Because people need to be able to train for new jobs and careers in today’s fast-changing economy, we are also revitalizing America’s community colleges. Last month, I saw the promise of these schools at Forsyth Tech in North Carolina. Many of the students there used to work in the surrounding factories that have since left town. One mother of two, a woman named Kathy Proctor, had worked in the furniture industry since she was 18 years old. And she told me she’s earning her degree in biotechnology now, at 55 years old, not just because the furniture jobs are gone, but because she wants to inspire her children to pursue their dreams too. As Kathy said, “I hope it tells them to never give up.”
由于人們需要在今天快速變化的經濟領域里接受新工作和職業的培訓，我們也將重新使美國的社區學院恢復活力。我上個月看到了北卡羅來納州福費斯社區技術學院的潛力，學院的許多學生曾在現在已搬離城鎮的附近工廠就業。凱西·普羅克托是一位兩個孩子的母親，她18歲就開始在家具業工作。她告訴我，現年55歲的她正在攻讀生物技術學位，不只是因為家具業的工作沒有了，而是因為她想鼓勵她的孩子也追求他們的夢想。凱西說：“我希望這將能教會他們永不放棄。”

If we take these steps – if we raise expectations for every child, and give them the best possible chance at an education, from the day they’re born until the last job they take – we will reach the goal I set two years ago: by the end of the decade, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.
如果我們采取這些措施，如果我們提高對每個孩子的期待值，給他們在教育方面最好的機遇，從他們出生至他們上一次的就業崗位，我們將實現我在兩年前確定的目標：在這個十年結束的時候，美國將再度成為擁有大學生比例最高的國家。

One last point about education. Today, there are hundreds of thousands of students excelling in our schools who are not American citizens. Some are the children of undocumented workers, who had nothing to do with the actions of their parents. They grew up as Americans and pledge allegiance to our flag, and yet live every day with the threat of deportation. Others come here from abroad to study in our colleges and universities. But as soon as they obtain advanced degrees, we send them back home to compete against us. It makes no sense.
有關教育的最后一點。今天，我們的學校里有數百萬學業優秀的非美國公民。一些人是非法工人的孩子，他們與他們父母的行為沒有任何關系。他們是以美國人的身份長大的，宣誓效忠美國，但卻每天生活在將被驅逐的威脅之下。其它人來自海外，在我們的院校和大學里學習，但他們一旦獲得學位，我們就把他們送回國和我們進行競爭。這沒有道理。

Now, I strongly believe that we should take on, once and for all, the issue of illegal immigration. I am prepared to work with Republicans and Democrats to protect our borders, enforce our laws and address the millions of undocumented workers who are now living in the shadows. I know that debate will be difficult and take time. But tonight, let’s agree to make that effort. And let’s stop expelling talented, responsible young people who can staff our research labs, start new businesses, and further enrich this nation.
現在，我強烈地認為，我們應當一下子解決非法移民的問題。我作好了與共和黨人和民主黨人合作以保護我們邊境的準備，執行我們的法律，解決數百萬生活在陰影之下的非法移民問題。我知道，這方面的辯論將是艱難的，將需要時間。但是今晚，讓我們就開始作出努力達成共識。停止驅逐那些有才能、負責任的年輕人，他們可以在我們的實驗室工作、創業、給美國帶來新的財富。