Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Tuesday, January 20, 2009

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Ulysses S. Grant, aka 10-year-old Amir Abou-Jaoude, shared highlights of his life as a military leader and U.S. president. SCAPA fifth-graders dressed as former presidents and first ladies as part of their inaugural celebration.

Students across Fayette County turned their attention to history on Jan. 20 – the inauguration of Barack Obama, the nation’s first African-American president, who takes the helm amid tremendous expectations and challenges.

At the School for the Creative and Performing Arts, fifth-graders in Beth Randolph’s class dressed up like former presidents, first ladies or other famous Americans, including Nancy Reagan and runaway slave and abolitionist Harriet Tubman. The kids researched their characters and shared brief biographical sketches with their classmates. Later, they celebrated with an inaugural ball – complete with an American flag cake and the waltz, which they learned in dance class for this momentous day.

Among the colorful group were Mary Todd Lincoln (11-year-old Erin Disponett) and Ulysses S. Grant (10-year-old Amir Abou-Jaoude), both in full costume. Erin, a drama major at SCAPA, also put on quite an accent and attitude in her portrayal – tearfully describing the loss of Mrs. Lincoln’s children and her husband’s assassination at Ford’s Theater.

Amir, who cut an impressive figure in his military garb, said Grant wasn’t his first choice. But “I think Harry S Truman was too big for a two-minute speech.”

As for Obama’s rise to the highest office in the land, “I think Dr. King would have been proud,” Amir said, referring to the slain civil rights leader.

At Winburn Middle School, classes were suspended so students could watch Obama’s swearing-in. The moment brought a schoolwide civics lesson full circle – in November, the kids participated in mock elections and voted overwhelmingly for the nation’s new leader.

“This is a big part of history,” eighth-grader Samantha Reed said. “It’s really cool that the nation has changed from segregation to this in such a short time.”

Classmate Jamal Morman agreed. “I’m proud that he’s our first African-American president.”

Downtown, about four dozen students from Lexington Traditional Magnet School gathered in the theater at the Lexington Public Library to watch the Washington, D.C., festivities on the big screen. Folks from the library walked among the crowd periodically, tossing out presidential trivia questions. The kids also played “BingObama,” listening carefully to Obama’s speech for key words like “dream,” “hope” and “community.”

Earlier, several LTMS students were videotaped as they recited well-known excerpts from previous inaugural addresses such as FDR’s “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Library staff will edit the presidential tribute and broadcast it on Channel 20.

LTMS sixth-grader Will Walters acknowledged he wasn’t an Obama supporter but said the day was nonetheless significant.

“This is history whether you like it or not,” Will said. “It really says something about how our country has evolved.” 

Communications specialist Nema Brewer-Candy contributed to this article.