美國不是一個人們遭遇困難就輕易放棄的國度，在這個國家，人們堅持到底、人們加倍努力，為了他們所熱愛的國度，每一個人都盡著自己最大的努力，不會給自己留任何餘地。
250年前，有一群和你們一樣的學生，他們之後奮起努力、用一場革命最終造就了這個國家；75年前，有一群和你們一樣的學生，他們之後戰勝了大蕭條、贏得了二戰；就在20年前，和你們一樣的學生們，他們後來創立了google、twitter和facebook，改變了我們人與人之間溝通的方式。
因此，今天我想要問你們，你們會做出什麼樣的貢獻？你們將解決什麼樣的難題？你們能發現什麼樣的事物？二十、五十或百年之後，假如那時的美國總統也來做一次開學演講的話，他會怎樣描述你們對這個國家所做的一切？
你們的家長、你們的老師和我，每一個人都在盡最大的努力，確保你們都能得到應有的教育來回答這些問題。例如我正在努力為你們提供更安全的教室、更多的書籍、更先進的設施與計算機。但你們也要擔起自己的責任。因此我要求你們在今年能夠認真起來，我要求你們盡心地去做自己著手的每一件事，我要求你們每一個人都有所成就。請不要讓我們失望——不要讓你的家人、你的國家和你自己失望。你們要成為我們驕傲，我知道，你們一定可以做到。
謝謝大家，上帝保佑你們，上帝保佑美國。
prepared remarks of president barack obama back to school event
prepared remarks of president barack obama
back to school event
arlington, virginia
september 8, XX
the president: hello everyone – how’s everybody doing today? 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 twelfth 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."