Michelle Obama tells girls that education is 'the key to your future'

There are more than 62 million girls around the world who are not in school, and Michelle Obama gently reminded 1,000 students in New York City not to take their education for granted.

"For me, this is personal," Obama said Tuesday at the Power of an Educated Girl event. "It is part of my passion and my mission to make sure that every girl on the planet has the same opportunity that I had, that my daughters have, and I want to make sure that all of you here in the United States are taking advantage of the opportunities you have as well. I want you to be that hungry to get your education because it is going to be the key to your future." She was joined onstage by former Australian Prime Minster Julia Gillard, actress Charlize Theron, and Nurfhada, a 16-year-old activist from the Philippines. The first lady encouraged the girls to attend college and to apply for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and said while it will likely take generations to ensure that every girl gets an education, "we can never give up."

During the Global Citizen Festival in New York City over the weekend, Obama announced a social media campaign called #62MillionGirls, which prompts people to tweet photos of themselves along with lessons they learned at school, NBC News reports. "Let me tell you there's 62 million girls around the world who would give anything to be in your position," Obama told the students Tuesday. "They are fighting and literally dying to get their education. So we cannot afford to take these opportunities in the United States for granted."

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