Gwinnett students attend presidential inauguration

Collins Hill High Student Dorian DeRamus can tell her classmates what it was like to witness an historical event in the nation's capital.

Dorian was accepted into the People to People Presidential Inauguration program, and became part of a delegation of student ambassadors to witness the swearing in of Barack Obama, the 44th president and the first African American president, of the United States.

Another Gwinnett student, Brandon Ona of Mill Creek High, attended the inauguration at the invitation of the Congressional Leadership Council. He listened to keynote speakers, visited memorials and museums and attended the Inaugural Ball.

Dorian and fellow ambassadors also heard the inaugural address. While in Washington, she was able to gain insights into American leaders throughout history by having discussions with political experts. The group also toured the U.S. Capitol and National Archives, explored the newly reopened National Museum of American History, and visited Washington's monuments and memorials.

In addition, more than 100 Advanced Placement Social Studies students at Parkview High attended the Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C. The 111 juniors and seniors, along with teacher and administrative chaperones, boarded three school buses at Parkview High on Saturday evening, Jan. 17, departing for the nation's capital.

On the day of the inauguration, the students began their morning with a 4:30 a.m. breakfast, followed by a trip to the charter bus parking area in D.C. and a walk to the National Mall to clear security checkpoints and join the millions watching the Presidential Inauguration and the parade.

The students and their teachers visted local museums, monuments, and other historic sites, and returned to Parkview High that Wednesday.

Several Gwinnett schools were involved in class projects, and school activities, using this national event as a teachable moment for Gwinnett students.

For example, Charles Brant Chesney Elementary participated in a Mock Inauguration on Tuesday, Jan. 20, in the school's gymnasium. With "Hail to the Chief" playing in the background, the "official" swearing in of our new President-elect will be at 10 a.m. With balloons, ribbons, and banners flying, students sang patriotic songs and celebrated this moment in time.

Fifth-grade students at Norcross Elementary turned the school's gymnasium into a ballroom as they celebrated the president's inauguration with an Inauguration Ball. Numerous students dressed in suits, acting as the "secret service" providing "clearance" for the VIPs as they enter the ballroom. Participants dressed for the occasion. The "invitation-only" gala included a formal address by the student council president.

At noon, the entire Norcross Elementary student body watched the presidential inauguration from their classrooms.
- www.gwinnettherald.com

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