I've never paid much attention to politics and never have I sat down to watch a speech willingly before. Last tuesday's speech by Obama, however, caught my interest. At first, I thought it was just another pretty speech, another attempt to raise his popularity in polls. But as I look deeper(something I wouldn't do on my own time unless forced to mind you), Obama's speech was well thought out and organized. It encouraged the nation's students to follow their dreams and to stay in school for the greater good of the nation as a whole.

His word choice, like using "Xbox" and "I know that feeling", shows that he knows who his audience is and what catches the interest of that audience. He shares his own personal experiences to connect with the students who were tuning in to the broadcast at an emotional and psychological level. It was one of those "omg the president of the United States knows what I'm going through!" References to famous people, like J.K. Rowling and Michael Jordan, and their trials also helped to connect the audience with the president's message. Sticking through the hard times and boring assignments can lead to great success. Obama then used Twitter, Google, and Facebook, things that all teens are aware of, to encourage students to continue in school because they might one day come up with the latest thing in technology and communication.