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First Lady Michelle Obama

When people ask First Lady Michelle Obama to describe herself, she doesn't hesitate to say that first and foremost, she is Malia and Sasha's mom. A product of Chicago public schools, Michelle studied sociology and African-American studies at Princeton University. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1988, she joined the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin, where she later met Barack Obama, the man who would become the love of her life. In 2014, Mrs. Obama launched the Reach Higher Initiative, an effort to inspire young people across America to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year college or university.

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Right now, 62 million girls across the globe are not in school. These girls are our future doctors, teachers, and entrepreneurs – they are the dreamers and visionaries who could change the world as we know it if they just had the chance to get the education they need. This issue is personal for me, because I see myself in these girls. I see my daughters in these girls. And I refuse to just sit back and accept the barriers that keep them from realizing their boundless promise. That is why I am thrilled to announce that we're expanding our efforts to “Let Girls Learn" with a new, community-focused girls' education initiative across the globe. Through this new effort, we'll be collaborating with the Peace Corps to support hundreds of new community projects – from building school libraries to creating girls' technology camps - to help girls go to school and stay in school. But while our focus is international, I also want to be very clear that for me, this work isn't just about improving girls' education abroad. It's also about reminding our young people of the hunger they should be feeling for their own education here at home. I want kids here in the U.S. to be inspired by girls worldwide who are making such sacrifices and overcoming such great obstacles to get their education.We owe these girls, and girls like them around the world, an education worthy of their dreams, so I hope you'll join this movement. — First Lady Michelle Obama

Look at these faces!

They are the faces of girls who are beautiful inside and out. They are the faces of girls who deserve a future worth looking forward to, not one they'll dread.

They have dreams. They love to have fun.

They like to learn. They want to grow up and have options.

But because those faces belong to girls, the future could be bleak for them.

Girls are much more likely than boys to remain uneducated. Hopeful young girls have the school doors closed in their faces, literally and figuratively.

Worldwide, there are 31 million elementary school girls out of school. There are another 34 million lower secondary school (junior high) girls out of school. (You can fact check those overwhelming figures here.) And we don't even know how many high-school-aged girls aren't being educated.

What does a lack of education mean to many girls?

It means girls are much more likely to get married way too young.

Check out these figures: If all girls across the world completed elementary school, child marriages would go down 14%. If they all completed the equivalent of junior high, that number would go down by 66%.

It means girls are more likely to have babies well before they are emotionally or physically prepared.

It's hard to learn this statistic and not feel moved: "Almost 60% fewer girls would become pregnant under 17 years in sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia if they all had a secondary education."

Don't feel hopeless. These girls' stories can have happy endings!

Education changes everything for girls around the world. Fewer would die during childbirth, their children would suffer less malnutrition, they would make more money, and they would be able to make decisions for themselves.

This is an investment worth making.

Not only does every single girl deserve a shot at a bright future, but girls and women make communities stronger and richer. Let's help give them a chance. And let's remind girls here in the U.S. how important an education is! You can spread the word by sharing this post. — Team Upworthy

This Joyful Video Will Make You Smile. See What Happens When Students Have The Support They Need.

What if we gave all of our students the same kind of recognition that football and basketball players get when they commit to a college? That's what they do down in San Antonio for their College Signing Day. This past May, I traveled to San Antonio to cheer on these young people at a big rally full of thousands of students who committed not just to go to college, but to complete it.The students all wear their college T-shirts. They practice their college cheers and chants. And they even meet their college mascots. But it’s not just the students who are involved. On College Signing Day, everyone in San Antonio — business leaders, city workers, teachers, and so many others — wears their alma mater’s T-shirt as well. It’s a way to show that higher education is a community-wide value, a way to show younger students that completing their education past high school is the norm. Because while students have to study hard and take responsibility for their futures, our communities — and our entire country — have to be there to support them every step of the way.The good news is that these kinds of celebrations aren’t just happening in San Antonio. Schools and cities all across the country are showering their young people with encouragement and support like this as well. And in the years ahead, I hope even more communities will celebrate their students like this — and set an expectation of college completion. That’s how we’ll encourage our young people to reach higher. And that’s how together, we can help them create a better future for themselves and our country.

I Really Hope The Parents Of These People Get To See What They Said Here. They'd Probably Cry.

Neither of my parents graduated from college, so when I got to campus as a freshman, I'll admit I was a little overwhelmed. I didn’t know anyone on campus except my brother. I didn’t know how to pick the right classes or find the right buildings. I didn’t even bring the right size sheets for my dorm room bed.But then I had an opportunity to participate in a three-week, on-campus orientation program that helped me get a feel for the rhythm of college life. And if it weren’t for those resources and the friends and the mentors, I honestly don’t know how I would have made it through college.In the video below, you'll hear inspiring stories from first-generation students at Kansas State University who have overcome challenges and are preparing to give back as educators. As a country, we're missing out on too much potential because too often young people don't believe that college can be a reality for them – or they don't know the steps to take to prepare themselves for higher education. So it's up to all of us to make sure we're helping our young people reach higher and take charge of their futures.Because our young people need to know that no matter where you come from or how much money your family has, you can succeed in college, and get your degree, and then go on to build a better life for yourself.

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First Lady Michelle Obama

Fast forward through her life for the awful ending. Then, do it again to see something amazing.

Look at these faces!

They have dreams. They love to have fun.

They like to learn. They want to grow up and have options.

But because those faces belong to girls, the future could be bleak for them.

What does a lack of education mean to many girls?

It means girls are much more likely to get married way too young.

It means girls are more likely to have babies well before they are emotionally or physically prepared.

Don't feel hopeless. These girls' stories can have happy endings!

This is an investment worth making.

This Joyful Video Will Make You Smile. See What Happens When Students Have The Support They Need.

I Really Hope The Parents Of These People Get To See What They Said Here. They'd Probably Cry.

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