2012 Democratic National Convention: Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Angie Flores

CHARLOTTE, Sept. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a copy of a speech, as prepared for delivery by Angie Flores at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday, September 6, 2012:

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My name is Angie Flores, and I'm a student at Miami Dade College. When you grow up in a family where getting by is a struggle, college can seem like a dream for someone else; even if, like me, you love learning. Out of 3.2 million young people ages 16 to 24, 2.2 million do not go to college. More than a million don't even graduate from high school. The statistics say that I shouldn't be here, that the most someone like me should hope for is to get by, not get ahead. But I'm not a statistic. I'm a young woman with a bright future.

President Obama and Vice President Biden know this. They don't want any American student to accept that education is only a luxury or that opportunity is simply for someone else. They ask us to work hard and dream big, and they work alongside us to make sure that those dreams come true. We all aspire to live that ideal middle-class lifestyle with the picket fence and lemonade on the porch. President Obama and Vice President Biden are helping kids like me to build that dream. We all celebrate success. President Obama and Vice President Biden help us achieve it!

We all know that education leads to opportunity, and that education begins with a great teacher in every classroom. Tonight, I have the honor of introducing an extraordinary educator. A lot of people know Dr. Jill Biden as our nation's second lady. But she has an even more important title: teacher. Even when her husband got a pretty big promotion, she continued to educate. That's how strong her commitment is to her students: this amazing woman grades papers in the White House.

Last year I had the distinct pleasure to meet Dr. Biden. I am fortunate to have teachers like her at Miami Dade College. She is full of warmth, compassion and dedication, and that's how she makes a difference for students like me. A teacher like Dr. Biden can make the difference between being a statistic and being a success, the difference between getting by and getting ahead. That's why I'm studying to work with children. When I look at Jill Biden, I see someone making the kind of impact I want to make. Please join me in welcoming my role model, Dr. Jill Biden.

SOURCE 2012 Democratic National Convention Committee