Skip to main content
Thursday, October 29, 2026Oct 29

This story is free to read.

First lady promotes student foreign exchanges

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama await the arrival of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for a state arrival ceremony, Tuesday, April 28, 2015, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama await the arrival of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for a state arrival ceremony, Tuesday, April 28, 2015, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama await the arrival of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for a state arrival ceremony, Tuesday, April 28, 2015, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

GREAT FALLS, Va. (AP) – Michelle Obama says all of America’s students should have the opportunity to interact with kids from other countries so they can learn about each other.

She says such interaction will help them focus on what they have in common instead of their differences.

The first lady commented Tuesday during a visit to Great Falls Elementary School in Great Falls, Virginia. She was accompanied by Japanese first lady Aki Abe, whose husband, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House.

There’s a Japanese immersion program at the school in which some students learn science, math and health in Japanese.

Some students will also visit Japan in June.