Published: January 21, 2009 10:49 am      

INAUGURATION: Students pause to watch history unfold

From the textbook to the TV screen, Falls high school students track first black presidency

Throughout the halls of Niagara Falls High School there was an echo of Barack Obama’s voice on Tuesday. In classroom after classroom, televisions were turned to live coverage of his inaugural speech.

Some teachers scribbled equations on whiteboards and continued math lessons with the inauguration in the background. But in other classrooms, Obama was the lesson.

“We’re all connected — look at that quote,” said teacher Christine Farino as she gestured students to look at the chalk board. “ ‘Rosa sat so Martin could walk. Martin walked so Obama could run. Obama ran so our children can fly.’ ”

The history these students had been following since elementary school — from the abolitionist movement to the civil rights movement — reached a cadence when Obama took his oath as the 44th president of the United States.

Social studies teacher James Hartung pointed out Obama put his hand on the same Bible Abraham Lincoln had in 1861 to take his oath and asked students why it was significant.

“Lincoln freed the slaves and Barack is free so he could put his hand there,” said senior Demetrius Caffee. Hartung reiterated how history is connected, to which Caffee nodded and replied: “That’s dope. I like that.”

Hartung had been pumping his students up for the inauguration in the weeks leading up to Tuesday. Students wrote poems about what Obama’s presidency meant to them and performed mock inauguration ceremonies in class.

When Obama finished his inaugural speech, some students clapped.

Among them was Anthony Wright, a senior who wore an Obama shirt with the words “Yes We Can” and spent his lunch period in Hartung’s classroom to watch Obama speak.

“To see a black president compared to the past of slavery, it’s amazing,” he said, noting his parents and grandparents never thought they would see someone like them become president. “The country has come a long way in a short time.”

Darmaine Prather also wore a shirt in support — it said “Obama: 44th.” As the senior walked into government teacher Sabrina London’s class, Prather’s first question was, “Did Obama speak yet?”

While the historic impact seemed to hit black students hardest, most at Niagara Falls High School expressed excitement about Obama’s future — and George Bush’s exit.

“I think it’s overdue,” said senior Kiki Ventresca, a student in London’s class. “We need him. And it’s not only that he’s African-American, he’s perfect for the country — he knows what we need right now.”

Senior Megan Kelly chimed in: “It’s really not that he’s African-American. It’s all the qualities he has.”

“That George Bush didn’t,” added senior Erin Kelly as all three laughed.

Even though the inauguration was only a ceremonial tradition, the symbolism of the transition had a greater historic meaning, London said.

“For these kids, they’re going to remember this day.”