Taking part in history

Today President Obama signed the National Service Act into law, pledging to increase the size of organizations like Americorps, that offer service opportunities to all of us. He did so at my school. In front of our 10th and 12th grade students (okay, and in front of 100 members of Congress...but you'll forgive me for focusing on my own). After the signing, he, the First Lady, VP and Mrs. Biden, and former President Clinton came down to the cafeteria to shake hands with our 7th and 8th grade students and our staff. Our staff. Me. I shook hands with all of them (and...in a moment of complete starstuck-ness...proclaimed to the First Lady that I had graduated from her high school...so lame). I even got a little hug from Joe Biden. I didn't get to bring my camera into the room, so I'll post photos on Facebook once they become available to me, but, suffice it to say, this was truly the most amazing experience that I have had.

Now, I am not going to lie, I am beyond excited that I got to be in the same room with that lineup of people, let alone shake their hands, but what was really amazing for me was watching the expressions on our students' faces when those folks came into the room. It was as if someone amplified the emotion and the intensity in the room by 100. Children were crying, screaming, laughing as they took it all in. I heard the First Lady encouraging our students to do well, watched Vice President Biden hug a young lady who told him she'd never forget this moment, and saw students who are otherwise way "too cool for school" lose their minds. When everyone had cleared out, the students began to run around the room, showing teachers their hands, exclaiming, "I met the president." An eighth grade boy gave me a huge hug and told me that after he told President Obama that he was also a Tarheels fan, the president congratulated him on being a champion and then encouraged him to keep up the success. It was hard to leave campys this afternoon because I didn't want to stop soaking up the positive energy and pride flowing out of our students and staff.

I don't know what these type of events mean to the officials who participate in them and I don't know what they remember of them, but I know that this meant the world to our kids and that the memories of this day will stay with them forever. And I hope that the feeling they had today, the feeling that they are special, that they could be champions - I hope that stays with them as long as the memories of photos and handshakes.