Malia Obama and Sasha Obama

Barack and Michelle Obama have two daughters: Malia Ann (/məˈliːə/), born July 4, 1998,[19][20] and
Natasha (known as Sasha /ˈsɑːʃə/), born June 10, 2001.[21] They were both delivered at University of
Chicago Medical Center by their parents' friend and physician Anita Blanchard.[22] Sasha was the
youngest child to reside in the White House since John F. Kennedy Jr. arrived as an infant in
1961.[23] In 2014, Malia and Sasha were named two of "The 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014"
by Time magazine.[24]

From left to right: Malia, Michelle, and Sasha on stage at the 2008 Democratic National Convention
Before his inauguration, President Obama published an open letter to his daughters
in Parade magazine, describing what he wants for them and every child in America: "to grow up in a
world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into
compassionate, committed women who will help build that world."[25]
While living in Chicago, the Obamas kept busy schedules, as the Associated Press reported:
"soccer, dance and drama for Malia, gymnastics and tap for Sasha, piano and tennis for both."[26][27] In
July 2008, the family gave an interview to the television series Access Hollywood. Obama later said
they regretted allowing the children to be included.[28] Malia and Sasha both graduated from the
private Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C., the same school that Chelsea Clinton, Tricia
Nixon Cox, Archibald Roosevelt and the grandchildren of Joe Biden (when he was Vice President)
attended.[29] The Obama girls began classes there on January 5, 2009;[30] Malia graduated in 2016.
Before the family moved to Washington in 2009, both girls attended the private University of Chicago
Laboratory School.[31]
In his victory speech on the night of his election, President Obama repeated his promise to Sasha
and Malia to get a puppy to take with them to the White House.[32] The selection was slow because
Malia is allergic to animal dander;[33] the president subsequently said that the choice had been
narrowed down to either a labradoodle or a Portuguese Water Dog, and that they hoped to find a
shelter animal.[34] On April 12, 2009, it was reported that the Obamas had adopted a six-month-old
Portuguese Water Dog given to them as a gift by Senator Ted Kennedy;[35] Malia and Sasha named