First Lady's Labor of Love

First lady Michelle Obama, hugs Wu Lianyun, 13, of China, as she accepts the International Spotlight Award for China's The 100 Dong Songs Program, during the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards, Monday, Nov. 19, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. The International Spotlight Award this year recognizes The 100 Dong Songs Program, an initiative of the Western China Cultural Ecology Research Workshop, the Dong are an indigenous ethnic minority group in China. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin /





____ At an event at the White House for the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program awards program, First Lady Michelle Obama praised arts in children's education by saying, "if it’s good enough for our kids, it’s good enough for all of our kids."

"It is so critical that we preserve arts education in our schools," said the first lady. "It is absolutely critical because we know how important it is for our children’s development. We all know. Every one of us who are here in this room will do whatever it takes to make sure that our own kids get access to sports and music and arts and recreation. So if it’s good enough for our kids, it’s good enough for all of our kids, right?"

"And that’s one of the reasons why we’ve worked so very hard, and it’s been a labor of love to make sure that the White House is a showcase for America’s rich cultural life. And we’ve worked to open our doors as often as possible to as many young people as we possibly can. We have hosted youth workshops on everything from modern dance to classical music to spoken word poetry and so much more. And we’re looking for another four years to do even more," said Obama.

"Because what we do know is that ultimately, arts education doesn’t just teach our kids valuable skills, it doesn’t just give them an important forum of self-expression and self-reflection, it also helps to shape their character. In so many ways it shapes who they are."