Another Life Cover Competition

Keren David's 'When I was Joe' and 'Almost True' are a real hit with the Bookaholics, and following a discussion of what the new cover might be like, Keren suggested they could design their own and she would choose the best to win a signed copy of 'Lia's guide to winning the lottery.' The Bookaholics took up the challenge and I am displaying the entries here. I was impressed with the hard work and thought which went into each one.

Munna Begum, Nasra Hussein, Aissato Falcoiera

Jennie Lee Martins

Cigdem Bisin

Helin Dogan

Sarah Lund - librarian

My picture is now online at the Radio Times gallery of Sarah Lundalikes, featuring various people wearing knitted jumpers à la Sarah Lund, the great Danish detective from The Killing. I used Scandinavian fiction as a prop, I imagined I was investigating the disappearance of a Danish Library book for the photo shoot.

http://www.radiotimes.com/photos/2011-11-18/photo-gallery-sarah-lundalikes

    My review of Wasted by Nicola Morgan

Wasted tells the story of Jess, a seventeen year old girl who is about to leave school. Her home life is not easy – her dad lives abroad and her mum is struggling with alcoholism. Jess spends her time writing songs and singing and it is through this that she meets Jack, who signs her up to his band ‘Schrödinger’s Cat’ as soon as he hears her unique voice. The band are playing at the school prom which is only a few days away, so need to practise flat out with  Jess as their new lead singer.
Jack’s life is ruled by chance. Having lost two mothers at an early age, he believes he can control his life with the flip of a coin. Jack is reckless and dangerous when playing the game and becomes addicted to it and exposes himself to unnecessary danger.  Jack and Jess fall in love and she soon becomes embroiled in the game.
The author plays with her readers by allowing them to play the game too. At crucial points, readers are asked to flip a coin and choose which chapter to read. She demonstrates how random life is, how events can go one way or the other with the slightest change of behaviour and unusually we are able to see both endings here. I particularly liked this aspect of the novel.
I read this book in a day, the characters are so believable and I was intrigued by the constant question of ‘What if?’  I flipped a coin at the end as instructed and got the ending I didn’t want; naturally I read the other chapter too.
I have already started recommending this book to students who I hope will enjoy it as much as I did.

Alexandra launches the Railway Children charity at EGA!

British popstar Alexandra Burke, Railway Children’s UK Ambassador, visited Elizabeth Garrett Anderson on 10th November 2011 to help launch new services to support young runaways and children at risk on the streets in Islington, Haringey and Camden.

Alexandra met with a group of 30 year & pupils and took part in a series of talks and workshops with the students and charity representatives. Around 40 invited guests, including Islington Mayor Phil Kelly had refreshments in the LRC before heading upstairs to meet Alexandra and the students.

The visit was cloaked in secrecy, in order to avoid mass hysteria breaking out. The girls were utterly surprised and delighted when Ms Sarah Beagley introduced 'an ex-student who would like to meet you.'

After the workshop Alexandra did a press interview and some photographs were taken outside the Garrett Anderson block.

I asked Alexandra to sign the Library copy of her Unofficial biography. She promised us plenty of free copies of the Ofiicial one when it comes out. I asked her whether she had been a keen library user, but she confessed that 'I spent more time in Art and Music; the library wasn't really my thing.'

While the photographes were being taken, Alexandra caught sight of the Food Tech students who had spotted her from their lesson and were pressed up to the window singing 'Hallelujah.' Despite protests from staff, Alex rushed over to the classroom and had to be restrained from entering the building by Ms Beagley and Ms Dibb with PC Elliott keeping a watchful eye on the situation. It was interesting to see staff revert to teacher mode with Alex, as she was very excited and enthusiastic and extremely wilful!

After another brief session with the students Alexandra posed for a group photo and then reluctantly went on her way. She was very down to earth and friendly with everybody and the charity were thrilled with the way the morning had gone.

Alex went off in her car - eventually, having stopped once to get out and hug Ms Silva - leaving her mum in school talking to Ms Bonsu. Her mother was a former singer in Soul II Soul and also a pupil at this school (then Starcross.) in fact Ms Bonsu taught them both!

Alexandra Burke

Alexandra was a pupil at EGA until 2005. She won the X Factor in 2008.

This extract taken from our Archives shows Alex's dedication to singing when she won the 'Stars in Your eyes' competition when she was in Year 7. She shows her dedication to singing even at that young age when she says 'I was so happy when I found out I won. I then broke into tears. I had worked so hard. I practice ever day to make my voice perfect.'

And a glimpse of the confidence needed to win the X Factor when she says 'I can't believe I won, but I deserved it.'

HAVE YOU READ ‘WHEN I WAS JOE’ &/OR THE SEQUEL ‘ALMOST TRUE?’ by KEREN DAVID?

WHY NOT ENTER OUR COMPETITION TO DESIGN YOUR VERSION OF THE COVER FOR THE THIRD BOOK?
The third book in the trilogy, ’Another Life’ is being published next summer. Keren David has invited EGA students to design their own version of the cover for the book. Her favourite will receive a signed copy of her latest book ‘Lia’s guide to winning the lottery.’
Or - All three book covers are being redesigned so why not create new covers for all three?
To help you with your design, here are a few facts from Keren. She says ‘The third book is jointly narrated by Ty and his cousin Archie. There are guns and drugs.  Crucial scenes take place on rooftops. There's a boxing club. ‘

ENTRIES TO THE LRC by Friday 25/11/11

My New Life at EGA

I am posting this item from this week's newsletter - lovely remarks about the Library. Thanks Miski!

My New Life at EGA

I’ve been at EGA for four and a half weeks now and it has been
exciting but challenging. Homework has been a big step up for
me, as in primary school I only got homework on Fridays! And
the individual projects are hard work. But when I think about it,
I do realise that homework is not a punishment, but a reward.
Now no time is wasted for me at home, I am always so busy!
I think my parents are secretly relieved that I don’t bother my
sisters as much now.
At school, the lessons are very far apart so I have quickly learned
not to waste my time waiting around for anything or anyone. I
now know that secondary school is not as easy, but also not as
hard, as it seems. My favourite place is the library, because it has
the latest books by great authors. Also, the computers are really
fast and are free to use. The library also rents DVDs which I will
borrow when my parents let me!
I have really enjoyed my beginning at secondary school and
would like to carry on and see what else EGA has to off er me.
Miski Mohammed 7H

Victoria goes to Uni!

On Friday we said goodbye to our lovely Library assistant who is starting at Nottingham University today. An ex- pupil of EGA, she has worked in the LRC since she was about 13 and we will miss her very much. Congratulations Victoria and Good Luck!

Comment from Malaika Rose Stanley

Thank you, 'Miss Cheetham'. This is such a lovely, warm post about my visit to EGA yesterday that it actually brought tears to my eyes. I was really impressed by the Bookaholics' introduction to Skin Deep and by how interesting/interested and engaged all the girls were at the launch. They did me proud! (Malaika)

Skin Deep review

'When 13 -year-old Destiny enters the Bright Sparks beauty contest behind her (ex-model) mum's back, she is determined to prove she has a talent and brans - and that she is not just a pretty face.' (Book blurb)

Skin Deep is a fun enjoyable book which tells the story of Destiny and her cousin Keisha and her two friends Ebyan and Bee. Disaster strikes when Destiny develops an illness when she is about to take part in the final of the Bright Sparks competition, where she is due to showcase her cello playing. Along the way she has to deal with Bella the Bully, negotiate her mother and her neighbour and deal with a sudden drop in her confidence.

Girls will love this uplifting book about a group of friends and the message it puts across about self worth and appearance and the different attitudes people have.

The book is the first in a series featuring the four likeable characters and drawing on the feedback from the students who have read the book; it promises to be a big success. The cover alone (fabulous illustrations by Sarah Coleman aka Inkymole) is eye-catching and has a definite appeal for young readers. We look forward to the next in the series!



Malaika Rose Stanley & The Bookaholics at the Skin deep launch



Malaika Rose Stanley and the 'Skin Deep' launch at EGA 15/09/11

I was thrilled to be asked last summer to host the launch of Malaika Rose Stanley's new book for pre teenage girls, 'Skin Deep.' Preview copies were sent to me last July and I recruited some Year 7 students to read the manuscripts. They were excited to get to read a book that was not yet published and the manuscripts themselves were attractive; A4 size with a colour cover page replicating the actual book cover. A few girls  even finished the book before the term was up and really enjoyed reading it.

Yesterday Malaika visited EGA and we held the launch in the hall. Her audience were a mixture of Year 7 and 8, plus the Year 9 'Bookaholics' reading group. Rosanna had made a lovely banner, which Malaika liked so much she took it home with her and the 'Bookaholics' did a short introduction to the book, reading as the four main characters in the book. Khadra was the star with her French accent, which caused much amusement.

Malaika introduced her talk by wondering how she could follow in the footsteps of Michelle Obama, who visited the school in 2009. The answer is - easily. The girls thoroughly enjoyed her talk and asked and answered questions about female role models, what their achievements in life are and the qualities they value in a friend. It was a very inspiring session and Malaika also talked about her career as a former teacher and now a writer.

The reading from the book was the highlight for me, read in a thick Brummie accent, the books really came alive when read aloud. When Malaika stopped reading, one girl sighed 'Oh' out loud and I think she echoed the general feeling in the room; we didn't want her to stop! She obliged and read a bit more!

After the talk Malaika signed copies of her book which were available for purchase at a reduced price and there was a long queue at her desk, illustrating the success of Malaika and 'Skin Deep.'

Skin Deep Book Launch

Skin Deep –launch at EGA on Thursday 15^th September 2011

  BIG ambitions, BIG problems, BIG bullies

The first book in the newly-launched Sugar and Spice series, this is pre-teen girly fiction at its best: well-written, thoughtful and great fun.

When 13-year-old Destiny enters the Bright Sparks beauty contest behind her (ex-model) mum’s back, she is determined to prove she has talent and brains – and that she is not just a pretty face.

Together with her cousin, Keisha and best friends, Ebyan and Bee, Destiny deals with every challenge life throws at her – including scary eyeball-to-eyeball confrontations with bully-girl Bella and secret winks from heart-throb, Joel. And then real disaster strikes...
Ideal for fans of Jacqueline Wilson and Cathy Cassidy, this series will appeal to girls aged 9+.
Malaika Rose Stanley used to work as a teacher, but was forced to give up her job supporting children with special needs because of her treatment for cancer. In only two years as a full-time writer, she has four children’s books to her name and is Tamarind’s most prolific author. In 2010, The Independent listed Spike and Ali Enson as a Book of the Year and Miss Bubble’s Troubles was listed as a 2011 World Book Day Recommended Read.

The Skin Deep launch will take place in the EGA Hall at 2:00 pm on Thursday 15 September at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School. Copies will be available to purchase for £3.30

Sugar and Spice: Skin Deep

144-page paperback

Published by Tamarind/Random House on 1st September 2011, £4.99 or less

Read the first chapter:

http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/editions/9781848530546

Watch the video trailer:

http://youtu.be/0n1L3O87lGU

For review copies and further press/publicity information, please contact:

Stephie Melrose on 020 8231 6414 or smelrose@randomhouse.co.uk

Lia’s guide to winning the lottery by Keren David reviewed by The Bookaholics

Lia’s guide is a really good, funny novel written by Keren David. We are big fans of her other books, ‘When I was Joe’ and ‘Almost True,’ so were interested to see how she would write a different kind of book. Keren visited the group a few months ago and talked to us about ‘Lia,’ read a few excerpts and showed us a mock-up of the cover. Her publisher, Frances Lincoln sent over some preview copies and we have been reading it together this term.

The girls really like the cover, they like the fact that it is simple and uncluttered and captures the story perfectly. As they said -  If you won the lottery – you would go straight out shopping and update your look! The cover reflects the fact that the book is aimed at an older teenage audience, as some of the content is more adult.

The girls didn’t like the character of Lia initially, as they found her vain and self-obsessed, but felt this was totally realistic as she is a teenager and is going through a very extraordinary experience, which is revolutionising her life. They also didn’t like the way she treated her friends, Shaz in particular. They were unsure about Raf, and a little disapproving of Lia’s relationship with him.

Shaz was the most popular character; they found her very believable and as Muslims, they could relate to her principles – indeed her refusal to accept a gift which resulted from gambling provoked a lot of discussion. They felt she was a very good friend to Lia, really cared about her and gave her good advice, particularly about Raf, which Lia didn’t always appreciate.

They felt the book was really well written and liked the fact that it was written in the first person (as is ‘When I was Joe’) as it enabled them to really get into the life and feelings of the main character. They thought it was difficult to write comedy that works for teenagers, but this was a success as it made them laugh a lot. They liked the ending of the book and thought Lia writing a book within a book was a good idea. They particularly liked the snippets at the beginning of each chapter, which were taken from Lia’s eventual book.

The book provoked a lot of discussion about religion, money and the lottery in particular. Most of the girls felt that sixteen was too young to be playing the lottery and that it was not good for one person to have so much money. The book shows how many problems this can throw up and how it can make a person question other people’s motives and behaviour.  Despite being a comedy, the book also raises several important issues.

 Overall, the book was very enjoyable; however they preferred Keren’s two previous books as they enjoy crime more as a genre – plus as hardcore fans of ‘When I was Joe’ they are a little biased! ‘Lia’ proved a worthy diversion, but they can’t wait for the next instalment of Joe’s story!

The Bookaholics are very grateful to Keren and her publishers for allowing us the privilege of previewing of the book

The Bookaholics

EGA's Year 8 Reading Group are reclaiming their original name and from now on will be known as 'The Bookaholics.'

Visit to St Paul's

On Friday July 8th a group of Year 7 students spent the morning at St Paul's Cathedral. After a wet walk along the Embankment, the students took part in a discussion about the relevance of the Holy Bible today, followed by a tour of the sumptuous Cathedral. It was interesting to hear a reading from 'The Street Bible' and to find out more about the building and it's architecture.

After the talk, the students climbed the many stairs up to the top of the Dome - well worth the climb for the fantastic panoramic views of London from the highest level.

Skin Deep

The manuscripts have arrived! I was very excited to receive a box of manuscripts for the Year 7 Reading Group to read over the summer holidays, ready for the launch of the book at our school in September.

Malaika Rose Stanley will be talking to the students and selling copies of her new book on Thursday September 15th. I am taking my copy home to read - watch this space!

School Histories Project

Yesterday I went along to an Open Day organised by the Institute of Education, for the School Histories Project. It took place in the Library and we had the opportunity to look around the School History section in the Library, which contains a library of books about education and history of particular schools, where books exist.
Shirley Franklin had put together some excellent resource packs that could be taken away and we looked at some photographs on display.

Looking through a copy of the London County Council Board Record book, I was thrilled to find a reference to and information about staff,salaries and the building plan of Risinghill School in 1885 - we have no information about the school during this time.

Carnegie Shadowing 2011 - More photos

These photos were taken by Jaq, who works in the Education Library Service.

Sports Day 2011

I am honoured to be presented with a PE shirt today - am now an honorary member of the PE department. This is a result of assisting with PE trips - rounders, cricket, netball, Athletics, tennis, football to name a few. PLus I love sport!

I will wear my shirt with pride on Friday.

Librarian Chic

Our Library Assistant Victoria is wearing these fabulous (and they don't stop her shelving...) shoes today. Proof that Buns and glasses are no more.

Islington Carnegie Shadowing Ceremony

This morning the Carnegie shadowing group joined several other Islington schools at the Islington ceremony, organised by the Education Library Service, at Central Foundation School.

After a couple of last minute rehearsals, we headed off down to Old Street and managed to get ourselves lost, thanks to our guide, Munna! We joined the other schools in the LRC, where the girls ate lots of biscuits to counter their nerves.
The first part of the morning was a talk by Malaika Rose Stanley, author of several books, including 'Spike and Alienson' and 'Baby Ruby Bawled.' She treated us to a fun session, whereby she asked children from the audience to come up and ask her questions and awarded spot prizes. She also talked about her forthcoming book, aimed at teenagers, 'Skin Deep.'

Everyone then moved up the the Lecture Theatre. The girls were very impressed with the room and said it put our school to shame - but I pointed out that we will hopefully have our own new school late next year and they suggested that we could host the Carnegie ceremony one year to show off our new school.

Each school then did their presentation; there were some really good interpretations of books including a radio preaentation, some scenes from 'The amazing Pepper Roux' and culminating in a 'Bookshop Owner's Den' sketch from Central Foundation School.
EGA put on their sketch which was 5 short scenes based on 'Out of Shadows.' They performed really well and highlighted the issue of racism, which is at the heart of the book.

After the presentations the voting took place and we were pleased that 'Out of Shadows' won, as this had been our group's favourite book, followed by 'The Bride's Farewell' and 'Prisoner of the Inquisition.'

It was a very successful and enjoyable morning, especially when Malaika Rose Stanley asked if she could use the Reading Group to pilot 'Skin Deep,' ready for the launch in September. Naturally, we were happy to oblige!

The national winner was announced this afternoon, as 'Monsters of Men' by Patrick Ness. This was the third book in a trilogy, so was not a popular choice for our group, but overall the whole experience was enjoyable and worthwhile.

Carnegie Shadowing progress

This week we are taking part in the Islington Carnegie Shadowing event to be held on Thursday at Central Foundation Boys School. We are performing a few short scenes from 'Out of Shadows' by Jason Wallace. So far we have had one read through and one staged rehearsal, squeezed in to lunch breaks. We have two more lunchtimes before the event - so it will rely heavily on improvisation, I feel.
However, the enthusiasm of the girls will carry it through, I am fully confident of that.

Last night, in need of a hat for the character of Weekend, I went into the local Charity shop and found this perfect hat - modelled here by Ms Silva, at staff briefing this morning!

Recycled Suitcase Prop

Rosanna made this lovely suitcase from paper recycling boxes. It's a prop for our play 'Out of Shadows' for the Islington Carnegie ceremony next week.

Top Five issues by Year Group January - June 2011

I thought I'd have a look at the most frequently borrowed books since January 2011 - Good to see Year 10 have their priorities right!

Year 7
1. Little Darlings - Jacqueline Wilson
2. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
3. Sleepovers - Jacqueline Wilson
4. The Worry Website - Jacqueline Wilson
5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth - Jeff Kinnear

Year 8
1. Evermore:The Immortals 1 - Alyson Noel
2. City of Bones - Cassandra Clare
3. Diary of a Wimpy kid - Jeff Kinnear
4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth - Jeff Kinnear
5. Gass Houses - Rachel Caine

Year 9
1. Awakened - PC Cast
2. Paranormalcy - Kiersten White
3. Scarred - Julia Hoban
4. When I was Joe - Keren David
5. Reckoning - Kelley Armstrong

Year 10
1. GCSE Double Science Chemistry Revision Higher - Richard Parsons
2. Kisses from Hell - PC Cast
3. Bloodline - Kate Cary
4. Cross my heart and hope to spy - Ally Carter
5. City of Bones  - Cassandra Clare

Year 11
1. City of Bones  - Cassandra Clare
2. Awakened - PC Cast
3. English AQA Revise - Steven Croft
4. City of Ashes - Cassandra Clare
5. Don't judge a girl by her cover - Ally Carter

Carnegie Shadowing Page

View the reading Groups page on the Carnegie Shadowing site

http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/grouphomepages/index.php?GroupID=247

Booked Up Registration now Active!

http://www.bookedup.org.uk/

Registration is now open to receive free books for  your Year 7s in September. Register your school by July 29th

Wimpy Kid Competition 2011

We were thrilled with the response to our Wimpy Kid competition where we asked students to design their own cartoon. The responses were interesting and very original! Here are the winning entries:

Out of Shadows by Jason Wallace

This book is on the Carnegie shadowing shortlist 2011.

Out of Shadows is set in Zimbabwe in the 1980’s, in the early years of Mugabe’s reign and black independence. The setting is a privileged white boarding school, which is being forced to come to terms with the new status of black people in the country. The story is told through the eyes of Robert, who comes to the country (then Rhodesia) from England and initially is extremely unhappy to be there. He befriends the black students, as they, like he are outsiders, but at the same time struggles to be accepted by the dominant group of white students, sons of farmers who are losing land and are full of resentment at the new regime.

Ivan is a bully and his cruelty and the power he has over Robert form the heart of the story. Bullying, loneliness and dysfunctional families are all themes of the book. Robert becomes entrenched in Ivan’s gang and his realisation towards the end of the story at what they are planning to do and his attempts to extricate himself make an exciting ending.

The character of Robert is well drawn and sympathetic. The book evoked a strong sense of sadness in me, as so much cruelty is inflicted on innocent people. I would recommend this book to older students – I couldn’t put it down!

Obama scrapbook and Aneesah Siddiqui in 'The Times'

All the Obama news cuttings have been put together in a scrapbook, which we presented to the Head yesterday.

Aneesah Siddiqui wrote this article which was published in 'The Times' newspaper:

Some of you may have read the following article

already as it was printed in ‘The Times’ on Thursday

26th May. We were very proud to see one of our

students in print in such a prestigious national

newspaper. For those of you who missed it, here

is a chance to read about Aneesah’s experiences

in Oxford.

‘Before yesterday, Oxford University was totally

beyond my aspirations. I knew about its elite

status from the media. But, I believed that

because of the expense, I would never achieve it.

After my unbelievable experience I now believe

that any money paid to attend this university

would be worth it. No price can be put on such an

amazing education, surely?

On the way to Oxford the atmosphere on the

coach was electric; everyone was buzzing with

excitement and looking forward to the day.

My fi rst impression of Oxford was that it was

unbelievably clean, so much cleaner and much

more beautiful than London.

We fi rstly took part in a workshop led by three

inspirational female academics from Oxford

University. The physics lecturer really connected

with me because I am captivated by science and

I began to think about potentially working with

her one day. This day was already like a dream to

me.

Lunch at Wadham College was incredible. I was

captivated by the stunning room, the stained

glass, the history, the portraits and the people

who had been there throughout history. It

seemed wrong to be sitting in there eating

sandwiches – it felt as if the room had only ever

been used for ten course banquets! This was a

good opportunity for us to talk to the Oxford

University Mentors who were looking after us. I

was paired with a PPE student who said he would

help with my application for Oxford when the

time came.

When we were walking to the room where we

would meet Michelle Obama, I was petrifi ed. My

hands were shaking as I took my seat. We all stared

at the door through which she was going to enter.

When she fi nally came through that door we were

beaming! I fi nally met my role model. She looked

angelic in white. When she was delivering her

speech, I was transfi xed. I couldn’t believe that

she cared so much about my school in Islington. I

was amazed at how close I was to her.

When we began to ask our questions, I was

longing for my turn. I was overwhelmed as Mrs

Obama gave me her microphone, I was just

thinking about how I was holding Mrs Obama’s

microphone, how amazing was that! As I asked

my question she made me feel so confi dent that I

forgot that there were cameras around the room.

I felt like we were speaking in private - that’s how

comforting she was. She made me forget my

fears. She said that we are all future leaders and

we must start now. I am going to strive for the

best.

When I got home I was greeted with hugs from

my proud parents. I just kept wondering why

Week of articles in the Evening Standard about literacy

Last week, during half term the Evening Standard ran a series of articles concerning literacy in the capital. Read the articles here:


http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23955155-london-city-of-children-who-cannot-read.do

Hold the Front Page!

The Guardian 26th May 2011

Transcript of the First Lady's remarks

 

 

Photograph: Daily Telegraph

Remarks by the First Lady at an Event with Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Students

White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release

May 25, 2011

http://1.usa.gov/mhHLuC

Oxford University, London, United Kingdom

2:27 P.M. British Summer Time
     MRS. OBAMA:  Well, hello.  How are you all doing?  Good to see you.
     Well, good afternoon, everyone.  I am beyond thrilled to be back in the United Kingdom and to be here with all of you at Oxford University.
     I want to thank Professor Hamilton, the Vice Chancellor of this university, for that very kind introduction and for hosting us all here today.
     And thanks to Professor Hamilton and to the Dean of Christ Church College, The Very Reverend Christopher Lewis also, for hosting us throughout today. 
     I also want to recognize Jo Dibb.  Jo, who has just been so terrific, is such a wonderful example that we just get to (inaudible).  She’s the Head of School at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson -- we’re losing a mic -- for her leadership -- does that work better -- for her leadership and for joining us here today.
     And I want to thank the Oxford students, as well, who’ve served as mentors today.  Thank you for your time, thank you for making all of us feel so welcome, for looking after these beautiful young women.  And thank you for your hard work and effort.
     But most of all, I want to recognize these brilliant young women from the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School.  My visit to your school two years ago -- and some of you weren’t there when I came, correct -- that was my first solo international event as First Lady.  Truly, that was the first time I went off all by myself as First Lady.  And from the minute that I walked into the door of your school, I knew I had come to a very special place. 
     It was clear to me that you all were so very special.  I was blown away by your talent.  You all put on a performance for me at the drop of a hat, and I understand you didn’t even really know I was coming.  But you put on such a performance.  And I was also impressed with your achievements.  I was inspired by your passion and your energy.  And I felt this strong sense of connection with all of you because in your stories I saw so much of my own story.
     So I knew that the next time I came to the United Kingdom, I wanted to visit with all of the students again. And I knew that I wanted to visit with all of you in a place like this.  Look around.  I mean, just look at this, a renowned university that has trained so many of the world’s brightest minds and greatest leaders.
     And I’m not the only one who’s excited to see you all here today.  Students and faculty at this university were eager to visit with you all, as well. 
     And there’s a reason for that.  It’s because all of us -- and it’s important for you to know that -- all of us believe that you belong here; that this is a place for you, as well.  We passionately believe that you have the talent within you, you have the drive, you have the experience to succeed here at Oxford and at universities just like it across the country and across the world, because you attend a school that has been labeled “outstanding,” a school that’s preparing you for whatever course of study that you might choose.
     I know that you spend each day with girls from many different countries, who speak 59 different languages in your school.  So you’re already learning how to fit into a university like Oxford, which has students from more than 140 different countries.
     And finally, by overcoming challenges in your lives –- by adjusting to a new culture, and learning a new language, many of you enduring hardships in your own families -– through those experiences, you have gained strength, courage and maturity that is far beyond your years.
     And those qualities will help you succeed in school and in life.  So in other words, all of us who brought you here today don’t just think that universities have a lot to offer you.  We believe that you all have a lot to offer these universities –- your talent, your passion, your unique life experiences.  And we very much want you to believe that’s true, as well.
     And I know that from my own experience, that can be hard sometimes.  And I remember back when I was your age, trying to decide which schools that I would apply to.  And I remember how well meaning but misguided people sometimes questioned whether someone with my background could succeed at an elite university. 
     And when I was accepted at one of those universities, I had all kinds of worries and fears and doubts before I entered.  I worried that I wouldn’t be as well prepared as students who had come from more privileged families.  I worried that I wouldn’t fit in somewhere so different from where I’d grown up, or with people whose backgrounds were so different from mine.
     But after a few months in college, away from home on my own, I realized that I was just as capable and I had just as much to offer any of my classmates.  I realized that if I worked hard enough, I could do just as well as anyone else.  I realized that success is not about the background you’re from.  It’s about the confidence that you have and the effort you’re willing to invest.
     Clarissa here knows that, as well.  She’s one of our mentors here today.  Where’s Clarissa?  There she is.  And she’s also a graduate of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School.  And she’s going to be sharing a story in a minute, but I want to give you a little preview, because I worry that she’ll be too modest to tell you about all her achievements.
     Clarissa, I understand, was a star student at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson with outstanding test scores, and she’s now Reading English Language and Literature here at Oxford.  She also somehow finds time here to be an award-winning poet.  She serves as President of the Oxford Poetry Society.  And she’s one of only seven young editors currently working for a major international publishing company.
     So if any of you ever start to doubt yourselves, I want you to remember Clarissa’s story, if mine somehow doesn’t resonate.  I want you to remember that she started out just like all of you.
     And I want you to know that you have everything you need to succeed at a place like this.  You just have to work hard.  That's it.  You have to push yourselves.  That's the only thing.  This does not come easy for anyone.  Everyone here, regardless of their background, got here because they worked hard.  And you stay here because you work hard.  But more importantly, you have to believe in yourself.  You have to mentally believe that you can be here.  You have to paint that picture for yourself. 
     And most of all, when you eventually get to a place like Oxford, I want every last one of you to reach back and to help others get here, too. 
     That's one of the reasons why I’m here, reaching back, even as First Lady of the United States, making sure that other young girls get the same opportunities that I have.  Maybe that means mentoring or tutoring young people in your community.  Or maybe it means keeping in touch with students at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and helping them with their university applications, because many kids don't have the experience to even apply.
     And the one thing is that you don’t have to wait until you’ve made it yourself.  You don't have to wait until you’re big time.  You can start the minute that you get back to school, because for every one of you here, there's someone else from your school who could be here, who won’t have this opportunity.  So I want you to tell your classmates about the people that you met here today, about the classes you attended here.  And I want you to get them all inspired and excited about what you’ve seen here today.  You all have so much to offer.  You have to believe that.  And I look forward to seeing all of you fulfill whatever dreams you have, and I know they’re big.  So I want to see you all in the future, visiting me somewhere around the world, doing great things.
     So with that, I’m eager to hear from you all about what you saw and learned today.  And then we can talk and talk and talk until they yank me out of here.  So with that, I’m going to turn it over to Jo Dibb, who’s going to take us through.  So congratulations, you all.  We’re very proud.  (Applause.)
     (Clarissa Pabi and Silan Fidan share their stories.)
     MS. DIBB:  Thank you, Silan.  Do you have your question handy?
     Q    Yes.
     MS. DIBB:  Do you have your question handy?
     Q    Yes.
     MS. DIBB:  Would you like to ask your question while everybody else is looking for theirs?
     Q    Okay.  We waited too many years for the first black President.  Considering how far women have come, how long do you think it will be -- take before we have the first female President?
     MRS. OBAMA:  Excellent question.  I think we’re there.  I think that the United States, I think many countries around the world are ready.  So now the challenge is our preparation as women and our desire and willingness to step up and grab that ring, because we’re at a time when so many people just want good leadership.  They want people, number one, who have good character, who are open, who are -- especially young people, because you all see the world in such broader terms, particularly students at Oxford, students who get to travel and experience the world.  Their limits just continue to expand.
     So our job as women is to envision ourselves as leaders, and then to prepare and be ready for a good fight and a good battle, because one thing about our success is that no one feels sorry, is going to take it easy on us, right?
     Hillary Clinton is a fabulous leader.  My husband had a formidable opponent in her in the primaries.  She is a phenomenal Secretary of State.  We have examples of outstanding women like her in leadership all over the world. 
     So it’s completely there.  The question is, are we ready?  Are we, as young women, are we ready to take that responsibility on and go after it and take the risk that go with stepping out there and being judged?  And I think sometimes as women we can step back, but we can start pushing ourselves now, so --
     Q    Thank you.
     MS. DIBB:  You have the next question from Kristina.
     Q    Yeah, my name is Kristina, and I’m 13 years old, and I’m from London.  And my question is, how is it different in raising your children now in the White House than before?
     MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, that's a good question.  A lot more cameras.  (Laughter.) 
     You know, my philosophy about mothering and how I feel about being a mother hasn’t changed.  That doesn’t change with the house you live in and the job that you have. 
     And truly I call myself Mom-in-Chief.  It’s not because I don't value a career or my education.  I am glad that I had the education that I do.  I’m glad I have the accomplishments that I have.  But truly the most important thing to me is raising strong women and raising my daughters well, probably because that's what my mother did for me.  So I think that is the most important job that I will ever have.  And it doesn’t really matter where we live.
     But my husband and I, the President, we’re very protective to make sure they get privacy and normalcy.  But we push them just as we would at any time.  Our girls have responsibilities.  We want to make sure they don't take anything for granted; that they’re grateful.
     The things I tell my girls are the same things I tell all of you.  Don't be afraid to fail.  Don't be afraid to take risks.  Learn to use your voice now.  Ask questions.  Ask stupid questions.  Be laughed at.  Get it wrong.  Trip, fall, and then get back up.  Do your homework.  Do chores.  Have responsibilities, because what I tell my kids -- you have to practice who you want to be.  You know, you don't wake up one morning and you’re suddenly who you think you want to be.  You have to put some energy into it.
     So if you want to be an honest person, you have to be an honest person every day, even starting at three and four and five, right?  If you’re going to be a hard worker, hard work doesn’t just appear.  You have to practice hard work.  You have to practice effort. 
     And I also encourage them and try to help them understand that good things don't come easy.  With that effort, that's where you grow, that's where growth is.  Some of the best times in my life, when I’ve grown, it’s when I’ve done something hard, when I’ve overcome a fear.  You won’t realize that when you’re doing it, but when you come out on the other side, you realize, wow, I’ve really stepped up.
     So I push my girls.  And -- but more importantly, I love them a lot.  And that's what I feel for all of you.  I want you guys to feel that in your lives so that you can be excellent, okay?
     So it’s no different.  Right? 
     MS. DIBB:  Should we have the next question from Yasmin?
     Q    Hi, my name is Yasmin, I’m 14, I'm from London.  My question is, as the First Lady of America, how do you feel -- how do you help others around the world?
     MRS. OBAMA:  Say the last part?
     Q    How do you help others around the world? 
     MRS. OBAMA:  How do I help others around the world?  Well.  I think sessions like this -- I’m hoping that it helps others around the world.  I mean, mentoring young people around the world, not just in the United States, is a significant part of what my husband and I believe we should be doing -- giving all kids a chance to have some level of excellence and opportunity in their lives. 
     And we’ve started doing mentoring.  One of the things I mentioned in my remarks is that it is so important, no matter where you are in your life, to think about how you’re helping those behind you, those younger than you, come up.  And that's not just an American notion.  That's what we need to be doing around the world.  So mentoring is a big part of what gives us joy and pleasure and makes us feel accomplished, because it’s not enough for us to just sit in our success and advantage if we’re not doing everything we can as often as possible to bring others up, and I believe that's especially true for women around the world, women and young girls.
     So these messages of hope and possibility and education and leadership and service and talking about that and shining these bright lights on models of that -- you know, I want the world to see you all, because there's going to be a set of girls looking at this, reading about this day.  And even if they didn't get to be here, there's somewhere, maybe in a small village or in a city somewhere, they’re going to see you, and they’re going to feel some sense of possibility, even if they’re struggling or they’re challenged.  My hope is that your stories resonate, because they can.  Don't believe that this experience doesn’t matter to somebody beyond yourself.  It can resonate here, in the U.K., and it can resonate around the world.
     So that's a part of what we’re trying to do.  But we need your help.  So we need you to be ready.  We need more mentoring.  We need more young women pushing these doors open and getting into schools like this and other places.
     I mean, Oxford is one of the most renowned universities, but there are outstanding universities and colleges that people haven’t even heard of that provide an excellent education. 
     So we’re pushing you to dream big because if you can see yourself here in Oxford, then you can see yourself anywhere, right?  But, you know, don't feel like this is the only place to go.  You have to get an education.  You must get an education.  You must be smart.  You must be prepared.  And that can happen anywhere.  That can happen in community colleges, in small universities, in small cities.  So that can happen anywhere.
     So those are some of the messages that we’re trying to push for on an international scale.  But we need you guys to be ready.  All right?  You’re going to be ready?  Okay.
     MS. DIBB:  Thank you.  Seren, are you ready to ask your question?
     Q    I’m Seren, I’m 13 years old, and my question is, when you first met the President, did you think that he would go on to achieve such great things?
     MRS. OBAMA:  Absolutely not.  (Laughter.)  No, I’m just kidding.  You know, that's the thing about visioning.  So, honestly, when I met him, I knew he was special.  And I wish -- I’m sharing secrets now, so we have to pretend like none of these people are here, because they’re writing it all down.  (Laughter.) 
     I knew he was a special person.  And it had nothing to do with his education.  It had nothing to do with his potential.  And I say this to young women:  Don’t check off -- there are a lot of women who have the boxes.  Did he go to the right school?  What is his income?
     It was none of that.  It was how he felt about his mother; the love that he felt for his mother; his relationship to women; his work ethic.  We worked together in a firm.  He did his work, and he was good, and he was smart, and I liked that.  And he was low-key.  And he wasn’t impressed with himself.  And he was funny.  And we joked a lot.  And he loved his little sister.
     Those were the things -- and he was a community organizer.  I really respected that.  Here we are in a big law firm, right?  And everybody was pushing to make money.  He was one of the smartest students at Harvard Law School, one of the smartest associates in our firm.  He had the chance to clerk for the Supreme Court.  And I thought, well, you’re definitely going to do that, right?  Only a few people even have the chance to do that.  And he was like, I mean, not really; I think I can do more work working with folks in churches.  And I was like, whoa, that's different.  And he meant it.  It wasn’t a line.  He wasn’t trying to impress me.
     It was those kind of values that made me think you don't meet people like that often.  And when you couple that with talent, and he’s cute -- (laughter) -- you know, I always thought he would be useful.  (Laughter.) 
     But I had no idea he would be President.  I didn’t think he was going to be President until the night we were standing on the stage and he actually won.  I was like, gosh, look, you won.  (Laughter.)
     But the lesson, particularly I think for women, in this is, reach for partners that make you better, you know?  Do not bring people in your life who weigh you down.  And trust your instincts. 
     You know, good relationships feel good.  They feel right.  They don't hurt.  They’re not painful.  That's not just with somebody you want to marry, but it’s with the friends that you choose.  It’s with the people you surround yourselves with.  And that's just as important as the school that you choose.  Who’s in your life, and do you respect them, and do they respect you?  And are you respecting them.  Right? 
     And we as women in particular -- and this is such an important message -- starting today, you all have to be supportive of each other.  You can’t be jealous, and push and trip, you know?  It’s hard enough.  So in your lives now, whether you like somebody because of what -- be kind to each other.  Support each other.  There's room for everyone to succeed.  And that has to start in your lives now.  Right?
     So that's -- I think that's a key message for us as women.  And if we do it to one another, then we’ll do it in the rest of the world -- is draw goodness to you, and that will help propel you.  And I was fortunate to choose a good husband.  But that goes for friendships, as well.  Does that make sense?  Okay.
     MS. DIBB:  Thank you.  Mary, are you ready?
     MRS. OBAMA:  There we go, right behind you.
     Q    Hello.  My name is Mary and I’m 14 years old.  And my question is, during your studies, did you ever suffer from low self-esteem?  And if so -- that you weren’t the First Lady -- who helped you the most?
     MRS. OBAMA:  What helped me the most?
     Q    Who helped you?
     MRS. OBAMA:  Low self-esteem, doubt -- yeah, I talked about that, because I -- you know, I wasn’t sure, because other people told me that I might not be able to do well in school, for whatever reason.  I was always a good student, I worked hard, but I thought there was some magic that happened that made you really -- you know, I didn’t know that it was just plain old hard work. 
     So there were periods of doubt, for sure, and I think we all -- I have doubts today.  Doubts don't go away.  You just learn how to deal with them.  You start knowing yourself and you become more confident the more successes you have, the more chances you take.  You don't let the failures or the stumbles define you. 
     Everybody falls every now and then.  Some people fall a lot.  And what I realize is that we have long lives, if we’re healthy and we do what we’re supposed to.  I’m 47 years old.  So think about it.  Whatever mistake I made when I was 13, who cares?  So think about life as a long trajectory. 
     But at the same time, you don't want to make huge mistakes, because when you’re young, making big, big mistakes can last forever, right?  So you want to choose wisely. 
     But the stumbles, the lessons learned, that's part of life.  That makes you grow.  But I came to know that.  I didn’t know that when I was your again. I thought every mistake was the end of the world.  “I'll never be able to…I'll never get into school, never be…” -- you know, of course, we all feel that way.  But just continue to work.  Put the effort in.
     And I think that has been some of what's helped me being First Lady.  First of all, it’s knowing who you are and being confident in yourself, because there will be -- Clarissa worded it -- said, pushing beyond other people’s labels of you, right?  That's a big part.  That's what we do to each other all the time.  We don't even know each other, and we already determine from one glance, meeting, one line, one word, one phrase, this is who you are. 
     So you have to know who you are before that.  And you live that reality.  And you keep living it out no matter what.  And if you’re a good -- have good character and good intentions, that that ultimately shines through.
     But in the end, it’s hard work.  And I like to work hard.  And I like to do good things.  And you practice that now.  And believe it or not -- I didn’t know it -- it prepared me to be the First Lady of the United States.  I didn’t know.  I guess I’m doing okay.
     But you know what?  Every day we just get up and keep doing what we think is the right thing.  Right?  Thanks.
     MS. DIBB:  should we have Aneesah next?
     Q    Well, thank you.  Hello, my name is Aneesah Siddiqi.  What do your children want to be when they grow up?  Because I know that you are the First Lady.  Do they aspire to be as high as that?
     MRS. OBAMA:  The one thing about your children is they never want to be like you.  (Laughter.)  They want to be the opposite of you.
     But the truth is they now know that they have no idea what they want to be.  I think Malia tried to -- somebody asked her that question, and she started to answer, she had five answers -- this is when she was 11 -- and then she finally said, “I don't know.  I’m 11.”  (Laughter.)
     And you might say that for a very long time.  But fortunately they understand they don't know what they want to be.  But they know they aspire to go to great schools.  That's what they’re starting to do now. 
     I don't think they understand -- Malia understands a little bit more than Sasha, but, again, my kids see the possibilities, so they aspire to the best, right?  That's what we want you all to do, because they’re no different from you.  It’s just they’ve set their bar really high already.  But what they do know is that with that high bar, you’ve got -- that means you’ve got to work even harder, and you’ve got to be okay with working harder.  And that means you’re going to stumble a little bit.  If there's one thing I have to convince one of my children of is, you know, it’s not about getting the A, you know?   It’s not always about getting the A. 
     It’s about learning, and it’s about loving learning.  And sometimes the A won’t come because you take a course that pushes you, right, and it’s going to be hard, and you’re going to, again, stumble a little bit.  But if you always just go for the grade, sometimes you’ll bypass what's interesting because you might not get a good grade in it, right?  And I don't want you all to start doing that.  It’s too early. 
     Read, write, read, read.  If the President were here -- one of his greatest strengths is reading.  That's one of the reasons why he’s a good communicator, why he’s such a good writer.  He’s a voracious reader.  So we’re trying to get our girls, no matter what, to just be -- to love reading and to challenge themselves with what they read, and not just read the gossip books but to push themselves beyond and do things that maybe they wouldn’t do.  So I would encourage you all to read, read, read.  Just keep reading.
     And writing is another skill.  It’s practice.  It’s practice.  The more you write, the better you get.  Drafts -- our kids are learning the first draft means nothing.  You’re going to do seven, 10 drafts.  That's writing, it’s not failure, it’s not the teacher not liking you because it’s all marked up in red.  When you get to be a good writer, you mark your own stuff in red, and you rewrite, and you rewrite, and you rewrite.  That's what writing is.
     And if you come out with those skills, and then you’re confident, and you can articulate, and you can stand up straight and look anybody in the eye and say, “This is who I am.  It’s a pleasure to meet you” -- that's one of the things we try to do with our mentoring program with young girls.
     My message to them is if you can walk into the White House and meet the First Lady and say, “My name is…how are you?” and look me in the eye, then there's nothing you can’t do.  That's why it’s important -- if you guys walked here, are sitting here in front of all these people, standing tall, asking questions, using your voice -- you have to practice that.  (Inaudible) just show up again and again, and you need to just get used to it.  The nerves go away, and you start relaxing into your own abilities.  But it’s practice.
     That make sense?  So that's what my girls -- we’re working on that.  That's baseline stuff.  They get that stuff down, and then whatever they want to be, it really doesn’t matter.  They’ll just be good at it, right?  Whatever they do, they’ll be passionate about it and they’ll be good at it.
     MS. DIBB:  I think we’ve got time for just one more question and a very quick answer, I believe.  So have we got Bisi?
     Q    Hi, I’m Bisi.  One question I really want to know is what’s life like on a daily basis?
     MRS. OBAMA:  Life on a daily basis.  You know, sometimes it -- look, I’m here.  And yesterday we slept in Buckingham Palace.  We had a State Dinner with the Queen.  Friday I'll go home and go to soccer.  (Laughter.)  And go over homework.
     You know, it can range from very mundane and normal to oh, my god, who could have ever have dreamed?  That's what life is like in the White House. 
     But it is exciting and it is a privilege, mostly because I get to meet you guys, and I do want you to understand that for people like us, leading you all to a better place is the only reason we do this.  The dresses, the cars, the horses, the carriages, you know, I can watch that on TV.  But moving you guys and pushing you to see more for yourselves is all that matters. 
     So if the White House lets me do that, and we can use and we can open it up and invite kids in -- and we had a poetry session and we invited young kids in, just last week, from all over the country, and they talked to some of the most outstanding poets, and they wrote their poetry in the State Room, and then we had a poetry night, and Common was there.  He’s very cute.
     But everybody from poet laureates to hip-hop folks, right -- it’s been -- being able to mix up the world in that interesting way -- the White House allows you to do that.  And it’s fun to watch and it’s fun to have the opportunity to do that.
     So otherwise, it’s kind of cool.  (Laughter.)
     MS. DIBB:  Thank you so much.
END 3:12 P.M. British Summer Time