On Tuesday morning, September 8, President Obama delivered a speech to students at Wakefield High School in Arlington , Virginia , welcoming students across the nation back to school and encouraging them to make the most of their educational opportunities.

The address was streamed live on the White House website (www.whitehouse.gov) and broadcast live on C-Span at 9:00 a.m. PDT. Video of the speech was available for download on the White House site later in the day.

Students at LOSD schools did not have the opportunity to view the speech live. The speech began ten minutes before the start of the first day of school for elementary students, while at the secondary level, only 7^th and 9^th grade students were in school that day and were engaged in orientation activities.

Teachers had the option of showing the speech to students at a later time. All secondary students had the opportunity to see the speech during the school day on September 9. Elementary teachers were encouraged to show the speech in their classrooms as it fit with their planned activities and as appropriate for the age of their students.

As with any special activity, parents may choose to have their student opt out of participation.