Long Island Students Celebrate at Barack Obama Elementary School
HEMPSTEAD, NY (AP) -- Students coast-to-coast will gather in school gyms and auditoriums to watch the historic inauguration of Barack Obama as the nation's 44th president.
The excitement is especially acute at a New York school district. Officials in Hempstead, Long Island, voted soon after Election Day to rename one of their facilities Barack Obama Elementary School.
It was believed to be the first school in the nation named for the nation's first black president.
On Thursday morning, the 460 students and 33 teachers and staff were eager to witness history in the making.
Principal Jean Bligen (BLY'-jen) won tickets to attend the inauguration in Washington, but decided to remain in Hempstead.
Says Bligen: ``There is no way that I would miss seeing the faces of my students as Barack Obama takes the oath of office.''
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