Live your dreams, first lady advises high-school grads

Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn.

First lady Michelle Obama has some advice for some Tennessee high-school graduates: Strike your own path in college and life and work to overcome inevitable failures with determination and grit.

Obama spoke for 22 minutes to the graduates of Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet High School on Saturday in her only high-school commencement address this year. The ceremony took place in the gymnasium of nearby Tennessee State University.

The first lady told the 170 graduates that she spent too much of her own time in college focusing on academic achievements. Though her success in college and law school led to a high-profile job, she said, she ended up leaving to focus on public service.

“My message to all of you today is this: Do not waste a minute living someone else’s dream,” she said. “It takes a lot of real work to discover what brings you joy ... and you won’t find what you love simply by checking boxes or padding your GPA.”

Obama lauded the school for its graduation rate, spirit of volunteerism and healthy food programs. She noted that each graduate was going on to either higher education or the military.

She said MLK reminded her of her own high school experience in Chicago.

“My No. 1 goal was to go to a high school that would push me and challenge me,” she said. “I wanted to go somewhere that would celebrate achievement. A place where academic success wouldn’t make me a target of teasing or bullying, but instead would be a badge of honor.”

But Obama lamented that not all students have the same opportunities.

“Unfortunately, schools like this don’t exist for every kid,” she said. “You are blessed.”

The first lady told graduates that failure may be a part of their college lives and careers, and that how they respond to any pitfalls will define them.

“That’s when you find out what you’re really made of in those hard times,” she said. “But you can only do that if you’re willing to put yourself in a position where you might fail.”