Michelle Obama Encourages Students to Take Risks in Their Education

First lady Michelle Obama encouraged high school students to take their education seriously, challenge themselves, and to take risks and pursue their passions during her visit to with the first lady of the Republic of Korea, Kim Yoon-ok, on Thursday morning.

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“Good education is about so much more than just learning geometry or memorizing dates in history. All of that is important, but an education is also about exploring new things—discovering what makes you come alive, and then being your best at whatever you choose.” said Obama. “I want you to discover something that you love to do, and then become the best that you can be. Do not be afraid to work hard, to make a real investment in it—because that’s how real learning, real fulfillment and real joy happens.”

Obama, who is mother to daughters Malia, 12, and Sasha, 9, told the students to listen to their parents and teachers when they encourage them in their education, but also told them not to be afraid to push their boundaries.

“My greatest wish for each of you is to take your education seriously and challenge yourselves. Explore new classes, audition for the school play, write for your school paper, take some risks. Try something new and when you find something you like, then invest in it. Push yourself and commit to your own success,” Obama said.

The first lady used President Lee of the Republic of Korea and President Barack Obama’s journey to their respective offices as examples of how hard work, passion, and perseverance pays off. “Those lessons hold true no matter how much money your parents have, no matter what you look like, whether you were born in the United States, South Korea, or anywhere else in the world, just look at the story of the presidents of our two nations,” said Obama.

Both Obama and Kim sat in the audience during performances from the World Children's Choir, the Annandale High School Ethiopian Folk Dancers, and Grammy Award-nominated artist Jennifer Koh, who virtually silenced the packed assembly at AHS with her violin. Koh's mother escaped North Korea, was a refugee in Seoul and met her husband there before moving to the United States. Koh was born in Illinois.

“The performance was outstanding, but I was all the more impressed that I could feel the genuine passion of the students,” Kim said during her remarks, which were translated into English for the audience. “I hope all of the students here and in Korea will be able to live a life that is full of dreams and passion,” said Kim.

AHS students, particularly Korean-Americans, said they were excited about the visit and honored that the two first ladies had chosen their high school.

Daniel Park, a 16-year-old senior, was born in the United States to Korean parents. When he told his parents of the upcoming visit by the first ladies, he said, they were especially excited he would be able to see Korean first Lady Kim Yoon-ok. “And that’s understandable, since they were born there,” he said. “It’s a huge honor.”

Park said he was more impressed by the context of the speeches than the content, which he found to be fairly generic. “There’s a lot of connotation that Annandale doesn’t get the spotlight, and Annandale’s not well-known,” he said. “So to see the First Lady of America and South Korea come to Annandale, and greet each other as friends, and hugging each other, and the gestures, the context is a lot more important to me, because I keep reading about the strained relationship between the U.S. and Korea, and North Korea. … It was just very reassuring to me as a Korean-American.”

Senior Jiyeong Park, 18, was born in South Korea and moved to the United States in 2006. Seeing both first ladies at the same time was “a huge experience” for her, she said.

Michelle Burnett, a 15-year-old sophomore, called it was a great experience to hear Obama speak. “Whenever she said always try your hardest, and never give up, and find something you’re good at, it really made me think about what I want to do, and work hard.”

Junior Elizabeth Waugh, 16, called the joint visit “a huge boost for our community and Annandale's reputation.”

“It's showing we're not just another high school,” she said. “We have students from 90 countries. We speak over 50 different languages. We're very educated on different countries as a whole. 

AHS student Annie Curran, 17, said the visit was an amazing experience. “Just the fact that we get to see the First Lady, regardless of your political affiliation – it's once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she said. “… It's also good to call attention to Annandale High School and what we have to offer and how our diversity is really our strength."