DETROIT (Mich.)-The stands of Adam’s Field on the campus of Wayne State University were packed on the sunny and quickly warming morning of May 26. As the more than 5,000 high school juniors and seniors from around Detroit filed in excitment was in the air as they anticipated the arrival of First Lady Michelle Obama. The marching band of Martin Luther King Jr. High School provided the background music for a moment each student would record in their memory books for the rest of their lives.
The First Lady selected Detroit as her kick-off location of a national tour to promote education, health and mentorship to students. Community Voices attended the event along with media of all sizes from throughout Michigan. Scholastic Books even sent their Scholastic Kids Press correspondent Charlie Kadado who is an 8th grader from Seneca Middle School.
The event hosted by Wayne State University was organized by the Skillman Foundation. The foundation was founded in 1960 by Carol Goss to help develop good schools and good neighborhoods for children.Goss was one of the more than a dozen leaders on the panel who answered pre-selected questions read by facilitator basketball legend Magic Johnson.
It was however, the words of First Lady that they most anticipated. As the casually classy First Lady graced across the stage toward the podium with her Mrs. America-like wave and contagious smile, all eyes were on her.
Students holding sign reading, “We love you, Michelle,” and “Yes, We Can,” jumped to their feet as she made her way across the platform toward the podium. What she would say, is something she hoped would resonate beyond her address to them today, but for the rest of their lives. She told them of the two types of people in the world; “those who give up and those who don’t. And it’s the folks who don’t who make all the difference.”
Mrs. Obama shared the story of how as a child her husband would be awakened each morning by his own mother at 4:30 a.m. before she went to work. She would awaken him to go over homework and lessons for school. She said there are some personal struggles she know students face while attempting to stay focused in school. She said if they remember the secret to success, they will go a long way.
“The secret of success is education,” Mrs. Obama said stern yet sincere. “You can’t sit around watching TV, playing video games of trying to “make beats. You have to focus on your education. I’m looking at our future right now. And it is all of you. And it’s a beautiful sight.”
Mrs. Obama’s words helped drive home some of those shared earlier in the event by those such as Congressman John Conyers and Congresswoman Carolyn Kilpatrick. Entrepreneurs such as David Segura, CEO of VisionIT and Denise Llitch, owner of Detroit Redwings shared of their desire to achieve under the odds of others’ expectations. Susan Taylor, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus of Essence Magazine, and founder of National CARES Mentoring Movement encouraged students to pursue their dreams above all odds.
Filmmaker Spike Lee shared of his grandmother’s encouragement of her children and grandchildren to earn an education. While attending Moorehouse College in Atlanta, Ga., a legacy in his family, he said it wasn’t until he found his passion in life that he began to thrive.
“I was a C average student in college…until I discovered a love for film making. Once I discovered that, I became an A student,” Lee said.
Olivia Dixon, an Upward Bound mentor for students of Detroit International Academy girls school, said she enjoyed the message, but hopes the star-power doesn’t deflect from the message.
“My mentor was my dad. He worked three jobs and worked hard as an entrepreneur,” Dixon said. “We need people who are accessible to our students to be mentors. We want the true-hearted people to come back to the city (of Detroit) and get in the trenches.”
Her mentees Lasean Madden, 16, and Destiny Mohammed,16 agree and say the positive influence of Dixon helps them succeed and not be judged by someone who doesn’t understand them.
Their classmates, uniformed in pink shirts, black vests and grey skirts, said what Mrs. Obama presented was motivation to them as well. Allondria
Williams, 17, said she would be a straight-A student if it weren’t for the struggles in chemistry. After hearing Mrs. Obama however, she said she will get rid of that excuse and just work harder. When the First Lady said the next pages of history would be written by the students there today, Williams took that to heart.
“I will be the first person to graduate from college after high school and I know my family would be proud of me,” Williams said. “(Mrs. Obama) told us to follow our dreams. She actually did it and I know I can do it too.”
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