And we're going to make sure it works, and we're going to hold them accountable to make sure it is making a difference in the lives of kids. We will help them succeed - not with a handout, but as partners with them every step of the way. Find your fit with Fitbits family of fitness products that help you stay motivated and improve your health by tracking your activity, exercise, food. And each of these communities is prepared to do what it takes to change the odds for their kids. In his speech, the President spoke on why commitment to these communities is so important:Įach of these communities is designing from the bottom up, not the top down, what it is they think they need, and we're working with them to make that happen. The Promise Zones, located in San Antonio, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Southeastern Kentucky, and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, are the first of twenty being launched over the next three years. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) President Barack Obama delivers remarks announcing the first five 'Promise Zones,' in the East Room of the White House, Jan. So if Roger can make it, and if I can make it, if Kiara can make it, every kid in this country can make it. If I screwed up, the consequences weren't quite as great. The only difference between me and Roger was my environment was more forgiving than his. There was a period of time in my life where I was goofing off. “If you want to know why I care about this stuff so much, it's because I'm not that different from Roger,” President Obama said. So he buckled down and became the first person in his family to go to college. During school, Roger was the class clown and acted out but his teachers didn’t give up on him and kept pushing him. Roger spent some time in the foster care system before going to live with his mom, who entered his name into the Promise Academy Charter School lottery, where he received a spot. “A child’s course in life should be determined not by the zip code she’s born in, but by the strength of her work ethic and the scope of her dreams,” the President said.Īs an example of how communities can change children’s lives, the President told the story of Roger Brown from Harlem. Joined by students from the Harlem Children’s Zone - a 17 year undertaking that found children will do better if those around them are doing better - the President spoke in the East Room of the White House on the importance of making sure everyone who works hard has a fair shot at success, no matter where they come from or who they are. The program, first unveiled at his State of the Union address last year, is an initiative that partners with local communities and businesses to create jobs, expand access to educational opportunities and spur economic mobility and security. Yesterday, on the 50 th anniversary of the War on Poverty, President Obama announced the first five “Promise Zone” locations across the U.S. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

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