Michelle Obama tells WSU crowd to embrace hope [Detroit Free Press]

May 26--Excited Detroit high school students packed Wayne State University's football stadium this morning to hear first lady Michelle Obama talk about mentoring and excelling in life.

Education is key, Obama says

11:30 a.m. "What I know is there is plenty of hope here," Obama said. "Detroit's next chapter, America's next chapter, is waiting to be written by you."

"Young people, I am asking you to embrace that opportunity, to be our future," she said.

She knows the young people sitting in the audience did not make the decisions that led to this recession.

"There are a lot of people listening. I am listening, my husband is listening," she said. "There are so many people here who believe in you."

"I hope you all realize the possibilities that are waiting out there for you," Obama said. "The simplest way to live up to that potential is to do one thing, and that's to keep focusing on your education."

Education, she said, is the secret for success.

The audience is very quiet, except when the students shout out in agreement with the first lady's comments.

First lady takes stage

11:20 a.m. At last she's here. First lady Michelle Obama is wearing a dark pink sleeveless dress and looking remarkably elegant.

"I am thrilled to be here. I have wanted to come here from Day 1," Obama said. "We're all here because we care so deeply about your futures."

"I know that focusing on your future can be tough when times are tough, and in Detroit, in the state of Michigan, it has been tough," she said.

She said she isn't here to talk about what's wrong with Detroit.

"There is a brighter, better future ahead, for Detroit, for Michigan," she said. "And let me tell you why I know this: I'm looking at it. You are the future of Detroit."

Student recalls mentor's influence

11:18 a.m. Now they've introduced a Cranbrook Academy senior, Cherry Tolbert.

She has the honor of introducing Michelle Obama. But first she tells about her own experiences with a mentor as a child in Detroit.

"She constantly tells me I have a chance to be anything I want to be," she said.

That encouragement led her to attend Cranbrook on a scholarship and next year, the University of Michigan.

Granholm cites mentoring success

11:06 a.m. Things are moving again, as Gov. Jennifer Granholm is introduced.

"Here's my speech" I'm not giving it, because I know you're hot and I know we want to show Michelle Obama that this is the hottest city, but in a good sense," Granholm said.

She said that as attorney general, she set a goal to recruit 2,000 adults to mentor 2,000 kids.

"Now we're at 20,000 adults for 30,000 kids," Granholm said. Her own menteen, a girl named Brittany, whom she started mentoring at age 7, just graduated from high school and is headed to college.

After Granholm spoke, Kimberly Locke, an R&B singer who was a 2007 "American Idol" contestant, sang for the crowd.

3 lucky students

11 a.m. Three DPS students will get to shake first lady Michelle Obama's hand during the receiving line. Along with DPS Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb, the lucky students include Johnetta Williams, 17, a senior at Cooley High; Eduardo Salas, 17, a senior at Western International High, and Imani Lee, 17, a senior at Detroit School of Arts.

5 treated for heat-related problems

10:51 a.m. Three people on the field at Wayne State University and two people in the stands were treated for heat-related medical problems, said Francine Wunder, spokeswoman for Wayne State University.

One student was transported to Henry Ford Hospital.

Bing exhorts public schools

10:43 a.m. "If you thought you couldn't achieve your goal and your dreams, think about President Obama," Johnson told the teens. "If he can become president of the United States, you can achieve your dreams."

With that, Johnson introduced Mayor Dave Bing.

"I am a product of the public schools in Washington, D.C., so I know that the public schools around this country offer us a very good education," Bing said. "My wife is a product of Wayne State University."

"I don't want any of you young people to believe that you can't achieve," Bing said. "We need you to help rebuild this city."

Now -- there's a brief break, while we wait for Michelle Obama.

Celebrities: No excuses not to dream big

10:22 a.m. The crowd goes wild -- writer/director Spike Lee is introduced, along with other celebrities, including Red Wings owner Denise Ilitch and R&B singer Kimberly Locke.

The biggest roar went to NBA legend and Michigan native Magic Johnson.

Johnson talked about his impoverished youth, but added, "Just because I grew up poor, I didn't have poor dreams."

It didn't stop him from achieving his goals and dreams, Johnson said.

"There's no excuses," Johnson said. "Don't let anybody stop your dreams."

The celebrities answered questions submitted by students, including one about the best advice they've gotten.

"You've got about 20 seconds to cry about it," said Locke, about her best advice. "Then you've got to pick yourself up."

Spike Lee answered a question about whom he admired most in life.

He admired his grandmother, who saved all her life for his college education at Morehouse College. "And also she gave me my first seed money for my first film."

Ilitch's question was whether it was difficult to be a woman in business.

"It has its challenges. Many times starting out the expectations of me were low," Ilitch said. "My advice to you is to have confidence, don't let anyone shut you out."

Pointers from politicians

10:10 a.m. The crowd cheered the King High School drum majors as they danced to the band's music. The stadium is now full, with about 6,500 people including the overflow on the field. DPS alone bused in 5,000 high school students to see the first lady. Others in the audience are WSU students and the public.

Congressman John Conyers, D-Detroit, came to the microphone, calling Obama the "greatest first lady."

"Nowadays, the 21st Century, everybody should go to college, not just some people," Conyers said.

Conyers talked about being a mentor himself. He proudly told of his son, John Conyers Jr., who is a student at Morehouse College, and also a mentor.

"Let's everybody keep learning. You know you never stop learning, even when you're out of school," Conyers said.

He was followed by Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Detroit, who did not mention her son, Kwame Kilpatrick, the former mayor who was jailed Tuesday. Instead, she talked about Michelle Obama.

"I've had mentors all my life," Cheeks Kilpatrick said. "Pick you a mentor ... someone who will give you the confidence that you can be and do anything."

The crowd files in

9:30 a.m. WSU President Jay Noren was the first speaker at 9:30 a.m.

"The first lady is here, today, to show the importance of you, and for that matter, all the young people who are important to the future of Detroit, Michigan," Noren said.

Noren stressed the importance of parents and mentors, and the importance the teens in the audience would have as mentors to their own children in the future.

"Most importantly, all of our futures depend on you, the students in this audience, and your friends. You are the future of America," Noren said.

With that, the Martin Luther King Jr. High School band played "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "America the Beautiful."

Earlier, a wild cheer went up from the crowd -- but it was a false alarm.

The first lady was not in sight. The seating at the stadium was about 80% full now. School colors dot the stands -- white, purple, red. It's a hot morning, but no one is complaining about the weather.

Jaquane Johnson, 18, a senior at Detroit School of Arts, said, "It's a great opportunity for us. I think it's just good to see she cares about us, to come to Detroit."

He was among the students getting off a long line of school buses outside the stadium.

"I'm so excited. I actually had a dream about this two days ago, when I heard she would be here," said Whitney Thomas, 18, a senior at Detroit International Academy, in her pink, gray and black uniform. "I never thought I'd have this opportunity."

Some adults wore T-shirts with pictures of the first family.

"I'm glad she's coming to Detroit. It's a shot in the arm, something positive," said Lena Nichols, 77, of Westland.

Hundreds of volunteers ushered excited students through the required security checks. Cries of "Have your tickets in your hand!" were frequent.

Paul Curtis, 58, of Detroit said the first lady "represents hope, but also inspiration."

It's easy to say that children are our future, but it is a truism, Curtis said.

"We are bringing them into the world to be something, to strive for something," Curtis said.

The Martin Luther King Jr. High School band played as students entered. The preshow began at 9:30 and will include other speakers. Obama isn't expected until 10 a.m. or perhaps a little later.

Come back to freep.com for more on this developing story.

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