Michelle Obama

“ First let me tell you that you couldn't be luckier than to have as your leader this guy by the name of Arne Duncan. Barack and I, my brother, my family, we've known Arne for a very long time, and we've seen his growth, his leadership develop over the years. And he is someone who is committed, hardworking, passionate. But he's someone who is fair, who is honest, who is decent, and who knows that getting to any goal means you have to build a team from within, from the bottom up. ”

“ I'm a product of people who were investing every day in the education of regular kids who'd grown up on the south side of Chicago, kids on the north side, folks in the south, in the west – young people who oftentimes comes into these systems not knowing their own power and their own potential, believing that there's some magic out there, to great things. ”

“ I am a product of your work. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for the public schools that nurtured me and helped me along. And I am committed, as well as my husband, to ensuring that more kids like us and kids around this country, regardless of their race, their income, their status, their – the property values in their neighborhoods, get access to an outstanding education.
So as Arne said, this is the first stop in many. ”