Obama Praised Parkville Middle School Students During Visit

President Obama arrived at at 10:10 a.m. and was greeted by about 100 people who had lined Hiss Avenue in northeast Baltimore County.

"Among the friendlier throngs were a group of protesters who called for him to, as their signs said, 'STOP Reckless Spending,'" stated a report provided by the national media who attended the event with Obama. See photos of the protestors here.

At 10:15 a.m., Obama entered an eighth-grade science class and was introduced by teacher Susan Yoder. The 29 students were clustered at several tables with what looked like Jiffy Pop popcorn containers, except they were rectangular. They were models of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, showing how pollutants enter the bay.

"You look different!" one student blurted out to the president.

"Better?" Obama responded.

"Yes," several children said.

"That's very nice of you," he said. 

Obama circled the room, watching videos the kids had made on laptops explaining their bay project.

He shook hands with the kids and said, "I'm proud of you. Keep up the good work."

Then he went into a lab where a presidential podium had been set up amid the blackboards and periodic tables. He went into prepared remarks at 10:28 a.m. and finished at 10:37 a.m.

Obama then walked to the cafeteria where all the eighth-graders were gathered. He gave a few remarks and then took two questions. He wished them a happy Valentine's Day and sent hellos from Michelle, Sasha and Malia, getting hi's and waves back.

"What you kids are doing at Parkville is so important to our future," Obama said. "We live in a world that's getting smaller because of technology. We've seen what happened in Egypt with Facebook." 

He went on to say that as the world gets smaller it gets more competitive, and American students will have to compete. That is why he is investing in education at schools like Parkville. "Your sucess ultimately is going to mean America's success," he said. 

He took two questions.

A boy asked: "What's it feel like to be president?" 

"You know, some days you're burdened by really tough decisions," the president replied. He went on to say that as commander in chief he's responsible for sending soldiers to war. "Some of them get hurt, some get killed, so you feel a sense of responsibility that is profound." Obama added, "There are some days you feel excited," such as when the health bill passed.

A girl asked how he dealt with stress. Obama said every job—including being a student—involved stress. "If I feel I've done the best job I can do, then I feel OK," he said.

He shook hands with kids in the front row and kids who stretched over from farther back and then was gone by about 10:55 a.m. 

Read the text of Obama's Parkville Middle School speech from the White House Press Office.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This account was compiled by national media reporters who travel with the president and was sent out by the White House press office.)