Local Kids Meet Obama

Move aside, Gen Y. The next generation of political junkies is on its way.

At 10:30 p.m., Saumya Patel, 8, and Rachel Park, 9, were still glowing about shaking President Obama's hand after he spoke to a full house at Masonic Auditorium the night of Feb. 16.

"We got his autograph," Saumya said triumphantly, holding up the piece of paper aboard the bus that had carried them from Los Altos Hills. 

Sachin Shah, a 9-year-old from Cupertino, and a student at Harker School, gave his approval afterwards. What had he expected? "I expected to hear him talk about the economy," Sachin said. And what did he like about the speech? He was happy to hear Obama talk about the importance of college, he said. 

Kids were represented in surprising numbers at a gathering of Obama supporters who boarded two buses at the home of Democratic fundraiser Kavita Tankha and headed up the Peninsula.

Saumya and Rachel were one of seven Keys School students, along with several more students from Harker School and Castilleja School.

Just why did they come?

The $100 ticket price was low enough for some parents to consider giving their children an educational opportunity they could share with them, said Shital Patel, Saumya's mother. And having the bus, said several parents, eliminated the headache of driving to San Francisco and then navigating Nob Hill for parking, amid the presidential-level security and street closures.

For the kids, it was a lot simpler. They had learned about the president.

"I have a set about presidents, with a poster and stickers," Saumya said.

"In 2nd grade we also read, ‘Of Thee I Sing,’" Rachel added, referring to the book that President Obama wrote for his daughters. 

After they heard Patel say she was bringing Saumya, Helen Waters and Clio Kiros decided to bring their sons, Wyatt Waters, 9, and Isaac Tesfaye, 8. They'd studied the presidency last year, Waters said.

"How often do you get to do this when you're young enough to be excited and engaged, and not old enough to be jaded and disinterested?" asked Waters.  "They're really excited."

Paul Ghumman, a Los Altos resident and a veterinarian at Alta View Animal Hospital in Mountain View, said his 15-year-old daughter, asked him to go with her. Her classmate at Castilleja, Samra Ahmed, asked her.

And two more Castilleja friends, Rebecca Merenbach and Frances Hughes, all brought their parents in tow.

"He's an amazing leader and a role model," Frances, 16, said. Three years ago, she had gone to see Hillary Clinton in Palo Alto when Clinton was running for president, and even had her picture taken with the now Secretary of State. This time, it was her idea to ask her mother to come to a political event. 

Across the aisle on the bus, mom Kathleen Hughes sat, smiling. "It's nice to have the tables turned." 

Reeya Vasishta, 9, Alisha Mitha, 10, and Ariana Mitha 13, said it was their parents' idea to go. The girls decided it would be cool. Afterwards, it was Reeya, a Pinewood student, who got close enough to at least brush the president's hand, so Ariana said she shook hands with Reeya, "which therefore could be almost like shaking President Obama's hand," she concluded in a bit of 'tween logic.

Saumya and Rachel were the ones who came up with not only a handshake, but an autograph, after diving pell mell into the fray when President Obama finished his speech and then waded into the crowd.

"We have to do a presentation in school about it," said Saumya. Perhaps the autograph will count as extra credit.