Barack Obama surprises educators on video chat for National Teacher Appreciation Week
The former president applauded the teachers' commitment to online learning amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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Three Chicago public school teachers were in for a surprise when Barack Obama messaged them on video chat in celebration of National Teacher Appreciation Week.
The 58-year-old former president, who was a longtime Chicago resident before relocating to Washington D.C., shared the sweet surprise on his Instagram on Tuesday, May 6. In the clip, Obama speaks to three teachers, Jalayne Brewton, a middle school teacher at Parkside Academy, Daniel Michmerhuizen, a U.S. history teacher at Juarez High School, and Katie Owens, a 2nd grade teacher at Kellman Elementary.
“Hello?” Brewton says in the video, to which Obama replies, “Hi Jalayne! How are you? It is National Teacher Appreciation Week.”
The video then cuts to the “Audacity of Hope” author’s conversation with Michmerhuizen and Owens.
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“I am overjoyed, overwhelmed–I am almost speechless,” the high school teacher says about the surprise as Obama laughs and smiles. “I am honored sir, thank you so much for the call. It’s incredible.”
“Oh my God!” says Owens when she sees the former president appear on screen. “I’m beyond excited. I think I’m trembling now. My mother told me I was going to be a teacher. … I think she recognized in me maybe something that I didn’t see in myself.”
The clip then circles back to Brewton, who explains to Obama that the teachers she had as a child helped motivate her to go into education.
“I didn’t grow up in one of the best neighborhoods and didn’t have, you know, the two-parent household,” she reveals. “So, my school was my outlet. I said to myself, ‘How can I give back to those that actually helped me growing up.'”
“The passion shows, the time and effort,” Obama responds.
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The father of two concluded his teacher appreciation post with a few heartfelt words about the dedication of educators in America amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“There’s no limit to the devotion I’ve seen in teachers like these educators from @ChiPubSchools,” he captioned the clip. “Their dedication shapes the best parts of who we become. I couldn’t be more thankful for their work, especially as they shift lessons online to keep students on track during this crisis.”
Obama championed multiple education bills during his time as president, including replacing the No Child Left Behind Act and launching income-based repayment plans to address student loan debt. He most recently revealed that he will be delivering a virtual 2020 commencement speech during the Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020 special.
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