본 연설문은 Remarks by First Lady Jill Biden at an Event to Celebrate Educators and Highlight the Importance of Educator Wellness 편집본입니다.
연사가 Jill Biden이라는 점, 그리고 교육자들을 대상으로 하는 연설문이라는 걸 참고하셔서 통역하시면 됩니다.
Glossary
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본문 (586단어, 5분 4초)
Thank you for your warm welcome. As First Lady, I get to speak with many groups across the country, but visiting schools and talking to students, and the teachers, nurses, cafeteria workers, custodians, and administrators – all who make schools run – are some of my favorite visits.
Do you remember that moment? When you first decided to become an educator? For me, it was almost 40 years ago. I thought about just how much books had shaped me – how I loved escaping into them or learning something new. And it broke my heart that there were people who didn’t know that joy – who couldn’t read.
I realized that it was a gift I could give to someone. That I could teach someone else to read. And I bet that you have a similar story – a moment when you realized that you wanted to be the person to open up the world for someone else, to give the smile that helps that student find the confidence she didn’t know was inside her, to be the one who says, “It’s OK, we’ll figure it out together.”
There is something profoundly optimistic about education. To answer this call of service is, in itself, an act of hope. But I know that, sometimes, it feels like the weight that teachers like you across the country have to carry is too much for one person to take on alone. Pay that doesn’t match your value. Work that doesn’t end when the afternoon bell rings. Students who seem to be struggling with more than a teacher can solve.
Today, I am here to tell you that you aren’t alone. We understand, and we are working to honor this profession and give you the support you deserve – because there is no greater calling than educating the future. The President has delivered on promises to you: from addressing the mental health and academic needs of our students, to passing a bipartisan gun safety law, to loan forgiveness for public servants, including educators. But he can’t do it alone. And here in your state, he doesn’t have to. Thanks to the work of your governor and all of you, your state has taken a big step toward paying teachers what they deserve.
The President and I are grateful for partners like your governor and all of you. Because supporting educators doesn’t have to be a red or a blue issue, it’s an American one. We’re all here because we heard the same calling – and we answered it. We answered it because we’re learners – collecting all the wisdom, and art, and insight humanity has to offer.
In classrooms across the nation, educators shape the minds of tomorrow. They inspire creativity, instill confidence, and foster resilience in their students. It's a journey of nurturing potential, one that reflects the core values of growth and community. Your dedication does more than teach academics; it ignites hope, building a brighter future for everyone.
We’re sculptors – able to see the beauty hidden beneath the surface and help bring it out. We’re optimists – believing that the students we teach can help make our world a better place. Teaching isn’t just what we do; it’s who we are. The President and I are grateful for the incredible work you do. Never underestimate your power – or your worth. Right now, someone out there is a better thinker because of you. Someone is working a little harder because you pushed him to try. Someone is braver because you helped her find her courage. Thank you.