing -- I’ve been First Lady.  This is the better job.  (Laughter.)  Because --
 
CHILD:  Is it a hard job?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  It’s very busy.  I have a lot to do, but I couldn’t call it hard, because I’m doing the things that I really love.  I get to spend this time with you all, number one.  And as much as I can I try to spend time with young people, and I love doing that.  And I’m working on helping kids eat healthy and be more active and working with military kids.  And I got to be on iCarly.  And so it would be hard for me to call this job hard.
 
I love what I do, and I love serving this country.  So it’s been fun.  Although, sometimes it gets tiring because you get really busy, and sometimes you just want to goof off and watch a little TV and not do anything, right?  Yes, I tell my kids that all the time.  They say -- they wake up, they’re like, I’m tired, Mom.  I’m like, I’m tired, too.  Go to school.  (Laughter.)  Get over it, right?
 
All right.  Okay, let’s see, let’s see.  Oh, gosh, there are so many.  All right, this little one in the back.  You.  Yes, you, young lady.
 
CHILD:  My name --
 
MRS. OBAMA:  What's -- oh, go ahead.
 
CHILD:  My name is Danielle (ph), and today is my birthday and I’m turning eight.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  I heard about that.  Happy Birthday.
 
CHILD:  And my dad works at the military office.  And my question is, what do you like to do on your birthday?
 
AUDIENCE:  Aww --
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Aww.  What do I like to do?  That’s a very sweet question.  Does anybody else have a birthday here today?  All right, Danielle (ph) -- okay, when we get finished we're going to sing.  When we're done, before I leave, we're going to sing happy birthday, okay?  So we'll do that last.  We'll end with that, okay?  But happy birthday.
 
What do I like to do on my birthday?  I like to sleep late.  (Laughter.)  That’s the first thing.  So I try to make sure no one wakes me up until I'm ready to wake up.  And then I like to have a day where I can do exactly what I want to do, eat what I want to eat.  So I get to pick my meals.  And then my husband usually takes me out for dinner, and the girls -- or -- and we have a family dinner.  So I like to spend time with my family and just kind of relax and do a lot of nothing.  I know that's hard for kids to understand, but when you get old like us old people, doing nothing is a really big gift -- right, parents?  (Laughter.)  Nothing is -- happy birthday!  (Laughter.) 
 
Well, happy birthday, sweetie. 
 
All right, here.  Okay, young man in the black and blue stripes.
 
CHILD:  When did you -- oh, wait, sorry.  My name is William Metcalf (ph) and I'm 10 years old.  And my question is, when did you get Bo?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  We got Bo -- it was probably -- press, media, you guys know better than me.  (Laughter.)  It was -- he's three years old, and we got him in March of -- like, two years ago.  He was eight months old when he came to us, so we've had him for close to three -- he'll be three in October.  That's when his birthday is.  October birthday?  Yeah, yeah.  October!  A lot of October. 
 
So we've -- you've got an October birthday, too?  Great.  But we've had -- he'll be three in October, so he's lived with us since he was eight months old.  And he's awesome.  He's an awesome dog, and I love him dearly.  Any of you have pets?  How many pet kids do we have?  Do you love your pets, too?
 
AUDIENCE:  Yes.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Yes, we love our pets.  All right -- you just remembered your pet?  Yeah, all right.  (Laughter.)  All right, we've got hands here.  All right, young lady -- next to you -- I know, I'm going to get to -- yes.  You, in the red.
 
CHILD:  Okay.  My name is Madison Lewis (ph); my dad works for you.  And if you could change --
 
MRS. OBAMA:  What does he do? 
 
CHILD:  Joining Forces.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, I know who your dad is.  (Laughter.)
 
CHILD:  If you could change anything about the First Lady job, what would you do or what would you change?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  I don't know that I'd change anything about it.  Sometimes, when the First -- and it's not just the First Lady but the President -- but sometimes we can't sneak out often on our own without security and motorcades and people with us, right?  It's hard to sneak around and do what you want.  I've done it a couple of times.  But you know, one fantasy I have -- and the Secret Service, they keep looking at me because they think I might actually do it -- is to walk right out the front door and just keep walking.  (Laughter.)  Just go right over there and go into some shops, and stop and have some ice cream and -- yeah, go shopping. 
 
But I can't do that.  I can't just up and decide, I think I'm going to go for a walk and I am going to go for a -- I'm going to walk to Georgetown.  So if I could change something, I'd be able to sneak around a little bit more.  But it causes people a lot of stress when I do that so I try not to.
 
All right, we've got this section here.  Oh gosh, this is so hard.  All right, young lady, right in the front with the red ribbons.  Yes.
 
CHILD:  My name is Alison (ph) and I'm 10.  What is your favorite part of being First Lady?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  My favorite part of being First Lady is spending time with kids.  You guys are funny, let me tell you.  I've had some of the best questions, some of the funniest questions come from kids.  And kids are just, they're real -- you guys are real honest.  So you either -- if they don't like you, you know right away.  It's real clear.  It's like, keep away from me.  But you guys are open and you're curious and you're still trying to figure things out.  So it's a lot of fun to spend time.  And that's when I do all my playing.  You see me jumping rope, and I'm going to play with some kids when I leave here.  We're going to do some hula-hooping.  So you guys are fun.
 
All right, here, here, here.  All right, okay, I'm going to go in the back -- I'm going to go in the back.  Young man with the cast -- I see a cast on an arm.  We have an injured one here.  You have to tell me your name, age and what happened to your arm.
 
CHILD:  I'm Jacques Nissim (ph) and I'm 10 years old.  And I was playing soccer and I was at practice, and this kid on my team kicked the ball really hard when I was goalie.  And I stuck out my hand and the ball bent my arm back.

MRS. OBAMA:  Youch.

CHILD:  And my question was -- and my dad works for the United States Trade Representatives and he tells me a lot about his job and he really likes it.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Good.

CHILD:  Are you as big of a White Sox fan as your husband?  And did you congratulate Philip Humber after he threw the perfect game against the team.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, gosh.  (Laughter.)  Okay, the -- no, I'm not as big a fan because I grew up a Cubs fan.  We're a mixed marriage.  And people always wonder, well, why are you a Cubs fan, because we live on the South Side.  But I tell them, my dad was a Cubs fan from the time I was little.  And that's one thing that he and I did -- when I would come home from school, the Cubs would be playing; they'd usually be just in the third inning by the time I got home from school at 3:30 p.m., and José Cardenal would be third man up to bat, and we'd sit and we'd watch the game.  So there's sort of a sentimental connection that I have with the Cubs because of my dad.  So I'm kind of always a Cubs fan.  Although as a Chicagoan, I love all of our teams.  We're on record there.  (Laughter.)
 
And no, I didn't call the guy who pitched the game.  No, I didn't.  I saw that on SportsCenter but I usually stay out of the sports stuff.  I leave that to my husband.
 
All right, we’ve got a young lady in a pink shirt, hand up.  Yes.  Is that pink?
 
CHILD:  Yes.  My name is Maya (ph) and I’ll be 11 in eight days.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Congratulations.
 
CHILD:  Thank you.  And my question is, what is the newest project you’re working on?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Ooh, the newest project that I’m working on.  We just finished a tour for the first-year anniversary of Joining Forces, which your dad helps with.  And Joining Forces is the initiative we’re working on to help military families.  We want to make sure that other Americans who don’t have families in the military understand how much these families sacrifice so that their loved ones can serve.
 
So we’re really trying to rally the whole country around making sure that we’re aware of other military kids that may be in your lives, and understand how hard it must be for them to have a parent who has to be away -- not just away, but fighting in a war.  Can you imagine how tough that would be and how scared they might be?  And a lot of times, military kids, they have to move often, because soldiers move -- our troops, they move every couple of years, and their families have to move, too.  So the average military kid goes to seven or eight or nine schools over the course of their lifetime.
 
Do we have any military kids here?  You guys know the drill, right?  It’s not always easy.  But a lot of people don’t know what you go through because they're -- they don’t have families in the military, right?  So I want to make sure that other kids -- all you kids who aren’t in the military and don’t understand it, that you’re a little bit more sympathetic; that you reach out to new kids in your communities and you find out -- if there’s a new kid sitting in your class, help them.  Reach over, make a friend.  See how they’re doing.  Make sure that they feel like they’re a part of the school, a part of the community -- asking them about themselves.  If they’re not somebody that you normally invite, invite them for a play date or for a party; kind of go out of your way to help them out.
 
So those are the kind of things that we’re working on.  And it makes me very happy to work on those issues.  So that’s the latest thing.  But thank you for asking.
 
All right, we’re going to go back over here.  All right.  Young man right in the front row, in the blue.  You -- yes, you.
 
CHILD:  Would you ever want to move back to your old life?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  My old life?  I don’t know if that’s possible.  (Laughter.)  We still have our house in Chicago, and it’s there, and we go back and visit.  But who knows what -- I don’t know what the future holds.  So one of the things I’ve learned growing up and being a grown-up is that you always look forward -- you look to where you’re going to go, as opposed to looking back.  So we’re going to see how -- what the future has for us.  Okay?  Does that make sense to you?  So I think more about what am I going to do in the future. 
 
And who knows.  I’ve got two kids.  They’re going to be going to school.  They’re going to be going to college one day.  There’s a lot that’s going to be going on.  So I’m not sure.  I’m not sure whether the old life will be there.  But that’s a very profound question.  Thank you for that.
 
Okay, we’re right here.  All right, young man in the khaki jacket in the back.  Oh, yes.  (Laughter.)
 
CHILD:  My name is Reggie (ph), I’m 11 years old.  Actually, I have two questions.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  All right.
 
CHILD:  Aw, man.  Let’s go to the second one.  How many fruits and vegetables do you have in your garden?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Ooh, how many?  Ooh, I don’t know the exact number.  But we have -- it’s a vegetable garden, so everything in there is a vegetable.  So we have lots of lettuce -- different kinds of lettuce.  We just planted a few varieties of potato.  So we have lots of herbs that you use for cooking.  We have string beans.  We have snow peas.  We’ve got broccoli.  We have cauliflower.  We’ve got yams.  I mean, it’s stuff like that.  So it is a vegetable garden.
 
And the fruits that we have -- we’re still trying to work on getting our fruit bushes.  But we have some berry bushes.  We have a fig tree that’s starting to produce some figs.  We have some -- what else?  We’re thinking about planting some fruit trees, but we’re going to see whether that will work.
 
So that’s what we have over there.  We have some mushroom logs.  Have you all ever seen a mushroom log?  You know, where mushrooms -- they’re like fungus; they grow out of like damp, dark places.  We have a couple of logs that produce mushrooms.  And we’ve got bees.  We’ve got a beehive over by the --
 
So you said you had two questions.  Do you remember the second one?  All right.
 
Q    How much do you love gardening?  (Laughter.)
 
MRS. OBAMA:  I really enjoy gardening.  I wasn’t a gardener before I got here.  And I technically -- I wouldn’t call myself a gardener because I have a lot of people who help me.  It’s very different when you have a garden and you’ve got 12 people who can help you weed, and volunteers who come over all the time.  And I feel like it’s not my garden, it’s the White House’s garden.
 
But I’ve learned to -- I've learned that I love it more than I thought.  When I was little, I used to help one of my aunts.  We lived with one of my aunts, and she loved to garden.  And I would help her weed and plant flowers.  We never had a vegetable garden, but everyone had to help out.  And I used to like being out in the sun with the water hose and the sprinklers.  But then I started getting allergies and I started sneezing a lot.  And my mom would send me in the house because she was tired of seeing me sneeze.  I don't sneeze as much anymore. 

But I enjoy it.  I do.  It's fun being out, playing in the dirt and in the sun and watching stuff grow.  It's really cool.
 
All right, we're over here.
 
MS. JARVIS:  Ma'am, we have time for one more question.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, Kristen.  All right, we've got time for one more question.  This is -- we're going to do more than one, though.  All right, green jacket, right in the front.  I know, I always --
 
CHILD:  My name is Diego (ph) and I'm eight.  How big is the White House?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, gosh.  It's really big.  Jeremy, where are you?  You have the square footage?  It's huge.  Have you guys taken a tour?
 
CHILDREN:  Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  So what did you see?  Did you see everything on this floor?
 
CHILDREN:  Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  So this is the -- did you go to the West Wing, too?  And have you been to the East Wing?

CHILDREN:  Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  All right, so you've been pretty much everywhere on the main floors.  So you've seen how big that is.  But this is what's called the State Floor.  And then above us, two floors up, is where we live.  That's our house.  That's like our -- the Private Residence.  It's where Malia and Sasha have their rooms, where we eat dinner, where we -- so there are two more floors that are the same width as the State Floor that go up, okay?  And we have a gym, and there are guest rooms if we have visitors.  And grandma lives on the third floor and she has a couple of rooms where she lives.  And there are places where the kids watch TV.  So all that is upstairs.  So that's like our house.  So this is more the official place.  We don't hang out here during the day, but when we have important guests and we have dinners and we have big parties and there are press conferences and things like that, that happens down here.
 
So you've pretty much seen all of the White House except for the residence.  And did you guys -- when you cooked, did you cook -- did you go downstairs in the kitchen? 
 
CHILDREN:  No.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  All right, so there's lower levels, too, and there's a kitchen here where the chefs cook.  It's a bigger kitchen but it's not as big as you would think.  There's a bowling alley -- yeah.  You've been to the bowling alley?  So there's a bowling alley down there.  There's a place where the florist -- there's a florist shop here.  And then there's a bunch of stuff that's electronic stuff, engineering stuff that's way down there.  There's a dentist office here, did you know that?  A dentist office.  So it's got a little dental chair.  Stuff like -- there's a doctor's office here.  Did you guys see the doctor's office here?
 
CHILDREN:  No.

MRS. OBAMA:  But it's all in this space.  So the White House is as big as the space that you walked except there are some more floors down and a couple of more floors up.  Does that help you?
 
All right, okay.  All right, all right, all right, all right.  We have a pretty headband, redhead -- yes, you.
 
CHILD:  Hi, my name is Brianna (ph) and I'm eight years old.  And my question is, how hard was it to be a lawyer when you were a little girl?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, how hard was it to be a lawyer?  Well, I didn't know I wanted to be a lawyer until I went to college.  So you know the path -- the educational path:  You go to grammar school.  How many people are in grammar school?  Kindergarten, elementary school -- I don't know what you guys call it -- before eighth grade.  Then you go to high school.  Then after high school, college.  And how many years do you go to college usually?  Four years.  Excellent.
 
CHILD:  (Inaudible.)
 
MRS. OBAMA:  What is that?
 
CHILD:  (Inaudible.)
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Four or five; if you're on the five year plan it could be five.  (Laughter.)  Parents would probably rather have you did it in four, but there's no -- it depends on what you're studying.
 
And then after college, then you go to graduate school.  So if you want to study something special.  So you can go to med school.  You can go to law school.  You can go to business school.  You can go on to get a PhD and become a professor.  All that happens after college.
 
So when I was in college, that's when I had to decide whether I wanted to go on to graduate school, and I decided I would be a lawyer.  But before then, when I was a little girl, I thought I wanted to be a pediatrician.  And I just picked that like kids pick -- like right now, when people tell you what you want to be, you have an answer, right?  Sometimes you do.  But I had an answer.  But it really wasn't an answer because I was too young to know what I wanted to do.
 
So going to law school is a lot of work.  It takes a lot of work and you've got to read and you've got to study all the time.  So it takes a lot of work if you want to be a lawyer.
 
All right, I'm going to do two more questions.  Okay.  All right, all right, all right.  Yellow sweater, in the middle.  And then we'll have the last one here.
 
CHILD:  Hi, my name is Lily Lazarus (ph) and I'm 12 years old.  My question is, my mom was diagnosed with diabetes when I was five, and what are you going to do to help childhood obesity and diabetes?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Well, that's -- thank you for that question.  That's why I talk so much about health and making sure that kids are healthy because there are some types of diabetes that are preventable.  Some are hereditary -- that means you're born with it and there's not much you can do about it.
 
But there's something called Type II Diabetes that's directly linked to what kind of food you eat.  And if you're eating healthy foods, you're less likely to deal with those kind of issues.  And being a diabetic is a tough thing.  I mean, for kids, it's sometimes kind of hard to think about what does that mean if you've never had it.  But you have to take insulin shots and you have to really watch what you eat, and it can be -- it's a pretty serious disease.
 
And to know that it's a disease that you can prevent just by eating more fruits and vegetables and getting exercise, wouldn't you guys -- don't you guys think it would be easier to eat right and run around than to be sick and have to worry about your health?  And the reason why it's important for kids to learn those habits -- because those are habits, right?  If you get used to eating vegetables and you get used to incorporating fruit into your diet as a kid, you're more likely to do that when you're an adult.  So the habits that we're hoping you develop now at your age will be ones that you carry on into adulthood, and they'll be ones that you can teach your kids.  So that you know, having dessert and cake and fast food, that's fun; everybody enjoys that, but you just can't do it every day.  You've got to balance it out.

And the more -- when you learn that earlier, it just becomes easier to do.  So that's one of the reasons why we have Let's Move.  And that's why that initiative for me is so important, because we're going to change the health not just for kids now but for generations to come.  And hopefully you guys can all help be my ambassadors to good health.  And starting at home in your own houses -- don't turn your nose up when the vegetables are on the plate.  Just eat them.  Just eat them.  You promise?  Hello?
 
CHILDREN:  Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  Eat your vegetables.  Eat your fruit.  And exercise.  Move your bodies; don't sit in front of the TV all the time.  Do you hear me?  Get up.  Stand up and move.  Will you do that?  Like that -- just like that.  (Laughter.)
 
All right, the last question.  All right, purple shirt.  I know.  Last question.
 
CHILD:  Hi, my name is CJ.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Whoa, deep voice.  (Laughter.)
 
CHLD:  Thank you.

MRS. OBAMA:  What's going on?  How have you been?

CHILD:  My dad is a -- works as a butler.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  I know.  You've gotten taller.

CHILD:  Thank you.  (Laughter.)  And my question to you is, how do you feel about working here?  Like, is it good?
 
MRS. OBAMA: What does it feel like?

CHILD:  Yeah.

MRS. OBAMA:  It's great.  And it's great because of people like your dad.  I mean, your dad, I see him every day as well as many of the staff people here who help the house run.  And everybody is so nice.  They're funny.  They're nice to hang out with.  I love them all, everybody who works here.
 
And that makes our lives easy, which is why we love you guys.  Because I know your dad is here sometimes late, sometimes unexpectedly late because stuff goes on and he's calling in and he's saying, I've got to stay late, I've got to go in on the weekends, something changed.  And he's doing it because that -- is that you, too?  And he's helping us.  And you all are helping us.  So it is one of the best experiences. 
 
And I didn't expect it.  I didn't know what to expect when we moved into the White House.  I thought, we're moving into an old house, and people have lived here, and what's it like?  Is it going to feel like home?  It is going to feel like -- but everybody here feels like family.  And they treat us with the same respect and love.  And I feel like these kids, they -- that you kids are a part of that.  So we are grateful.
 
All right?  Yes.
 
CHILD:  What kind of charities do you support?
 
MRS. OBAMA:  What kind of -- in this position it’s difficult to support just one or two charities.  But we do tons of work with charities -- millions.  Like things -- organizations like the Fisher House, who provide wonderful places for military families to live while their loved one is recuperating at a military hospital.  If they have to go through surgeries, Fisher House is a really beautiful place where families can stay.  That’s one organization.
 
The Red Cross has done -- we’ve done great stuff with them, with the USO.  I mean, I could go on and on.  I mean, we work with many, many non-profit organizations.  So I couldn’t say that there is one single one that I work with.  We work with tons of them.  But that’s a great question.
 
So now we have a birthday treat.  Come on up, sweetie.  It’s a birthday.  Can I have a hug?  Happy birthday.  Are you ready for a “Happy Birthday” song?  All right, one, two, three, everybody.  (Children sing “Happy Birthday.”)  (Applause.)
 
All right, you guys, I've got to go.  Thank you.  You guys were awesome.  Awesome!  Awesome!  (Applause.) 
 
END
11:36 A.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
April 24, 2012

Remarks by the First Lady at a Campaign Event

Windsor Heights Community and Events Center, Des Moines, Iowa

4:28 P.M. CDT

        MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you!  (Applause.)  You all are fired up.  (Applause.)  First of all, just let me say thank you.  Thank you so much.  I am thrilled to be with all of you today, really thrilled. 

        I want to just share with you -- as you can all imagine -- this state has a very special place in my heart, and in Barack's as well.  I am fortunate enough to see so many old friends, folks who were with us right from the very beginning and every step of the way. 

        AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you, Michelle!  (Applause.)

        MRS. OBAMA:  Well, it feels great to be back here in Iowa, it really does.

        I want to start by thanking CeCe for that very kind introduction, and very powerful introduction.  (Applause.)  I just want to thank her for her outstanding work on our campaign, she has just been amazing.  Let's give her another round of applause.  (Applause.)

        I also want to recognize Mayor Jerry Sullivan; your state party chair, Sue Dvorsky; and our good friend, Ruth Harkin.  (Applause.)  I'm so glad that all of you could be here today.

        And finally, to all of you, truly, our extraordinary volunteers and organizers -- I just want to say two words that my husband and I simply cannot say enough, and that is thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you for knocking on those doors.  Thank you for making those calls.  Thank you for organizing all the events and registering those voters.  Thank you for getting out there and giving folks the information they need about the issues they care about. 

        I understand that we now have volunteers in all 99 counties of this state.  (Applause.)  That is amazing.  And you all are holding phone banks every day; you’re out canvassing every weekend.  And I want you to know that the grassroots work that you all are doing to get people focused and fired up?  That work is the core of our campaign, it truly is.  Because that’s who we are.  That’s what we do. 

        We reach out.  We bring folks from all different backgrounds into this democratic process, right? 

        AUDIENCE:  Yes!

        MRS. OBAMA:  And that’s how we did it four years ago, and that’s how we're going to get it done again today.  (Applause.) 

        AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!

        MRS. OBAMA:   But the one thing that I know is that all the work you're doing, it isn't easy.  And I know you all are putting in long hours -- that I know.  We've been through this.  I know that you’ve got families to raise, you have jobs to do, classes to attend. 

        But I also know that there’s a reason that you all are devoting so much of your lives to this cause.  I know there’s a reason why I’m here in Des Moines today, and it’s not just because we all support one extraordinary man –- (applause) -- although I admit, I am a little biased, right?  (Laughter.)  And it’s not just because we want to win an election. 

        We’re doing this because of the values we believe in.  We’re doing this because of the vision for this country that we all share, right?

        AUDIENCE:  Right!

        MRS. OBAMA:  We’re doing this because we want our children to have schools worthy of their promise -- schools that push them and inspire them, and prepare them for good jobs where they can make a good living.  We want them to have clean air and safe streets, and we want them to grow up in a world that’s peaceful and secure.  Yes we do.  (Applause.)   

        We want our parents and grandparents to retire with a little dignity, because we believe that after a lifetime of hard work, they should enjoy their golden years.  Yes indeed. 

        We want to restore that basic middle-class security for our families, because we believe that folks shouldn’t go bankrupt because someone gets sick.  They shouldn’t lose their home because someone loses a job. 

        We believe that responsibility should be rewarded, right?

        AUDIENCE:  Yes!  (Applause.)

        MRS. OBAMA:  We believe that hard work should pay off, and that everyone should do their fair share and play by the same rules.  (Applause.) 

        And really, those are basic American values.  And they’re the values that so many of us were raised with, including myself.

        And I share this often -- as many of you know, my father was a blue-collar worker at the city water plant.  My family lived in a little bitty apartment on the South Side of Chicago, and neither of my parents had the opportunity to go to college.  But they did do something important:  they saved, and they sacrificed so that my brother and I could get a good education -- an education they could only dream of.  And while pretty much all of my college tuition came from student loans and grants, my dad still paid his little teeny portion of his -- of it.  And every semester, I remember he was determined to pay that bill right on time.  He was so proud to be sending his kids to college, and he couldn’t bear the thought of me or my brother missing that registration deadline because his check was late.  (Laughter.)  

        And really, more than anything else, that is what’s at stake.  It’s that fundamental promise that no matter how you started out, if you work hard you can build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids.  (Applause.)  And that’s what you need to tell people. 

        With every door you knock on, with every call you make, with every conversation you have, you need to tell folks about our values.  Tell them about everything that’s at stake next November.

        You can tell them how Barack fought for tax cuts for working families and small businesses -- (applause) -- because an economy built to last starts with the middle class, and with folks who are creating jobs and putting people back to work.  (Applause.) 

        You can remind them how, back when Barack first took office, this economy was losing an average of 750,000 jobs a month.  But for the past 25 straight months, we’ve actually been gaining private sector jobs –- (applause) -- a total of more than 4 million jobs in two years.  So while we still have a very long way to go to rebuild our economy, today, millions of people are collecting a paycheck again. 

        You can remind people about how so many folks in Washington told Barack to let the auto industry go under with more than a million jobs on the line.  But remember, Barack had the backs of American workers -- remember that?  (Applause.)  And as a result, today, the auto industry is back on its feet again, and, more importantly, people are back to work providing for their families again.  (Applause.)

        You can tell them how, because we passed health reform, as CeCe was saying -- (applause) -- insurance companies can no longer deny our children coverage because they have a pre-existing condition like asthma.  (Applause.)  They have to cover preventive care -- things like contraception, cancer screenings, prenatal cost -- at no extra cost.  And because our kids can now stay on their parents’ insurance until they’re 26 years old -- (applause) -- because of that, 2.5 million young people in this country are getting the health care they need.  Tell them about that.

        AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Thank you!

        MRS. OBAMA:  You can tell people about what Barack has done to raise standards in our public schools, and make college more affordable so that our young people can get the education that they need for the good jobs that they need, right?

        AUDIENCE:  Yes!

        MRS. OBAMA:  Tell them that.  (Laughter.)  Please, tell them that.  (Laughter.)

        You can tell people how Barack has been fighting for the DREAM Act, so that responsible young immigrants who came here as children and were raised as Americans can earn a path to citizenship by going to college or serving in the military.  (Applause.)    

        You can tell people that because my husband finally ended "don't ask, don't tell," our troops will never again have to lie about who they are to serve the country they love.  (Applause.)

        Because of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act –- (applause) -- the very first bill my husband signed into law, it’s now easier for women to get equal pay for equal work. 

        And of course, with those two brilliant Supreme Court Justices that Barack appointed, for the first time in history, our sons and daughters watched three women take their seats on our nation’s highest court.  (Applause.)

        But all of this is at stake next November.  It's all on the line.  And in the end, it all boils down to one simple question:   Will we continue the change that we’ve begun and the progress we’ve made, or will we allow everything we’ve fought for to just slip away?

        AUDIENCE:  No!

        MRS. OBAMA:  We know what we need to do, right?

        AUDIENCE:  Yes!

        MRS. OBAMA:  We cannot turn back now.  We need to keep moving forward.  Yes, indeed.  Because while we’ve come a long way these past few years, we have so much more to do -- so much more. 

        And more than anything else, that is what we’re working for –- the chance to finish what we started, the chance to keep on fighting for the values we believe in and the vision we share.
        And that’s what my husband has been doing every single day as President -- every single day.  (Applause.)  

        And over the past three-and-a-half years, I’ve had the chance to see up close and personal what that looks like.  I’ve seen how the issues that cross a President’s desk are always the hard ones –- the problems with no easy solutions, the judgment calls where the stakes are so high and there is no margin for error. 

        And as President, you can get all kinds of advice and opinions from all kinds of people.  But at the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, all you have to guide you are your values, and your vision, and your life experiences.  In the end, when you’re making those impossible choices, it all boils down to who you are and what you stand for.

        And we all know who my husband is.  (Applause.)  He’s the son of a single mother who struggled to put herself through school and pay the bills -- that’s who he is.  He’s the grandson of a woman who woke up before dawn every day to catch a bus to her job at a bank.  And even though Barack’s grandmother worked hard to help support his family and she was good at her job, she hit that glass ceiling, and men no more qualified than she was were promoted up the ladder ahead of her. 

        So Barack knows what it means when a family struggles.  He knows what it means when someone doesn’t have the chance to fulfill their potential.  And today, as a father, he knows what it means to want something better for your kids.  See, those are the experiences that have made him the man and the President he is today, and we are blessed to have him.  (Applause.)

        So what you need to know is that when it comes time to stand up for American workers and American families, you know what my husband is going to do, right?  When there’s a choice about protecting our rights, our freedoms, you know where Barack stands.  (Applause.)  And when we need a leader to make the hard decisions to keep this country moving forward, you know you can count on my husband, because that is what he’s been doing since the day he first took office.  (Applause.)  That’s what he's been doing.  

        But I have said this before, and I know, Iowa, you heard me say it:  He cannot do this alone. 

        AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We'll help you!

        MRS. OBAMA:  He cannot do it alone.  He needs your help.  He needs all of you to keep giving just a little part of your life each week to this campaign.  And he needs you to keep pounding that pavement, and signing up your friends and your neighbors and your colleagues with those “I’m in” cards.  You've seen them, right?   

        He needs you to recruit even more volunteers and even more organizers, and show them how their day-to-day efforts will absolutely make a difference.  And he needs you to send people to the website gottaregister.com -- you all heard about that? 

        AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes.

        MRS. OBAMA:  It's a website that was created to help folks from every state in this country register to vote and find out where to cast their ballots.  It's an important piece of information -- gottaregister.com.  Gotta -- a little grammatically challenged -- gotta.  G-O-T-T-A.  (Laughter.)  Gottaregister.  (Laughter.)  

        And if you have any doubt at all, if you have any doubt about the difference that you’re making, I just want you to remember that in the end, this all could come down to those last few thousand people that we register to vote.  (Applause.)  It's important to remember that it could all come down to those last few thousand folks we need help get to the polls on November -- on the 6 of November to be precise.  (Laughter.)   

        And I want you all to just think for a minute about what those numbers mean when you spread it out over an entire state.  It might mean registering just one more person per town -- just one more.  It might mean helping just one more person in your community get out and vote, right, on Election Day.  Just one more.

        So understand -- with every door you knock on, with every call you make, with every conversation that you have, I just want you to remember that this could be the one that makes the difference.  Treat it that way.  This could be the one.  You could be the one who inspires someone to make their voice heard next November.  That is the impact that all of you have been having and continue to have, right?

        AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes!

        MRS. OBAMA:  Just understand it in those terms.  One more person can make the difference.  And that’s up to all of you.

        So I have one last question for you -- are you all in?  Are you all -- are you in?  (Applause.)  Are you ready to do this?  Because I am in.  I am so in.  (Applause.)  

        So I hope that you all are fired up.  (Applause.)  Are you fired up? 

        AUDIENCE:  Fired up!

        MRS. OBAMA:  Are you fired up?

        AUDIENCE:  Fired up!

        MRS. OBAMA:  Let's get this done.  Thank you all.  God bless you.  (Applause.)

END 4:48 P.M. CDT

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
April 24, 2012

Remarks by the First Lady at a Campaign Event

The Hilton Omaha Hotel, Omaha, Nebraska

1:49 P.M. CDT

        MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you all so much.  (Applause.)  Let me tell you, it is a pleasure and an honor to be here with all of you. 

        I want to start, of course, by thanking Warren for that very kind introduction.  Oh my goodness.  Every day, he reminds us that it’s not just enough to do well for ourselves -- we also have an obligation to reach back and to lift up others.  And we are so grateful for Warren's service to those in need, both here in America and around the world.  (Applause.)  Yes, indeed.  

        I also have to recognize Warren’s wonderful daughter, Susie, who’s doing plenty of her own great work to lift up our children and our families.  (Applause.)  Susie, you are amazing.  That event -- as much as I gave those girls, they gave it right back.  I mean, that is truly what we're here for, and it was well worth the flight to come down and spend time with all of you and with those amazing girls who are going to change the world.  I am confident in that.  (Applause.)

        And I also want to thank Mayor Suttle, Mayor Beutler, and your state party chair, Vic Covalt.  (Applause.)  Yay!  Thank you all.  And former Senator Bob Kerry is here as well, and we’re so pleased that he could join us.  (Applause.)  He was here, he may -- busy.  He's got stuff to do.  (Laughter.) 

        I also want to give a shoutout to David Dover.  Yay.  (Applause.)  To Noelle Obermeyer, and to the rest of the host committee, thank you all for making this even such a huge success.  Well done.  (Applause.)  Well done. 

        And finally, I want to thank all of you for your support and for taking the time out of your lives to be here today.  And I know there's a reason you all are here -- it's not just to hang out with me.  (Laughter.)  You’re here -- me too.  But you're here because you know that next November we’re going to make a choice that will impact our lives for decades to come.  And you’re here because you know that choice won’t just affect all of us, but it's going to affect those girls we just saw, and it's going to affect our children and our grandchildren and the world we leave for them long after we're gone.  And truly, that is why I'm here, and that is why it was such an honor for me to spend time with those girls.

        As First Lady, I have had the privilege of traveling all across this country, meeting with folks from all different backgrounds and hearing what’s going on in their daily lives.  And every day, I hear how people are working to keep it all together -- how they're trying to pay the bills, about the businesses they're trying to keep afloat, about the home they love but are struggling to afford.  But let me tell you something -- no matter what folks are going through, no matter what challenges they face, they just keep on working, keep on sacrificing.  Why?  Because they desperately want something better for their kids.  (Applause.)  Absolutely.  That’s what keeps us all going. 

        They believe in that fundamental vision for our economy that we all share –- the idea, as my husband says, that hard work should pay off, that responsibility should be rewarded, and that everyone should get a fair shot and everyone should do their fair share and play by the same rules.  Those are values that are fundamental.  They're at the foundation of an economy built to last.  They are basic American values.  They're the values that so many of us were raised with, including myself.

        My father was a blue collar city worker at the water filtration plant, and my family lived in a teeny little apartment on the South Side of Chicago.  I've been joking lately that my room is exactly the same as it was -- my mother still has the house -- same bed sheets, same pictures on the wall, flowered pictures I bought when I was 16.  But neither of my parents had the opportunity to go to college, but as I told the girls earlier, what my parents did for us is that they saved, and they sacrificed everything for us because they wanted something more for me and my brother.

        And more than anything else, that’s what’s at stake -- that fundamental promise that no matter who you are or how you started out, if you work hard you can build a decent life for yourself, and an even better life for your kids.  And let me tell you, on just about every issue that is the choice that we face. 

        Let’s start with all those tax cuts that my husband has passed for middle-class families.  What you have to understand is that’s about whether people can heat their homes, whether they can send their kids to college, whether they can retire with a little dignity and security.  It’s about putting money in people’s pockets, which means more money in our economy, which means more jobs.  And it’s about making sure that everyone pays their fair share. 

        That’s why Barack proposed a rule named after our friend Warren.  It’s called the Buffett Rule, and it closes some of those tax loopholes -- (applause) -- it closes some of those loopholes so that millionaires and billionaires aren’t paying lower tax rates than firefighters or teachers -- or their secretaries for that matter.  That’s what’s at stake.

        And how about everything my husband has been doing to create jobs?  (Applause.)  Absolutely.  I want you to remember back when all those folks in Washington were telling Barack to let the auto industry go under with more than a million jobs on the line.  But Barack had the backs of American workers.  He put his faith in the American people, and as a result, today the auto industry is back on its feet, and, more importantly, people are back at work providing for their families.  (Applause.)

        And think back to when Barack first took office.  When he came into office, this country was losing an average of 750,000 jobs a month.  That’s what he inherited.  But for the past 25 straight months, we’ve actually been gaining private sector jobs –- a total of more than 4 million jobs in just two years.  (Applause.) 

        So while we still have a very long way to go to rebuild our economy, today, millions of folks are collecting a paycheck again.  But that’s what’s at stake.  That's the choice we face.

        And what about all we’ve done for our small businesses?  These are the companies that create two-thirds of all new jobs each year in this economy.  And I'm talking about the mom who opens up a drycleaner to provide for her kids -- that’s who we're talking about.  We're talking about families that have been running that neighborhood diner for generations.  See, for these folks, the small business tax cuts this administration has passed, it will mean the difference between those folks hiring new employees or handing out pink slips; the difference between keeping their doors open or closing up shop for good.  But that's the choice that we face.

        And how about the very first bill my husband signed into law -- the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help women get equal pay for equal work?  (Applause.)  Now what you have to know is that he did this because he knows what it means when women aren’t treated fairly in the workplace.  He watched his own grandmother, a woman with a high school education, work her way up to become a Vice President at a little community bank.  And she worked hard, and she was good at what she did, but like so many women she hit that glass ceiling, and watched men no more qualified than she was -- men she had actually trained -- be promoted up that ladder ahead of her. 

        So believe me, for Barack, this issue isn’t abstract.  This isn't hypothetical.  And he signed this bill because he knows that closing that pay gap, that can mean the difference between women losing $50, $100, $500 from each paycheck, or having that money in their pockets to buy gas and groceries and put clothes on the backs of their children.  He did it because when so many women are now breadwinners for our families, women’s success in this economy is the key to families’ success in this economy.  (Applause.)  And he did it because he believes that here in America, there are no second-class citizens in our workplaces.  That’s what’s at stake here.  That’s what we're working for.

        And let’s talk just a minute about health care.  See, two years ago, we made history together by finally passing health reform.  (Applause.)  And because we passed this law, insurance companies will now have to cover basic preventive care -- things like prenatal care, mammograms, contraception -- at no extra cost.  (Applause.)  And they can no longer deny our children coverage because they have a pre-existing condition like diabetes or asthma. 

        Kids now stay on their parents’ insurance until they’re 26 years old, so that when our kids graduate from college, they won’t have to go without health care while they’re trying to find a job and build lives of their own.  And that’s how 2.5 million young people today are getting their coverage today.  (Applause.)  And since we passed this law, millions of our senior citizens have saved an average of more than $600 a year on their prescription drugs.

        So let me ask -- will we take all those savings away?  Is that what we're going to do? 

        AUDIENCE:  No! 

        MRS. OBAMA:  Are we going to allow insurance companies to refuse to cover our children, or will we say that here in America, no one should ever have to choose between going bankrupt or watching their child suffer because they can’t afford a doctor?  That's the choice that we face.

        And think for a moment about all that we’re doing to give our kids a good education.  Think about the investments we’ve made to raise standards and reform our public schools.  Think about how my husband has been fighting for the DREAM Act so that responsible young immigrants -- (applause) -- who came here as children and were raised as Americans can earn a path to citizenship by going to college or serving in the military.   

        And think about how my husband took billions of dollars in taxpayer money that used to go to middleman banks and lenders and he sent it where it belongs –- to help millions of young people go to college.  (Applause.)  But these investments won’t just determine our children’s success -- they’re going to determine nothing less than the success of our entire economy.  They’ll determine whether we’re prepared to make the discoveries and to build the industries that will let us compete with any country anywhere in the world.  But that's what’s at stake. 

        And we cannot forget how my husband appointed those two brilliant Supreme Court justices -- (applause) -- and for the first time in history, our daughters and sons watched three women take their seats on our nation’s highest court.  (Applause.)  And let’s not forget the impact the Court’s decisions will have on our lives for decades to come –- on our privacy and security; on whether we can speak freely, worship openly, and, yes, love whomever we choose.  That’s what’s at stake.  That's the choice we face.  (Applause.)

        And finally, let us not forget all this administration has done to keep our country safe and restore our standing in the world.  Thanks to the brave men and women in uniform, we finally brought to justice the man behind the 9/11 attacks and all those other horrific acts of violence.  (Applause.) 

        My husband kept his promise.  He ended the war in Iraq, he brought our troops home, and we are working very hard to give them and their families the benefits they’ve earned.  And finally, because my husband ended "don't ask, don't tell," our troops will never again have to lie about who they are to serve the country they love.  (Applause.)  But that’s what's at stake.  Those are the choices we face.

        So make no mistake about it -- whether it’s health care or the economy, whether it’s education or foreign policy, the choice we make will determine nothing less than who we are as a country, but, more importantly, who do we want to be?  Who do we want to be?

        Will we be a country where opportunity is just limited to the few at the top?

        AUDIENCE MEMBER:  No.

        MRS. OBAMA:  Is that who we are?  Or will we be a place where if you work hard, you can get ahead no matter who you are or how you started out?  Who are we?  Will we tell folks who have done everything right but are still struggling, are we going to look at them and say tough luck, you're on your own?  Who are we?  Or will we honor that fundamental American belief that we’re all in this together, and that this country is strongest when we’re all better off?  (Applause.)  Who do we want to be? 

        Will we continue all the change we’ve begun and the progress we’ve made?  Or will we allow everything we’ve fought for to just slip away?  See, but those are the choices we face.  And we know what we need to do.  We know that we cannot turn back now.  We need to keep moving forward.  Am I right?  (Applause.)

        See, believe me, what you have to know is your President, Barack, he knows this.  He knows this all too well.  He understands these issues because he's lived them.  He was raised by a single mother who struggled to put herself through school and pay the bills, and when she needed help, who stepped up?  His grandmother, waking up every morning before dawn to take that bus at her job at the bank.  And even though she was passed over for all those promotions, like so many people in our lives, she never complained.  How many people do we know like that, who just never complain?  She just kept on showing up and doing her best.  

        So believe me, Barack knows what it means when a family struggles.  Believe me, he knows what it means when someone doesn’t have a chance to fulfill their potential, and how much that hurts.  Those are the experiences that have made him the man and the President he is today.  And we are blessed to have him.  (Applause.)   

        And what I share with people is, that is what I hear in my husband's voice when he returns home after a long day traveling around the country and he tells me about the people he’s met.  That’s what I see in those quiet moments late at night after the girls have gone to bed and he’s up poring over the letters people have sent him -- the letter from the woman dying of cancer whose insurance company won’t cover her care, the letter from the father struggling to pay his family’s bills, the letters from far too many young people with so much promise, but so few opportunities. 

        And I hear the passion and the determination in his voice.  He says you won’t believe what people are still going through.  That’s what he tells me.  He says, Michelle, this is not right.  We have got to fix this.  We have so much more work to do.

        See, what people need to know in this election, when it comes to the people Barack meets, he has a mind like a steel trap -- Warren's seen it.  (Laughter.)  He might not remember your name, but if he's had a few minutes and a decent conversation, he will never forget your story.  It becomes imprinted on his heart.  And that is what he carries with him every single day.  It's our collection of struggles, and hopes and dreams. 

        That's where Barack gets his passion.  That is where he gets that toughness and that fight, that steadiness.  That’s why, even in the hardest moments when it seems like all is lost, Barack Obama never loses sight of the end goal.  He never lets himself get distracted by the chatter and the noise. (Applause.)  Like his grandmother, he just keeps moving forward.  He just keeps moving forward.   

        But I have said this before -- said it in the last election -- and I will keep saying it:  He cannot do this alone.  He cannot do this alone.  That was never the promise.  He needs your help.  He needs you revved up, making those calls; more importantly, registering those voters.  He needs you to take those “I’m in” cards -- you seen them?  Sign them up!  Sign up.  Sign your friends and your neighbors and your colleagues up.  You need to convince them how important it is just to invest a little bit of themselves each week in this campaign.

        Because we all know that this isn’t about one extraordinary man.  It never was.  Although I’ll admit my husband is awesome.  (Applause.)  But it has never been about him.  It has always been about us -- all of us.  All of us coming together for the values we believe in, and the country we want to be.  (Applause.)  The country we want to be.  

        And I’m not going to kid you -- this journey is going to be long.  It is going to be hard, I can guarantee you, and there will be plenty of twists and turns along the way.  But the truth is, and what we have to remember, is that’s how change always happens in this country.  That’s how it works. 

        The reality is that change -- real change -- is slow, and it never happens all at once, never does.  But if we keep showing up, if we keep fighting the good fight, then eventually we get there.  We always have, we always will.  Maybe not in our lifetimes, but maybe in our children’s lifetimes, maybe in our grandchildren’s lifetimes.  Because in the end, that’s what this is all about.  Remember those girls? 

        In the end, we are not fighting these battles for ourselves.  Like so many who came before us and fought for us to be right here, we are fighting them for our sons and our daughters; for our grandsons and our granddaughters.  We’re fighting for the world we want to leave for them -- for them.  That's what's at stake.  That’s why I'm here.

        So let me tell you something -- it is time for us to get moving.  It's time for us to get to work.  So let me ask you one last question -- are you in? 

        AUDIENCE:  Yes!  (Applause.)

        MRS. OBAMA:  I can't hear that, are you in?

        AUDIENCE:  Yes!

        MRS. OBAMA:  You have to be really in!  (Applause.)  I am so in.  I am so fired up.  We have a vision, and it's a vision we share.  And we can come together and work hard and bring this home and get back to the business of giving our children the country that we know we want them to have.

        Thank you all so much.  We're going to work hard.  God bless you.  (Applause.)

END 2:11 P.M. CDT

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
April 24, 2012

Remarks by the First Lady at Girls Inc. of Omaha Event

Century Link Center
Omaha, Nebraska


12:31 P.M. CDT


MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, wow.  Thank you all so much.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you so much.  Rest yourselves.  Oh, I am so thrilled to be here with all of you today.  You cannot imagine.  And look at this room.  You all are amazing.  I want to start by thanking Chanecia for that very sweet introduction.  And first of all, you are absolutely right -- I have to meet Malia and Sasha’s boyfriends -- (laughter) -- before there’s any of that happening.  And there’s a lot of discipline going on in our house as well.  But let’s give Chanecia a round of applause.  She was just amazing.  (Applause.)

I also want to recognize a few people.  I know that Mayor Suttle is here, and I wanted to say hello from afar; as well as Warren Buffett and his wife Astrid; and your wonderful executive director here at Girls Inc., Roberta Wilhelm.  Absolutely.  Yay!  (Applause.)  

And, of course, I have to give a huge thank you to Susie Buffett.  (Applause.)  Yes.  Susie, your leadership here at Girls Inc., as well as your outstanding work to support our public schools, to invest in early childhood education, and to address issues like poverty and global women’s health, that has inspired us all.  And we are so incredibly grateful for everything that you do for Girls Inc., for the Omaha community, and for our country.  Yes, indeed.  (Applause.) 

And I also want to give a special shout-out to all of the young ladies that are joining us here at this luncheon -- because I want them to know that they are the reason that we’re here today.  I am -- absolutely.  (Applause.)  I want you all to know that I am so proud of the work that you’re doing, working to get active and to eat healthy -- and from the looks of the video that you showed, it seems like you all are having a little fun while doing it, too.  

And finally, I want to thank all of the rest of you here today -- all of the supporters, the volunteers and the staff of Girls Inc.  Every day, because of all of you, girls all across this city are imagining new possibilities for themselves.  You all are providing a safe environment for them to dance and to play, to read and to think, and just have fun and be themselves.  You’re helping them build the relationships they’ll need to thrive -- connections with peers who understand, with adults who listen and offer encouragement, with role models who provide a real-life example of what is possible.

You’re showing these girls that being smart, strong, and bold isn’t just about getting good grades or staying out of trouble.  It also means being a good friend, a good sister or daughter, a good citizen.  It means taking care of your body by getting active and eating the right foods.  It means giving back to your community and getting engaged with people all around you. 

And every day, all of you are opening up new worlds to these girls.  Because of you, they are doing things they probably never would have been able to do.  They’re exploring museums, going to the theater.  They’re traveling all over the country.  They’re learning to read.  They’re learning to balance a checkbook, to change the oil in their car.  They’re even designing robots.

So with all of your activities and programs, more importantly, with all of the love and support that you pour into these girls, you’re not simply giving them something to do -- you’re giving them something to be.  Maybe it’s a scientist, or a teacher.  Yes, we got a few scientists in the room.  Right on!  (Laughter and applause.)  Or a teacher, or a businesswoman.  Maybe it’s being a good student, or class president, or a great teammate.  Whatever it is, you’re showing them that they can be anything they dream of, as long as they stay true to who they are. 

And we all know how important that is for young women. 
We know how much pressure there is on our girls to fit in.  And we know how many negative messages and images and stereotypes are out there about how they should look, how they should act. 

But we also know what it takes for girls to rise above all that.  It is possible.  It takes supportive communities.  It takes caring mentors, and safe places where they can learn and grow, and just be themselves for a while.

I mean, I’ve seen this in my own life.  Growing up, my family didn’t have a lot of money.  My parents never had the chance to go to college themselves.  But they were determined to see me and my brother get a good education.  So they did what so many parents are doing out there:  They worked, they saved, and they sacrificed everything.  They pushed me to get my homework done, and they encouraged me to pursue the things that I loved.  And no matter what was going on in our lives, it was always, always clear to me that my parents truly believed in me, and they believed in who I could become.  It was always clear to me that my mom and dad were always in my corner.  My mom still is.  Who else would move to the White House?  (Laughter.)  Now, that’s love.   

And because they told me that I was just as smart and as capable as anybody else, I started to believe it.  Right?  I started to believe it.  It became a part of who I was. 

And that’s exactly what you’re doing here at Girls Inc.  Every single day, you’re giving girls the confidence they need to believe in themselves.  They’re young girls like Fatuma, from right here in Omaha, who I just met.  She was just seven years old, I understand, when she started coming to Girls Inc. almost three years ago.  And I understand she didn’t speak a word of English.  But through the Girls Inc. literacy program, she learned to read and speak so well that when she started school, the school’s English as a Second Language program just a year later, they told her that she was too advanced.  (Applause.)  Absolutely.

Then there are young women like Denai, who started coming to Girls Inc. here in Omaha when she was five years old.  She dreamed of being a pediatrician.  And today, I understand, she’s a freshman at UNL; she’s studying biology and pre-med.  I also understand that a couple weeks ago, she was one of just two students at the university who was guaranteed a spot in the medicine program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center when she graduates.  (Applause.)  Yes, indeed.

And stories like these are happening not just here in Omaha, but all across the country.  I’m thinking of a young woman named Bianca who goes to school in Washington, D.C.  Now, Bianca grew up in Dallas.  She lost her mom when she was just two years old, and she often had to step up to help her dad raise her two siblings.  And they sometimes struggled to pay the bills, and at one point, Bianca and her family lived in a homeless shelter.  But Girls Inc. gave her a place to just be a girl and pursue her interest in math and science.  She went on to Howard University to study chemical engineering.  She has volunteered in Kenya and the Sudan.  She’s had internships with the Department of Defense and Carnegie Mellon University.  And today, she is speaking on a panel at the White House to encourage other young women to pursue their passion for science and technology.  (Applause.)

And here’s what she says -- these are her words -- she says, "Without Girls Inc., I would never have had these opportunities.  I wouldn’t be ready to go on and change the world."

That’s why all of us are here today.  That’s why I am so proud to be the Honorary Board Chair of Girls Inc. -- because I know that these girls will go on to change our world.  They absolutely will.  I know they will become the doctors and scientists who might one day cure cancer or find new ways to bring clean water to the developing world.  They’ll become the entrepreneurs who will lead the industries of tomorrow.  And they will become the teachers and professors who will inspire the next generation of leaders.

It couldn’t be more clear.  The success of our economy and the success of our country is directly tied to the success of women.  (Applause.)  Today, women make up nearly 50 percent of our workforce.  They own nearly 30 percent of our small businesses.  They’re the majority of students in our college and graduate schools.  And a growing number of women are their family’s breadwinners.  So this isn’t just about lifting up girls.  This is about lifting up America. 

Now, more than ever before, our families, businesses -- absolutely -- (applause.)  Now more than ever.  And our communities, they depend on smart, strong, and bold women to lead the way.  So we simply cannot afford to miss out on even one young woman’s potential -- can’t afford it.  If the talent of one girl goes unrecognized, if one girl’s dreams go unrealized, if one girl is denied opportunities for reasons that have nothing to do with her talent or character or work ethic, then we all miss out.  We are all diminished. 

That’s why it’s up to every single one of us to life up these girls.  We all have a role to play in helping them fulfill their potential and pursue their dreams.  And that’s something that you all have recognized here in Omaha for the past 37 years. 

Back then, it was just six girls coming together in a church basement.  Wow.  Today, you have thousands of girls participating in all sorts of outreach activities.  And with each one of those girls, you’re living out the words of one of my predecessors, Lady Bird Johnson.  And as she said, "Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them."  Right?

So I want to thank you all for proving that truth every single day.  Thank you for believing in these girls, girls like me.  Thank you for helping them believe in themselves.  And thank you for loving them and supporting them every step of the way.

And finally, I’d like to end with a special message to all of the girls here.  Are you all listening?  Girls, are you listening?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  Okay.  Now, I know that all of you have a lot going on in your lives.  And I know how hard you all are working at school.  It’s hard work, right?  I know how many responsibilities that you’re taking on at home.  And I know that it’s not always easy.  I also know that you might run into folks who doubt you, right?  People who might dismiss you.  Say you’re not ready, you’re not good enough, right?  Or you might feel like doors are closed to you because of who you are or where you come from. 

But I am here today, I came here specifically, to ask you to just keep on working.  You guys hear me?  I want you all to keep working.  Keep on achieving.  Just keep on using everything you’ve learned at Girls Inc. to pursue your dreams.  Don’t waste any of it.

Because what you need to understand is what you’re getting at Girls Inc. -- the skills you’re learning, the talents you’re developing, the people you meet -- in the end, that is what matters.  That’s all that matters.  And know that no one can ever take that away from you.  You hear me?  And while you’re smart, strong and bold now -- you are, right? -- I know that you’re going to keep getting even smarter and even stronger and even bolder every single day.  You going to do that for me?

AUDIENCE:  Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  So that is why I am proud of all of you.  That’s why I am so hopeful.  (Applause.)  And that is why I am hopeful about our country’s future.  Because when we think about the promise of America, I’m thinking about girls like all of you.  So keep on working.  Keep that passion and that spirit that makes you who you are.  And keep on believing in yourselves because I certainly do.  And everyone in this room believes in you.  And we can’t wait to see what you’ll do with your lives in the years ahead.

Love you all.  Thank you.  God bless.  (Applause.)

MS. CHOICE:  And now, a few of the Girls Inc. members have a few questions for First Lady Obama.

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, scary.  Oh, you’re there. 

Q    My name is Elijiana Parker (ph) and I’m 13 years old.  What are some words of advice that you would have for a girl who wants to be in the position that you hold now?  (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA:  Good question.  Well, some of it I said at the end of the speech.  Some of it is, first of all, keep believing in yourself.  And that seems simple, right?  That seems like simple advice, but it can be hard at times.  But one of the things that I tell my girls is that you have to practice who you want to be every single day.  You have to practice that every single day.  (Applause.)  So you can’t wake up in 20 years and expect to be a disciplined person, a good friend, someone who treats others with respect, someone who’s reliable.  You don’t wake up and become that person.  You practice it every single day with every interaction that you have.  You apply everything you have to it, like you’re fighting for every last bit of it, right? 

So who you are today really does matter -- what kind of student you are.  Are you putting your best efforts into your school work?  Are you trying new things?  Are you treating others with the kind of respect you want back?  Are you informed and engaged in the world?  Do you know how to have fun?  Do you know how to laugh at yourself?  Do you know how to take a punch and get up?

I mean, I tell my kids every day, it’s easy to get the A.  You don’t have to react when you get the A -- that’s easy.  The question is, what happens when you get the D or the C?  How do you respond?  Do you shrivel up, or do you get back up and figure out how to improve?  That’s resilience.  But you’ve got to practice that.

So who you all are today, what you’re doing today, how you relate to people -- that matters.  So think about that.  And don’t be afraid to dream big.  You have to see yourself in a place.  You have to be able to see yourself as that scientist, as the next President of the United States.  You can be First Lady if you want to, but there’s also the presidency.  (Laughter and applause.)

Q    My name is Aviera Pittman, I am 12 years old.  Do you believe you are strong, smart and bold, and why?

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh.  (Laughter.)  Yes, absolutely, right?  I’m strong, smart and bold.  (Applause.)  You know, I shared that story -- I think I believed in it because others believed in it.  I had a mom and dad who had high expectations that were accompanied with a lot of unconditional love and support. 

And when you’ve got people in your ear telling you that you’re wonderful, you start believing it.  And that’s why what you have here at Girls Inc. is so important.  Believe what people are saying about you.  Believe that.  Take in that good energy.  Own it.  Hug it.  Accept it.  All the good things you hear, the positive messages -- take those.  Put the negative things aside, because that’s always going to be there.  There’s always going to be -- what do we call it, girls?  There’s always going to be haters out there?  (Laughter.)  Don’t focus on that. 

Focus on the people in your life who give you positive reinforcement.  And it doesn’t have to be a parent.  It can be anybody.  I was lucky enough to have parents, but I also had some great teachers and mentors and people in my life that I would pull them in if I got some good energy, I’d just keep pulling on it.  So gravitate to the positive.  Stay away from the haters, okay?  (Laughter and applause.)

Q    My name is Aria Renee Green (ph), I am nine years old.  Why do you eat your meals from your very own garden?

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, it’s a good question.  Because they are so delicious.  (Laughter.)  No, seriously.  Because one of the reasons we planted the garden was to begin a conversation about healthy eating and how to get kids to put more vegetables in their diets. 

And one of the things that I learned with my kids was that when food was grown fresh, if you got it from your garden or from a farmer’s market or from a fresh produce section, it tastes better.  So it tastes pretty good. 

And I wanted to pass on those messages to all kids in this country.  I didn’t just want my girls to grow up healthy.  I want all of our girls to grow up healthy.  So we have to have this conversation about good health.  We want to make sure you understand what you’re learning here at Girls Inc. -- that it’s not just important what goes into your head, but you have to take care of your entire body and nourish it, and treat it as the temple that it is.  You’ve got to put good stuff in there.  And you’ve got to move it.  You got to build up your muscles.  (Applause.) 

Thank you, sweetie.

All right, I think that’s it.  I’m going to come down and shake some hands, okay?  You all right?  Thank you all.

END
12:52 P.M. CDT

 

From the Archives: The Obamas Visit Yellowstone National Park

Colleen Curtis
Colleen Curtis
April 23, 2012
11:11 AM EST

In the summer of 2009, President Obama took his family to Yellowstone National Park. The President had first visited the park on a summer-long cross country trip he took as a young boy with his mother, grandmother and sister, who joined him this time as well. Take a look and see for yourself why he remembers his days in Yellowstone of the highlight of that vacation.

 

Check out the extended version of this video

Related Topics: Energy and Environment, Inside the White House

On Board with the First Lady: Michelle Obama Celebrates One Year of Joining Forces

Colleen Curtis
Colleen Curtis
April 19, 2012
11:25 AM EST

 

Go behind the scenes as First Lady Michelle Obama travels from Washington DC to Philadelphia, New York City, Shreveport and Jacksonville to honor our servicemen and women and their families. Join us on set at the Colbert Report, on stage with Ellen DeGeneris and on the ground with thousands of nurses and meet the 50,000 person to get a job through the Joining Forces hiring initiatives.

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Related Topics: Defense

Travels with the First Lady: Joining Forces Anniversary

April 19, 2012 | 5:12 | Public Domain

Welcome On Board with the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama. The First Lady hit the road to mark the one year anniversary of Joining Forces, the nationwide intiative that she started with Second Lady and military mom Dr. Jill Biden. During the trip to highlight the progress the Joining Forces intiative has made in mobilizing communities to come together and provide Business, Education, and Health and Wellness opportunities to veterans and military families, The First Lady honored the Joining Forces Community Challenge winners, announced a new partnership to train 3 million nurses, stopped by The Colbert Report, celebrated the Joining Forces 50,000th hire and was joined by Ellen DeGeneres at an event honoring and recognizing the high school children of service members. http://www.joiningforces.gov

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