President Barack Obama, greets Gabrielle Nafie, center, during the first White House Student Film Festival, Friday, Feb. 28, 2014, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (Photo credit: AP photo by Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says he wanted to bring the atmosphere of the Academy Awards to the White House early.

Obama hosted a student film festival in the East Room, with two big screens set up to show the winning work. Students in kindergarten through 12th grade were invited to submit three-minute videos about the role technology plays in their education.

White House staff narrowed the nearly 2,500 submissions down to 16 for the festival.

Obama says the festival is just like the Oscars scheduled or Sunday “except nobody asks what you’re wearing.”

Obama declared the winners “awesome.”

He said he wants to bring the spirit of technology in the classroom to schools across the country.