First lady Melania Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos visited Orchard Lake Middle School in West Bloomfield, Michigan on Monday as part of National Bullying Prevention Month.
The White House announced the visit on the same day of the trip:
During her visit, Mrs. Trump will spend time in the school’s Viking Huddle Class, a 6th grade classroom that focuses on social emotional learning. The First Lady and Mrs. DeVos will observe and participate in lessons about respecting others, kindness, and inclusion.
In addition to classroom participation, Mrs. Trump will visit with 7th and 8th grade students in the school’s cafeteria in an effort to bring awareness to “No One Eats Alone,” a concept that seeks to reverse the trends of social isolation by asking students to engage in simple acts of kindness – such as making sure that no one is eating alone and students are making an effort to eat with new classmates and peers.
“As part of my ongoing commitment to the overall well-being of children, I am looking forward to today’s visit,” Trump said in a statement. “By our own example, we must teach children to be good stewards of the world they will inherit.”
“We need to remember that they are always watching and listening,” Trump said. “It is our responsibility to take the lead in teaching children the values of empathy and communication that are at the core of kindness, mindfulness, integrity, and leadership.”
“In doing research for her platform, the first lady learned of #NoOneEatsAlone,” Stephanie Grisham, Trump’s spokesperson, told CNN. “She wants to talk to kids about the importance of being inclusive and the negative effects of social isolation.”
“This kind of activity also fosters integrity and leadership in young kids,” Grisham said.
The trip is Trump’s fourth solo travel as first lady, according to CNN, and the first focused on bullying.