Some Students Hear Obama Speech on Education

Last week- the first week of classes here at Nashua South- students and teachers didn’t think too much about the president’s upcoming speech.

Unlike some other communities in New Hampshire, the whole thing was met with a bit of a shrug.

Only 7 or 8 parents called in requesting their children be excused from the screening from a school of 2300.

Junior, Mikayla Ahern says there was just a bit of discussion as President Obama’s was about to come on.

TAPE: there are some students that say I don’t want to listen to this. Either it’s just boring, or they are really into the whole completely not Democrat, Republican 100%.

School officials set up TVs in the cafeteria, a main hallway outside the principal’s office and the library.

Social Studies teacher Melissa Belmere says she and her colleagues quickly rehashed the debate over the speech.

TAPE: there was some talk, is he trying to get to the kids, so they can get to their parents kind of thing.

But controversy or no, Belmere decided to take her honors U.S. History class down to the library.

Sfx: library ambience

TAPE: if the president is going to speak, during school, I’m going to have the kids watch it. Even if it’s controversial...I think it’s important for kids to be aware of what’s going on in the world, to see the speech in its whole, rather than the bits and pieces that will be occurring in the news later...I think it’s important for them to hear those things...and bring up all sides of the argument.

President Obama’s speech, about 20 minutes in length, sounded a lot like what you’d hear from a principal a teacher or even a parent.

Study, work hard, believe in yourself type stuff.

But, in an effort to empathize and inspire, he told students that he faced hardships growing up.

Like how his mom decided to teach him additional lessons when he lived in Indonesia.

TAPE: but b/c she had to go to work, the only time she could do it was at 4:30 in the morning. Now, as you might imagine, I wasn’t too happy about getting up that early. A lot of times I would fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I would complain, my mother would give me one of those looks and say, ‘this is no picnic for me either, buster.’

Afterwards, when asked what was memorable, many students said they were impressed that Obama had achieved so much despite various difficulties in his life.

At least one freshmen, 14 year old Danny Shea, seemed genuinely inspired.

TAPE: definitely like in the past, I haven’t been the best student, but I am going to try a lot harder now, because...he kind of boosted my confidence saying all the stuff were possible, but all you need is school to do it. and I didn’t really realize that before.

But Shea’s classmate, 14 year old Paige Smith recognizes the limits of the president’s message.

Personally, she says, she agrees with President Obama that education is important.

That’s what she’s been trying to tell her 17 year old boyfriend.

TAPE: he made a mistake by dropping out, because it’s going to be harder on him when he goes to find a job...he thinks it’s all fun and games, he thinks life is funny and it’s not...he’s just going to be stuck for the rest of his life.

Smith says she’s going to stay on him to get his GED.

As for her, she says when she gets older she wants to own her own daycare center and be a nursing assistant.