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COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS -- President Barack Obama spoke to students across the country in his second annual back-to-school speech. Several Utah schools streamed the speech live.
At Brighton High School, nearly the entire student body watched the speech. This year's address was not much different compared to last year's, but it was met with far less controversy.
Your future is in your hands. Your life is what you make it. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is beyond your reach.
–President Barack Obama
Obama spoke to students, urging them to work hard in school and stay focused on obtaining an education for the future.
"Your future is in your hands. Your life is what you make it," Obama said. "Nothing, absolutely nothing, is beyond your reach."
The president told students about a time when he was in high school and his grades were slipping, saying it was his parents who pushed him to get him back on track -- something that resonated with many students.
"I thought it was very positive, very encouraging," said Brooklyn Bollinger, a senior at Brighton High School. "I think that hopefully if students listen to that, they'd be inspired to work harder in school because it's true. The more education you get, the more opportunities you'll have in the future."
Bollinger added, "One of my favorite things he said was, 'Just because there is something that is not your strength today doesn't mean it can't be your strength tomorrow.'"
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"I think there was some doubt last year about what he may or may not say, but I think knowing that this was going to be a message about education, about staying in school, about working hard, there's not much to argue about with that," said Canyons School District Superintendent David Doty.
Most of the students who spoke with KSL News say they took something positive away from the president's address.
In other districts, the speech was not on many schools' radar. West Jordan High School teacher Jack Duffy said many teachers did not show it because they didn't know about it.
Duffy didn't have a class at the time the president spoke, but he says he may show the speech later in his government classes.
"He didn't mention policy at all. He didn't mention anything controversial," Duffy said. "He just gave a good pep talk that all of us need from time to time."
Parents also had the option to opt their student out of watching. At Brighton, there were 10 students in all that did not watch the president's address.
Click here to watch the speech.
E-Mail: aforester@ksl.com
