Local Students React to President Obama's Education Speech

President Obama spent part of his day encouraging students nationwide to figure out what they are good at and to stick with it, and that message seems to be resonating with students in our area.

CBS12 sat in on  Weaver's 6th grade class at Canal Point Elementary School. Damon Weaver is the pint-sized reporter from Pahokee who was the first to hear about the President's speech during his own interview with President Obama in August.

Much like his classmates, Weaver seemed encouraged by Tuesday's speech that focused on the importance of personal responsibility. "At the end of the day the circumstances of your life, what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you've got going on at home, none of that is an excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude in school," said President Obama.     
 
"I thought it was wonderful especially in this day and age of teacher accountability, some of that is being put back on the students and that the President expects each child to do their best to prepare for their future," said Sharon Angeloni, Weaver's 6th grade reading teacher. 

Angeloni believes the speech resonated with all of her students. "I think it touches them and helps them realize we all have a job to do."

"I think what the President was trying to tell us was that what we are doing is good, but he wants us to do more to help out our community," said 6th Grader Anthony Barnes. "I really was seeing the feelings in his heart and I just said to myself I'm gonna do what he's asking us to do, and I hope everyone else is too."

"I think he was really talking about finding an adult to trust, any adult who you love and getting them to help you stay on track in school because you never know what you can be when you grow up," said 6th Grader Amari Angram.

The only school district in our area that didn't show the speech was Indian River County, but after reading the speech online the district decided to re-air the speech Wednesday.