Michelle Obama’s girls think big!
First Lady of America returns to Elizabeth Garrett Anderson school to take girls on inspiring university trip
Published: 27th May, 2011
by PETER GRUNER
SHE’S only 14, but Mary Koang is already thinking of becoming Britain’s first black female prime minister after meeting the wife of the American President.
Mary was among a party of 37 excited pupils from Angel who made headlines across the world on Wednesday when first lady Michelle Obama, wife of Barack, took them on a visit to the dreaming spires of Oxford University.
Mrs Obama, who first famously visited their school, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, three years ago, returned to encourage the girls to raise their life expectations.
She told them in no uncertain terms: “I want you to know that you have everything you need to succeed at a place like this [Oxford University]. You just have to work hard. That’s it. Don’t be put off.”
Back at school yesterday (Thursday), Mary said she had been truly inspired by the meeting.
“I would like to be Britain’s first black woman Prime Minister,” she said, “but first I’ve got to learn about public speaking. I’m quite nervous about talking in public.
“I asked Mrs Obama if she ever suffered from low confidence. She told me to keep practising, and never to give up. At the end of the day, she said, we all make mistakes but we can overcome them.”
Another of those who went to Oxford, Sufia Yahiya, 12, said she wants to be a lawyer and might also take an interest in politics. “I’m not sure I want to be Prime Minister but it might be interesting,” said Sufia. “Before I met Mrs Obama my mum and dad told me to make sure I listen and learn from everything she says.”
Kristina Alegria, 13, asked Mrs Obama how different it was raising children in the White House compared to a normal household. “Mrs Obama replied that it didn’t matter where you raise your kids,” said Kristina. “It’s how you raise children that counts.”
Another pupil, Sophie Edge, 13, admitted she has no idea what she wants to do in later life.
She added: “Mrs Obama said it was all right not to know what you wanted to do. She said just enjoy being young and keep up with your education.”
Mrs Obama reminded the girls that she herself was from a poor part of Chicago and that neither of her parents went to university. She emphasised that there are no barriers for girls who work hard to achieve their aims.
Headteacher Jo Dibb, who accompanied the children on the Oxford trip, said it would be a long time before they would get over it.
“When Mrs Obama first came to visit our school three years ago it was the turning point in many of our children’s lives,” she said. “What is fantastic is that she chose our school out of more than 400 secondary schools in London.”
Mrs Obama decided to contact the school originally because she had been informed about its reputation for helping girls from a diverse community to succeed.
Ms Dibb added: “We are London in miniature. We are a multi-ethnic school where 55 languages are spoken. Yet more than 95 per cent of our pupils go on to further education.”