Presidential election a history lesson for students

In classrooms and hallways, in lunchrooms and on school buses, students reacted to a historic presidential election yesterday - one many felt personally invested in.

At Cherry Hill High School East, history teacher C.J. Davis streamed a video of President-elect Barack Obama's victory speech for his classes. Davis made following the election an assignment - students had to analyze candidates' positions and determine who they favored.

Mike Williams, a senior, sported a "Yes We Can Obama '08" T-shirt.

"I used to be a huge McCain supporter," said Williams, 18, a first-time voter. "But I did my own research and found I connected with McCain in no way. I found I was more in tune with Obama."

At Constitution High in Center City Philadelphia, junior David Tilmon said that Obama and his message resonated.

"He speaks to young people," said Tilmon. "He's kind of hip, kind of cool."

Obama's victory has reframed things for Tilmon, he said.

"When I was a little kid, I thought president, and I thought of all these smart, highly educated white guys. I never thought of a black man, or a Latino, or anyone else," Tilmon said. Now, he said, the word president can mean anyone.

In the city and the suburbs, students agreed that the promise of a new direction for America propelled Obama to victory.

"For real, I got down on my knees and started thanking God," Shantel Whitaker, 16, a freshman at Constitution High, said of her reaction to Obama's win. "It's not about race, it's about change."

Sen. John McCain supporter Jake DuBoff, an 18-year-old from Cherry Hill, agreed.

"I think the country voted the way it did because people thought Obama would bring change," DuBoff said. "It's no shock that most young people voted for him."

At Cherry Hill High School East, some 18-year-olds cast two ballots - first, in a mock election held at the school, then, for real in the voting booth. (Obama won not just the presidential election, but the East election, with 78 percent of the votes.)

Uchenna Njoku said he feels that Obama's victory means progress, not just in the country but around the world.

"We got rid of the old guard and became a new America," said Njoku, whose parents were born in Nigeria and are now naturalized Americans. "People around the world are amazed that we were able to elect an African American."

Njoku said Obama's election will help unify the country while celebrating diversity.

"We have overcome so much in the last 40 years," he said. "Progress has been made, but more progress has to be made."

Zack Olecki, an eighth grader at Perkiomen Valley Middle School West in Montgomery County, was on the same page.

"It shows that the racism we faced in the past for hundreds of years is dying down now," Olecki said. "And other countries that see it will see that we are willing to change."

The issues the candidates discussed felt very personal, several students said.

"The economy and Iraq - these have a lot to do with how our lives are going to be affected," said Aksel Nyborg, 13, a Perkiomen Valley eighth grader and McCain supporter.

His classmate Garrett Miller, 13, said that "bailing out the banks and the 700 billion dollar loan" affects his life. An Obama backer, Miller said, "I thought his economic plan was better than McCain's and will definitely help our country more."

For Constitution High junior Amie Sarnor, Obama's victory showed her that "education is everything." Sarnor, 16, who moved to the United States from Liberia six years ago, added: "If Barack Obama wasn't educated, he wouldn't be where he is. His father wasn't around. He does not come from money. But he is our president."

Students were split on whether Obama's race will continue to matter.

"I don't think it makes that much of a difference," said Danielle Geary, 17, a junior at Garnet Valley High School in Delaware County. "I'm not saying it's not historical. I'm just saying it's overplayed."

Andrew Howard, from Constitution High, said he thinks that race should not play a part in Obama's presidency.

"But I know it will," said Howard who is black. "The first time he makes a mistake, they'll say it's because he's African American. As much as we'd like to say his complexion doesn't matter, that's a big lie - it does."

Vasiljon Cobo, a Constitution High junior who was born in Albania, shrugged at the notion that an African American president might be affected by his race.

"I don't think the fact that he's black is going to affect him as president," said Cobo who is white. "I didn't really know race was that important before I came to America."