Obama Surprises Altona Middle School Students During White House Tour

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama surprised a group of eighth graders from a Colorado middle school on Monday, just days after they feared a government shutdown would scuttle their trip to Washington.

"Now that things worked out, we figured we'd give you a little bonus," Obama told the students from Altona Middle School in Longmont, Colo. He greeted them on the South Lawn as they toured the White House.

Obama had mentioned the students and their trip in a speech he delivered late Friday night after lawmakers reached a deal to keep the government running. He spoke about a letter he received from Shalini Schane, whose son was among the students planning to come to Washington. Schane wrote to the president about the fundraisers and projects the students did to prepare for the trip, and their appointment to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

"She asked those of us in Washington to get past our petty grievances and make things right," Obama said Friday.

With more budget battles in store, Obama told the students and their teachers that education remains a priority and is an area where he wants to increase investments, not make cuts.

Comments

[shylove2]

02:56 PM on 04/12/2011

and there are more tombs of known soldiers fighting wars for multi-national corporate interests all the time... and if the students aren't careful they will be swept into more war for lies.... most of them are for lies and solve nothing but war profiteer profits and the real tomb is the tomb of the wars for unknown reasons we are not supposed to worry our pretty little heads about... just give more money and blood... the place they are visiting is toxic inhabited by vampires of the hereditary rich elite who still are sucking our blood and feasting on wars...

[LegendOfTheBrave]

11:55 PM on 04/11/2011

And it just so happens one of the children is wearing a "HOPE" t-shirt, and she also just so happens to be in the direct line of sight for the photographer. What a pant load!

[Giverny]

02:16 PM on 04/12/2011

You can walk into any school here and find several kids wearing Obama shirts. It's not that unusual.

[Schneb]

03:06 PM on 04/12/2011

And if I was a kid with a 'hope' shirt on a trip to D.C. and on a tour of the WH, I'm guessing that's the shirt I'd wear--'hoping' for something like this very event.

[locke9000]

11:46 PM on 04/11/2011

Cue Sarah Palin and Sean Hannity claiming that this is an attempt by the president to brainwash children into becoming secular Muslim fascists.

[Schneb]

03:07 PM on 04/12/2011

secular Muslim? (although as someting Palin would say, yeah, maybe so)

[wonketteRAWKS]

11:40 PM on 04/11/2011

What was the bonus?

[kareemachan]

11:18 AM on 04/12/2011

No orange food dye?

[cdnrod5]

11:40 PM on 04/11/2011

remember kids if you work hard you can do anything you want and complain about it!

[TricksR4Kids]

11:26 PM on 04/11/2011

Look!! They found Waldo.

[Melissa Colombo]

10:21 PM on 04/11/2011

nice

[ChinaC]

10:12 PM on 04/11/2011

President Obama surprises his remaining few fans.

[judyc]

10:20 PM on 04/11/2011

ooooh, you're so clever.

too bad his approval rating is hovering near 50%.

[smylee]

11:19 PM on 04/11/2011

Stop confusing CC with numbers and big words. Let's have one of the middle schoolers explain it to CC.

[tangelan]

10:29 PM on 04/11/2011

5 more years!

[scrappydoodle]

10:36 PM on 04/11/2011

yes - he can be president of our last 5 years !

[Nukular Cowboy]

11:19 PM on 04/11/2011

Uncle......uncle or no mas......no mas.....please we can't afford any more of obama.

[reverence]

09:57 PM on 04/11/2011

Nice he took a moment out of his day after having received a letter from one of the kids parents. Kind of like getting a hand written note that don't happen very often.

[Nukular Cowboy]

11:21 PM on 04/11/2011

Maybe I should write him one on high gas prices. He is killing us.

[locke9000]

11:52 PM on 04/11/2011

Wow you must be a huge Obama supporter, to believe that he can alter supply conditions in the middle east, demand for oil abroad, the expansion of industry in china brazil russia and india ... if you can believe that, more power to ya!

[tangelan]

08:26 AM on 04/12/2011

Gas prices are set by the world market. Your angst is ki lling you.

[KelaMa]

09:56 PM on 04/11/2011

Man! When I took my 8th graders to the White House they dressed appropriately--and they had traveled thousands of miles to get there.

[Robert Gregory Miller]

09:53 PM on 04/11/2011

I campaigned for him - no regrets. Will do it again! He is the obvious choice of what is being offered by the republicans. The REPUBLICANS DO NOT CARE ABOUT EVERYDAY AMERICANS!

[liberalcomesfromliberty]

10:19 PM on 04/11/2011

And they never have cared about all the people. That's why I'm a proud Democrat.

[ThisCanadian]

11:11 PM on 04/11/2011

He epitomizes the best of what it is to be American. Just ask the rest of us!

[Mygirl]

09:44 PM on 04/11/2011

What a treat for these students.

[Norman6661]

11:31 PM on 04/11/2011

yes, they will remember it forever as I remember shaking President Clinton's hand. He will be remembered fondly in that community in important Colorado next year.

[Chris Herz]

09:37 PM on 04/11/2011

I remember being used for photo-ops as a kid in Montgomery County, Md, adjacent to DC back when Eisenhower and Kennedy were presidents. I wonder how many of these kids will wind up carrion on the battlefields of Venezuela, Angola or Nigeria.

[starbright]

09:58 PM on 04/11/2011

Well aren't you just a barrel of sunshine. I'm thinking those kids were thrilled to meet the prez.

[wonketteRAWKS]

11:48 PM on 04/11/2011

Yes they are innocent, aren't they. That is until they learn how this man will trade in their futures in order to "compromise" with the republicans.

[1776 or 1984]

09:37 PM on 04/11/2011

Wait for the coming Pentagon - Haliburton style education system you kids will be going through.

The Empire ain't going to cut education when it gets for-profit schools online. They will stuff the pockets of the connected cr0nies.

Profits or your kid? Hmm, guess the answer

[1776 or 1984]

09:38 PM on 04/11/2011

...the bi-partisan agenda

[1776 or 1984]

09:36 PM on 04/11/2011

The Empire ain't going to cut education when it gets for-profit schools online. They will stuff the pockets of the connected cronies. Just like that Rhee stormtrooper in DC whose husband had financial connections with the charter school system.

Wait for the coming Pentagon - Haliburton style education system you kids will be going through.

Profits or your kid? Hmm, guess the answer.