Many students inspired by Obama's speech on education

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Students watching the President's speech on education.

By Michelle Paynter - bio | email

POOLER, GA (WTOC) - Captivated classes of sixth, seventh and eighth graders at West Chatham Middle School watched as President Barack Obama delivered a message aimed directly at them.

"I'm here because I want to talk with you about your education and what's expected of you," Obama said at the beginning of his 20 minute speech.

He emphasized that they could have the best schools and the best teachers, but ultimately it's up to them to use those tools to succeed.

Seventh grader Madeleine Hardage says that makes sense to her. "I think that's really the truth because I'm in charge of my own life and where I'm going to go in life," she said.

Eighth grader Autumn Watson says the President's speech gave her confidence that she can reach her goals. "I either want to be a pediatrician and work with babies or I want to be someone who researches cancer and tried to find a cure," she said.

Others like seventh grader Jared Pollard, were not only inspired by the message, but also that the President wanted to talk to them at all.

"I think it's a very nice thing for him to do because he's a very busy man, taking care of the world, to think about children, that's a good thing," said Pollard.

The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System let students decide if they wanted to watch the speech or not.

West Chatham Middle School principal Stascia Hardy made sure all of her students could watch the speech, but they didn't have to.

"We are Americans, so you have the ability to make a choice and that's what I let the kids do," said Hardy.

But she says the President's message is one she supports. "He addressed issues we address all the time, taking responsibility," she said.

And if Hardy's students think this is the last they are going to hear about the importance of education and taking responsibility, they are mistaken.

"I can always remind them, we're not just saying it, the President of the United States said it, I'll always let them remember that," she said.

Tuesday afternoon, 1,040 students at West Chatham Middle School watched the President's speech and less than 40 did not. Those students who did not want to watch were allowed to work on other school assignments.

Click here to read the President's full speech on education.