Students Watch Inauguration

In Julie Giordano's government class, there are students who are deeply interested in politics.

"And some of them you have to drag along," said the Sebring High School teacher. The Advanced Placement class watched Barack Obama's inauguration Tuesday while they lunched on meatballs, macaroni and cheese, and brownies.

None was more moved than Tiara Pressley, a 17-year-old senior.

"I think I'm going to cry," Tiara said. Her grandmother, Dorothy Davis, 73, was from Georgia, and lived through the Jim Crow years of segregated swimming pools and fountains.

"People spit in her face," said Tiara. "She knows what it's like to be judged unfairly."

This year, Tiara said, is the first that she's really tried to understand politics. She wound up on the Obama team, and felt she was part of something.

As Tiara was speaking, Obama strode into the sunlight, "Hail to the Chief" played for him, and everyone in the classroom stood.

As the new president began to speak, tears began to roll.

"Are you crying?" asked her seatmate, Jessica Cambridge. Tiara nodded, and Jessica grabbed her for a comforting hug.

"This is the perfect storm," Giordano - a self-admitted political junkie - told her students. "If you can't get involved this year, well, what's wrong?"

William Broen, 17, and Vihang Nakhate, 16, viewed Obama differently. William is an admirer. "He was my candidate."

Nakhate is a non-partisan, but sees the historic meaning in a Kenyan-American ascending to become leader of the Free World. Obama held more promise than his opponent, John McCain.

The fact that Obama is young, gifted and black impressed them, but Broen was turned off by McCain.

Elke Taggeson, an independent, liked Obama's energy, but also admired McCain's traditional ideas and conservative stand on health care.

She was sitting beside Metzli Ramirez, who suggested Obama's income tax proposals are fairer to more people. "People who make more should pay more."

"I'm glad I wasn't old enough to vote," said Elke. "I didn't know which one to pick."

And then there was Winchell Nortelus, who played Obama during the student debates.

"I learned what he wants to do for the country, how he acts, his mannerisms. He is calm, even during attacks. He's not prideful. He's humble when he's talking about what he wants to do for the country."