WFES Students Write to President-Elect Obama

By Cassie Felch
Posted: November 21, 2008

On Nov. 13, CNN producer Paul Courson visited West Friendship Elementary School to film Beth Cayer’s fifth-grade students writing letters to President-elect Obama and then reading them aloud in class. Fellow teacher Libby Swords invited me to observe her class completing this same assignment, which reinforces language arts skills and ties into the students’ social studies curriculum about American government.

The students wrote many comments that were both delightful and insightful. Since I cannot include their letters in full, I would like to share some of their words as a montage:

Dear President-elect Barack Obama,

Your election was historical to me (written by Bennet Buch). You are probably very busy right now, but I hope you can take the time to read my letter. (Victor Deppe) There are some things I think need to be handled immediately. (Grace Ellrich)

We are in so many predicaments (Samuel Running). The economy is literally falling apart and has a lot of issues. (Cade Buch) My dad is a land developer and is having problems closing deals because the banks do not want to lend out money (Sean Armiger). People in our neighborhood are trying to sell their homes, but they can’t because the economy is dying and people don’t have the money to buy a new home (Ben Skopic). I think it would be better if you would lower taxes … because my parents could pay less and still keep food in my tummy and a roof over my head (Emily Crumling).

Let’s get off that subject now. Do you like to play sports? I like the Philadelphia Eagles. (Samie Costa)

I have a few questions to ask you…. My first question is what do you plan to do about the war in Iraq? (Brenna Martin) Four of my cousins are in the war, but before you were elected, one of them died fighting for our country and I don’t want more to die. (Luis Lizama).

My second question is, “What are you going to do about America’s schools?” People need to be enriched with knowledge to help them understand things in life and be able to read and write (Amen Okojie). If we learn, we can have more jobs in our future (Amir Mufti).

My next question is what are you going to do about our environment? (Hannah Cimerola) I learned about fossil fuels and gas. If you use them up, then you can never get them back (Briley Hebner). Where I was born, nature was life, our hope. When I came to the United States, I saw forests fall and die by human hands (Luis Lizama). Without trees, we can’t live. That is all I have for you about the environment (Zack Whalen).

My final question is what are you going to do about health care? (Stefanie Kribbeler) I think that it’s important that every child has health care…so that they can go to doctors and specialists (Makenzie Hockensmith). Our country will always need very good doctors to have great health care. I would like to know if you could address the extremely high malpractice fees that many doctors pay in our country. (Eric Winik).

These are just some of the things I think need to be handled in the U.S.A. (Grace Ellrich). I hope you get to read my letter within the next four to eight years you’re in office (Riley McGann). If you don’t, that’s OK because I bet you have a lot on your mind (Briley Hebner). Thanks for all you do for this country (Hannah Cimerola).

Sincerely,

Libby Swords’ fifth-grade class

To view the CNN clip of WFES students reading their letters, click here.

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