Only 10 years old when he entered office, Malia’s graduation from the private Sidwell Friends school in Washington marks a milestone for the first family, who sought to instill a sense of normalcy for their two girls as they grew up in decidedly abnormal circumstances.
Advertisement
“The idea of her having to transfer schools, move to a new city, halfway through high school would not make me popular”, Obama said, joking that “it is a little depressing” that he will remain in city after his term is up and likening himself to the “old guy at the disco”.
Malia’s sister Sasha also attends the school, and the day marks a special occasion for her as well: She turns 15 on Friday.
Miss Obama, 17, will be taking a year off before attending Harvard University in 2017. Neither President Obama nor Michelle Obama have mentioned what Malia has planned for her year off.
President Obama has a plan for his daughter’s graduation: Wear sunglasses so no one can see him cry.
Malia has travelled to Europe, Africa, Asia, South America and the Caribbean with her parents, and taken a school trip to Mexico. “They don’t have an attitude”, Obama said, crediting his wife and her mother Marian Robinson, who lives at the White House with the family. Malia has had summer internships on the NY set of HBO’s Girls and in Los Angeles on a CBS sci-fi drama, since cancelled, that starred Halle Berry.
The pre-teen whose swing set still sits just outside the Oval Office now turns heads when she’s spotted around town – including driving her vehicle.
Obama earlier this year told television host Ellen DeGeneres of his sorrow at thinking that she would soon fly the nest. In the Tonight Show interview broadcast Thursday night, Obama said Malia is “very eager” to leave the cocoon of the White House.
Advertisement
“They’ve handled it so well”.
