education reforms in chicago. rahm emanuel joining us live in a few moments. as we begin the jewish new year here is something to make your mile countersy of rick perry. i'm andrea mitchell live in washington. born to run, chris christie is known as a straight shooter. but with an audience emexploring him to get in the 2012 race he could not seem to rule out a bid. >> i mean with this with all my heart we can't wait another four years to 2016. we need you. your country needs you to run for president. >> anybody who has an ego large enough to say oh, please, please, please stop asking me to be leader of the free world, it's such a burden. [ laughter ] if you could please just stop.

my answer to you is just this. i thank you for what you're saying and i take it in and am listening to every word of it and feeling it too. >> he certainly is taking in every word of it. mark many youy joins us from the newsroom. what a performance. and i know that he is playing the game and saying that he's ruled it out before but he did not slam the door. how are you reading it? >> exactly. last night'svenue gave him an opportunity to end all speculation about a presidential bid but he didn't do that. he did leave the door open. of course he said many, many times before that he is not going to run for president. even once saying that he would commit suicide before running for president. but last night he avoided doing so, let the audience and people in the news media to interpret

his remarks in many different ways. i will say an associate to christie told nbc news that what he said to that questioner at the very end does amount to some type of reconsideration and he will take a couple weeks to make up his mind. >> he gave a road map to republicans for how to go after president obama. this was one hit in particular during the speech last night. >> insisting that we must tax and take and demonize those who have already achieved the american dream. what happened to state senator obama? when did he decide to become one of the dividers he spoke so eloquently of in 2004? >> and mark he did not hesitate to go after rick perry on the texas dream act. this was his hit on what rick perry had said during that debate last thursday. >> i want every child who comes

to new jersey to be educated. but i do not believe that for those people who came here illegally that we should be subsidizing with taxpayer money through in-state tuition. let me be very clear from my perspective that is not a heartless position. that is a common sense position. of course new jersey is not exactly a border state. he doesn't have the same challenge as rick perry. how are the perry and romney campaigns confronting these challenges? >> the speech was either red meat attacking president obama, taking on congress and rick perry, something that everyone could sink their teeth into. it freezes the republican presidential contest in right now at a point where rick perry and mitt romney are trying to raise money. if you are someone who might like chris christie you are not

cutting perry or romney a check at this point. it almost freezes the field in place. >> mark murray. what a year this is and the hits keep coming. >> absolutely. hispanics are the largest and fastest growing minority group in the nation and among the hardest hit by the economy. president obama said that his jobs plan can help begin to turn things around at a round table. this was online. >> the jobs act does a couple of things. number one it puts people back to word rebuilding roads, bridges, schools. those infrastructure projects could employ a lot of construction workers, including a lot of latino construction workers who were laid off after the housing bubble burst. charles gonzalez chairs the hispanic you kus. thank you for joining us. in the latest nbc news poll the

president edged up approval among hispanics. is from concerns because of the economic factors and the pressure on the hispanic community that the president has not done enough to reach out? >> the only concern is one of enthusiasm. are we going to get the number of voters back out? we saw a tremendous increase in the percentages of latino voters that were registered in 2008 come out to the polls. that would be my only concern. but that is just across the board with all voters as far as what the democrats are confronted with when the economy is down. and of course is it a democratic president. and you don't look at exactly what congress has been doing thwart the president's plans. >> from your perspective down there in texas you have a really good view of rick perry as a potential opponent to barack obama. what about this immigration

fight that erupt where had he was talking as -- you know, about the heartlessness, really of the rest of the field and the in-state tuition about $9,000 instate a big advantage for mexican americans who come across the border. >> the determine ma of doing the right thing on extending in-state tuition for children of undocumented workers here in this state. but governor christie is saying it's not about the heart but about common sense. but as a prosecutor, did christie ever prosecute a child for the acts of a parent? and that is what we are talking about. and he will honestly have to say of course not. that doesn't make any sense. governor perry understood that. the problem with governor perry now is he is saying i can't be for the federal dream act which means we will assist to educate

a child who is in this country who did not violate the law that has been here and not going to be deported. we understand we have to have an educated work force but the governor stops short because that child is still going to be deported. that child cannot work and use the skills and education we have provided that child to benefit all of our society without a federal dream act. so you're going to see this thing demagogued to the end of this world by all of the republican candidates that point. and of course they will come down to earth once you have a nominee and they have to start making a little more sense. >> and congressman in the last election the president did well among hispanic voters. do you think he would be that competitive among them if the joblessness and the poverty rates and all of the problems

facing the hispanic and latino community are still there when we head into the closing months of the election. mr. it's not just for hispanics. it's for all the voters out there. right now you have six, seven, eight or nine republicans out there that are falling all over themselves to appeal to a conservative part of their party. they can't win with just that particular wing of the part. unless they really expand it if they would continue to talk the way they are talking today i would say that president obama's chances of being re-elected are incredibly increased. my prediction is that he is going to be re-elected because is it a frame of reference. when you have that other candidate that is making remark that are extreme in nature to pacify and to appeal and to demagogue an issue it is going to haunt them. they are not going to be able to walk back from it. they are not going to be able to

do it. with every debate they dig that hole deeper. >> thank you, charles gonzalez, the head of the hispanic congressional congress. on to education nation. mayor rahm emanuel is live next. and president obama expected to deliver his back to school address. he will be speaking there shortly. we will bring that to you live. this is "andrea mitchell reports" only on msnbc. t some p. [ man ] our retirement isn't a simple budget line item. [ man ] i worked hard. i paid into my medicare. [ man ] and i earned my social security. [ woman ] now, instead of cutting waste and loopholes, washington wants to cut our benefits? that wasn't the agreement. [ male announcer ] join the members of aarp and tell washington to stop cuts to our medicare and social security benefits.

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with two children and no way to support them. i put myself through nursing school, and then i decided to go get a doctorate degree. university of phoenix gave me the knowledge to make a difference in people's lives. my name is dr. kimberly horton. i manage a network of over a thousand nurses, and i am a phoenix. [ male announcer ] university of phoenix is proud to sponsor education nation. because we believe an educated world is a better world. chicago mayor rahm emanuel made education reform a pillar of his campaign, extending the

city's short school days. he has extended school days at half a dozen elementary schools despite resistance from the teacher's union. mayor rahm emanuel joins me from chicago. great to have you hear. in terms of longer school days. this was one of your first reforms. a total of 13 degrees to do it. that is still 482 of the overall number of elementary schools. where do you go next to increase the school hours for your school kids? >> i was at a school today. every child in that elementary school is getting an additional 30 minutes of math, an additional 30 minutes of readings and 30 minutes of science. because the day is longer they are also getting recess. there are other schools now that are going to have that vote.

because of the legislation we passed, next year all 400-plus in the school system will get 90 minutes in an additional week bringing chicago from below the bar to par with other schools throughout the country. in my view we have great teachers and good kids but the system is stacked against both of them from succeeding. individual schools have started to do this. we are going to mass the data at the end, study it and build a curriculum for our children and a time for the teachers and kids to succeed. we have been cheating children year after year. all those kids at one school, that is two and a half hours every week of additional math, additional science and additional reading and writing they did not get before. you add that up not only over the year but over a time in the public school system, that is a

time that is important for that student to develop with that teacher and be studying and all the kids loved it that i spoke to. i went to the pickup at brown school and the parents thanked us for giving their children a chance at succeeding. >> what do you think -- i didn't mean to interrupt. i noticed that some of the teachers and parents going with you. the teachers' union taking you to court. why are they fighting this so hard? >> first of all there, are two points to know. one in every school that voted the average vote is around 70% said yes. the teachers saying yes to this. someone did a poll of parents and teachers in the city and 70% say we want a longer school day. the leadership can go to court. the court i care about is what happens in that classroom. the fact that those kids at fisk

and brown and skinner and stem, those kids are getting additional time on task. where the teachers who have been trained to teach math, reading, history, science, language arts, computer, will have now the time that we need them to have with the kids. remember in if end of the day we are testing these children. if you shortchange the time in class we are asking the teachers to achieve something academically that the structure does not allow them to do. they are great teachers and good kids. the system has been structured where our kids and teachers can't succeed. when i ran i made an issue of this. we passed legislation to do this. schools are doing this one by one now setting up for next year. i was not going to be part of a system and a structure that shortchanged our kids and our teachers. >> mr. mayor you have a big

deficit though. >> what's that? >> it is going to cost about $70 million to extend it to all the willful elementary schools. >> this year we cut $400 million out of the bureaucracy but added 600 kids to all day kindergarten. new york state is cutting 18,000 children. florida cut 70% of their pre-k programs. we gave parents eight new schools of choice, schools of excellence and magnate to pick from. schools are a getting a security system. we are investing in the classroom and cutting the bureaucracy. we have the funds to make sure that every elementary school that wanted to do this we will fund a 2% pay for the teachers and 175,000 for the planning for how to do the curriculum.

that is an up-scale challenge. cut the bureaucracy to invest in that classroom. it is worth taking it throughout the city. >> you and other mayors are confronting the challenges in your schools. >> you noticed? >> and we are about to be in an election year. it has been a non-stop election but it is not part of the national political conversation. what can we do to make education part of the conversation for from all the candidates? the president is going to be talking about it in the next few minutes. he is giving his back to school speech. >> in all due respect. >> the republicans are not talking about it either. >> not the take a shot here but i am proud that the president on friday said i'm tired of the politics of washington and leave no child behind this and he took executive action and he put the

children ahead of the inaction out of washington. and the ability there. the president is about to give a speech. you guys are focusing on this. i will tell you who is focused on this, the parents at brown school, the parents at skin herb, the parents at fisk. the parents who voted who want a longer day for their children. i can't tell you why the republicans aren't talking about it. but the parents are talking about it around the kitchen table. i was in a neighborhood the other day on an antiviolence march with kids and parents. the kids in the city of chicago are talking about the longer school day and asking me. i have been in public policy for as you know, chief of staff and senior advisor for two presidents in congress in leadership. i never had children ask me about a policy position like i have in the debate that we are having here in chicago what is

the length of day that we need for our children to succeed in their futury where you have an economy based on you earn what you learn. we are going to make sure that the kids of chicago aren't cheated. but let me say one other thing. i announced a comprehensive program on early childhood. so every child in the early childhood program has an educational standard and rating system online for parents to evaluate. we now have merit performance pay not just for teachers. the principals have a merit pay system. when they succeed they will be rewarded. the ceo in the corporate suite at if public school system, performance pay. is it the only school system from the classroom up to the corporate suite with performance pay. and we are making other changes. but the most important thing i can coas mayor, make sure we have qualified principals in there with the structure and

ability of being held accountability. teach whoefrs are motivated to teach. but the final protear are parents have to be involved in the kids' education. we have to open up the system where parents are held accountable. pick up the report card, go to parent-teacher conference. 250e67 your children at home the value of education. neither of us would be where we today if it wasn't for the love of our parents and the education we got. >> and wonderful teachers as well. >> no doubt about it. we have great teachers motivated throughout the system. but you learned the value of an education at your home. the most important door you walk through for an education was the door to your house. >> that is an important message, rahm emanuel. >> and parents cannot walk away. we will make sure that our system is structured, inviting them in but holding them accountable to the success of their own child as the system is for the teacher and principal

that are in the building of the school. >> i would say that republican officials local and state are doing the same thing and working just as hard but it is not enough a part of the national political conversation. but we thank you. we have to leave it there. we hope to see you soon. thanks so much. >> thank you, andrea. up next, building the next-generation of leaders, education nation continues with d.c.'s teacher of the year. [ daniel ] my name is daniel northcutt.

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. and as we wait for president obama to arrive at the high school here in d.c. to give his back to school speech we have a

special guest, innovative teachers are doing amazing things. one of the best teachers -- in fact the best teacher in washington, d.c., jon rolle is here with me now. great to see you. you are now in a different charter school but you won the award for teaching third grade boys an all boys class. >> 27 eight-year-old boys in southeast washington, d.c. it was a great experience to do something that was innovative and special. >> were you part of a decision to have an all-boys class. there are different reports on whether having same-sex classes helps learning or doesn't. >> that was prompted the idea to have the all boys classroom. i looked at masculine city and issues of aggression and how they played out and one of the things that was just jarring was the fact that in southeast washington, d.c. young males in

third grade commute far below the girls in southeast d.c. and below their affluent peers and their literacy rates were things i wanted to address head on. >> this is an neighborhood which has issues of poverty and single parents and a lack of -- especially african-american male role models. there you are as a teacher a special role for you. >> the area of southeast that we work in is one of the more economically disadvantaged places in the city. our school was a title i school. the kids reduced the free reduced lunch. so it was an opportunity to go in as a male as a specific role model and supporting the great role models in my school and provide a layer of support for these men. >> you called the class a leadership academy and call the students scholars. you raise expectations.

how does that play in making these kids believe in themselves? >> i think that is one of the more key components. because as an educator, the higher you set the bar, the higher you raise the expectations, the kids will meet them. for these young boys who people may have turned their back on based on all the things you discussed it was important that the message was not only are you a young man but a leader not only in your school but in your community and the things it took to be a leader, both raising the academic standards, the social standards and what it means to be a young man were paramount in ensuring that the boys were set up for success as they move forward. >> you have moved on and are an assistant principal and not in the classroom. how have you adjusted to that? you have less immediate hands-on role with the kids. >> one thing i love about being

a part of the community is how progressive and inknow valtive the community, the principal allow -- >> this is a public charter. >> it is. but it is hands-on leadership. we are pulling groups and doing whatever it takes to get in there and make sure that the kids succeed. >> is this a lottery system? >> we have -- anyone that has an address in d.c. can sign up to go to our school. we fill slots on a first-come, first served basis. once you get into the school on the list you have an opportunity to stay as you finish your schooling. each year as open slots are available kids can sign up and enroll. >> one of the things that was distressing was that parents have to pay for music and art and extracurricular activities. is that the case in your school and how do you get around the fact that the childrens don't have the resources?

>> it's not. one of the things that i enjoy about our school is the emphasis on the extra thing that kids need to be successful. at my current school we have an amazing music teacher and program. amazing physical education set of teachers that do extra crack lar teens and activities. we have a spanish program and offering arabic to our students this year. a wide range of things to help support in building that well-rounded education for kids. >> how do you feel about the fact that d.c. has shut the libraries on sunday and that was the biggest day for kids and parents to go and read and be read to. >> i think that is problematic. but even in the absence of that, kids can be creative checking out books on saturday or going after school. d.c. has expanded the number of libraries and the quality of the libraries so students can have

access to them and go in with the reading levels and do the book clubs and check the books they need. >> the physical library is the only place a lot of the kids get computer access. do you think schools have to be more of a community center? it is one of the thing that jeffrey canada has done is reach out to the community and have the school open at night for parents and other leaders. >> jeffrey can dpa is a model for what that looks like long term. i think a lot of schools are moving toward that model, providing breakfast and after care services for kids. one thing about our school we have three full-time social workers on site. we have a lot of opportunities for kids to examine some of the other core socioemotional issues. as schools begin to address those needs as you were saying

that we will see more success with students as well. >> has parent involvement gotten better? rahm emanuel is battling the teachers' union on extending school hours but he says that parents have to take more responsibility for their kids. >> i think that true. moo my career, the times where where the parents are more involved i have seen more success. i think is it also on the teach and the school to build a collaborative relationship. the parents need to reach out to the school and schools and communities need to find ways to reach out to the parents and making it accessible for them to come in making it comfortable. our school has something as simple as coffee and tea in the morning so parents can have a conversation. we do translation services for parents who need translation

services. so it is knocking down the barriers so that the parents and the community can be a part of the school. >> what is next for jon rolle? what are your goals? >> one of the thing that i've been thinking about is really wanting to make a larger systemic change. wanting to go back to school and learning about what it takes to lead a large enterprise and be a superintendent or do something that is of that great magnitude that day. >> teacher of the year. you have your masters. you are working hard as an assistant principal and on your way to one success after another. >> thank you for having me. topping the headlines as we continue to wait and watch for the president's speech here in d.c., topping the political headlines, rick pery's plan hitting his rivals harder as some worry that a widely planned debate performance and deflating straw poll loss have hurt the

texas governor. aides insisting that the only pivot is a more aggressive campaign. joining us now, jonathan martin. this has been quite a week in republican politics. how is perry reshaping his campaign? >> i think they are trying to turn the page by doubling down on the attacks against romney. they are trying to focus the attention on romney's changing stances on some issues. they are trying to look forward instead of backwards. there are a few weeks before the debate in new hampshire. a lot of the anticipation among the broader g.o.p. universe is can perry step up his game and improve his debate performance or have we seen the extent of his capacity? i think that question is looming over his whole campaign right now. >> his wife was out today

explaning and defending his lack of experience in debating. this was anita perry in iowa this morning. >> he has never had a debate class nor a debate coach in his life that i know of. he realizes the last debate. he realized that. i can look in his face. he knew that. so he's going to be better prepared this time. he's going to -- in fact our son said when they do the debate prep for the next debate i want to be there. he is best when he is down as a fighter. this is his opportunity to show up. >> wow. >> is it going to be a family affair. >> wow. that's striking that governor perry's wife who is a forceful figure in her own right opening up governor's perry's office in des moines saying -- promising

really that he will be better in this next debate. so, they know that he's got to improve his performance. you know, perry's spin is i'm not the most polished debater and slick. that is a contrast with romney. but that's for public consumption. they know and i think the governor's wife let it slip that he has to improve his performance in these things or the bad because is going to be deafening. >> speaking of performance what did you think of chris christie's performance at the reagan library? >> it is vintage christie. this is why a lot of the folks in the g.o.p. especially money guys who are excited about the possibility of a christie candidacy. my reporting, the reporting of my colleague indicate that he is at least giving this some thought now. if smart bet that he will ultimately do it but he is giving it one final look.

but october 1st is right around the corner. the calendar gets really tight here. i think he has a week, ten days at the very most to figure this thing out. >> we shall see in the next week to ten days. and the next debate the first week in october. >> yep. >> up there in new hampshire. could not be better timed. up at dartmouth. and also making headlines today, the u.n. security council is taking the first step to considering the palestinian request for statehood. but in the wake of last week's palestinian request, israel announced it is building 1100 housing units in jerusalem. the secretary of state hillary clinton says that it is counter productive to peace talks. engineers are rappelling down the washington monument to continue inspections. the building has been closed

subsistence 5.8 quake on the east coast last month. reebok is pay $25 million in customer refunds for deceptive advertising on their shoe called toners. the ftc announced that reebok agreed to settle the case. they said that the shoes could lead to 28% more -- better toned legs. reebok claim that the results came from testing. but several called the claims far-fetched. and we are continuing to watch. president obama will be bringing that speech to you live. he is going to give his back to school speech here in washington, d.c. in columbia heights. a great neighborhood in washington, d.c. they are waiting for the president. the seal is up there on the podium. we are continuing to wait and will be back in a moment. [ dennis ] juggling insurance policies at different companies is a pain.

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and right now, students are about to introduce president obama who is going to give his back to school speech. so let's watch. >> we are very proud that the president chose benjamin banneker as the school for his back to school speech. we are celebrating our 30th year anniversary as a magnate school,

having maintained 100% graduation rate and college acceptance rate. [ applause ] as banker achievers we have excelled in both academics and extracurricular activities including giving back to our community through service and activities. i attribute this to my family seen self determination. i ann am an inspiring architect rall engine. i work at a firm that is preparing me for my future career. since my freshman year here, i have been fortunate enough not to have been faced with the painful dilemmas that an increasing number of our students face daily.

recently -- recently i was a recipient of the 2011 congressional black caucus foundation essay scholarship. this year's topic focused on positive initiatives to increase graduation rates amongst minorities. throughout my paper, i stressed the importance of self determination. 'is to be, it is up to me because we are the controllers of our own destinies. on behalf of the banker achievers i would like to take this opportunity to thank the administration, teachers, counsellors and other staff members fir their unwaferering support. we value and appreciate your efforts and commitment. we have achieved exceptional academic success and are destined to set higher markers. today's presidential address will be memorable and an historic event for all of us. we feel honored and are humbled

today to represent students all over america as we look forward to another year of scholastic challenges and opportunities. so with further ado from president to president, let me invite you -- let me invite you all to sit back, enjoy and internalize the wonderful words of counsel and encouragement from our president of the united states, barack obama, accompanied by the secretary of education, arne duncan. thank you. [ applause ] [ cheers ] >> hey.

[ applause ] >> thank you very much. everybody please have a seat. well. madame president, that was an outstanding introduction. we are so proud of denay for -- for representing this school so well and in addition, i also want to acknowledge your outstanding principal who has been here for 20 years, first as a teacher, now as an outstanding principal, anita berger, please give her a big round of applause. [ applause ] . want to acknowledge as well, mayor gray is here. so the mayor of washington, d.c. is here. please give him a big round of applause. [ applause ] and i also want to thank somebody who is going to do go

down in history as one of the finest secretaries of education we have ever had, arne duncan is here. now it is great to be here at benjamin banneker high school one of the best high schools not only in washington, d.c. but one of the best high schools in the country. and -- [ applause ] but we have students tuning in from all across america. and so i want to welcome you all to the new school year although i know that many of you have already been in school for a while. i know that here at banker you have been back at school for a few weeks now few weeks now. so everything is just starting to settle in. just like for all your peers all across the country. the fall sports season is under way. musical and marching band

routines are starting to shape up, i believe. and your first big tests and projects are probably just around the corner. your circle of friends might be changing a little bit. issues that used to stay confined to hallways and locker rooms are finding their way onto facebook and twitter. some of your families might also be feeling the strain of the economy. this is one of the toughest economies in my lifetime. your lifetime hasn't been that long. so as a consequence you might have to pick up an after school job to help out your family. or maybe you're babysitting for a younger sibling because mom or dad is working an extra shift.

so all of you have a lot on your plates. you guys are growing up faster and interacting with a wider world in a way that old folks like me frankly just didn't have to. so today i don't want to be just another adult who stands up and lectures you like you're just kids, because you're not just kids. you're in country's future. you're young leaders. whether we fall behind or race ahead as a nation is going to depend in large part on you. so i want to talk to you a little bit about meeting that responsibilit responsibility. it's hard obviously with being the best student that you can be. that doesn't always mean that you have to have a perfect score on every assignment. it doesn't mean that you've got to get straight a's all the time, although that's not a bad goal to have.

it means that you have to stay at it. you have to be determined, and you have to persevere. it means you've got to work as hard as you know how to work. and it means that you've got to take some risks once in a while. you can't avoid the class that might be hard. you're worried about getting the best grade if that's a subject that you need to prepare you for your future. we have to wonder. we have to question. we have to explore. every once in a while you need to color outside the lines. that's what school is for. discovery new passions, acquiring new schools. making this the most incredible time you have to prepare yourself and give yourself the skills that you're going to need to pursue the kind of careers that you want.

and that's why when you're still a student, you can explore a wide range of possibilities. one hour you can an artist, the next an author, the next a scientist or a carpenter. this is the time to try out new interests and test out new ideas. and the more you do, the sooner you figure out what makes you come alive. what stirs you, what makes you excited. the career that you want to pursue. now if you promise not to tell anybody, i will let you in on a little secret. i was not always the very best student that i could be when i was in high school. certainly when i was not in middle school. i did not love every class i took. i wasn't always paying the attention the way i should have. i remember when i was in eighth grade i had to take a class called ethics. now ethics is about right and

wrong, but if you'd asked me what my favorite was back in eighth grade it was basketball. i don't think ethics would have made it on the list. but here's the interesting thing. i still remember that ethics class all these years later. i remember way it made me think. i remember being asked questions like what matters in life. what does it mean to treat other people with dignity and respect? what does it mean to live in a diverse nation where not everyone looks like your or thinks like you do or comes for the same neighborhood as you do. how do we figure out to get along. each of these questions led to new questions. i didn't always know the right answers. but those discussions and that process of discovery, those things that lasted, those things are still with me today. every day i'm thinking about those same sures as i try to

leave this nation. i'm asking the same kinds of questions about how do we as a diverse nation come together to achieve what we need to achieve? how do we make sure every single person is treated with dignity and respect? what responsibilities do we have to people less fortunate than we are? how do we make sure that everybody is included in this family of americans? those are all questions that date back to this class that i took back in eighth grade. here's the thing. i still don't know all the answers to the questions. but if i had just tuned out because the class sounded boring, i might have missed out on something that i did not only turn out enjoying but has ended up serving me in good stead for the rest of my life. so that's a big part of your responsibility, is to test things out, take new risks, try new things, work hard. don't be embarrassed if you're not good at something right away. you're not supposed to be good

at everything right away. that's why you're in school. the idea is that you keep on expanding your horizons and your sense of possibility. now is the time for you to do that. those are the things that lick make school for fun, those will be the traits that help you as well. it will lead to devices that make an ipad look like a stone tablet or what will figure out a way to use the sun and the the wind to power a city and give us new energy sources that are less polluting. or maybe you'll write the next great american novel. now to do any of those things, you have to not only graduate from high school, and i'm in the corner with principle burger here. not only do you have to graduate from high school, but you're going to have to continue education after you leave. you have to not only graduate, but you have to keep going after

you graduate. that might mean if me of you a four-year university. she wants to be an architect. she's interning with an architectural firm. she's already got her sights set on what school she wants to go to. for other folks it may be a community college or a frogs professional credentialing or training. but the fact of the matter is that more than 60% of the jobs in the next decade will require more than a high school diploma. more than 60%. that's the world that you're walking into. so i want all of you to set a goal to continue your education after you graduate. and if that means college for you, just getting into college is not enough. you also have to graduate. one of the biggest challenges we have right now is that too many of our young people enroll in college but don't actually end up getting their degree.

our country used to have the world's highest pro portion of young people with a college degree. we now rank 16th. i don't like being 16th. i like being number one. that's not good enough. so we got to make sure your generation gets us back to the top of having the most college graduates relative to the population of any country on earth. now if we do that, you guys will have a brighter future and so will america. we'll be able to make sure that the newest inventions and the latest breakthroughs happen here in the united states of america. it will mean better jobs and more fulfilling lives. and great egg opportunities, not only for you, but also for your kids. i don't want anybody listening here today to think that you're done once you finish high school. you are not done learning. in fact, what's happening in today's economy is it's all about lifelong learning. you have to constantly upgrade

your skills and find new ways of doing things. even if college isn't for you, even if a four-year college isn't for you, you still need more education when you get out of high school. you have to start expecting big things for yourself right now. i know that may sound a little intimidating. some of you may be wondering how you can pay for college. or you might not know what you want to do with your life yet. and that's okay. nobody expects you to have your entire future mapped out at this point. and we don't expect you to have to make it on your own. first of all you have wonderful parents who love you to death and want you to have a lot more opportunity than they ever had. which by the way means don't give them a hard time when they ask them to turn off the video games. turn off the tv, and do some homework. you need to give them