Students inspired by Obama's speech
Students across Brownsville sat around televisions and computer screens on Tuesday as President Barack Obama encouraged them to stay in school and focus on the future.
Obama delivered the speech from Wakefield High School in suburban Arlington, Va., and it was broadcast on the Internet and on televisions throughout the nation.
"Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it," Obama said. "The truth is, being successful is hard. You won’t love every subject that you study. You won’t click with every teacher you have."
Students at Dr. Ruben Gallegos Elementary gathered in the principal’s office or in the library on Tuesday morning to watch the speech at 11 a.m. The school’s principal, Linda Gallegos, had asked a group of students from different classes to listen to the speech in the morning, and then go back to their classrooms and tell other students their impressions of what Obama said.
Gallegos said it was important to her that the students hear the president’s message.
"It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat," Gallegos said. "The message to the students is to stay in school. It doesn’t matter whether you’re poor, whether you’re rich, or whether you have parents who have gone to college. He (Obama) wants children to focus on their teachers and to focus on their education."
Obama told students that the challenges they face in their lives shouldn’t be used as excuses to do poorly in school. Gallegos said this message rang true for students at her school, which is located in the Cameron Park colonia. The president also mentioned a success story of a young woman from Roma, Texas in his speech.
"You know, this is a very low socio-economic area and many times the priority is not education," Gallegos said. "So, hearing the president of the United States say that somebody from Roma, Texas, who had very little support, limited English, which is exactly like our students here in Cameron Park, that she can make it (shows) these kids can, too. Our children can do it — money is not a factor. It’s how much will, how much you put into it that matters."
After Obama’s speech ended, Gallegos spoke with her students about its key points.
"What did the president say was important?" Gallegos asked the group.
"To stay with your goals," one student responded.
"To learn," another said.
The principal then asked the students how they should treat teachers.
"Not talk back to them and treat them with respect," the students said.
Gallegos smiled.
"You’re going to go out there, you’re going to give the message that we are not going to give up," Gallegos said. "It doesn’t matter what anybody tells us. We will succeed."
