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Highlands Today

2 LP Students To Attend Inauguration

Jasmina Meyer/Highlands Today

Lake Placid High School sophomore Edwin Velazquez and junior Elizabeth Barragan will be traveling to Washington D.C. to witness the presidential inauguration in January.

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By MARC VALERO

Highlands Today

Published: November 19, 2008

LAKE PLACID - If she had the chance to pose one question to Barack Obama, Lake Placid High junior Elizabeth Barragan would ask about his plans for turning the economy around.

Lake Placid High sophomore Edwin Velazquez would ask Obama about health care coverage for the needy.

Both students may not get the opportunity to ask their questions, but based on their academics and leadership credentials they earned an invitation to witness history in January - the presidential inauguration.

Barragan is in a select group of only eight students chosen statewide, by the Florida Department of Education's Title I Migrant Program, to spend a week in Washington, D.C.

"It's a big thing for me like a big accomplishment because I've worked so hard to do good in school and getting this is just worth everything that I've done" the 17-year-old said.

When she was in elementary student, Barragan started her school year in North Carolina, but then returned with her family to Florida during the winter.

The mid-year change in schools and states was challenging, she said. "They were on different levels. I would just have to catch up to where everybody is."

While in Washington, Barragan will meet and spend time with student peers from across the country, participate in civics lessons, tour monuments and memorials, watch the presidential oath, view the inaugural parade and attend an inaugural ball.

Barragan's and the other migrant students' trips will be funded by a private educational foundation.

All 63 school districts operating migrant education programs in Florida had an opportunity to submit one male and one female candidate for consideration.

Eligible candidates were required to be currently enrolled in the 11th grade, have a minimum unweighted grade point average of 3.0, demonstrate leadership skills in their communities or school and receive exemplary letters of recommendation.

Also, the students were selected on the basis of a written essay describing their experiences as a migrant student.

Through a different opportunity, Velazquez will also be attending inauguration-related events during the week of Jan. 17-23.

After attending a Congressional Youth Leadership Conference event, the 15-year-old said somebody must have tracked his efforts, which led to the invitation from the Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference.

Initially, Velazquez and his family thought about whether or not he should go to Washington, D.C.

"When we saw that Barack Obama was running for it, we thought that would be good for me to go if he did win the presidency," Velazquez said.

Family members, his church and businesses have contributed to his trip. Also, he has raised funds with a car wash and will have a garage sale next month.

His group's itinerary includes an opening night reception with retired general and former Secretary of State Colin Powell and former Vice President Al Gore.

The Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference concludes with a black tie gala inaugural ball.

With formal dress expected at each day's activities and heading to a colder climate, Velazquez is preparing his wardrobe.

"Suit and tie, suit and tie, suit and tie and a lot of clothing because I heard it's going to be really cold over there," he said.

Marc Valero can be reached at 386-5826 or mvalero@highlandstoday.com

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