Michelle Obama Presents: The White House Turnaround Talent Show!

Obama showcases how arts turn around troubled schools.

Bringing Down the House - First Lady Michelle Obama kicked off the White House's first talent show as part of an effort to showcase what an integral role the arts play in helping children reach academic heights. In 2012, the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, the White House and the Education Department created an experiment called the Turnaround Arts program to test a theory that an arts education can improve students' academic performances. Based on the results of the first eight schools to participate, it worked, and the program will be expanded to include 35 schools. — Joyce Jones (@BETpolitichick) (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

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Bringing Down the House - First Lady Michelle Obama kicked off the White House's first talent show as part of an effort to showcase what an integral role the arts play in helping children reach academic heights. In 2012, the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, the White House and the Education Department created an experiment called the Turnaround Arts program to test a theory that an arts education can improve students' academic performances. Based on the results of the first eight schools to participate, it worked, and the program will be expanded to include 35 schools. — Joyce Jones (@BETpolitichick) (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

Amazing! - "With the help of this program and some school improvement grants, math and reading scores have gone up in these schools, attendance is up, enrollment is up, parent engagement is up, suspensions have plummeted, and two of the schools in our pilot improved so dramatically that they are no longer in 'turnaround' status," said the first lady. "That's amazing." (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

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Amazing! - "With the help of this program and some school improvement grants, math and reading scores have gone up in these schools, attendance is up, enrollment is up, parent engagement is up, suspensions have plummeted, and two of the schools in our pilot improved so dramatically that they are no longer in 'turnaround' status," said the first lady. "That's amazing." (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

Lame Deer Jr. High School - Students from Lame Deer Junior High School, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Montana, performed with musicians from the famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble. (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

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Lame Deer Jr. High School - Students from Lame Deer Junior High School, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Montana, performed with musicians from the famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble. (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

Never Giving Up - Children from Boston’s Orchard Gardens School performed their original song “I Won’t Give Up." (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

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Never Giving Up - Children from Boston’s Orchard Gardens School performed their original song “I Won’t Give Up." (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

Photo By Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM

Oh, Yes They Can! - "Let me tell you a little bit about this fabulous school. This school had had six principals in seven years, their teacher turnover rate was over 50 percent, and their test scores were among the lowest in the state. But they had a principal who believed in the power of the arts. So that individual replaced the school’s security guards with five full-time arts and music teachers. And today, Orchard Gardens is known as one of the most improved schools in the entire state of Massachusetts," gushed Obama. "Say, oh, yes, we can!" (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

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Oh, Yes They Can! - "Let me tell you a little bit about this fabulous school. This school had had six principals in seven years, their teacher turnover rate was over 50 percent, and their test scores were among the lowest in the state. But they had a principal who believed in the power of the arts. So that individual replaced the school’s security guards with five full-time arts and music teachers. And today, Orchard Gardens is known as one of the most improved schools in the entire state of Massachusetts," gushed Obama. "Say, oh, yes, we can!" (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

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Greetings From Kerry Washington - Actress and new mother Kerry Washington couldn't attend the talent show, but asked a young friend from Washington, D.C.'s Savoy Elementary School to read a message. "I have seen how color, music and art can literally transform a bare brick and mortar building into one filled with life and creativity," Kerry wrote. "I've learned how the arts can be used by great classroom teachers to teach math, science, social studies and reading. And I learned how to lindy hop from the fourth grade." In two years, she added, test scores and attendance has risen and disciplinary referrals have fallen by nearly 70 percent. Most important, "it's the kind of place that you just want to keep coming back to. I know I will."

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Greetings From Kerry Washington - Actress and new mother Kerry Washington couldn't attend the talent show, but asked a young friend from Washington, D.C.'s Savoy Elementary School to read a message. "I have seen how color, music and art can literally transform a bare brick and mortar building into one filled with life and creativity," Kerry wrote. "I've learned how the arts can be used by great classroom teachers to teach math, science, social studies and reading. And I learned how to lindy hop from the fourth grade." In two years, she added, test scores and attendance has risen and disciplinary referrals have fallen by nearly 70 percent. Most important, "it's the kind of place that you just want to keep coming back to. I know I will."

The Savoy Players in the House! - This was not the first time that Savoy students performed for the first lady. Last year, she visited the school with Kerry Washington. Their White House debut included movement to different genres, from African music to spoken word. (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

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The Savoy Players in the House! - This was not the first time that Savoy students performed for the first lady. Last year, she visited the school with Kerry Washington. Their White House debut included movement to different genres, from African music to spoken word. (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

Too Good to Be True - This trio of crooners from the Noel Community Arts School in Denver, Colorado, serenaded the first lady with their rendition of Frankie Valli's  "Can't Take My Eyes off You." According to the first lady, "Students in Denver are learning geometry by studying cubism and using digital arts skills to create 3D pop-up books." (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

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Too Good to Be True - This trio of crooners from the Noel Community Arts School in Denver, Colorado, serenaded the first lady with their rendition of Frankie Valli's  "Can't Take My Eyes off You." According to the first lady, "Students in Denver are learning geometry by studying cubism and using digital arts skills to create 3D pop-up books." (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

A Joyous Thing - "Our schools are alive. And they are energized. They're filled with color; they are humming with all of these bright ideas from our kids and our heroic teachers and principals," said actress Alfre Woodard, one of several celebrities who've signed on as mentors in the Turnaround Arts program. She also noted what a "joyous thing" it is to see the light in the students' eyes and how they now "understand they have a voice and point of view that matter." (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

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A Joyous Thing - "Our schools are alive. And they are energized. They're filled with color; they are humming with all of these bright ideas from our kids and our heroic teachers and principals," said actress Alfre Woodard, one of several celebrities who've signed on as mentors in the Turnaround Arts program. She also noted what a "joyous thing" it is to see the light in the students' eyes and how they now "understand they have a voice and point of view that matter." (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

Renewed - Actress Alfre Woodard and trombone and trumpet artist Troy Andrews, also known as "Trombone Shorty," perform with students from ReNEW Cultural Arts Academy in New Orleans, Louisiana, during which they recalled life before and after Hurricane Katrina. Thanks to the Turnaround Arts program, the first lady said, "Students in New Orleans are displaying their artwork in local coffee shops and galleries, and they’ve even created their own play about the alphabet."(Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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Renewed - Actress Alfre Woodard and trombone and trumpet artist Troy Andrews, also known as "Trombone Shorty," perform with students from ReNEW Cultural Arts Academy in New Orleans, Louisiana, during which they recalled life before and after Hurricane Katrina. Thanks to the Turnaround Arts program, the first lady said, "Students in New Orleans are displaying their artwork in local coffee shops and galleries, and they’ve even created their own play about the alphabet."(Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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Bring It Home, Girls! - Actress Sarah Jessica Parker joined this all-girl group from the Martin Luther King Jr. School in Portland, Oregon, as they performed "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" from the musical Annie. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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Bring It Home, Girls! - Actress Sarah Jessica Parker joined this all-girl group from the Martin Luther King Jr. School in Portland, Oregon, as they performed "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" from the musical Annie. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

He's Got Some Skills - "So I just want to say, I’ve got talent," said President Obama during a surprise appearance at the talent show. "I’ve got some talent, but I wasn’t invited to be part of the show." (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

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He's Got Some Skills - "So I just want to say, I’ve got talent," said President Obama during a surprise appearance at the talent show. "I’ve got some talent, but I wasn’t invited to be part of the show." (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

Outstanding! - "This is the first lady’s outstanding initiative, along with all of you. But I just wanted to come by and say that the arts are central to who we are as a people, and they are central to the success of our kids. This is not an afterthought. This is not something you do because it’s kind of nice to do. It is necessary for these young people to succeed that we promote the arts," the president said. "And I hope that events like this help send a message to school districts, and parents, and governors and leaders all across this country: You’ve got to support the arts.  It’s a priority. And you guys were all outstanding."(Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

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Outstanding! - "This is the first lady’s outstanding initiative, along with all of you. But I just wanted to come by and say that the arts are central to who we are as a people, and they are central to the success of our kids. This is not an afterthought. This is not something you do because it’s kind of nice to do. It is necessary for these young people to succeed that we promote the arts," the president said. "And I hope that events like this help send a message to school districts, and parents, and governors and leaders all across this country: You’ve got to support the arts.  It’s a priority. And you guys were all outstanding."(Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for NAMM)

Double the Fun - As exciting as it was for the students to perform for the first lady, they were doubly, and maybe even triply excited when the president entered the room. As always, the first couple was generous with the handshakes and hugs, leaving some of the children to swear that they would never wash the clothes they were wearing again.(Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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Double the Fun - As exciting as it was for the students to perform for the first lady, they were doubly, and maybe even triply excited when the president entered the room. As always, the first couple was generous with the handshakes and hugs, leaving some of the children to swear that they would never wash the clothes they were wearing again.(Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)