It was last summer that Seth Jinka was invited to go to Washington, D.C., and witness the inauguration of the 44th president of the United States. But the Renton High freshman and self-described Democrat wasn’t excited at the time.
“At the time I didn’t know Barack Obama was going to be president,” the 14-year-old explains. “At first I wasn’t really ecstatic because there was a chance McCain could go.”
Seth’s excitement rose after Obama was elected president.
“After the voting I really wanted to go. I knew it would be a historical event,” he says.
Seth leaves tomorrow (Saturday) for D.C. There he will join the other students from across the United States attending the Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference.
Seth is among a select pool of high school students whose grades and leadership ability qualified them for the conference. Seth was shortlisted for the honor after attending the National Young Leaders State Conference in Bellevue last February. Seth’s seventh-grade social studies teacher nominated him for that February conference.
During the five-day Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference, the selected high schoolers will meet White House officials, congressional staff members, political experts and other VIPs, such as former Secretary of State General Colin Powell and former Vice President Al Gore. The students will then join many of these movers and shakers at the post-inauguration Black Tie Gala Inaugural Ball.
The conference also includes D.C. sightseeing and discussions and debates about politics and the presidential election process.
Seth, who has never been to D.C., is looking forward to the Smithsonian visit, but is most excited for Tuesday’s inauguration.
“Getting to see Obama being inaugurated is the most important thing. I’m excited about it,” he says.
Not that Seth’s surrendered to Obama mania.
“I don’t really know who he is or that much about him,” Seth admits.
Still, Seth is confident the country’s first black president will do a good job.
“I think he’s going to be a great president,” Seth says. “I have some idea of what he’s doing and he has pretty good ideas.”
Seth figures the conference will get him more interested in politics. He might even study that subject at college.
Seth’s too young to vote, but his mom Donna voted for Obama, switching to him after Hillary Clinton lost the Democratic nomination.
Donna Jinka originally wanted to accompany her son to D.C., but tickets were too expensive. She also realized how cold D.C. would be this time of year.
So she’s sending her son on his own, and telling him to call her at every interval. Seth’s never been on a plane by himself.
“I’m more nervous than he is,” Donna says.
Seth says some of his friends are jealous he’ll get to see Obama become president, some of his friends he says “aren’t really aware of it.”
Seeking donations
• Donna Jinka is seeking donations to recoup the more than $3,000 she is paying for her son, Renton High freshman Seth Jinka, to attend the Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference. To donate, e-mail Donna at bandgypsys@aol.com
• For more information on the Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference (PYIC), visit http://www.cylc.org/pyic/.
