I’m a 19-year-old studying at Duke University. I’m the same age that my mom was when she made the sacrifice to drop out of college to care for me and my siblings, so that we could have a shot at a better life than she had.

I was born to an alcoholic father and a teenage mother in a rough neighborhood in South Carolina. Growing up in our three-bedroom trailer, I knew that success wasn’t going to come easy for me.

But I had the support of my mom and stepdad, who both worked over 60 hours a week in their manufacturing jobs to save for our education. During the summers while they were at work, they took us to read books at the public library, instilling in us a love for learning.

I also had the encouragement of my elementary school teachers, who looked past the color of my skin and endured my “problem child” attitude because they saw that I had potential and could excel in our school’s gifted programs. And when it came time to apply to college, I had high school teachers who encouraged me to reach for my dream schools.

For me and so many students like me, graduating from high school is a full-circle moment. It’s a manifestation of the unflinching sacrifice that my parents made to get me there. And it’s an affirmation of the American idea that if you work hard and play by the rules, you can build a future better than the conditions you were born into.

That’s why I’m proud to help announce that, under President Obama, more students are graduating high school than ever before — reaching a record new high of 83 percent.

The truth is, my generation has seen things steadily get better the last eight years. Under President Obama, the graduation rate has gone up for all types of students, and the graduation gap is closing for students of color, low-income students, and students with disabilities. College is more accessible for so many thanks to increased Pell Grants and easier ways to apply for federal financial aid through FAFSA. With the help of financial aid, I’m able to study at a top-tier school without worrying about its costs.

I know that it’s only through the promise of education that my story is possible. That’s why I plan to devote my career to public service so I can work to keep improving our education system. And that’s why I’m so proud to have a president who believes that if we work together, we can ensure that same promise for every kid, no matter who they are or where they come from.

So I hope you’ll join in celebrating all the progress we’ve made for students like me by tuning in to President Obama’s remarks today at 11:25 am ET.

Thanks for listening,

Trey

The very first time I saw a 3D printer was on a trip to the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore when I was 8 years old. It was printing a phone case from scratch. I was so impressed that my parents enrolled me in a summer camp at a local makerspace where I could learn more about it.

I loved 3D printing and I could not wait to get a printer of my own. So I wrote to several companies that make them asking if they’d donate one for me to use at home. In return, I’d provide customer feedback. One company made my wish come true and sent me a printer.

That brought me to the annual White House Science Fair. That’s where I met President Obama. I told him he should have a kid science advisor, because we kids should have input into what we learn about in science class. And he thought that was a pretty good idea!

My wish has once again come true! The President announced he would have kid science advisors, and thousands of kids across the country — including my little sister and me — submitted ideas on what we think is important to explore today in science, tech, and innovation.

On Friday, I was happy to be back at the White House as one of the President’s kid science advisors, sharing my ideas with other official advisors to the President and students interested in STEM like myself — it was so inspiring! Check out some photos of our day.

Because we are the future innovators in America, we know that we can change the world for the better. It’s really incredible to know that President Obama not only took my suggestion seriously, but that he is considering all of our suggestions, even though we are kids. It shows he believes that, no matter how old we are, we can solve the tough problems we’ll face in the future.

Thanks,

Jacob L.
Kid Science Advisor

Chair Hutchison went so far as to say “Donald Trump’s indecent comments… were made when he was a Democrat” and that it shows “hypocrisy” for “Hillary Clinton to say Trump does not belong in the White House.” ridiculous insensitive response