It was the controversial speech that wasn't.

A speech given by President Barack Obama at a Virginia high school Tuesday was broadcast across the country amid criticism it would indoctrinate schoolchildren.

The speech, which was released Monday, was a call to students to apply themselves in school so that they can make their own success in life. It was voluntary for teachers to show the speech, and parents in Bismarck and Mandan could excuse children from watching it at school.

Some classes at Pioneer Elementary School in Bismarck watched the speech. In Tim Leno's fourth-grade class, his students appeared excited about watching the president.

His class was just returning from the library when the speech began. One boy ran in, shouting "president, president, president,"as he ran to his seat. Many of the 21 students in Leno's class clapped and "bum-bum"ed along to "Hail to the Chief"when Obama was introduced and came on stage.

Most of Leno's students watched the speech. One student's parents requested their child not watch, and one student was absent, although the reason was not necessarily related to the speech.

"I really wish I could see the president in person, not on the screen," said Drew Pengilly, 9.

He thought the president's message was to "always try your best," he said.

And what does that mean? "With homework, you need to keep the dogs away because of the excuse that the dog ate your homework," said Pengilly, who has three dogs.

His classmate, 10-year-old Tehya Mays, also saw a positive message in the speech.

"I thought it was pretty interesting when he said to focus on work and not staring into space," Mays said.

The students picked up on different parts of the speech than adults would - chatter arose when the president mentioned it was the first day of school, and a boy said that he has an Xbox after the president mentioned it in his speech.

When the speech was done, the students went upstairs to a book fair. Leno had no intention of talking with the students about the speech as part of class.

"It should be up to the parents to ask their students about the program," he said.

He wanted to show the speech in his class because it is uncommon for a president to give a broadcast speech to students. The speech took place during the students' North Dakota Studies time.

"I wanted students to watch the program because it is historical," Leno said.

After the speech, Leno said he was impressed with the message.

"I thought it was a great speech," he said. "I like the fact he shared about Michael Jordan and J.K. Rowling."

During the speech, Obama mentioned that Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team and that J.K. Rowling's first Harry Potter book was rejected 12 times before it was published. Leno said he liked that the president gave examples of people who failed, but persevered to succeed.

Some schools in Bismarck chose to tape the speech to show later in the school day. In Bismarck Public Schools, 105 families opted their students out of seeing the speech. Some of those students are in classes that did not watch the speech, district officials said.

At Theodore Jamerson Elementary School at United Tribes Technical College, the students watched the speech in the gym with a special guest. Larry Echo Hawk, assistant secretary of the Interior Department, spoke with the students and was there for the president's speech. Echo Hawk will speak today at the tribal summit at the Bismarck Civic Center.

The president's remarks are available at www.whitehouse.gov. Click on "speeches and remarks" under the "in the briefing room" menu.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)