Share

Obama’s daughter Malia set to graduate from high school

The bond between Obama and his children was readily apparent, as he often was seen holding hands with either daughter getting on or off the presidential aircraft or on the family’s walks through Lafayette Park to attend services at St. John’s Episcopal Church.

Advertisement

She’s marked some of life’s milestones in the past seven years, and a big one comes Friday: graduation from high school.

“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”. Younger sister Sasha, who turned 15 on Friday, attends Sidwell, too. But she’s ready to go.

What’s next? Malia is taking a year for herself before enrolling at Harvard in the fall of 2017. “You can tell. She’s just a really smart, capable person and she’s ready to make her own way”.

FILE – In this June 25, 2011 pool-file photo, first lady Michelle Obama and daughter Malia listen to their guide during a safari in Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa.

Malia donned a Couture gown to attend her first state dinner this March and gave sister Sasha a thumbs up for talking to actor Ryan Reynolds. “One more example of the president crying”, he said. He’s likened it to “living above the store”.

Months ago, the president blamed his emotions for declining an invitation to deliver this year’s commencement address at Sidwell Friends, the elite school where Malia is among 127 members of the Class of 2016. Obama has joked that it was comforting to know that when his girls were out and about they were being watched over by “men with guns”.

Malia has also shown her independent side.

“Malia, who will be graduating this week, is very eager to get out of there (the White House)”. Malia has had summer internships on the NY set of HBO’s “Girls” and in Los Angeles on a CBS sci-fi drama, since canceled, that starred Halle Berry.

As a high school student, Malia spent a portion of the summer in 2014 and 2015 working in television studios in NY and Los Angeles.

Advertisement

Last year, he said he was already “dreading that empty seat at the table” when Malia leaves home. Did you love it as much as we did?

President Barack Obama and daughter Malia make their way to board Air Force One before departing from Chicago O’Hare International Airport