Inauguration offers unique lesson for students

Just because they won’t be in Washington, D.C., for the inauguration of Barack Obama as the nation’s 44th president on Tuesday doesn’t mean that area students won’t be able to witness the historic event.

Although classes won’t be cancelled, Danville Community College students will be able to participate in several activities as their time permits, according to DCC spokesperson Andrea Burney.

From 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., a PowerPoint presentation of the events leading up to the election, along with a simulcast of the events occurring in Washington, D.C., will be shown in Oliver Hall.

That will be followed by a simulcast of the swearing-in ceremonies, also in Oliver Hall.

From noon to 1 p.m., Mark Wallace and Anna Ruiz-Fodor, DCC history professors, will discuss the historical meaning of Obama’s election and inauguration in the Temple Building Room A.

“Needless to say, this is an historic event,” DCC President Carlyle Ramsey said. “Two of our organizations, the Student Government Association and Alliance For Excellence, wanted to ensure our students have the opportunity to observe the inaugural events. The fact that several members of the history faculty will facilitate a discussion on the significance of the election and the inauguration will be an invaluable learning experience.”

The Danville school system is committed to every student seeing the events live, Andy Tyrell, assistant superintendent of instruction for Danville Public Schools, said Friday.

“We are trying to get all kids access in a live version,” he said. “Of course, that is easier said than done, but we are utilizing the spaces we have, technology or going in larger rooms for bigger groups.

“The stance of the school system is that a lot of times students only get to read about history, but on this day of historical significance, we want to give them access to a live, historical event.”

Tyrell said students, depending on the grade level, also are involved in writing projects that reflect upon what the election process has meant to them; tying in other subjects, such as art, to reflect upon the occasion; or having other activities, such as sharing Obama’s biographical information over the morning announcements.

“Specifically, in one school, students are writing congratulatory letters to Barack Obama and in another, which is interesting, students are formulating questions to the Obama kids about moving into the White House,” Tyrell said.

The Pittsylvania County school system has a teacher’s workday on Tuesday, so students will be able to watch the inauguration live at home. But Clarke Scott, lead director for history and social studies, said that teachers will be doing lead-up and follow-up lessons.

“In the high schools, it might be an in-depth discussion of the Voting Rights Acts,” Scott said, “while in the elementary schools, it might be about the transition of power, the role of the president and how unique this event is in American history.”

He said he knew that on the high school level, at least one class was going to be reviewing the inaugural speech.

Averett University has no inaugural activities planned.