Yakima Valley teens talk about the presidential election

“There is not a liberal America and a conservative America. There is the United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and Latino America and Asian America. There’s the United States of America.”
— Barack Obama, at the 2004 Democratic National Convention

By MIA WALSH
UNLEASHED STAFF
Barack Obama will be sworn in as the next president of the United States of America on Jan. 20, 2009.
Although most Yakima Valley teenagers were too young to vote in the recent election, that did not stop them from having strong opinions about it and the candidates, Obama and John McCain.
“We had the chance to watch history in the making,” said 17-year-old Julia Kennedy, a junior at La Salle High School. “I am very happy because even though I was for McCain, Obama worked very hard to be where he is.”
Seventeen-year-old Alex Cottle, a junior at Davis High School, had a similar reaction.
“Although I don’t agree with Obama’s political opinions, him being elected president is still a historic event,” he said.
What does this historic event say about our country?
“An African-American man is going to be president, and a woman ran as vice president. This shows that most people look at their ideas, not their race or gender,” said Whitney Ketcham, also a 17-year-old junior at Davis.
“I am fine with a black president, but I know some kids at my school who aren’t,” said Annalee Davis, a 17-year-old senior at Zillah High School.
What are some of the challenges Obama faces as president?
“The economic crisis and the two-front war overseas are the major challenges,” Cottle said.
“He has a lot of pressure to turn the country around and a lot of expectations to live up to,” Kennedy said.
What would local teens like to see happen in the next four years?
“I want our country to become united again,” Kennedy said.
Kyle Ketcham, another 17-year-old junior at Davis, wants to see a change in the economy.
Also, “I hope we become more of a positive country, where we are there to help other countries,” he said.
The election was also an opportunity for teachers to incorporate current events into classroom discussions.
“We didn’t have an actual lesson about it, but we talked about historic elections and how the current one relates to them,” said 39-year-old Jose Garcia, who teaches history at Davis. “People need to understand the true historical significance that this election has for our country.”

— Mia Walsh is a member of the Yakima Herald-Republic’s Unleashed team. She attends Davis High School.

Fresh Faces: Julia Kennedy

Name: Julia Kennedy

School/year in school/age: La Salle/junior/17

Activities/hobbies/clubs: Basketball, ASB, soccer.

Favorite food: Pasta, candy, edamame, cheese, fruit, and pomegranate anything!

Favorite movies: “10 Things I Hate About You,” “Mean Girls,” “Rush Hour,” “Enchanted,” “Step Up,” “Wedding Crashers,” and “The Lion King.”

Favorite books/writers: Authors Sarah Dessen, J.K. Rowling, Sharon Creech, and “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini.

Favorite music, musicians, or bands: Chris Brown, Rihanna, Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers.

What is your most treasured possession? My car.

What’s your favorite place to go in your hometown? Anywhere with my friends in my car.

Which person do you most admire and why? My family.

What would you do with $1 million? Go mad!

Worst fear: Needles and Freddy Crougar.

Greatest wish: To have curly hair.

Where and how do you see yourself in 10 years? In California, studying media relations or communications.

— Jessica Serrano, La Salle High School