I am privileged to be on the school board of a pretty special community.  On September 8, President Obama delivered his speech to the nation’s school children from Wakefield High School.  I was fascinated to watch some of what goes into a Presidential visit and thought my readers might enjoy a few inside perspectives, including a few pictures when the President met for about 40 minutes in the library with a small group of students before his speech.

Sally Baird, our school board chair, and I co-wrote a description of the event which is below and you might like to read the article Linda Erdos, Director of School and Community Relations wrote about what is was for ??  about what it was like to have the President come to speak on the first day of school.

The President at Wakefield High School

It is impossible to fully articulate the excitement which everyone in the Wakefield community felt about the President’s visit.  Many students wore Obamafield t-shirts last year. As President, he exemplifies the American life journey – and challenges—which is familiar to so many of our Wakefield students.

It was such an honor—and well-deserved recognition—for a very special school and staff.   The principal, Doris Jackson, expressed it perfectly.

We had a rather odd vantage point as all this unfolded.  First, was the thrill of finding out the President was planning to come, but the need to keep it secret.  That was hard. We worried the White House would change its mind about the location.  Once the press release went out, however, we breathed a huge sigh of relief and enjoyed telling the world.

It struck us how little control we had over the event itself.  It was so complicated. The White House decided just about everything, including who could and could not come, and where people would sit.  We watched and listened as our staff worked out a myriad of details with the White House and security. A number of times, in response to our inquiries, APS staff told us “we’ve asked, but they won’t tell us”  and a few times “we’ve asked, and they said no.”

Then there were the amazing complaints from around the country, and a few from Arlington (!) that we were “subjecting” students to “brainwashing” and worse.  It is clear that hate radio is pouring misinformation and manipulating facts, and making far too many people fearful and angry.  What a destructive force!  This phenomenon could destroy our democracy over time.

But back to a positive future: our students. Sally was one of the few to sit in the library as the President spoke with 40 incoming Wakefield ninth grade students. The students selected to be there represented the wide range of diversity which Wakefield so beautifully embodies. One of the students asked the President why he chose Wakefield. The first part of the President’s response noted Wakefield’s achievements. But then he looked out at the group, paused, and said “you look like the world…this is what America really looks like….I wanted to talk to you…..”. It was a very powerful comment, and one which was not lost on the students sitting in the room with him, a number of whom have worked hard to achieve against daunting challenges.  One student asked the President about how it was growing up without a father and the President seemed surprised at first by the question and then answered very thoughtfully.

Outside the room, there was much waiting.  Events like this mean waiting.  Security limits the President’s exposure to crowds, so there was plenty of time to talk with everyone waiting which included some now very familiar folks from the Department of Education, even Secretary Duncan and his family before he joined the President and our students.  The excitement was electric for everyone, even the VIPs. 

I’m sure many of you watched the speech.  It was great.  There was a wonderful signer for the deaf who artfully translated the speech into sign language.  It was moving to watch the high school students listen so intently to what the President was saying to them.  In fact, saying some congressmen behave like children when the President speaks is insulting to our Arlington children.  Our students behaved much better and, as always, made us proud.

In the room, Barak Obama’s grin was infectious.  He praised Tim Spicer, the senior class president who introduced him and had a big smile.  He seemed to be looking right at Libby and she grinned back.  Then the President smiled even more broadly.  It was a spectacular moment.

Afterwards many students shook the President’s hand.  He left two signed bricks and an autographed picture.   It turns out the President usually signs the wall of each school he is in.  He went to do that at Wakefield and the staff panicked briefly:  “Oh no!  These walls are coming down in a few years.”  They found two single bricks which he signed.  Those bricks are waiting for the new school, so they will be with Wakefield for a very long time.

So will the memories.   I heard teachers say that some students’ lives would be changed forever by this visit.  The President came, spoke directly to them and showed he cared about them and that he is, indeed, an example to all of them to work hard and never give up on their dreams.It is always an honor and a privilege to serve on the Arlington County School Board, but never more than this year’s first day of school.