January 29, 2009

Once in a Lifetime

Spencer Nitkey goes to Washington

Spencer Nitkey

By Spencer Nitkey
Special to the Times

Last week’s presidential inauguration was an incredible moment in our country’s history and I had the great honor of being there. Even though I couldn’t see much, I was still so proud to be part of it and be able to breath the same air. It was exciting, but more than exciting it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Amazing is right, I’d never experienced anything like it before. This event had the largest attendance of any presidential inauguration in the history of our country, and I was right there, smashed among more than two million people waving flags and cheering for our country’s first African American president. I couldn’t see much; there were too many people. Some lucky people climbed on top of the porta-potties so they could watch on the Jumbotrons.

I’m glad I was able to be there with all those people, even though I couldn’t see or hear much. It was funny, most of the people booed when President Obama thanked President Bush for his service. I got to see history; it’s something to tell your kids and grandkids, but also your friends. I’d do it again.

A picture of the Capital Building from a balcony at Washington, D.C.’s Newseum. Photos by Spencer Nitkey

My friend and I started a chant yelling “YES WE CAN” and soon everyone around us was chanting too. The second Barack Obama was sworn into office the crowd went crazy. People were screaming so loud you couldn’t hear anything but the applause. It was incredible.

I heard some people called friends on their cell phones to hear the speech better, but there were so many people using their cell phones to take pictures, it was hard to get service.

I was with a group called the Junior Presidential Inaugural Conference, there were thousands of us and we were bused around the area. I got to fly to Washington without my parents, but at the airport I met Justin from Marin who was also going. I’m really lucky, I made lots of new friends and got to experience things most kids my age just dream about.

We all arrived in Washington, D.C. the Saturday before the election. We stayed at the University of Maryland and traveled everywhere by bus. Sometimes it felt like all we did was ride the bus.

The trip also included speeches from Colin Powell and Al Gore.

people climbed on top of the numerous porta-potties to see Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th president of the United States

Powell, the former secretary of state, talked about how he came to be a great leader and how we can do the same. He taught us all about his past and what different responsibilities we as Americans have. It was very inspiring. He told us the story of his career, both in the army as in politics, and how he became a great leader and all of his different responsibilities. When he was first in the army it was segregated, but as his career grew, he said it became easier for an African American to rise up.

Gore talked about all the troubles our country is facing and how dealing with them will not be easy. He talked about the economic crisis, national security and the environmental crisis. He talked about how President Obama will have to face these difficulties.

He also spoke a lot about the environment and our dependence on foreign oil. Gore said that our CO2 emissions are harming the whole earth and we need to stop putting so much into the air. He urged us to get active and fight for what we believe in, and that we, the next generation, will need to be strong and ready to make this country and this world better.

Erik Weihenmayer is the first blind person to climb Mt. Everest. He talked to us about teamwork and how we have to help others in order to get things done.

Former Vice President Al Gore spoke to the students from the Junior Presidential Inaugural Conference.

After the speeches, we went into groups and talked about the things they had told us.

We also got to visit the Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue, which offers views of the Capital. It opened last April, and according to the Internet has 250,000 square feet of news blending high tech with history. There are pictures of the Berlin Wall before it fell and front pages from like 30,000 newspapers, all with historic headlines.

I still can’t completely take in the fact that I was there. It was amazing. The most memorable part of it was being at the inaguration and being able to witness the first African-American President being sworn into office. I will remember it for the rest of my life. The speakers inspired me to be great and trust my self. Over all it was a great experience that will last forever.

Editor’s note: The five-day whirlwind trip left Spencer a little tired, and when we spoke on Saturday, he was still “very tired.” He also noted that after five days of “real cold, it actually felt warm here. Congratulations to one very articulate 12-year-old, who took the trip of a lifetime, and gave all of us in Almaden a chance to see the inauguration through his eyes.