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THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 6560 Braddock Rd., Alexandria, VA 22312
OCTOBER 11, 2011
Obama magic on campus
RIP
Steve Jobs 1955-2011
VOLUME 27, ISSUE 2
White House picks Jefferson for site of America Invents Act signing, and everyone scrambles to meet security challenges by Sara Asad and Mallika Patkar News Editors he brightly painted SGA-made banner read “Homecoming, Mr. President?” As Barack Obama entered the building from the side parking lot on Sept. 16, he spotted the sign near the wrestling room. “Can I bring Michelle with me?” he asked. The unexpected presidential visit, planned with only 48 hours notice, created a unique opportunity for many Jefferson students and adults to experience the power of a leader considered charismatic and accessible. Senior Rebecca Hyndman felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness as she uttered the words, “Please join me now in welcoming the president of the United States, Barack Obama.” A patent holder for her invention of in-floor storage, Hyndman was chosen to introduce the president before his signing of the America Invents Act in Gym 1.
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“I don’t like drawing attention to myself, and this was totally the opposite,” Hyndman said. “It felt like my heart was beating in my throat.” Hyndman was among the key students and administrators who prepared for Obama’s visit. Principal Evan Glazer was informed first and was in charge of handling the overarching visit preparations. “I had a role in selecting attendees,” Glazer said, “as well as coordinating the various administrative jobs. The Secret Service and White House staff managed the security and involved administrators in the preparations. Director of Student Services Brandon Kosatka and Director of Student Activities Shawn DeRose were involved in the building security and setup preparations. “We were there to ensure that the White House Staff, Secret Service and third-party vendors had everything they needed for the event. We also answered questions about the school building and personnel,” DeRose said.
Kosakta and DeRose stayed overnight Thursday in order to secure the building and prepare for Friday’s event. This was not the first time DeRose helped plan for a presidential visit. In 2005, DeRose helped prepare Stuart High School for President George H.W. Bush’s speech on No Child Left Behind. DeRose used his past experiences to help facilitate the preparations at Jefferson. “We didn’t have to stay the night,” DeRose said, “but we did. I knew from experience about the type of support needed for events like this. A lot of the schedule is fluid. It’s really a lot of planning for a 1- hour event.” Security measures dictated by the Secret Service and FCPS security ranged from arranging a decontamination room to designing the student parking on the field as an artificial barrier around the school. “The Secret Service said the idea is to minimize movement because it minimizes safety violation,”Kosatka said. In addition to the security presence, continued on p. 2
Clockwise from top: President Obama addresses the importance of innovation and his jobs bill before signing the America Invents Act; senior Rebecca Hyndman describes her patented in-floor storage invention before introducing the president; Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), standing next to Louis Foreman, CEO of Eventys, Ellen Kullman, CEO of DuPont, senior Karishma Popli and Rep. Melvin Watt (D-N.C.), takes a picture of the America Invents Act; sophomore Will Ashe, senior Emilie Fortman, juniors Julia Anderson and Allison Chou wait anxiously to shake hands with the president.
photos by Sara Asad and Mallika Patkar
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