DETROIT – First Lady Melania Trump visited Orchard Lake Middle School on Monday in West Bloomfield.
In an email to parents, school leaders wrote "this is a great opportunity for our students to show how wonderful they truly are to the entire country."
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos was there, too.
The First Lady spoke to the students about her anti-bullying initiative, urging them to make new friends by eating lunch with someone they did not know well. She also sat in on a class during which the students were assigned a group project.
CNN report: Melania Trump to address bullying in surprise Michigan trip
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The White House released this statement about the visit:
First Lady Melania Trump and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos will visit Orchard Lake Middle School in West Bloomfield, Michigan to kick off the “Week of Inclusion,” part of National Bullying Prevention Month.
During her visit, Mrs. Trump will spend time in the school’s Viking Huddle Class, a 6th grade classroom that focuses on social emotional learning. The First Lady and Mrs. DeVos will observe and participate in lessons about respecting others, kindness, and inclusion.
In addition to classroom participation, Mrs. Trump will visit with 7th and 8th grade students in the school's cafeteria in an effort to bring awareness to “No One Eats Alone,” a concept that seeks to reverse the trends of social isolation by asking students to engage in simple acts of kindness - such as making sure that no one is eating alone and students are making an effort to eat with new classmates and peers.
“As part of my ongoing commitment to the overall well-being of children, I am looking forward to today’s visit,” stated First Lady Melania Trump. "By our own example, we must teach children to be good stewards of the world they will inherit. We need to remember that they are always watching and listening. It is our responsibility to take the lead in teaching children the values of empathy and communication that are at the core of kindness, mindfulness, integrity, and leadership.”
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