There aren’t many times in our lives when the President has a speech geared for us, specifically. Today (Sept. 8, 2009), President Obama will speak about the importance of education. 
In his speech, the President states, “Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.”
He also went on to say:
“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, 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?”
TASK:
Write a one-chunk paragraph that explains what you think about President Obama’s advice to students. Your paragraph will have two CDs and one CM (that’s because this is non-fiction). [TS, CD, CD, CM, CS]
Note: Please do not copy anyone’s response, but feel free to look at other’s responses if you’re having a hard time getting started. Enter for first name and last initial when you comment, but please do not enter a web site.
DUE: September 15, 2009 at MIDNIGHT