COLUMBIA, S.C. — Obama was greeted at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport Friday by U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, Gov. Nikki Haley and Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin.
A crowd of more than 1,100 people welcomed Obama to Benedict College in Columbia.
They cheered when he took the stage, and after he joked about being away from South Carolina for so long, but said he's had lots to do.
[ IMAGES: President Obama visits S.C. ]
The president only spoke for about 10 minutes before taking questions for another hour from the large student audience.
Obama focused on youth leadership and making sure minority students have opportunities for education, careers and an equal chance for success.
The president encouraged young people to work toward the education they want, but not blame others when they don't succeed.
He also spoke about a program he started a year ago called My Brother's Keeper, which aims to fight for the future of young black and Hispanic men.
"It's an initiative that challenges communities to bring together, nonprofits and foundations and businesses and government, all focused on creating more pathways for young people to succeed," Obama said.
More than 200 cities are now working with the program.
"People of color as well as the youth are dealing with problems, so it's good that he is addressing that, and my fellow students and the youth of our community get the opportunity to be inspired," student Calvin Phillips said.
Another student, Shantara Foster, said that seeing Obama at the school gives students hope.
"A lot of students just come to school to get away from home and they're hopeless. But seeing him here it gives a lot of us hope," said Foster.
This is the first time Obama has been in South Carolina since the 2008 primary campaign in which he and Hillary Rodham Clinton fiercely fought for the state's voters.
South Dakota and Utah are the only two states Obama hasn't visited.
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