1 of 2 | President Barack Obama poses for a photo with students after participating in a "virtual field trip" with middle school students from around the country at Anacostia Library in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. Students from around the country discussed new efforts to strengthen learning opportunities by improving access to digital reading content and public libraries. Pool photo by Shawn Thew/UPI |
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WASHINGTON, April 30 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama reached out to children across the nation while sitting in a D.C. library this week to unveil new reading programs.
Obama met with about 40 students in Washington's Anacostia neighborhood, one of the poorest communities in the District, to announce a commitment by major publishers to make more than $250 million in eBooks available for free to low-income students. He also announced the "ConnectED Library Challenge," a commitment by dozens of communities to supply library cards to students. Students across the country were invited to join the field trip online.
"The most powerful engine for learning is between your ears," Obama told students at the Anacostia Library in southeast Washington.
Obama spoke about his favorite books growing up, which ranged from Dr. Seuss and Hardy Boys mysteries to The Lord of The Rings and The Great Gatsby, while plugging his own writing career as the author of three books.
He encouraged young girls to study science and math, saying "sometimes young women aren't going into some of those areas like math and science as much and they should. It's not because they don't know how to do it, but it's because they are discouraged by the idea that it's traditionally more of a boy thing."
During the president's question-and-answer session with the students, he fielded a question about overcoming writer's block, but was abruptly cut off by Osman Yaya, a student moderator, saying, "I think you've sort of covered everything about that question."
"[He] thinks I've been talking too long," Obama said.
Obama also opened the door to what he may be doing after his presidency is over, indicating it may include some kind of community work.
"That's the kind of work that I really love to do," he said.
