第一篇：奧巴馬對(duì)美國(guó)中學(xué)生的演講

奧巴馬：:我們的教育我們的未來(lái)

（2009年9月8日弗吉尼亞州阿靈頓威克菲爾德高中）

大家好，大家今天都好嗎？我現(xiàn)在是和弗吉尼亞州韋柯菲爾德高中的學(xué)生在一起。全國(guó)各地的學(xué)生，從幼兒園到12年級(jí)，也都在收聽(tīng)。我很高興你們大家今天都參與了進(jìn)來(lái)。

我知道對(duì)你們中的很多人來(lái)說(shuō)，今天是開(kāi)學(xué)第一天。而對(duì)于那些在幼兒園或是剛剛開(kāi)始初中或高中生涯的你來(lái)說(shuō)，今天還是你們?cè)谛聦W(xué)校的第一天，所以你們難免會(huì)有一點(diǎn)緊張，這是很可以理解的。我還想象著今天會(huì)有一些高年級(jí)學(xué)生這會(huì)兒可能感覺(jué)挺不錯(cuò)的，因?yàn)檫€有一年就可以畢業(yè)了。不管現(xiàn)在你們上幾年級(jí)了，有些人可能希望現(xiàn)在還是夏天，今天早上可能還會(huì)有點(diǎn)不想起床。

我完全理解這種感覺(jué)。在我小的時(shí)候，我們家在印度尼西亞生活過(guò)幾年。那時(shí)候我媽媽沒(méi)有足夠的錢送我去全是美國(guó)孩子念書的學(xué)校。所以她決定自己給我額外補(bǔ)一些課，開(kāi)始于周一到周五的每天早上4:30。

起這么早我可是不怎么有愉快的心情。很多次，我就趴在廚房的桌子上睡著了。但是每一次我要抱怨的時(shí)候，我媽媽就會(huì)那樣看著我說(shuō)：“這對(duì)我來(lái)說(shuō)也不是什么享受，小家伙?！?/p>

所以我知道你們中有一些人還在調(diào)整自己重返學(xué)校。但是我今天在這里的原因是有一些重要的事情想和你們商討。我在這里是因?yàn)橄牒湍銈冋務(wù)勀銈兊膶W(xué)習(xí)，在新學(xué)年里對(duì)大家的期望。

關(guān)于教育我做了很多次演講了。而且有關(guān)責(zé)任我也談了很多。我已經(jīng)談過(guò)了你們的教師啟發(fā)你們，推動(dòng)你們學(xué)習(xí)的責(zé)任。我講過(guò)了你們的父母讓你們堅(jiān)持學(xué)習(xí)，做家庭作業(yè)，不要整天看電視，玩Xbox的責(zé)任。我講了很多政府制定高標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，支持教師和校長(zhǎng)，改善那些運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)不良以至于學(xué)生得不到應(yīng)有機(jī)會(huì)的那些學(xué)校的責(zé)任。

但是最后，我們可以有最專注的教師，最支持的父母，以及世界上最好的學(xué)校，而只有當(dāng)你們都履行了你們的責(zé)任時(shí)，這些因素才能發(fā)揮作用。只有你們到學(xué)校來(lái)上課，注意聽(tīng)老師講課，聽(tīng)父母，祖父母以及其他大人的話，努力學(xué)習(xí)，才能成功。

這就是今天我想重點(diǎn)講的主題：你們每一個(gè)人對(duì)你們的教育所負(fù)有的責(zé)任。我想先講講你們對(duì)自己的責(zé)任。

你們每一個(gè)人都有自己的擅長(zhǎng)。你們每一個(gè)人都可以貢獻(xiàn)一些東西。你們有責(zé)任自己發(fā)現(xiàn)這些究竟是什么。這是教育可以提供的機(jī)會(huì)。

可能你能夠成為一名出色的作家，可能可以寫本書或?yàn)閳?bào)紙撰稿，但是你只有在英語(yǔ)課上完成你的文章才能發(fā)現(xiàn)這一點(diǎn)。可能你會(huì)成為一名革新者或者發(fā)明家，可能你的作品可以和下一個(gè)iPhone比美，還可能研制出新的藥物或疫苗，但是只有當(dāng)你實(shí)踐科學(xué)課上的項(xiàng)目才會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)這一點(diǎn)。可能你會(huì)成為市長(zhǎng)，參議員或者最高法庭大法官，但是只有參加學(xué)生自治或辯論小組你才會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)這一點(diǎn)。

不管你將來(lái)想做什么，我保證你都需要教育才能實(shí)現(xiàn)。你想成為醫(yī)生，教師或是警官嗎？你想成為護(hù)士，建筑師，律師或是軍中的一員嗎？要想從事其中的任何一種職業(yè)，都需要接受良好的教育。不輟學(xué)完成學(xué)業(yè)才能找到一份理想的工作。你們必須為之努力，為之接受培訓(xùn)，為之學(xué)習(xí)相關(guān)的知識(shí)。

而且這不僅對(duì)你自己的生活，你自己的將來(lái)來(lái)說(shuō)是重要的。你們?cè)鯓油瓿山逃龑?huì)決定這個(gè)國(guó)家的未來(lái)。你們今天在學(xué)校學(xué)習(xí)的東西將會(huì)決定我們作為一個(gè)國(guó)家能否接受未來(lái)的挑戰(zhàn)。

你們將會(huì)需要科學(xué)和數(shù)學(xué)課上所學(xué)的知識(shí)和解決問(wèn)題的技巧來(lái)治療象癌癥和艾滋病這樣的病癥，來(lái)開(kāi)發(fā)新的能源技術(shù)，保護(hù)我們的環(huán)境。你將需要在歷史課和社會(huì)學(xué)課上所學(xué)的洞察力和批判性思考來(lái)和貧窮，無(wú)家可歸，犯罪和歧視作斗爭(zhēng)，使我們的國(guó)家變得更加公正自由。你們將會(huì)需要在所有課程中鍛煉出來(lái)的創(chuàng)造性和獨(dú)創(chuàng)性來(lái)建立新的公司，創(chuàng)造新的工作機(jī)會(huì)，推動(dòng)我們的經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展。

我們需要你們中的每一個(gè)人發(fā)展自己的聰明才智，這樣你們才能幫助我們解決最困難的一些問(wèn)題。如果你們不這樣做，如果你們輟學(xué)，你們放棄的不僅是自己的未來(lái)，還是你們國(guó)家的未來(lái)。

我知道要想在學(xué)校表現(xiàn)得好并非易事。我知道你們中很多人的生活中現(xiàn)在正面臨著挑戰(zhàn)，是你們很難集中精力于學(xué)業(yè)。

我知道，我了解這是怎樣的滋味。我父親在我兩歲的時(shí)候離開(kāi)了我的家庭，我是由作為單親母親的媽媽養(yǎng)大的，她曾經(jīng)為了生活苦苦掙扎，沒(méi)有那么多錢給我們買別的孩子通常都會(huì)有的東西。我曾經(jīng)懷念在我的生活中有父親的那段日子。我也曾經(jīng)孤獨(dú)寂寞，感到自己很難適應(yīng)。

所以有時(shí)候我可能沒(méi)能專注于學(xué)業(yè)。我做了一些令自己慚愧的事情，使自己陷入了更多的麻煩。我的生活很可能轉(zhuǎn)變得很糟糕。

但是我很幸運(yùn)。我的人生中有很多第二次機(jī)會(huì)，而又有機(jī)會(huì)上了大學(xué)，上了法學(xué)院，實(shí)現(xiàn)自己的夢(mèng)想。我的妻子，我們的第一夫人米歇爾?奧巴馬，她與我有著相似的經(jīng)歷。她的父母都沒(méi)有機(jī)會(huì)上大學(xué)，而且也不富裕。但是他們都很努力，這樣她才有機(jī)會(huì)上了美國(guó)最好的大學(xué)。

你們中的有些人可能沒(méi)有這些有利條件?？赡苣愕拈L(zhǎng)輩并沒(méi)有能給與你所需要的支持?？赡苣愕募彝ガF(xiàn)在失業(yè)了，經(jīng)濟(jì)出現(xiàn)了困頓?？赡苣憔幼〉牡貐^(qū)并不安全，或者有一些朋友強(qiáng)迫你做一些你知道是錯(cuò)誤的事情。

但是，說(shuō)到底，你生活的環(huán)境，你的外表，你的家鄉(xiāng)，你有多少錢，你埋怨家里的什么，這些都不能成為你不做家庭作業(yè)，態(tài)度消極的借口。沒(méi)有任何借口可以和老師頂撞，翹課或是輟學(xué)。這些都不能成為你沒(méi)有努力嘗試的借口。

你現(xiàn)在是什么樣子不能決定你將來(lái)會(huì)是什么樣子。沒(méi)有人能決定你的命運(yùn)。在美國(guó)，你的命運(yùn)掌握在你的手里，由你自己來(lái)書寫。

你決定自己的未來(lái)。

這就是遍布全國(guó)各地的你們，現(xiàn)在每一天正在做的事情。

德克薩斯州Roma的杰茲明?皮瑞茲（Jazmin Perez）就是你們當(dāng)中的一員。杰茲明剛開(kāi)始上學(xué)的時(shí)候不會(huì)說(shuō)英語(yǔ)。在她的故鄉(xiāng)，幾乎沒(méi)有人上過(guò)大學(xué)，她的父母也沒(méi)上過(guò)大學(xué)。但是她學(xué)習(xí)非?？炭?，成績(jī)優(yōu)秀，拿到了布朗大學(xué)的獎(jiǎng)學(xué)金，現(xiàn)在正在研究生院學(xué)習(xí)公共衛(wèi)生，將會(huì)成為杰茲明?皮瑞茲醫(yī)生。

我還想到了來(lái)自加利福尼亞州Los Altos的安東尼?斯楚茨（Andoni Schultz），他從三歲起就開(kāi)始和腦癌作斗爭(zhēng)。他經(jīng)受了各種各樣的治療和手術(shù)，其中有一次影響了他的記憶，所以他需要花更長(zhǎng)的時(shí)間來(lái)作作業(yè)，幾百個(gè)小時(shí)的額外時(shí)間。但是他的學(xué)業(yè)從來(lái)沒(méi)有落后過(guò)，今年秋季，他就要上大學(xué)了。

還有來(lái)自我的故鄉(xiāng)伊利諾斯州芝加哥的山泰爾?史蒂夫（Shantell Steve）。盡管不斷在最惡劣地區(qū)的一個(gè)收養(yǎng)家庭到另一個(gè)收養(yǎng)家庭間轉(zhuǎn)換，她還是設(shè)法在當(dāng)?shù)蒯t(yī)療中心找到了一份工作，開(kāi)創(chuàng)了一個(gè)項(xiàng)目來(lái)使年輕人 3 脫離幫會(huì)。她將要從高中榮譽(yù)畢業(yè)，去上大學(xué)。

他們?nèi)齻€(gè)人和你們都一樣。他們和你們一樣面臨著各自生活中的挑戰(zhàn)。但是他們決不會(huì)屈服。他們選擇承擔(dān)起自己在教育中的責(zé)任，樹(shù)立了自己的人生目標(biāo)。我期待你們也能和他們一樣。

這就是為什么今天，我號(hào)召你們每一個(gè)人樹(shù)立自己的教育目標(biāo)，然后盡自己最大的努力實(shí)現(xiàn)這些目標(biāo)。你們的目標(biāo)可以是一些很簡(jiǎn)單的事情，比如完成所有的作業(yè)，課堂上注意聽(tīng)講，或者每天花時(shí)間讀一本書?？赡苣銈儠?huì)決定參加課外活動(dòng)，或參加社區(qū)的自愿者活動(dòng)。或許你們會(huì)支持那些因?yàn)樽约旱纳矸莼蛲饷彩艿狡圬?fù)的孩子，因?yàn)槟銈兒臀乙粯酉嘈琶恳粋€(gè)孩子都應(yīng)該有安全的環(huán)境來(lái)看書學(xué)習(xí)?；蛟S你們決定更好的照顧自己，以便更好的學(xué)習(xí)。除此之外，我還希望你們能夠勤洗手，不舒服的時(shí)候就不要來(lái)上課，這樣我們就可以共同抵抗秋冬季節(jié)的流感。

不管你決定做什么，我都希望你能真正致力于這些事情，為之努力。我知道有些時(shí)候，你可能會(huì)從一些電視節(jié)目得到這樣的印象，我們可以不用付出很多努力就變得富有成功，你們通過(guò)成為說(shuō)唱歌手，或者籃球明星，或者現(xiàn)實(shí)電視節(jié)目明星就可以取得成功。而很可能是你們不可能成為這其中的任何一種人。

真實(shí)情況是，成功并非易事，需要付出艱苦的努力。你不會(huì)愛(ài)好每一門課程，喜歡每一位老師。并不是每一份家庭作業(yè)當(dāng)下看起來(lái)都很重要。而且你第一次嘗試做某事時(shí)，并不一定都會(huì)成功。

這些都沒(méi)有關(guān)系。世界上一些最成功的人士恰恰就是那些失敗次數(shù)最多的人。JK Rowling寫的第一部哈里波特小說(shuō)在最后終于出版之前，被拒絕了12次。邁克爾?喬丹被高中籃球隊(duì)裁掉，在職業(yè)生涯中輸了數(shù)百場(chǎng)比賽，數(shù)千次投球未中。但是他有一次說(shuō)，“我在一生中經(jīng)歷了一次又一次的失敗。這就是我成功的原因。”

這些人之所以能夠成功是因?yàn)樗麄冎啦荒茏屖∷笥遥獜氖≈袑W(xué)習(xí)到成功之道。你必須從中懂得下一次該怎樣做。如果你身陷麻煩之中，這并不意味著你是個(gè)制造麻煩的人，只是意味著你需要更加努力。如果你的成績(jī)不佳，這并不意味著你不夠聰明，只是意味著你需要在學(xué)習(xí)4 上花更多的時(shí)間。

沒(méi)有人生而知之，必須通過(guò)努力獲得。你不會(huì)第一次從事一個(gè)項(xiàng)目就能成為大學(xué)校隊(duì)成員。你不會(huì)第一次唱歌就唱準(zhǔn)所有的音符。你必須不斷地練習(xí)。學(xué)業(yè)也是同樣的道理。你可能會(huì)數(shù)遍嘗試解一道數(shù)學(xué)題，才能最后得到正確答案，或者數(shù)遍讀一段文字才能最后理解其中的含義，或者打很多遍草稿才能最后把作文上交。

不要怕問(wèn)問(wèn)題。在需要時(shí)，不要怕尋求幫助。我每天都會(huì)問(wèn)問(wèn)題，尋求幫助。尋求幫助并不是弱小的表現(xiàn)，而是力量的表現(xiàn)。這顯示了你有勇氣承認(rèn)自己不會(huì)的地方，就能學(xué)到新的知識(shí)。所以找到一位信任的長(zhǎng)輩，父母，祖父母，老師，教練或者咨詢者，讓他們幫助你來(lái)實(shí)現(xiàn)自己的目標(biāo)。

就算在苦苦奮斗，心灰意冷，好像別人都放棄了你的時(shí)候，自己也不要輕言放棄。因?yàn)槟惴艞壛俗约?，就是放棄了你們的?guó)家。

美國(guó)人可不是輕易在困難時(shí)候就放棄了的民族。美國(guó)人是永遠(yuǎn)堅(jiān)持，不斷嘗試，深深熱愛(ài)自己的祖國(guó)并為之盡自己全力的民族。

美國(guó)的歷史講述了250年前的學(xué)生坐在今天你們坐著的地方，發(fā)起了革命，建立了今天的國(guó)家。75年前的學(xué)生就坐在今天你們坐著的地方，戰(zhàn)勝了經(jīng)濟(jì)大蕭條，贏得了世界大戰(zhàn)的勝利，為公民權(quán)力而戰(zhàn)，把一位宇航員送上了月球。20年前的學(xué)生就坐在今天你們坐著的地方，創(chuàng)建了Google, Twitter和Facebook，改變了今天我們的交流方式。

所以今天，我想問(wèn)問(wèn)你們，你們的貢獻(xiàn)將會(huì)是什么？你們將會(huì)解決什么問(wèn)題？你們將會(huì)有什么探索發(fā)現(xiàn)？20年，50年，或者是100年后的總統(tǒng)會(huì)站在這里，講述你們?yōu)閲?guó)家做出的什么貢獻(xiàn)？

你們的家庭，你們的老師還有我盡我們最大的努力來(lái)確保你們得到回答這些問(wèn)題所需要的教育。我正在努力修整你們的教室，使你們得到學(xué)習(xí)需要的課本，設(shè)備和計(jì)算機(jī)。但是你們也要做好自己應(yīng)盡的職責(zé)。所以我希望你們今年能認(rèn)真思索，盡全力做好每一件事情。我希望你們每一個(gè)人都能有驕人的成績(jī)。所以不要辜負(fù)我們的期望，不要辜負(fù)你的家庭，你的國(guó)家，以及你自己的期望。讓我們都為你而自豪吧。我知道你們一定能做到。

謝謝你們，上帝保佑你們，上帝保佑美國(guó)。

奧巴馬向全美中小學(xué)生演講被批搞個(gè)人崇拜

中新網(wǎng)9月10日電 美國(guó)總統(tǒng)奧巴馬8日在弗吉尼亞州阿靈頓威克菲爾德高中首次向全美中小學(xué)生發(fā)表新學(xué)年致辭，要求青少年們珍惜時(shí)光，用功學(xué)習(xí)，為自己和國(guó)家未來(lái)?yè)?dān)負(fù)起受教育的責(zé)任。他在答問(wèn)環(huán)節(jié)又告誡大家使用社交網(wǎng)站Facebook時(shí)要小心，以免將來(lái)反受其害。雖然演說(shuō)不含政治內(nèi)容，但仍遭到反對(duì)人士的抗議，有人甚至指他在搞“個(gè)人崇拜”。

據(jù)香港《文匯報(bào)》報(bào)道，奧巴馬在弗州威克菲爾德高中的籃球場(chǎng)館，面對(duì)近千名高中生演講“我們的教育，我們的未來(lái)”，以自己的求學(xué)經(jīng)歷勉勵(lì)學(xué)生們要學(xué)會(huì)在逆境中奮發(fā)向上，“命運(yùn)和未來(lái)掌握在自己手中”，“美國(guó)的未來(lái)取決于你們”。

稱最想與甘地用餐

在演講中，奧巴馬要求學(xué)生刻苦用功、設(shè)立目標(biāo)、擔(dān)負(fù)起個(gè)人教育的責(zé)任。在答問(wèn)環(huán)節(jié)，一名學(xué)生問(wèn)他對(duì)想當(dāng)上美國(guó)總統(tǒng)的人有何忠告？奧巴馬告誡說(shuō)，要很小心貼在Facebook上的個(gè)人資料，因?yàn)槟贻p時(shí)會(huì)犯錯(cuò)，做蠢事，到長(zhǎng)大找工作時(shí)就會(huì)有人上網(wǎng)搜索你曾經(jīng)貼到網(wǎng)上的東西，“在YouTube時(shí)代，無(wú)論你做什么，將來(lái)都可能再被提起”。

在演講前，奧巴馬曾在一所學(xué)校的圖書館與40名學(xué)生交談，有學(xué)生問(wèn)他如果只能選一個(gè)人，他最想與誰(shuí)一起就餐，奧巴馬的答案是印度圣雄甘地，因?yàn)樗摹胺潜┝Φ挚埂敝鲝埣?lì)了黑人民權(quán)領(lǐng)袖馬丁路德金，并改變了世界。

被轟搞個(gè)人崇拜

奧巴馬并非第一位向?qū)W生“訓(xùn)話”的總統(tǒng)，有媒體將他的講話精神概括為“好好學(xué)習(xí)，天天向上”，這被指責(zé)為給孩子洗腦，是借機(jī)宣傳其左傾議程，超越了聯(lián)邦政府對(duì)學(xué)校管理的界限。一些學(xué)校拒絕播放演講。為了消除各方顧慮，白宮不得不于7日在網(wǎng)站提前公布了演講全文。

有保守派人士指責(zé)說(shuō)，教育部長(zhǎng)鄧肯曾致信給各校校長(zhǎng)，敦促讓學(xué)生觀看演講直播，甚至建議將“如何幫助奧巴馬”作為學(xué)生作文主題。保守派草根組織“全國(guó)茶黨聯(lián)盟”發(fā)言人萊希說(shuō)：“這是以?shī)W巴馬為中心，是搞奧巴馬崇拜”。

第二篇：美國(guó)大選奧巴馬演講全文

美國(guó)大選奧巴馬演講全文：我們需要的變革（中英對(duì)照）

奧巴馬：我們需要的變革 obama: the change we need 現(xiàn)在是美國(guó)歷史的關(guān)鍵時(shí)刻。我們面臨著大蕭條以來(lái)最為嚴(yán)重的一場(chǎng)經(jīng)濟(jì)危機(jī)：今年以來(lái)已經(jīng)有76萬(wàn)人失業(yè)；企業(yè)和家庭無(wú)法獲得信貸；房?jī)r(jià)不斷下滑，養(yǎng)老金日益縮水；工資降到了十年來(lái)的最低水平，同時(shí)醫(yī)療和教育成本卻漲到了有史以來(lái)的最高點(diǎn)。this is a defining moment in our history.we face the worst economic crisis since the great depression--760,000 workers have lost their jobs this year.businesses and families can’t get credit.home values are falling, and pensions are disappearing.wages are lower than they’ve been in a decade, at a time when the costs of health care and college have never been higher.在眼下這樣的危急時(shí)刻，我們承受不起又一個(gè)四年的支出增長(zhǎng)、千瘡百孔的減稅措施、或是監(jiān)管全無(wú)──即使是美國(guó)聯(lián)邦儲(chǔ)備委員會(huì)(fed)前主席格林斯潘(alan greenspan)現(xiàn)在也承認(rèn)那是個(gè)錯(cuò)誤。美國(guó)需要一個(gè)新的方向。這也正是我競(jìng)選美國(guó)總統(tǒng)的原因所在。

at a moment like this, we can’t afford four more years of spending increases, poorly designed tax cuts, or the complete lack of regulatory oversight that even former federal reserve chairman alan greenspan now believes was a mistake.america needs a new direction.that’s why i’m running for president of the united states.明天，也就是周二，你們將有能力賦予這個(gè)國(guó)家我們所需要的變革。tomorrow, you can give this country the change we need.我的競(jìng)選對(duì)手麥凱恩參議員為美國(guó)作出的貢獻(xiàn)令人尊敬。他甚至可以指出他過(guò)去曾有幾次與自己的黨派分道揚(yáng)鑣。然而，在過(guò)去八年中，他十之八九都贊同布什總統(tǒng)的主張。而在經(jīng)濟(jì)問(wèn)題上，他仍然無(wú)法向美國(guó)民眾說(shuō)明，他與布什的做法會(huì)有什么太大區(qū)別。

my opponent, senator mccain, has served his country honorably.he can even point to a few moments in the past where he has broken from his party.but over the past eight years, he’s voted with president bush 90% of the time.and when it comes to the economy, he still can’t tell the american people one major thing he’d do differently from george bush.如果提出的稅收計(jì)劃沒(méi)有讓1億多美國(guó)中產(chǎn)階級(jí)獲得一分錢的稅項(xiàng)減免，這不是變革──即使是《國(guó)家評(píng)論》(national review)雜志和其他保守派組織也抱怨說(shuō)，這個(gè)計(jì)劃對(duì)造福中產(chǎn)階級(jí)貢獻(xiàn)寥寥。在近年來(lái)不斷累積的財(cái)政赤字上再添5萬(wàn)億美元，這不是變革。如果解決房市危機(jī)的計(jì)劃又將另外3,000億美元納稅人的錢置于風(fēng)險(xiǎn)之中，這不是變革──《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》編輯委員會(huì)稱這一計(jì)劃“產(chǎn)生的問(wèn)題比解決的問(wèn)題多”。

it’s not change to come up with a tax plan that doesn’t give a penny of relief to more than 100 million middle-class americans--a plan that even the national review and other conservative organizations complain does far too little to benefit the middle class.it’s not change to add more than $5 trillion to the deficits we’ve run up in recent years.it’s not change to come up with a plan to address our housing crisis that puts another $300 billion of taxpayer money at risk--a plan that the editorial board of this newspaper said ’raises more questions than it answers.’ 如果說(shuō)我們從此次經(jīng)濟(jì)危機(jī)中學(xué)到了什么的話，那就是我們要患難與共。從首席執(zhí)行長(zhǎng)到公司股東，從金融家到工廠工人，我們每個(gè)人都休戚相關(guān)，因?yàn)槊绹?guó)的民眾越富足，美國(guó)才會(huì)越繁榮。

if there’s one thing we’ve learned from this economic crisis, it’s that we are all in this together.from ceos to shareholders, from financiers to factory workers, we all have a stake in each other’s success BECause the more americans prosper, the more america prospers.這就是為什么我們有些企業(yè)巨頭把提高員工薪酬作為自己的一項(xiàng)使命，讓員工能買得起自己生產(chǎn)的產(chǎn)品，比如巴菲特(warren buffett)這樣的商界人士。我對(duì)能有他的支持感到自豪。這就是為什么美國(guó)經(jīng)濟(jì)不僅是世界上最偉大的財(cái)富創(chuàng)造者，也是世界上最偉大的就業(yè)機(jī)會(huì)制造者。它一直托舉著有史以來(lái)規(guī)模最大的中產(chǎn)階級(jí)之舟。

that’s why we’ve had titans of industry who’ve made it their mission to pay well enough that their employees could afford the products they made--businessmen like warren buffett, whose support i’m proud to have.that’s why our economy hasn’t just been the world’s greatest wealth creator--it’s been the world’s greatest job generator.it’s been the tide that has lifted the boats of the largest middle class in history.為了重塑美國(guó)中產(chǎn)階級(jí)，我將給予95%的工人及其家庭稅收減免待遇。如果你工作，就交稅；如果年收入不足20萬(wàn)美元，你會(huì)獲得減稅；即使你的年收入超過(guò)了25萬(wàn)美元，你所負(fù)擔(dān)的稅率也比上世紀(jì)九十年代要低──資本利得稅和股息稅要比里根總統(tǒng)時(shí)期低三分之一。

to rebuild that middle class, i’ll give a tax break to 95% of workers and their families.if you work, pay taxes, and make less than $200,000, you’ll get a tax cut.if you make more than $250,000, you’ll still pay taxes at a lower rate than in the 1990s--and capital gains and dividend taxes one-third lower than they were under president reagan.通過(guò)重建日益破敗的基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施、在美國(guó)的各個(gè)角落接通寬帶，我們將創(chuàng)造200萬(wàn)個(gè)就業(yè)崗位。未來(lái)的十年中，我將每年在可再生能源領(lǐng)域投資150億美元，進(jìn)而新增500萬(wàn)個(gè)崗位；這些工作環(huán)保、薪酬豐厚、不能外包，而且能幫助我們擺脫對(duì)中東石油的依賴。

we’ll create two million new jobs by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure and laying broadband lines that reach every corner of the country.i’ll invest $15 billion a year over the next decade in renewable energy, creating five million new, green jobs that pay well, can’t be outsourced, and can help end our dependence on middle east oil.在醫(yī)療問(wèn)題上，我們不必在政府運(yùn)營(yíng)的體系和目前這種我們難以負(fù)擔(dān)的體系之間進(jìn)行選擇。我的競(jìng)選對(duì)手提出的方案會(huì)令美國(guó)人有史以來(lái)首次為自己獲得的醫(yī)療福利納稅。我的計(jì)劃則會(huì)讓醫(yī)療保健成為每個(gè)美國(guó)人都負(fù)擔(dān)得起、享受得到的服務(wù)。根據(jù)我的計(jì)劃，如果你已經(jīng)有了醫(yī)療保險(xiǎn)，你將看到的唯一一個(gè)變化是保費(fèi)降低；如果你還沒(méi)有醫(yī)療保險(xiǎn)，你將能與國(guó)會(huì)議員們享受到同樣的醫(yī)療福利。when it comes to health care, we don’t have to choose between a government-run system and the unaffordable one we have now.my opponent’s plan would make you pay taxes on your health-care benefits for the first time in history.my plan will make health care affordable and accessible for every american.if you already have health insurance, the only change you’ll see under my plan is lower premiums.if you don’t, you’ll be able to get the same kind of plan that members of congress get for themselves.為了讓每個(gè)孩子享受到世界級(jí)的教育，讓他們能在全球經(jīng)濟(jì)中競(jìng)爭(zhēng)21世紀(jì)的工作崗位，我將投資早期教育，并且增加師資力量。不過(guò)，我同時(shí)也會(huì)要求更高的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)和更多的責(zé)任。我們向每個(gè)美國(guó)年輕人作出承諾：如果你致力于服務(wù)你的社區(qū)或是你的國(guó)家，我們將確保你能負(fù)擔(dān)得起自己的學(xué)費(fèi)。

to give every child a world-class education so they can compete in this global economy for the jobs of the 21st century, i’ll invest in early childhood education and recruit an army of new teachers.but i’ll also demand higher standards and more accountability.and we’ll make a deal with every young american: if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford your tuition.在國(guó)防安全問(wèn)題上，我將負(fù)責(zé)任地結(jié)束伊拉克戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)，這樣我們就不必在這個(gè)國(guó)家享有巨額財(cái)政盈余的情況下每月卻要在那里花費(fèi)100億美元。為了美國(guó)的經(jīng)濟(jì)、美國(guó)的軍隊(duì)和伊拉克的長(zhǎng)期穩(wěn)定，現(xiàn)在是伊拉克人站出來(lái)的時(shí)候了。我將最終完成對(duì)本·拉登(bin laden)和基地組織恐怖分子的打擊，正是這些人制造了9/11恐怖襲擊，同時(shí)我還會(huì)建立新的合作關(guān)系、擊退21世紀(jì)出現(xiàn)的威脅，恢復(fù)我們的道德威望，讓美國(guó)仍然是地球上最后也是最好的希望。

and when it comes to keeping this country safe, i’ll end the iraq war responsibly so we stop spending $10 billion a month in iraq while it sits on a huge surplus.for the sake of our economy, our military and the long-term stability of iraq, it’s time for the iraqis to step up.i’ll finally finish the fight against bin laden and the al qaeda terrorists who attacked us on 9/11, build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century, and restore our moral standing so that america remains the last, best hope of earth.這些事情沒(méi)有一件是輕而易舉能辦到的，也不是一朝一夕能完成的。但是，我堅(jiān)信我們能成功，因?yàn)槲覍?duì)美國(guó)深信不疑。是美國(guó)使我們的父輩相信，即使他們自己無(wú)法上大學(xué)，也可以每周積攢下一些錢來(lái)，讓他們的孩子接受好的教育；即使他們不能擁有自己的企業(yè)，也可以通過(guò)努力工作讓自己的孩子創(chuàng)辦企業(yè)。在美國(guó)歷史的每個(gè)時(shí)刻，我們都勇敢地站起來(lái)面對(duì)挑戰(zhàn)，因?yàn)槲覀儚膩?lái)沒(méi)有忘記過(guò)這樣一個(gè)基本真理：在美國(guó)，我們的命運(yùn)并非天定，而是掌握在我們自己的手中。none of this will be easy.it won’t happen overnight.but i believe we can do this because i believe in america.this is the country that allowed our parents and grandparents to believe that even if they couldn’t go to college, they could save a little bit each week so their child could;that even if they couldn’t have their own business, they could work hard enough so their child could open one of their own.and at every moment in our history, we’ve risen to meet our challenges because we’ve never forgotten the fundamental truth that in america, our destiny is not written for us, but by us.所以，明天，我懇請(qǐng)你們書寫美國(guó)下一個(gè)偉大的篇章。我懇請(qǐng)你們不只相信我?guī)?lái)變革的能力，還有你們自己的能力。明天，你們可以選擇這樣一種政策──向美國(guó)中產(chǎn)階級(jí)進(jìn)行投入、創(chuàng)造新的就業(yè)崗位、實(shí)現(xiàn)經(jīng)濟(jì)增長(zhǎng)讓人人都有成功的機(jī)會(huì)。你們可以選擇希望而非恐懼、選擇團(tuán)結(jié)而非分裂、選擇變革的希望而非墨守成規(guī)。如果你們投我的票，我們將不僅贏得此次競(jìng)選，還將一起改變這個(gè)國(guó)家、改變這個(gè)世界。

so tomorrow, i ask you to write our nation’s next great chapter.i ask you to believe--not just in my ability to bring about change, but in yours.tomorrow, you can choose policies that invest in our middle class, create new jobs, and grow this economy so that everyone has a chance to succeed.you can choose hope over fear, unity over division, the promise of change over the power of the status quo.if you give me your vote, we won’t just win this election--together, we will change this country and change the world.

第三篇：奧巴馬對(duì)大學(xué)生演講

OBAMA:I'm here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia.And we've got students tuning in from all across America, kindergarten through 12th grade.I'm glad you all could join us today.I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school.And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it's your first day in a new school, so it's understandable if you're a little nervous.I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go.And no matter what grade you're in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer and you could've stayed in bed just a

little longer this morning.I know that feeling.When I was young, my family lived in Indonesia for a few years, and my mother didn't have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school.So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday--at 4:30 in the morning.Now I wasn't too happy about getting up that early.A lot of times, I'd fall asleep right there at the kitchen table.But whenever I'd complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and say, “This is no picnic for me either，buster.”

So I know some of you are still adjusting to being back at school.But I'm here today because I have something important to discuss with you.I'm here because I want to talk with you about your education and what's expected of all of you in this new school year.Now I've given a lot of speeches about education.And I've talked a lot about responsibility.I've talked about your teachers' responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.I've talked about your parents' responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don't spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with

that Xbox.I've talked a lot about your government's responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren't working where students aren't getting the opportunities they deserve.But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities.Unless you show up to those schools;pay attention to those teachers;listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults;and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.And that's what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education.I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.Every single one of you has something you're good at.Every single one of you has something to offer.And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is.That's the opportunity an education can provide.Maybe you could be a good writer--maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper--but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class.Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor--maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine--but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class.Maybe you could be a mayor or a senator or a Supreme Court justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.And no matter what you want to do with your life--I guarantee that you'll need an education to do it.You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You're going to need a good education for every single one of those careers.You can't drop out of school and just drop into a good job.You've got to work for it and

train for it and learn for it.And this isn't just important for your own life and your own future.What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country.What you're learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.You'll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment.You'll need the insights and critical thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free.You'll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost

our economy.We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems.If you don't do that--if you quit on school--you're not just quitting on yourself, you're quitting on your

country.Now I know it's not always easy to do well in school.I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.I get it.I know what that's like.My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn't always able to give us things the other kids had.There were times when I missed having a father in my life.There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn't fit in.So I wasn't always as focused as I should have been.I did some things I'm not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have.And my life could have easily taken a turn for

the worse.But I was fortunate.I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams.My wife, our first lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story.Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn't have much.But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in

this country.Some of you might not have those advantages.Maybe you don't have adults in your life who give you the support that you need.Maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there's not enough money to go around.Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don't feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know

aren't right.But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life--what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you've got going on at home--that's no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude.That's no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school.That's

no excuse for not trying.Where you are right now doesn't have to determine where you'll end up.No one's written your destiny for you.Here in America, you write your own destiny.You make your own

future.That's what young people like you are doing every day, all

across America.Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas.Jazmin didn't speak English when she first started school.Hardly anyone in her hometown went to college, and neither of her parents had gone either.But she worked hard, earned good grades, got a scholarship to Brown University, and is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to being Dr.Jazmin Perez.I'm thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who's fought brain cancer since he was three.He's endured all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer--hundreds of extra hours--to do his schoolwork.But he never fell behind, and he's headed to college this fall.And then there's Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois.Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods, she managed to get a job at a local health center;start a program to keep young people out of gangs;and she's on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.Jazmin, Andoni and Shantell aren't any different from any of you.They faced challenges in their lives just like you do.But they refused to give up.They chose to take responsibility for their education and set goals for themselves.And I expect all of you to do the same.That's why today, I'm calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education--and to do everything you can to meet them.Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending time each day reading a book.Maybe you'll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community.Maybe you'll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn.Maybe you'll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn.And along those lines, I hope you'll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don't feel well, so we can keep people from getting the

flu this fall and winter.Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it.I want you to really work at it.I know that sometimes, you get the sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work--that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, you're not going

to be any of those things.But the truth is, being successful is hard.You won't love every subject you study.You won't click with every teacher.Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute.And you won't necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.That's OK.Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who've had the most failures.JK Rowling's first Harry Potter book was rejected twelve times before it was finally published.Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career.But he once said, “I have failed over and over and over again in my life.And that is why I succeed.”

These people succeeded because they understand that you can't let your failures define you--you have to let them teach you.You have to let them show you what to do differently next time.If you get in trouble, that doesn't mean you're a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to behave.If you get a bad grade, that doesn't mean you're stupid, it just means you need to spend more time

studying.No one's born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work.You're not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport.You don't hit every note the first time you sing a song.You've got to practice.It's the same with your schoolwork.You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right, or read something a few times before you understand it, or do a few drafts of a paper before it's good enough to hand in.Don't be afraid to ask questions.Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it.I do that every day.Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength.It shows you have the courage to admit when you don't know something, and to learn something new.So find an adult you trust--a parent, grandparent or teacher;a coach or counselor--and ask them to help you stay on track to

meet your goals.And even when you're struggling, even when you're discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you--don't ever give up on yourself.Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.The story of America isn't about people who quit when things got tough.It's about people who kept going, who tried harder, and who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.It's the story of students, who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation.Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war;who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon.Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google, Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.So today, I want to ask you, what's your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?

Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions.I'm working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn.But you've got to do your part too.So I expect you to get serious this year.I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do.I expect great things from each of you.So don't let us down--don't let your family or your country or yourself down.Make us all proud.I know you can do it.Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

第四篇：奧巴馬演講

奧巴馬演講

Hello, everybody.In the State of the Union, I laid out three areas we need to focus on if we're going to build an economy that lasts: new American manufacturing, new skills and education for American workers, and new sources of American-made energy.These days, we're getting another painful reminder why developing new energy is so important to our future.Just like they did last year, gas prices are starting to climb.Only this time, it's happening earlier.And that hurts everyone – everyone who owns a car;everyone who owns a business.It means you have to stretch your paycheck even further.Some folks have no choice but to drive a long way to work, and high gas prices are like a tax straight out of their paychecks.Now, some politicians always see this as a political opportunity.And since it's an election year, they're already dusting off their three-point plans for $2 gas.I'll save you the suspense: Step one is drill, step two is drill, and step three is keep drilling.We hear the same thing every year.Well the American people aren't stupid.You know that's not a plan – especially since we're already drilling.It's a bumper sticker.It's not a strategy to solve our energy challenge.It's a strategy to get politicians through an election.You know there are no quick fixes to this problem, and you know we can't just drill our way to lower gas prices.If we're going to take control of our energy future and avoid these gas price spikes down the line, then we need a sustained, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy – oil, gas, wind, solar, nuclear, biofuels, and more.We need to keep developing the technology that allows us to use less oil in our cars and trucks;in our buildings and plants.That's the strategy we're pursuing, and that's the only real solution to this challenge.Now, we absolutely need safe, responsible oil production here in America.That's why under my Administration, America is producing more oil today than at any time in the last eight years.In 2010, our dependence on foreign oil was under 50% for the first time in more than a decade.And while there are no short-term silver bullets when it comes to gas prices, I've directed my administration to look for every single area where we can make an impact and help consumers in the months ahead, from permitting to delivery bottlenecks to what's going on in the oil markets.But over the long term, an all-of-the-above energy strategy means we have to do more.It means we have to make some choices.Here's one example.Right now, four billion of your tax dollars subsidize the oil industry every year.Four billion dollars.Imagine that.Maybe some of you are listening to this in your car right now, pulling into a gas station to fill up.As you watch those numbers rise, know that oil company profits have never been higher.Yet somehow, Congress is still giving those same companies another four billion dollars of your money.That's outrageous.It's inexcusable.And it has to stop.A century of subsidies to the oil companies is long enough.It's time to end taxpayer giveaways to an industry that's never been more profitable, and use that money to reduce our deficit and double-down on a clean energy industry that's never been more promising.Because of the investments we've already made, the use of wind and solar energy in this country has nearly doubled – and thousands of Americans have jobs because of it.And because we put in place the toughest fuel economy standards in history, our cars will average nearly 55 miles per gallon by the middle of the next decade – something that, over time, will save the typical family more than $8,000 at the pump.Now Congress needs to keep that momentum going by renewing the clean energy tax credits that will lead to more jobs and less dependence on foreign oil.Look, we know there's no silver bullet that will bring down gas prices or reduce our dependence on foreign oil overnight.But what we can do is get our priorities straight, and make a sustained, serious effort to tackle this problem.That's the commitment we need right now.And with your help, it's a commitment we can make.Thank you.

第五篇：奧巴馬演講

Thank you.(Applause.)Thank you very much.Everybody, please have a seat.Well, Madam President, that was an outstanding introduction.(Laughter.)We are so proud of Donae for representing this school so well.And in addition, I also want to acknowledge your outstanding principal, who has been here for 20 years--first as a teacher, now as an outstanding principal--Anita Berger.Please give her a big round of applause.(Applause.)I want to acknowledge, as well, Mayor Gray is here--the mayor of Washington, D.C.is here.Please give him a big round of applause.(Applause.)And I also want to thank somebody who is going to go down in history as one of the finest Secretaries of Education that we’ve ever had--Arne Duncan is here.(Applause.)

Now, it is great to be here at Benjamin Banneker High School, one of the best high schools not only in Washington, D.C., but one of the best high schools in the country.(Applause.)But we’ve also got students tuning in from all across America.And so I want to welcome you all to the new school year, although I know that many of you already have been in school for a while.I know that here at Banneker, you’ve been back at school for a few weeks now.So everything is starting to settle in, just like for all your peers all across the country.The fall sports season is underway.Musicals and marching band routines are starting to shape up, I believe.And your first big tests and projects are probably just around the corner.I know that you’ve also got a great deal going on outside of school.Your circle of friends might be changing a little bit.Issues that used to stay confined to hallways or locker rooms are now finding their way onto Facebook and Twitter.(Laughter.)Some of your families might also be feeling the strain of the economy.As many of you know, we’re going through one of the toughest economic times that we’ve gone through in our lifetime--in my lifetime.Your lifetime hasn’t been that long.And so, as a consequence, you might have to pick up an after-school job to help out your family, or maybe you’re babysitting for a younger sibling because mom or dad is working an extra shift.So all of you have a lot on your plates.You guys are growing up faster and interacting with a wider world in a way that old folks like me, frankly, just didn’t have to.So today, I don’t want to be just another adult who stands up and lectures you like you’re just kids--because you’re not just kids.You’re this country’s future.You’re young leaders.And whether we fall behind or race ahead as a nation is going to depend in large part on you.So I want to talk to you a little bit about meeting that responsibility.It starts, obviously, with being the best student that you can be.Now, that doesn’t always mean that you have to have a perfect score on every assignment.It doesn’t mean that you’ve got to get straight As all the time--although that’s not a bad goal to have.It means that you have to stay at it.You have to be determined and you have to persevere.It means you’ve got to work as hard as you know how to work.And it means that you’ve got to take some risks once in a while.You can’t avoid the class that you think might be hard because you’re worried about getting the best grade if that’s a subject that you think you need to prepare you for your future.You’ve got to wonder.You’ve got to question.You’ve got to explore.And every once in a while, you need to color outside of the lines.That’s what school is for: discovering new passions, acquiring new skills, making use of this incredible time that you have to prepare yourself and give yourself the skills that you’re going to need to pursue the kind of careers that you want.And that’s why when you’re still a student you can explore a wide range of possibilities.One hour you can be an artist;the next, an author;the next, a scientist, or a historian, or a carpenter.This is the time where you can try out new interests and test new ideas.And the more you do, the sooner you’ll figure out what makes you come alive, what stirs you, what makes you excited--the career that you want to pursue.Now, if you promise not to tell anybody, I will let you in on a little secret: I was not always the very best student that I could be when I was in high school, and certainly not when I was in middle school.I did not love every class I took.I wasn’t always paying attention the way I should have.I remember when I was in 8th grade I had to take a class called ethics.Now, ethics is about right and wrong, but if you’d ask me what my favorite subject was back in 8th grade, it was basketball.I don’t think ethics would have made it on the list.But here’s the interesting thing.I still remember that ethics class, all these years later.I remember the way it made me think.I remember being asked questions like: What matters in life? Or, what does it mean to treat other people with dignity and respect? What does it mean to live in a diverse nation, where not everybody looks like you do, or thinks like you do, or comes from the same neighborhood as you do? How do we figure out how to get along?

Each of these questions led to new questions.And I didn’t always know the right answers, but those discussions and that process of discovery--those things have lasted.Those things are still with me today.Every day, I’m thinking about those same issues as I try to lead this nation.I’m asking the same kinds of questions about, how do we as a diverse nation come together to achieve what we need to achieve? How do we make sure that every single person is treated with dignity and respect? What responsibilities do we have to people who are less fortunate than we are? How do we make sure that everybody is included in this family of Americans?

Those are all questions that date back to this class that I took back in 8th grade.And here’s the thing: I still don’t always know the answers to all these questions.But if I’d have just tuned out because the class sounded boring, I might have missed out on something that not only did I turn out enjoying, but has ended up serving me in good stead for the rest of my life.So that’s a big part of your responsibility, is to test things out.Take risks.Try new things.Work hard.Don’t be embarrassed if you’re not good at something right away.You’re not supposed to be good at everything right away.That’s why you’re in school.The idea, though, is, is that you keep on expanding your horizons and your sense of possibility.Now is the time for you to do that.And those are also, by the way, the things that will make school more fun.Down the road, those will be the traits that will help you succeed, as well--the traits that will lead you to invent a device that makes an iPad look like a stone tablet.Or what will help you figure out a way to use the sun and the wind to power a city and give us new energy sources that are less polluting.Or maybe you’ll write the next great American novel.Now, to do almost any of those things, you have to not only graduate from high school,--and I know I’m just--I’m in the “amen” corner with Principal Berger here--not only do you have to graduate from high school, but you’re going to have to continue education after you leave.You have to not only graduate, but you’ve got to keep going after you graduate.That might mean, for many of you, a four-year university.I was just talking to Donae, and she wants to be an architect, and she’s interning with a architectural firm, and she’s already got her sights set on what school she wants to go to.But it might, for some other folks, be a community college, or professional credentialing or training.But the fact of the matter is, is that more than 60 percent of the jobs in the next decade will require more than a high school diploma--more than 60 percent.That’s the world you’re walking into.So I want all of you to set a goal to continue your education after you graduate.And if that means college for you, just getting into college is not enough.You also have to graduate.One of the biggest challenges we have right now is that too many of our young people enroll in college but don’t actually end up getting their degree, and as a consequence--our country used to have the world’s highest proportion of young people with a college degree;we now rank 16th.I don't like being 16th.I like being number one.That’s not good enough.So we’ve got to use--we’ve got to make sure your generation gets us back to the top of having the most college graduates relative to the population of any country on Earth.If we do that, you guys will have a brighter future.And so will America.We’ll be able to make sure the newest inventions and the latest breakthroughs happen right here in the United States of America.It will mean better jobs, and more fulfilling lives, and greater opportunities not only for you, but also for your kids.So I don’t want anybody who’s listening here today to think that you’re done once you finish high school.You are not done learning.In fact, what’s happening in today’s economy is--it’s all about lifelong learning.You have to constantly upgrade your skills and find new ways of doing things.Even if college isn't for you, even if a four-year college isn't for you, you’re still going to have to get more education after you get out of high school.You’ve got to start expecting big things from yourself right now.I know that may sound a little intimidating.And some of you may be wondering how you can pay for college, or you might not know what you want to do with your life yet.And that’s okay.Nobody expects you to have your entire future mapped out at this point.And we don't expect you to have to make it on your own.First of all, you’ve got wonderful parents who love you to death and want you to have a lot more opportunity than they ever had--which, by the way, means don’t give them a hard time when they ask you to turn off the video games, turn off the TV and do some homework.You need to be listening to them.I speak from experience because that’s what I’ve been telling Malia and Sasha.Don’t be mad about it, because we’re thinking about your future.You’ve also got people all across this country--including myself and Arne and people at every level of government--who are working on your behalf.We’re taking every step we can to ensure that you’re getting an educational system that is worthy of your potential.We’re working to make sure that you have the most up-to-date schools with the latest tools of learning.We’re making sure that this country’s colleges and universities are affordable and accessible to you.We’re working to get the best class--teachers into the classroom as well, so they can help you prepare for college and a future career.Let me say something about teachers, by the way.Teachers are the men and women who might be working harder than just about anybody these days.(Applause.)Whether you go to a big school or a small one, whether you attend a public or a private or charter school –-your teachers are giving up their weekends;they’re waking up at dawn;they’re cramming their days full of classes and extra-curricular activities.And then they’re going home, eating some dinner, and then they’ve got to stay up sometimes past midnight, grading your papers and correcting your grammar, and making sure you got that algebra formula properly.And they don’t do it for a fancy office.They don’t--they sure don’t do it for the big salary.They do it for you.They do it because nothing gives them more satisfaction than seeing you learn.They live for those moments when something clicks;when you amaze them with your intellect or your vocabulary, or they see what kind of person you’re becoming.And they’re proud of you.And they say, I had something to do with that, that wonderful young person who is going to succeed.They have confidence in you that you will be citizens and leaders who take us into tomorrow.They know you’re our future.So your teachers are pouring everything they got into you, and they’re not alone.But I also want to emphasize this: With all the challenges that our country is facing right now, we don’t just need you for the future;we actually need you now.America needs young people’s passion and their ideas.We need your energy right now.I know you’re up to it because I’ve seen it.Nothing inspires me more than knowing that young people all across the country are already making their marks.They’re not waiting.They’re making a difference now.There are students like Will Kim from Fremont, California, who launched a nonprofit that gives loans to students from low-income schools who want to start their own business.Think about that.So he’s giving loans to other students.He set up a non-for-profit.He’s raising the money doing what he loves--through dodgeball tournaments and capture-the-flag games.But he’s creative.He took initiative.And now he’s helping other young people be able to afford the schooling that they need.There is a young man, Jake Bernstein, 17 years old, from a military family in St.Louis, worked with his sister to launch a website devoted to community service for young people.And they’ve held volunteer fairs and put up an online database, and helped thousands of families to find volunteer opportunities ranging from maintaining nature trails to serving at local hospitals.And then last year, I met a young woman named Amy Chyao from Richardson, Texas.She’s 16 years old, so she’s the age of some of you here.During the summer, I think because somebody in her family had an illness, she decided that she was interested in cancer research.She hadn’t taken chemistry yet, so she taught herself chemistry during the summer.And then she applied what she had learned and discovered a breakthrough process that uses light to kill cancer cells.Sixteen years old.It’s incredible.And she's been approached by some doctors and researchers who want to work with her to help her with her discovery.The point is you don’t have to wait to make a difference.You’re first obligation is to do well in school.You’re first obligation is to make sure that you’re preparing yourself for college and career.But you can also start making your mark right now.A lot of times young people may have better ideas than us old people do anyway.We just need those ideas out in the open, in and out of the classroom.When I meet young people like yourselves, when I sat and talk to Donae, I have no doubt that America’s best days are still ahead of us, because I know the potential that lies in each of you.Soon enough, you will be the ones leading our businesses and leading our government.You will be the one who are making sure that the next generation gets what they need to succeed.You will be the ones that are charting the course of our unwritten history.And all that starts right now--starts this year.So I want all of you who are listening, as well as everybody here at Banneker, I want you to make the most of the year that’s ahead of you.I want you to think of this time as one in which you are just loading up with information and skills, and you’re trying new things and you’re practicing, and you’re honing--all those things that you’re going to need to do great things when you get out of school.Your country is depending on you.So set your sights high.Have a great school year.Let’s get to work.Thank you very much, everybody.God bless you.God bless the United States of America.(Applause.)