In an open letter posted on Seventeen, First Lady Michelle Obama urges American girls to commit to their education.

"Did you know that right now, 62 million girls around the world are not in school," she starts off, "and in some countries, fewer than ten percent of girls complete high school (as compared to 85 percent in the U.S.)?"

After pointing out that many girls around the world in countries such as Pakistan and Nigeria are risking their lives everyday, Obama explains that it's a shame when U.S. girls who don't face terrorist attacks, live in poor or rural areas, or were forced to marry at a young age don't take their education seriously. They skip class, drop out or refuse to their homework.

"To any girl – or any young person – who might be thinking this way, I have a simple message: you can do better – for yourself, your family and your country," she writes.

"But if girls across the globe can walk hours each day from their villages to attend school," she continues, "or work two or three jobs to pay their school fees, or even risk their lives to attend school, then I know you can overcome any obstacles you face."

Read the full letter on Seventeen.