As a journalist and concerned citizen of this country, I have listened attentively to the many speeches and press conferences that President Barack Obama has had to deliver on some complex issues as he navigates through these very challenging first months in office. But as a parent, none has been more important to me than the one he delivered to students on what was the first day of school for millions of kids around the country. Thank you, President Obama.

My daughters did not watch it live. But it was not because their school administrators decided not to expose them to what some parents and ultra-conservative legislators and pundits around the country wrongly predicted would be an effort to indoctrinate our youth on a socialist agenda -- such an absurd debate that I won't even get into it -- but rather because they felt it would be best to have the kids view it in social-studies class in a more confined setting, where they would be able not just to listen, but actually to discuss among themselves and analyze its content. To that end, thank you, Sister Cooke.

What President Obama told the students is what all parents want their children to know and what many of us try to pound into their heads day after day. But you know how stubborn kids can be. If a parent tells them to study hard, pay attention, do their homework and get good grades, he or she is just nagging. But to hear it directly from the president of the United States himself is something else.

The president spoke to the students in a language they understood and in a tone that was sure to catch their attention. There seemed to be a line in there somewhere for all, no matter what the challenge or fear or concern might be. He spoke of his own difficult upbringing, acknowledged kids' obstacles, addressed their possible downfalls, gave them words of encouragement, presented them with many role models to follow and stressed their potential.

But he also put them up to the challenge. Whatever their financial status or social upbringing, the message to students was clear: You have a support team behind you trying to help you succeed academically, but ultimately it's your responsibility.

“This isn't just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. What you're learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future,” Obama told the kids.

Some could argue that this idea might put too much pressure on them, but it couldn't be more true. We live in a very competitive world, and education should not be just a luxury, but a necessity. This is precisely the message that the Hispanic Scholarship Fund has been trying to relay to Latino youth in the United States, their parents and potential donors to the fund. HSF has distributed millions of dollars in scholarships to thousands of Latino students who otherwise might not have attended college due to lack of funds.

Hispanics are now the largest minority in the country, and the fastest growing. But unfortunately, we lag behind in education. Latinos have the lowest high-school and college completion rates of any ethnic group. The census projects that the Hispanic school-age population will grow 166 percent by the year 2050. If we don't reverse the trend, our country will pay dearly for it in the future.

But for now, we have to concentrate on today's students, who will be running our country tomorrow. As the president pointed out in his speech, those people who have made significant contributions to the world were once students sitting in a classroom, perhaps uncertain of what the future would bring. If they had given up, who knows how much worse off we'd be?

My daughters have now seen President Obama's speech not once but twice. I have a hard copy of it, with the most relevant parts highlighted. I plan to bring it out as often as needed and keep it as long as the paper will hold up. Once again, thank you, Mr. President.

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(Maria Elena Salinas is the author of “I AM MY FATHER'S DAUGHTER: LIVING A LIFE WITHOUT SECRETS.” Reach her at www .mariaesalinas.com)

© 2009 by Maria Elena Salinas

Distributed by King Features Syndicate