Baller-in-Chief

(From USA Today Online)

President Obama’s back-to-school event next month will features a couple of other famous names, basketball superstar LeBron James and best-selling singer Kelly Clarkson.

All three will appear in a 30-minute documentary to be broadcast on more than 20 cable television networks, urging students to stay in school and use education to reach for their dreams.

According to a release about the program, called Get Schooled: It’s Your Right, Obama plans to say:

“So as this new school year begins, I urge you to set goals for your own education: To study hard and get involved in your school, to try new things and find something you’re passionate about.

“And that’s how our nation will get ahead — by ensuring that every American gets a world-class education, from preschool to college to a career.”

The program will be seen Sept. 8 at 8 p.m. ET on cable outlets that include BET, MTV, VH1, CMT, Comedy Central, Spike TV and Nickelodeon

All of those are Viacom networks, which is sponsoring a new initiative along with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The five-year “Get Schooled” campaign is designed to improve high school and college graduation rates.

The three headliners — Obama, Clarkson, and James — will be accompanied by high-level aides who will discuss how school helped them forge careers.

They are White House speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz, Clarkson music director Jason Halbert, and James marketing assistant Latesha Williams.

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