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A place in the crowd and in history

1/25/2013

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PictureOur view from the mall for the 57th Inauguration of Barack Obama.

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The Capitol in the early morning light, as we made our way to the security checkpoints.
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The first glimpse of the presdient on the Jumbotron brought cheers and shouts of "Obama, Obama."
         We started our day at 6:30 a.m., walking about two miles up Massachusetts Avenue, past Union Station to Capitol Hill. There were already dozens of cars on the streets and people lined up to get into Dubliners, where "Morning Joe" would be broadcasting live that morning, beginning at 8.
          Military police and soldiers standing beside their armored jeeps guarded every side street leading down to the mall. They were friendly, helpful, and probably cold, as the temperatures hovered in the high 20s until the sun came up. Once behind the Capitol, we joined throngs of people clasping green-bordered tickets as we circled the perimeter of the Capitol grounds, snaking around and finally through the Botanical Gardens to our checkpoint.
     By 8 am we were through the big white tented security area (where no one even asked to see our tickets). They were much more concerned about our electronics, asking us to please turn them all on and place them on the table to be inspected.
     Once through security, we were out in the open with the Capitol dome off in the distance. By this time, our section of the mall was about two thirds full. We thought about standing next to a fir tree near the back of the section for the straightest, full-on view, but opted to go right and stand on a mound of cedar chips for our 3-hour wait for the swearing in.
      There, we caught glimpses of the podium through the trees. It felt like being in the upper deck of a stadium during a rock concert -- you needed binoculars to see who was doing what on stage, so you relied mostly on the Jumbotron for close-up views. We were surrounded by wonderful folks from Ohio, Oregon, New York and several Washington D.C natives. We did group stretches as we waited. Some people carved out a little space on the ground to sit and play cards. My sister made an ill-advised trip to the porta potty, where people were pressed up against the doors, making it impossible to pry one open. She texted me that she couldn't find her way back to where I was standing, so I waved my hat in the air until I saw her come into sight.
       People cheered when Democratic celebrities like Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Jimmy Carter, and Supreme Court justice Sonya Sodemeyer appeared on the big screen. People booed lustily when Republican vice presidential candidate  Paul Ryan showed up on the jumbotron. It felt like Woodstock without the music - a gathering of all those who'd volunteered, donated, hoped, or just simply voted for "four more years."
       What made our position most fortuitous though was being far away from that fir tree we'd considered standing near. A crazy anti-abortion activist in a bright orange jacket climbed up to a precariously swaying branch beyond the reach of police and ranted almost non-stop during the 90 minute ceremony, as he waved a sign accusing Obama of being a baby killer. He didn't even stop during the invocation, which you'd expect a God-fearing man to do. He did stop to listen to Beyonce's rendition of the Star Spangled Banner though. (Which was terrific and not lip-synched, as some have suggested).
        Barack Obama's 19-minute speech stirred his supporters, as it called for continuing the work of our forefathers and urged inclusiveness. "We were made for this time," he said.
      The speech was followed by Maine poet Richard Blanco's reciting of an original poem. The crowd didn't seem to  connect with his message, but if you read it online, you'll see how appropriate his words were.
         By 1 p.m. the festivities had ended. We waited in line almost as long to get off the grounds of the Capitol as we'd waited to get onto them. We headed for our next stop: the parade route, for a glimpse of the president and Michelle Obama as they went past the Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue."

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Anti-abortion protester heads for a precarious perch as police try to talk him down. Click on the photo to read a story about the guy.
From where we stood, we couldn't tell if Beyonce was lip-synching. But this story asserts that there's no way she could have been. It was a stirring rendition either way!
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Newseum was the place to be for journalists

1/22/2013

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   Because it's right on Pennsylvania Avenue, the Newseum, the national museum of journalism history, was the perfect place for reporters to set up shop during the parade. About 11 different news outlets had broadasting crews on hand throughout the day, including Chris Mathews of MSNBC, and reporters and camera crews from ABC, CNN, and many local news stations. They set up their cameras on the Newseum's outdoor terrace, which overlooks the parade route.
     Meanwhile, inside, we were among hundreds of visitors pressed up against the windowed walls of the building's second and third floors, hoping for some glimpses of the president and first lady as they passed by. Barack and Michelle Obama didn't emerge from their limo until they were well past the Newseum. They got out and walked a couple of different times, mainly when they were passing by federal buildings where security was tightest and there were fewer side streets leading down to the parade route.
     We were able to track their progress on the Newseum's jumbotron, suspended from the ceiling of the third floor. Then we turned back to the parade still passing by our windows.

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The president's limo passed by the windows of the Newseum, as onlookers cheered.
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Bands from all over the country marched in the Inauguration parade up Pennsylvania Avenue Monday afternoon.
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The history of journalism, all stored in a wonderful place

PictureThe road to the White House is well-documented at the Newseum.
    Once the parade had passed, we got a chance to explore the Newseum, a wonderful repository of all things journalistic. On six floors, the Newseum pays tribute to the people and the moments that have become a part of our national experience, thanks to journalists.
      The latest exhibit is a retrospective on how political campaigns have evolved because of changes in the way they are reported. You can see for yourself how much of an effect Richard Nixon's poor showing on national television had on his campaign in 1960 against the much-more-photogenic John F. Kennedy. The exhibit also has some quirky artifacts, such as the suit Katie Couric wore when she interviewed Sarah Palin in 2008, and the satirical and controversial illustration on the cover of the New Yorker Magazine that depicted Barack and Michelle Obama dressed like terrorists, fist-bumping each other. 
       The courage of journalists is on display everywhere as well. A whole room is devoted to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty, from Daniel Pearl who was kidnapped and beheaded by terrorists in Pakistan, to photojournalists Bob Biggart, who died while taking pictures of rescue workers and first responders when the second twin tower collapsed on 9/11.
        The wing that houses all the Pulitzer Prize winning photos since the award began is especially moving. Many show heartbreak, tragedy, pain, and violence, but many others show emotional intensity, the triumph of the human spirit, and moments of sheer joy.
         A trip to the Newseum should be on anyone's list who travels to Washington. It tells the story of our country and shows how we have evolved as a culture and what things are most important to us.

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It's a small world after all!

1/20/2013

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2008 Bonny Eagle H.S. grad Joe Marro gave us our tickets to the Inauguration
   "Hey, did you used to teach at Bonny Eagle?," the nice young man asked me as we walked into the National Democratic Club. This was where we'd been told to go to pick up our Inauguration tickets on Sunday morning -- and Joe Marro, an aide to Maine U.S. Representative. Chellie Pingree, was the person waiting for us.  Come to find out, Marro graduated from Bonny Eagle in 2008. His mother, Lorraine Marro, works as an ed tech in special ed at the high school. After graduating from UMaine with a political science degree, Joe  interned with Pingree -- and now he's here in Washington working in her office. 
      Another BE grad, Steven Murphy, who was the editor in chief of the Eagle Times two years ago, is also working with Pingree's office in Washington and attended the inauguration. Steven, who attends American University in Washington D.C. and is majoring in journalism and international relations, was part of the group of 11 BEHS students who made the trip to Barack Obama's first inauguration four years ago. He said his first trip, as a sophomore, was more exciting, but that he enjoyed being closer to the action this time.
      In addition, Ms. Peg Maxwell, Bonny Eagle art teacher, also watched the Inauguration live from the Mall. We caught up with her Sunday night, gave her our extra tickets, and watched the Patriots (lose) together at a local restaurant down the street from the Capitol.

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Morning Joe setting up shop for inauguration show

1/20/2013

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       If you turn on Morning Joe on MSNBC Monday morning, you'll find Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski broadcasting live from Dubliners, a great breakfast place across from Union Station, where we had brunch this afternoon. 
      Danny Coleman, who moved here from Syracuse and opened Dubliners 39 years ago on this spot, has been in town for 11 inaugurations. Lots of politicians hang out here because of its proximity to the U.S. Capitol. "Tip O'Neill used to be a regular," Coleman said. "And Barack Obama has been here too." 
    According to the MSNBC website, Morning Joe's guests tomorrow morning will include Former Secretary Of State Colin Powell, Maureen Dowd, Colin Powell, Tom Brokaw, David Gregory, Chris Matthews, Sam Stein, Chuck Todd, Margaret Carlson, Mike Barnicle, Jon Meacham, Michael Steele, Valerie Jarrett, David Axelrod, Sen Tim Kaine and more. 




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We're on our way

1/20/2013

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Sunday morning 9:20 a.m.
          Heading into D.C. on Amtrak. It's the overnight train from Boston. On the way to our seats we passed lots of sleepy-looking people -- some still sleeping, all, presumably headed for the celebration. As we waited to board the train, our friend Kim ran into a commuting buddy, Raquel, who works for CNN. She's heading back into the city  -- after a full day yesterday that ended after midnight  -- to put the finishing touches on CNN's broadcast platform on 12th Street. She's the unit manager for CNN's Mall site, where CNN anchors will be broadcasting live all weekend with the U.S. Capitol at their backs. Dozens of news agencies, Fox, MSNBC, CNN et al. will be competing with each other, providing live coverage of the inauguration celebrations all weekend from as many angles as possible, from the Capitol steps, to the parade route, to the inaugural balls.
       This morning's Washington Post is estimating there will be 600,000 in D.C. for the inauguration this weekend, about half the number from four years ago. There's still a lot of excitement around the Mall, though, according to Raquel. She said onlookers surrounded the CNN booth, cheering and clapping on Saturday as if the CNN anchors were rock stars. Hoping we'll get a chance to stop by later today for a glimpse of Anderson Cooper!!
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Trip to the Inauguration, a virtual experience

1/19/2013

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By Joanne Lannin, From Boston, 8:00 a.m.
   The long road to the 57th Presidential Inauguration started at 5 a.m. today. I drove to the Portland Transportation Center, hopped on a bus to Boston, and then waited 90 minutes for the train that would take me to Washington D.C. The bus was surprisingly full at that hour, most passengers heading to Logan Airport for a flight, I presumed from their luggage. In the predawn dark, cell phone screens lit up the faces of those who weren't plugged into the movie (Princess Bride!) playing on the monitors every few rows of seats.
    By the time I get to Washington D.C. tomorrow morning, My sister and I will have travelled 540 miles (according to Amtrak.) The Amtrak trip will take about seven hours. We'll be spending the night with a friend near Aberdeen, which is an hour north of Washington. Sunday morning We'll head into the city on another train, pick up our tickets at Maine U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree's office (thanks state rep. Andrew McLean!) and then find our hotel room near Union Station, chosen to put us within walking distance of the Capitol Monday morning.
    I packed lightly for the trip: layers of long underwear, turtleneck, sweater, fleece and parka, since it's forecast to be in the 30s on Inauguration Day.  But I am still weighted down by the communication devices that I hope will help me transmit this experience back to my classroom. I've got a school-borrowed iPad (thanks Mr. Lucchese), my laptop, my iPhone, and newly created accounts on Skype and Dropbox. I'll be leaving my laptop at a friend's house (where I'm staying tonight) until after the inauguration, since I was concerned that my computer bag wouldn't make it through security. It's hard to tell from the Homeland Security website what size bags are allowed. It's seems strange that camera bags aren't allowed, but cameras are. Our Eagle Times camera is pretty light, so I'll be OK with it hanging around my neck all day!
http://dc.about.com/od/publicsafety/a/SecurityInaug.htm

    The first glitch in my plans concerns the iPad. I figured it would enable me to connect to this site and blog during the day, but when I tried to connect using the bus' WiFi, I discovered that Adobe Flash isn't loaded onto the iPad. I'm hoping I can get a strong enough signal once I'm at my friend's house to download it later tonight. Otherwise, I'll be transmitting with my iPhone -- possible but not ideal.
    Transmitting the experience live to my students is the real purpose of this trip. Four years ago, I took a group of students to the (even more historic) 56th Inauguration, when Barack Obama was sworn in for his first term. This time around, perhaps because of the economy, I couldn't entice any of my current students into the making the trek. But after I was able to secure tickets to the swearing-in, I decided to make a virtual field trip out of it. I'm sure there will be more glitches to overcome, but those too will provide a window into the world of 21st Century journalism for my students and anyone else who reads this blog.
   
  

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Bonny Eagle students spreading kindness

12/12/2012

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I accompanied nine Bonny Eagle students and two teachers on a part of their field trip yesterday to Portland and South Portland to commit 'random acts of kindness' with Kindness Center founder and author Michael Chase. The students had been to the Center for Grieving Children in the morning, where they made paper snowflakes for the children who spend time there. Then, they proceeded to the local soup kitchen to help serve meals to the homeless. They ended the day at the Maine Mall, and that's where I joined them as they handed out candy canes and carnations to shoppers. Clearly, a few of the students were a bit nervous about leaving their comfort zones and engaging strangers in conversation.
This video shows Michael Chase giving the students a little pep talk about how to approach strangers and get them to "accept" a gift. I was impressed and inspired by senior class president Jessica Ciampi, who organized the trip and is in the video with Chase, and by all the senior leaders who participated.  More than anything we teachers could ever teach them in a classroom, experiential days like this are what they'll long remember when they reflect back on their high school days!
                                                                                                                                Joanne Lannin
WCSH6 video
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There is life after high school!

12/1/2012

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    Once our seniors leave Bonny Eagle High School, the hope is that they will go on to lead successful, interesting, and satisfying lives. And many of them certainly do. Among our graduates, there have been professional athletes and cheerleaders, rap artists, product inventors, cartoonists, professional journalists, and successful entrepreneurs. And these are just the ones we've heard about! We at the Eagle Times would like to feature the accomplishments of some of our grads in this blog. If you know an alumnus who is doing or has done something great, unusual, or interesting with his or her life, let us know by commenting on this blog post.
We hope to feature some of these alums in future blog posts.
You can email contact info to us at behseagletimes@gmail.com.

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    Author

    Ms. Lannin, the advisor to the Eagle Times and a practicing journalist, traveled to Washington D.C. in January to "cover" the 57th Presidential Inauguration as part of a virtual field trip for her journalism students. She also Skyped with her students from the event.

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