Hey, Mr. President: Kids' Letters to Obama
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By Debra Lau Whelan -- School Library Journal, 1/20/2009
After Barack Obama was elected 44th president of the United States, the tutors at 826 Valencia, a San Francisco-based nonprofit writing workshop and tutoring center, gave their students a fun assignment—to
send their questions, thoughts, and hopes to the president-elect.
For today's inauguration, here are excerpts from heartfelt, insightful, and often funny handwritten letters from kids at 826 Valencia’s chapters in San Francisco; Ann Arbor, MI; Boston; Chicago; Los Angeles; New York; and Seattle.
Some of the letters, which often came with drawings, will appear in Thanks and Have Fun Running the Country: Kids' Letters to President Obama (McSweeney's Bks., 2009), edited by Jory John, 826 Valencia’s program director.
Dear President Obama,
You are just like a big me, because I am from Chicago, and I am biracial and have curly hair. I live in Seattle now, but I’m still from Chicago. I have an idea. Why don’t you give everybody, even the homeless, 10 dollars every day? And don’t forget to give the kids money, too.
Sincerely,
Avante Price, age 7, Seattle
Drawing by Giselle Perez, age 11, San Francisco
Dear Barack Obama,
Something happened to me: I went out to lunch at Starbucks and I wanted to buy a cup of whipped cream and normally it’s 43 cents, but now it’s 74 cents! The price raised 31 cents for no reason. So you should probably try to change things like that from happening. You should keep an eye out for things like that.
Love,
Alexis Feliciano, age 9, Brooklyn
Dear President Obama,
What is your favorite holiday? My favorite holidays are Christmas and Halloween. I would be a good president and stop bad drugs. What stuff is in the White House? Answer here: ______________________________. You would never say bad words because you would never break the law.
Sincerely,
Kevin Cordova, age 7, Los Angeles
Dear President Obama,
I know you want to save the Earth, but people don’t want to clean. My life is to clean up all the world and help you to clean. I always dream of cleaning the world for you. I’ll do anything for you because you are the president in this world.
Stephanie Gonzalez, age 7, Los Angeles
Dear President Obama,
Here is a list of the first ten things you should do as president:
1. Fly to the White House in a helicopter.
2. Walk in.
3. Wipe feet.
4. Walk to the Oval Office.
5. Sit down in a chair
6. Put hand sanitizer on hands.
7. Enjoy moment.
8. Get up.
9. Get in car.
10. Go to the dog pound.
Sincerely,
Chandler Browne, age 12, Chicago
Dear President Barack Obama,
When I was watching television on November 4th, I started crying because I was so happy. Everyone in my neighborhood kept honking their cars, yelling, and texting their friends about how you had been elected the 44th president. My friend's dad is going to open a new ice-cream store right in front of my house and they are going to try to open it on January 20th in honor of you. :) My family and I have been talking about when you become president that it is going to be very hard. Don't worry, you have me, my family, my friends, and St. James School to support you. Just remember that you have two wonderful daughters that love you and a wife that loves you too and remember that she is as beautiful as a rose.
Well, thanks, and I hope you have a great time running the country. :)
Sincerely,
Yoselin Teresa Martinez Xonthe, San Francisco
Drawing by Diana Perez, age 10, San Francisco
Dear Obama,
When you became president I was so happy and I went to go tell my mom and dad and they were so happy that you won. Everyone in my class was so happy and we started to celebrate and we got pizza and it tasted so good and we got chocolate cake and pumpkin pie and it was so good. Are you nice? Are you smart? Do you have a wife?
Christine Pliego, age 9, Los Angeles
Dear President Obama,
Are you going to be pictured on our money? How do you get in the White House? Do you like Abraham Lincoln? Do you have a big backyard? Martin Luther King, Jr. had big fans. How many fans do you have? You could help us by giving us food. I am Luis Ramirez. I go to school at Mayberry. I like to play video games.
Luis Ramirez, age 8, Los Angeles
Dear President-elect Obama,
Congratulations on the election. My name is Moses Williams, I am 12 years old and I want to be a director. The job of president is kind of like being a director. "Director of the country!" I think if I were older, more experienced, and in this position I could help you with relationships with other countries because, well, most of the world doesn't really like us and a lot of my friends were people who didn't like me at first. Thank you for reading.
Sincerely,
Moses Williams, New York
Drawing by Meron Kasahun, age 15, Seattle
Dear President Obama,
I am small, quiet, smart, I love to swim and play basketball. My mom & dad are from the Dominican Republic. I am going to the Dominican Republic next year. I think you should try to change the world by building shelters for the people who live in the streets. You should lower the gas bills and the house bills, because some people have to borrow money to pay their bills on time. Also, it's the beginning of January, and it's cold. Good luck being the president.
Sincerely,
Pamela N. Mejia, age 11, Boston
Dear President Obama,
I hope that you have some fun running the country. I'm still so happy that you won for president. I have a question. Do you like the White House? And does publicity get annoying? Well, for me, I think it would. I really think that with you as president the country will succeed.
As some people say ...Obama=Hope.
Take care,
Dolores Cervantes, age 12, San Francisco
Dear Barack Obama,
We like reading "Cat in the Hat" and "Snug Bug." We also like math and science. Is it true that you're getting a dog? Jasmine has a Chihuahua named BaBii and it never grows. You should get a snowman dog, because it melts, and name it Rocky. Your daughters should have snowball fights but not inside, outside.
By,
Jasmine Aguilar and Kimberly Galvan, ages 7, Chicago
