Obama to join back-to-school special

President Barack Obama will appear in a back-to-school television special with singer Kelly Clarkson and basketball star LeBron James next month. The 30-minute documentary will air the evening of Sept. 8 on BET, MTV, VH1, CMT, Comedy Central, Spike TV and Nickelodeon. Obama also plans to deliver a back-to-school speech to the nation's students on the same day.

In the TV program, the president will urge kids to "find something you're passionate about" and stress that education is the key to living out their dreams, according to a media release. The program marks the kickoff of a five-year education initiative by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom Inc. to improve high school and college completion rates.