Press Release - First Lady Melania Trump Celebrates Second Anniversary of "BE BEST"

"Today marks the second year since the launch of my Be Best Initiative. I'm proud of the work we have done to bring awareness to the many issues children face including online safety, opioid and drug abuse, and the importance of their overall well-being. It is always inspiring to see the life-changing work happening every day within our communities and around the world. I will continue to promote positive solutions and advocate for the tools our children need to grow up with a stronger social and emotional foundation. Now more than ever, we must continue to work together and champion these causes in order to strengthen and protect our children and provide them with a safe and more secure future."

— First Lady Melania Trump

Today, First Lady Melania Trump celebrated the two year anniversary of BE BEST, her initiative dedicated to bringing awareness to issues that impact the lives of children. The mission of Be Best is to promote the values of encouragement, kindness, compassion, healthy living, and respect in children.

Be Best has three pillars: Well-Being, Online Safety, and Opioid Abuse. Over the past two years, the First Lady has traveled domestically and overseas, highlighting people and programs dedicated to helping children learn, work through, and overcome these issues.

While our nation combats the invisible enemy, COVID19, the First Lady has found opportunities to apply the values of Be Best in new ways. With the goal of educating children and families, the First Lady created numerous Public Service Announcements, providing guidance and information on what people can do to stay safe and healthy. When the White House Easter Egg Roll was canceled, Mrs. Trump donated the thousands of unused Commemorative eggs to staff at local grocery stores and hospitals. She has also worked to spread the values of kindness and compassion by donating hundreds of meals and care packages to those serving on the frontlines of the pandemic.

BE BEST ANNIVERSARY – SURPRISE ZOOM CALL

While Americans continue to practice social distancing guidelines, millions of family homes have been turned into classrooms for their children. Nearly overnight, educators had to apply distance learning methods to their curriculum and have stayed connected to their students through Zoom or other video conference services.

In recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week and the second anniversary of the First Lady's BE BEST initiative, Mrs. Trump joined a Zoom call with first grade teacher, Mrs. Jennifer Horton, and her students from Tomek Eastern Elementary School in Fenton, Michigan.

Mrs. Trump expressed her thanks to Mrs. Horton and her students for allowing her to join them. Mrs. Horton started class by describing the Positivity Project, which is the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) technique that her school uses in their curriculum.

The First Lady discussed the importance of kindness and compassion with the students, values of their SEL curriculum and Be Best. Mrs. Trump engaged in a conversation with the students on how they can apply these ideals while at home. Mrs. Horton and the students also provided the First Lady with an update on how they have been navigating and participating in distance learning since the closure of their school due to the coronavirus pandemic.

During the call, the First Lady also learned about the creative activities the students have been participating in. Activities range from weekly dress-up themes with special mystery guests to sharing stories of their favorite activities while at home with their families. Most importantly, Mrs. Horton emphasized that her goal is to make learning fun and during each Zoom call she incorporates reading, dancing, jokes or puppet shows.

Towards the end of the call, the First Lady expressed her gratitude to Mrs. Horton and her students by surprising them with a gift of items from her Be Best initiative. Mrs. Trump donated the gifts as a token of her appreciation and thanks to Mrs. Horton and her students for allowing her to join them.

The First Lady concluded the call by thanking Mrs. Horton and the students for allowing her to be a guest and stressed the importance of continuing their education during these difficult times and also reminded them that they will return back to their classroom and school once again soon.

BE BEST HIGHLIGHTS

• First Lady Melania Trump has visited over 20 classrooms and met with nearly 4,000 students from around the world
• First Lady Melania Trump has toured nearly 20 hospitals both domestically and internationally, highlighting their innovative programs and thanking the medical staff for their devotion to their patients
• Nearly every government agency has a Be Best Ambassador who focuses on resources and opportunities available within their agency and uses them to make a difference in the lives of children
• First Lady Melania Trump invited thousands of children to the White House over the past two years to participate in Be Best activities
• First Lady Melania Trump has participated in numerous summits, roundtables and conferences; meeting with a diverse group of stakeholders, including Governors, Legislators and their spouses, in order to highlight the mission and values of Be Best
• Received the annual "Woman of Distinction" award from Palm Beach Atlantic University in February 2020 in recognition of the First Lady's work through the Be Best initiative