Nashville Teens Attend Inauguration

Government officials expect the inauguration of the nation’s 44^th president, Barack Obama, to draw record-breaking crowds and four Nashville teenagers won’t be watching from a classroom television; they’ll be there. Thanks to a Virginia businessman’s foundation, they’re getting a once in a lifetime opportunity to see first-hand the swearing-in of the nation’s first African-American President.

When the J.W. Marriott Hotel advertised a ‘build your own ball’ package priced at $1 Million, Virginia businessman Earl Stafford bought it with a vision for bringing people who might otherwise never see a Presidential inauguration to the nation’s capitol. The Stafford Foundation is footing the bill for some 1,000 terminally ill patients, disadvantaged people, wounded soldiers, youth and others to take part in the historic event. The Marriott package Stafford bought includes lodging, two inaugural balls (one for adults, one for youth), food, amenities and a tent-covered roof-top view of the parade route for Tuesday’s inauguration.

The foundation worked with a number of other organizations and individuals over the last two months as part of a nationwide recruiting effort to identify people to take part. State Representative Brenda Gilmore (D-TN 54) helped to organize a group from Tennessee. Among those invited to attend are four teen participants in YMCA programs here in Nashville. They, along with a YMCA staff person, will board a bus filled with other Tennesseans in the wee hours of Sunday morning to make the trip to D.C.

Shavicka Newsom, director of the YMCA Urban Services School of Academics and Athletics, will travel with teens Kerry Baines, Precious Smith, Joel Najera and Eric Robinson. Baines is a student at Hume-Fogg Academic High School and participates in programs operated by the YMCA Center for Civic Engagement. Precious Smith attends Stratford High School and is a participant in programs at the Y-CAP YMCA in East Nashville. Joel Najera is a student at Glencliff High School and a participant in the YMCA Hispanic Achievers Program. Eric Robinson Ensworth High School and participates in the YMCA Black Achievers program.