奥巴马开学演讲

奥巴马开学演讲稿(中英文对

照)

早晨偶然在报纸上看到了9月8日美国开学日的时候,奥巴马总统给全国从幼儿

园到高中生做的一个开学演讲,非常感动.想把这个东西与大家分享一下，于是上

网找到了中英文全文两个版本.我对照了一下,翻译得基本上做到了信、达、雅。

奥巴马总统讲演的风格很口语化,讲道理深入浅出,很有感染力.

论坛里的朋友相信有很多都是已经为人父母了,我的孩子上周也进入小学一年

级,踏上了漫长的求学之路.如何教育孩子,激励孩子,可能是每个家长最头痛的问

题.我建议你亲自给你的孩子读一下这篇讲演,跟他(她)讨论一下,让孩子理解一

下他(她)身上所承担的对自己,对国家的责任.

发这个贴之前,踌躇再三,毕竟讲教育的主题跟股市大家谈的主旨有些不合,但

我觉得从投资角度而言,教育上面花费的时间、精力，金钱的投资,不管是投向自

己,还是孩子,都是我们一生中所能做出的最好的,永远都不会后悔的投资选择之

一．毕竟，一个更好的未来，一个更强大的国家，一个更美，更和谐的世界愿

景都要依靠我们的孩子们去实现．

弗吉尼亚州，阿林顿市，2009年9月8日

嗨，大家好！你们今天过得怎么样？我现在和弗吉尼亚州阿林顿郡韦克菲尔

德高中的学生们在一起，全国各地也有从幼儿园到高三的众多学生们通过电视

关注这里，我很高兴你们能共同分享这一时刻。

我知道，对你们中的许多人来说，今天是开学的第一天，你们中的有一些刚

刚进入幼儿园或升上初高中，对你们来说，这是在新学校的第一天，因此，假

如你们感到有些紧张，那也是很正常的。我想也会有许多毕业班的学生们正自

信满满地准备最后一年的冲刺。不过，我想无论你有多大、在读哪个年级，许

多人都打心底里希望现在还在放暑假，以及今天不用那么早起床。

我可以理解这份心情。小时候，我们家在印度尼西亚住过几年，而我妈妈没

钱送我去其他美国孩子们上学的地方去读书，因此她决定自己给我上课——时

间是每周一到周五的凌晨4点半。

显然，我不怎么喜欢那么早就爬起来，很多时候，我就这么在厨房的桌子前

睡着了。每当我埋怨的时候，我妈总会用同一副表情看着我说：“小鬼，你以为

教你我就很轻松？”

所以，我可以理解你们中的许多人对于开学还需要时间来调整和适应，但今

天我站在这里，是为了和你们谈一些重要的事情。我要和你们谈一谈你们每个

人的教育，以及在新的学年里，你们应当做些什么。

我做过许多关于教育的讲话，也常常用到“责任”这个词。

我谈到过教师们有责任激励和启迪你们，督促你们学习。

我谈到过家长们有责任看管你们认真学习、完成作业，不要成天只会看电视

或打游戏机。

我也很多次谈到过政府有责任设定高标准严要求、协助老师和校长们的工

作，改变在有些学校里学生得不到应有的学习机会的现状。

但哪怕这一切都达到最好，哪怕我们有最尽职的教师、最好的家长、和最优

秀的学校，假如你们不去履行自己的责任的话，那么这一切努力都会白费。——

除非你每天准时去上学、除非你认真地听老师讲课、除非你把父母、长辈和其

他大人们说的话放在心上、除非你肯付出成功所必需的努力，否则这一切都会

失去意义。

而这就是我今天讲话的主题：对于自己的教育，你们中每一个人的责任。首

先，我想谈谈你们对于自己有什么责任。

你们中的每一个人都会有自己擅长的东西，每一个人都是有用之材，而发现

自己的才能是什么，就是你们要对自己担起的责任。教育给你们提供了发现自

己才能的机会。

或许你能写出优美的文字——甚至有一天能让那些文字出现在书籍和报刊

上——但假如不在英语课上经常练习写作，你不会发现自己有这样的天赋；或

许你能成为一个发明家、创造家——甚至设计出像今天的iPhone一样流行的产

品，或研制出新的药物与疫苗——但假如不在自然科学课程上做上几次实验，

你不会知道自己有这样的天赋；或许你能成为一名议员或最高法院法官，但假

如你不去加入什么学生会或参加几次辩论赛，你也不会发现自己的才能。

而且，我可以向你保证，不管你将来想要做什么，你都需要相应的教育。——

你想当名医生、当名教师或当名警官？你想成为护士、成为建筑设计师、律师

或？无论你选择哪一种职业，良好的教育都必不可少，这世上不存在不把

书念完就能拿到好工作的美梦，任何工作，都需要你的汗水、训练与学习。

不仅仅对于你们个人的未来有重要意义，你们的教育如何也会对这个国家、

乃至世界的未来产生重要影响。今天你们在学校中学习的内容，将会决定我们

整个国家在未来迎接重大挑战时的表现。

你们需要在数理科学课程上学习的知识和技能，去治疗癌症、艾滋那样的疾

病，和解决我们面临的能源问题与环境问题；你们需要在历史社科课程上培养

出的观察力与判断力，来减轻和消除无家可归与贫困、犯罪问题和各种歧视，

让这个国家变得更加公平和自由；你们需要在各类课程中逐渐累积和发展出来

的创新意识和思维，去创业和建立新的公司与企业，来制造就业机会和推动经

济的增长。

我们需要你们中的每一个人都培养和发展自己的天赋、技能和才智，来解决

我们所面对的最困难的问题。假如你不这么做——假如你放弃学习——那么你

不仅是放弃了自己，也是放弃了你的国家。

当然，我明白，读好书并不总是件容易的事。我知道你们中的许多人在生活

中面临着各种各样的问题，很难把精力集中在专心读书之上。

我知道你们的感受。我父亲在我两岁时就离开了家庭，是母亲一人将我们拉

扯大，有时她付不起帐单，有时我们得不到其他孩子们都有的东西，有时我会

想，假如父亲在该多好，有时我会感到孤独无助，与周围的环境格格不入。

因此我并不总是能专心学习，我做过许多自己觉得丢脸的事情，也惹出过许

多不该惹的麻烦，我的生活岌岌可危，随时可能急转直下。

但我很幸运。我在许多事上都得到了重来的机会，我得到了去大学读法学院、

实现自己梦想的机会。我的妻子——现在得叫她第一夫人米歇尔?奥巴马了——

也有着相似的人生故事，她的父母都没读过大学，也没有什么财产，但他们和

她都辛勤工作，好让她有机会去这个国家最优秀的学校读书。

你们中有些人可能没有这些有利条件，或许你的生活中没有能为你提供帮助

和支持的长辈，或许你的某个家长没有工作、经济拮据，或许你住的社区不那

REMARKSBYTHEPRESIDENT

INANATIONALADDRESSTOAMERICA'SSCHOOLCHILDREN

WakefieldHighSchool

Arlington,Virginia

THEPRESIDENT:Hello,everybody!o

u,ht,ver

ybodydoingtoday?(Applau.)HowaboutTimSpicer?(Applau.)Iam

herewithstudentsatWakefieldHighSchoolinArlington,

we'vegotstudentstuninginfromallacrossAmerica,fromkindergarten

u

rlvesabigroundofapplau.(Applau.)

Iknowthatformanyofyou,

thoofyouinkindergarten,orstartingmiddleorhighschool,it'syourf

irstdayinanewschool,soit'sunderstandableifyou'realittlenervous.

Iimaginetherearesomeniorsouttherewhoarefeelingprettygoodri

ghtnow--(applau)--atterwh

atgradeyou'rein,someofyouareprobablywishingitwerestillsumme

randyoucould'vestayedinbedjustalittlebitlongerthismorning.

asyoung,

other,shedidn'thavethemon

eytondmewherealltheAmericankidswenttoschool,butshethoug

edecidedtoteachmeextralessonsherlf,

becaushehadtogotowork,theonlytimeshecoulddoitwasat4:30

inthemorning.

Now,asyoumightimagine,Iwasn'ttoohappyaboutgettingupthat

toftimes,I'

twheneverI'dcomplain,mymotherwouldjustgivemeoneoftholoo

ksandshe'dsay,"Thisisnopicnicformeeither,buster."(Laughter.)

SoIknowthatsomeofyouarestilladjustingtobeingbackatschoo

'mheretodaybecauIhavesomethingimportanttodiscusswith

you.I'mherebecauIwanttotalkwithyouaboutyoureducationand

what'xpectedofallofyouinthisnewschoolyear.

Now,I''vetalkedab

outresponsibilityalot.

I'vetalkedaboutteachers'responsibilityforinspiringstudentsandp

ushingyoutolearn.

I'vetalkedaboutyourparents'responsibilityformakingsureyousta

yontrack,andyougetyourhomeworkdone,anddon'tspendeverywak

inghourinfrontoftheTVorwiththeXbox.

I'vetalkedalotaboutyourgovernment'sresponsibilityforttinghi

ghstandards,andsupportingteachersandprincipals,andturningarou

ndschoolsthataren'tworking,wherestudentsaren'tgettingtheopport

unitiesthattheyderve.

Butattheendoftheday,wecanhavethemostdedicatedteachers,

themostsupportiveparents,thebestschoolsintheworld--andnoneo

fitwillmakeadifference,noneofitwillmatterunlessallofyoufulfillyo

urresponsibilities,unlessyoushowuptothoschools,unlessyoupa

yattentiontothoteachers,unlessyoulistentoyourparentsandgran

dparentsandotheradultsandputinthehardworkittakestosucceed.T

hat'swhatIwanttofocusontoday:theresponsibilityeachofyouhasfo

ryoureducation.

in

gleoneofyouhassomethingthatyou'ingleoneofyo

havearesponsibilitytoyourlftodi

'stheopportunityaneducationcanprovide.

Maybeyoucouldbeagreatwriter--maybeevengoodenoughtowri

teabookorarticlesinanewspaper--butyoumightnotknowituntilyo

uwritethatEnglishpaper--thatEnglishclasspaperthat'sassignedtoy

oucouldbeaninnovatororaninventor--maybeevengood

enoughtocomeupwiththenextiPhoneorthenewmedicineorvaccine

--butyoumightnotknowituntilyoudoyourprojectforyoursciencecl

oucouldbeamayororanatororaSupremeCourtjustic

e--butyoumightnotknowthatuntilyoujoinstudentgovernmentorth

edebateteam.

Andnomatterwhatyouwanttodowithyourlife,Iguaranteethatyo

u'ttobeadoctor,orateacher,ora

policeofficer?Youwanttobeanuroranarchitect,alawyerorame

mberofourmilitary?You'regoingtoneedagoodeducationforeverysi

notdropoutofschoolandjustdropi

'vegottotrainforitandworkforitandlearnforit.

Andthisisn'tjustimportantforyourownlifeandyourownfuture.W

hatyoumakeofyoureducationwilldecidenothinglessthanthefuture

u'relearn

inginschooltodaywilldeterminewhetherweasanationcanmeetour

greatestchallengesinthefuture.

You'llneedtheknowledgeandproblem-solvingskillsyoulearninsc

ienceandmathtocurediaslikecancerandAIDS,andtodevelopne

'llneedtheinsi

ghtsandcritical-thinkingskillsyougaininhistoryandsocialstudiestof

ightpovertyandhomelessness,crimeanddiscrimination,andmakeour

'llneedthecreativityandingenuityy

oudevelopinallyourclasstobuildnewcompaniesthatwillcreatene

wjobsandboostoureconomy.

Weneedeverysingleoneofyoutodevelopyourtalentsandyoursk

illsandyourintellectsoyoucanhelpusoldfolkssolveourmostdifficul

on'tdothat--ifyouquitonschool--you'renotjustq

uittingonyourlf,you'requittingonyourcountry.

Now,Iknowit'lotof

youhavechallengesinyourlivesrightnowthatcanmakeithardtofocu

sonyourschoolwork.

hatit'erleftmyfamilywhenIwastwo

yearsold,andIwasraidbyasinglemomwhohadtoworkandwhost

ruggledattimestopaythebillsandwasn'talwaysabletogiveusthethi

eretimeswhenImisdhavingafather

eretimeswhenIwaslonelyandIfeltlikeIdidn'tfitin.

SoIwasn'talwaysasfocudasIshouldhavebeenonschool,and

IdidsomethingsI'mnotproudof,andIgotinmoretroublethanIshoul

ifecouldhaveeasilytakenaturnforthewor.

otofcondchances,andIhadthe

ife,ourFirstLadyMichelleObama,rofher

parentshadgonetocollege,andtheydidn'

eyworkedhard,andsheworkedhard,sothatshecouldgotothebests

choolsinthiscountry.

oudon'thav

om

eoneinyourfamilyhaslosttheirjobandthere'snotenoughmoneytog

ouliveinaneighborhoodwhereyoudon'tfeelsafe,o

rhavefriendswhoarepressuringyoutodothingsyouknowaren'tright

.

Butattheendoftheday,thecircumstancesofyourlife--whatyoul

ooklike,whereyoucomefrom,howmuchmoneyyouhave,whatyou've

gotgoingonathome--noneofthatisanexcuforneglectingyourho

'snoexcufortalkingb

acktoyourteacher,orcuttingclass,s

noexcufornottrying.

Whereyouarerightnowdoesn'thavetodeterminewhereyou'llend

'swrittenyourdestinyforyou,becauhereinAmerica,you

eyourownfuture.

That'swhatyoungpeoplelikeyouaredoingeveryday,allacrossA

merica.

YoungpeoplelikeJazminPerez,fromRoma,didn'tsp

rofherparentshadgo

workedhard,earnedgoodgrades,andgotaschol

arshiptoBrownUniversity--isnowingraduateschool,studyingpublic

health,Perez.

I'mthinkingaboutAndoniSchultz,fromLosAltos,California,who's

'shadtoendureallsortsoftr

eatmentsandsurgeries,oneofwhichaffectedhismemory,soittookhi

'sheadedtocollegethisfall.

Andthenthere'sShantellSteve,frommyhometownofChicago,Illin

enbouncingfromfosterhometofosterhomeinthetoughe

stneighborhoodsinthecity,shemanagedtogetajobatalocalhealthc

arecenter,startaprogramtokeepyoungpeopleoutofgangs,andshe's

ontracktograduatehighschoolwithhonorsandgoontocollege.

AndJazmin,Andoni,andShantellaren'tanydifferentfromanyofyo

casthe

y'yrefudtogiveup.

Theychototakeresponsibilityfortheirlives,fortheireducation,and

pectallofyoutodothesame.

That'swhytodayI'mcallingoneachofyoutotyourowngoalsfo

alc

anbesomethingassimpleasdoingallyourhomework,payingattention

inclass,ou'll

decidetogetinvolvedinanextracurricularactivity,orvolunteerinyour

ou'lldecidetostandupforkidswhoarebeingtea

dorbulliedbecauofwhotheyareorhowtheylook,becauyoubeli

eve,likeIdo,thatallyoungpeoplederveasafeenvironmenttostudy

ou'lldecidetotakebettercareofyourlfsoyoucan

ngtholines,bytheway,Ihopeallofy

ouarewashingyourhandsalot,andthatyoustayhomefromschoolw

henyoudon'tfeelwell,sowecankeeppeoplefromgettingthefluthisf

allandwinter.

Butwhateveryouresolvetodo,o

utoreallyworkatit.

IknowthatsometimesyougetthatnfromTVthatyoucanberi

chandsuccessfulwithoutanyhardwork--thatyourtickettosuccessis

sareyo

u'renotgoingtobeanyofthothings.

Thetruthis,'tloveeverysubjectt

'r

yhomeworkassignmentwillemcompletelyrelevanttoyourliferight

won'tnecessarilysucceedateverythingthefirst

timeyoutry.

That'themostsuccessfulpeopleintheworldareth

eoneswho'g's--whowroteHarryP

otter--herfirstHarryPotterbookwasrejected12timesbeforeitwasfin

lJordanwascutfromhishighschoolbasketballt

hundredsofgamesandmisdthousandsofshotsduring

ncesaid,"Ihavefailedoverandoverandoveragain

t'swhyIsucceed."

Thepeoplesucceededbecautheyunderstoodthatyoucan'tlet

ug

etintotrouble,thatdoesn'tmeanyou'reatroublemaker,itmeansyoune

etabadgrade,thatdoesn'tmeanyo

u'restupid,itjustmeansyouneedtospendmoretimestudying.

Noone'omegoodatthingst

'renotavarsityathletethefirsttimeyouplayane

''veg

ht

ht

ini

telyhavetodoafewdraftsofapaperbeforeit'sgoodenoughtohandin

.

Don''tbeafraidtoaskforhelpwhen

forhelpisn'tasignofweakness,

it'sasignofstrengthbecauitshowsyouhavethecouragetoadmit

whenyoudon'tknowsomething,andthatthenallowsyoutolearnsome

anadultthatyoutrust--aparent,agrandparentortea

cher,acoachoracounlor--andaskthemtohelpyoustayontrackto

meetyourgoals.

Andevenwhenyou'restruggling,evenwhenyou'rediscouraged,an

dyoufeellikeotherpeoplehavegivenuponyou,don'tevergiveupon

yourlf,becauwhenyougiveuponyourlf,yougiveuponyourco

untry.

ThestoryofAmericaisn'taboutpeoplewhoquitwhenthingsgotto

'saboutpeoplewhokeptgoing,whotriedharder,wholovedtheir

countrytoomuchtodoanythinglessthantheirbest.

It'sthestoryofstudentswhosatwhereyousit250yearsago,andw

eople.

Studentswhosatwhereyousit75yearsagowhoovercameaDepressio

nandwonaworldwar;whofoughtforcivilrightsandputamanonthe

tswhosatwhereyousit20yearsagowhofoundedGoogl

eandTwitterandFacebookandchangedthewaywecommunicatewith

eachother.

Sotoday,Iwanttoaskallofyou,what'syourcontributiongoingto

be?Whatproblemsareyougoingtosolve?Whatdiscoverieswillyoum

ake?WhatwillaPresidentwhocomesherein20or50or100yearssay

aboutwhatallofyoudidforthiscountry?

Now,yourfamilies,yourteachers,andIaredoingeverythingwecan

tomakesureyouhavetheeducationyouneedtoanswerthequestio

ns.I'mworkinghardtofixupyourclassroomsandgetyouthebooksan

'vegotto

doyourpart,t

tgreatthingsf

''tletyourfamilydownoryou

all,don'allproud.

Thankyouverymuch,ssAmeric

ou.(Applau.)