EVERETT — Janeajia Green is excited about Barack Obama’s presidency because the 9-year-old Everett girl believes he will buy miniature playhouses for all the children in America.
Hector Rodriguez is glad a minority will soon be leading our nation. The 12-year-old Everett boy says Obama has inspired him to consider running for office one day.
Marissa Moser, 11, compares Obama to Martin Luther King Jr. and believes the president-elect will help end racism.
Barack Obama has inspired some local kids to dream dreams they never thought could come true — until a black man was elected president.
His speeches may be aimed at voting adults, but kids are listening.
At the north Everett Boys &Girls Club, where more than 100 kids play basketball and shoot pool after school most days, some kids parrot their parents’ political opinions, but others seem genuinely touched by Obama’s rise to power.
“It’s awesome ‘cause we’ve never had an African-American president,” said Kathy Phan, 12. “It makes me want to run for stuff at school, like sergeant-at-arms and class president and stuff.”
The election has kids thinking about what it would be like to be president. It’s inspired some kids, such as Hector, to ponder a presidential run, while helping others realize that politics isn’t for them.
Janeajia Green, 9, used to consider the presidency, but not anymore.
“Being president is a big job and you have to wake up early,” she said. “I thought about it until he became president. I forgot it would be too much hard work. You’d pick up your fork and — ‘Oh I’m sorry. You have to go to this meeting.’”
Nonetheless, if she was elected, she already has a plan: eat lots of candy, shop for jewels and give away money.
“If I was president, I’d probably go up in a helicopter and take a pile of money and start pouring down money,” she said. “I’d go to New Orleans and start dropping them down money.”
Watching Obama has reiterated a desire to lead in Matthew Cabanayan, 11. In a few decades, he expects to be president.
“One day I’ll probably run,” he said. “I’d probably win.”
When he’s elected to office, he wants to help the poor, like he believes Obama is trying to do, but he also plans to purchase a few things to spiff up his image.
“I’d be buying me shoes and clothes and an earring,” he said, pointing to his ear.
Obama has Alex Garcia, 16, paying more attention to politics. In November, the Everett High School freshman watched election night coverage on TV for the first time, hoping Obama would win.
He expects memories from that night, and Tuesday when Obama actually becomes president, to last a lifetime.
“He’s the first black president,” Alex said. “Who’s not going to remember that?” Reporter Kaitlin Manry: 425-339-3292 or kmanry@heraldnet.com
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