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The White House
Reach Higher
Initiative
First Lady Michelle Obama
Hi, all --
Homero Magaña moved to America with his family from a small town in
Mexico in 1993. Growing up in California, where his father was an
agricultural worker, Homero had the chance to attend a summer program
focused on preparing students for higher education. This program
inspired Homero to go to college, and years later, he earned a graduate
degree in school counseling.
Today, Homero serves as a professional school counselor at Moorpark
High School, ensuring that his students -- many of them
first-generation Americans -- can dream as big as they want when it
comes to higher education. Earlier today, he joined me at the College
Opportunity Day of Action.
We know that higher education is the key to success in today's economy,
and every young person in America deserves the kind of opportunities
that Homero had to fulfill his potential and contribute to our country.
But right now, too many students simply aren't getting what they need
to prepare for college.
Many students don't know what classes to take, or how to prepare
themselves for the SAT or ACT. They might not even know that they're
eligible for financial aid, so they just assume they can't afford
college and don't even bother to apply.
This is why I started the Reach Higher initiative -- to help give our
young people the resources and opportunities they need to take charge
of their education.
We all have a part to play in ensuring that more of our kids are
college-ready.
As kids take more responsibility for their future, it's on every single
one of us to help them get there. And today, some of our nation's top
leaders in education pledged to make commitments to help young people
across the country graduate from high school and pursue higher
education.
We know that helping young people get to college is critical not just
for their future, but for the future of our country.
That's why the President has worked so hard to expand access to higher
education. He's increased Pell Grants by $1,000 a year. He's created
the new American Opportunity Tax Credit that's worth up to $10,000 over
four years of college. He's capped student loan payments, so that young
graduates pay what they can afford.
Today's commitments represent the next step in increasing college
opportunity.
Thank you,
First Lady Michelle Obama
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