In a little less than two weeks, Barack Obama will be sworn in as the first African-American president in our nation’s history.
         Television networks, cable and radio stations, and of course news Web sites will be buzzing reporting the events from the day, as the cameras zoom in on Michelle Obama’s adoring gaze into her husband's eyes as he takes the oath of office, then watching George W. Bush fade into the sunset as the 44th president takes to the podium and attempts to deliver a eloquent healing address to a nation struggling during a historic recession, wars remaing in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Israel in combat with Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist group in Gaza.
         It should be a memorable day; memorable, that is, for those who will be home to watch the inauguration from our nation's capital
        What about commuters scheduled to travel by plane, bus, or train on January 20th?  Will they have access to President Obama’s address?
         And what about students? Have schools made arrangement for students to watch or at least listen to a truly historic moment in our nation’s history?
         So this got me to start asking other companies, organizations, and educational institutions if there were alternative forms of communication for listening to the inauguration address if you weren’t lucky enough to be sitting comfortably in front of your home television set.
         One of the biggest questions on my mind was what about those who are traveling on January 20th, exactly the time when President Obama is delivering his address; will commuters be able to listen to his address.?

Here are my findings:

Airlines

        • Anyone traveling on JetBlue will have full access to President Obama’s speech through CNN, as well as most local New York broadcasts.
         According to Jenny Dervin, spokesperson for JetBlue Airways, their aircraft additionally offers more than 100 channels of XM, which carries several news oriented channels, including CNN Radio.  
      NOTE: In addition to adding flights between Chicago and Washington (Dulles Airport) as the inauguration approaches, JetBlue also is anticipating a rush of last-minute bookings from Boston and New York to Washington on their shuttles.
        That being the case, commuters will have the option to make a day trip to Washington; an indispensable option, especially for those who can’t find hotel accommodations,

        • Continental Airlines does not have live television available on their flights; although Live TV will be coming later this year, according to Mary Clark, Continental Corporate Communications spokesperson.
      NOTE: Due to the heavy demand for commuters headed to the inauguration, Continental has added more than 1,000 seats to its flight schedule from its New York (Newark International Liberty Airport) and Houston (George Bush Intercontinental Airport) hubs to Baltimore (Baltimore Washington International Airport) and Ronald Reagan Washington National starting in mid-January
        The day after the inauguration, Continental added four flights (two roundtrips) to the schedule.
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        • Delta will only have live television on select aircraft: the Boeing 737, 757, and 767 for watching a live feed of President Obama’s address
         NOTE: According to Brian Kruse, company spokesperson, both Delta and Northwest are adding more than 5,000 additional seats in the Washington, D.C. market between January 16th and Jan. 21 to accommodate customer demand for travel to and from the inauguration. 
        Additional seats have been added between the D.C. metro airports and hubs in Atlanta, Detroit, Memphis and Minneapolis; and even more flights have been added from Atlanta to Dulles on January 17th, and from Dulles to Atlanta on January 21st.

        • US. Airways does not have the ability to broadcast the presidential inauguration to its passengers.
         NOTE:  On January 17th and 18th, US Airways is adding 27 additional flights into all three (Washington D.C.) airports combined; and on January 20th and 21st, there will be an additional 16 flights from the three airports combined, according to Derek R. Hanna, Corporate Communications spokesperson for US Airways

        • United Airlines aircraft are not equipped to handle live audio or television
         NOTE: A spokesperson said United decided to add nine flights and upgauge 35 segments for inauguration weekend, beginning Friday, January 16th, and ending Wednesday, January 21. 
        On the weekends, United has also modified its policy and decided to revive the Saturday and Sunday schedules back up to daily business-traffic-level capacity at Reagan Washington National (DCA).

        • American Airlines will not have any live feeds of the inaugural address on any of their aircraft. 
        NOTE: According to Andrea Huguely, American Airlines Media Relations spokesperson, AA has two additional roundtrips on Saturday, January 17th and Wednesday, Jan. 21st. The extra sections will be out of Chicago and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
 

Way to Go-Go
        A company called Aircell provides technology that makes Internet possible, through Go Go Inflight 
        According to Brenda Chroniak, Director of RFBinder, a New York PR agency for technology-driven companies, Gogo is available on select American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Virgin America flights, which would allow passengers to listen to the inaugural address from their cabins.

Amtrak

    The audio of the inaugural address will not be piped onto trains, according to a company spokesperson.
    NOTE:  According to a press released posted Thursday, Amtrak has expanded capacity by adding trains and cars to maximize available space for service to and from Washington, D.C., ``50 percent more capacity than a normal weekday, with the majority of the additional service available southbound toward Washington in the morning and northbound from Washington in the afternoon and evening.’’

Greyhound

       Greyhound buses are not equipped with audio/video capability
        NOTE: According to a spokesperson, Kim Plaskett, Greyhound will add buses and drivers as needed to existing schedules should resources allow; and between January 18th-22nd, Greyhound has reserved more than 150 charter buses.

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Schools:

        In the District of Columbia, most schools will be closed on Inauguration Day, including colleges and universities.
         Other schools throughout the nation, however, will be holding classes.
         What follows is a random sampling of schools nationwide that will be providing access to students to listen to President Obama’s inauguration address:

         In Chicago, the hometown of President-elect Obama, there will be a number of innovative ways to celebrate Inauguration Day at many schools in the Windy City.
        Anitra Schulte, from the Office of Communications at the Chicago Public Schools, provided a tentative list of activities at select schools on January 20th

            • Hawthorne Scholastic Academy (3319 North Clifton Ave, Chicago IL): 
               At 1 p.m., in the North Basement, the fifth graders will have their own Inaugural Ball, where students come dressed in gowns and suits. Some students will dress in characters, such as former presidents, and the principal will dress up as Jackie
 
        • Claremont Academy (2300 West 64th Street, Chicago IL) 
          After breakfast, students will do a range of activities. They will draw/and or paint pictures of President Obama and his family to send to Washington. Teachers and students will discuss what they hope President Obama would do for our country, and teachers will record the students’ responses. The school will vote on what kind of dog the Obama’s should get to live in the White House.

        • Williams Multiplex:  (2710 S Dearborn St, Chicago IL)
           Jan. 20, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.: Williams Prep will have its own celebration for our Student Council Officers and Senate members: its version of an Inaugural Ball in the multiplex gymnasium. It will include a performance by the Williams Multiplex Orchestra and a video/audio presentation honoring President Obama. The Council officers will make short speeches outlining the goals for the student body of Williams Preparatory. There will be dancing and refreshments for our guests (the fifth-grade class from Williams Elementary School and the sixth- to eighth-grade students of Williams Prep. The students will be dressed up.        

         • Gale Math & Science Academy: (1709 W. Lunt Ave, Chicago, IL )
        Jan. 20: From 10 a.m. to noon, the school will be hosting an Obama Watch Party in its Great Room (located on the first floor of our main building), for students in grades K-8. Students will watch a live broadcast of the Inauguration on a projection screen, and receive commemorative items as door prizes. Grades 5 – 8 will receive a Barack Obama Activities Booklet, which describes the presidential electoral process, and gives a brief history of the 44th President of the United States. Students will complete the workbook activities in their classrooms after the live broadcast, and have discussions with their homeroom teachers.                 

         • Granville T. Woods Academy (6206 S Racine Ave Chicago IL): 
        Art (Students will create a collage, pictures, drawings of the election, first family, etc.), Music (Student will create a Barack Obama song and/or Rap for a school wide contest), Mathematics (A look at the numbers- Student will research and discuss the election totals from each state. Who voted? Analyze the results based upon race, gender, age, and demographics.), Science (How can we save energy while embracing the mission of going green?) Energy (An analysis of Barack Obama’s Energy Vision), Social Studies (Why are Martin Luther King and Barack Obama’s contributions important race relations in our society?) Prejudice to Pride (analyzing the evolution of African Americans and their achievements in the U.S.), Executive Branch (What are the duties of the President of the U.S.?), Writing (Why Barack Obama is an important role model for all students.

        What is the significance of the first African American President?) School Pride (Students will develop a new morning pledge that reflects their cultural pride, academic potential, and community awareness. Students can develop a classroom pledge and/or a school wide pledge.)

        Culminating Activity = Students will attend a live video feed of the Inauguration on Jan. 20. Students and teachers will be dressed (suits and dresses). The entire school will participate in an Inauguration Assembly preceding the swearing-in ceremony. Students will read essays, poems, dance, display art, and sing songs/raps developed to commemorate the event.

Lunch = Barack Obama’s Favorite Foods: Pizza and Chili

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        Amy Vogt, Director of Public and Media Relations at the American Association of School Administrators, meanwhile, surveyed different school districts to see what kind of activities are being planned on Inauguration Day.

        Here are a few replies that came back to Vogt:

        • ``We in New Brunswick, NJ, will be setting up broad based TV and computer coverage in all our schools. On an age appropriate level K-12 we will instruct students on the electoral process, the inauguration process followed by discussions (age appropriate) dealing with the Civil Rights movement and the significance of the first African America.’’
 - Richard M. Kaplan, Superintendent of the New Brunswick, N.J., School District

              • ``At Mesquite Elementary School in our district, 3rd, 4th & 5th grade students will assemble to hear the inaugural speeches of former presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and President-elect Obama’s speech.  The student council will read portions of the speeches to the rest of the student body. ‘’
    ``And, at McCartney Ranch Elementary School, 4th and 5th grade students will watch portions of the inauguration live.  The students will then write letters to the new president and include goals they would like to see in the new administration and send wishes to him and his family’’
        -Frank Davidson, Education Department, Superintendent, Casa Grande, AZ, Elementary School District

            • ``Here are two activities the Rochester City School District schools are planning to celebrate the inauguration:
            School #15- An inaugural ball will be held the entire day with activities for teachers and students
            School #54- A day of speeches will be delivered featuring speeches about famous leaders prepared by the children.
            Students will learn about the art of an “inaugural address”
        -Jennifer Gkourlias, Education Department, Executive Director of Social Studies, Department of Teaching and Learning at Rochester City School District

            • ``The historic election of President-Elect Barack Obama and the eager anticipation of his inauguration on January 20 by young and old alike present an exciting opportunity for educators. To help take the best advantage of this extraordinary event, PDE has developed a series of short lesson plans that teachers may use to prepare students for participation in the events of Inauguration Day.’’
        ``We are also hoping to have live reporting via blog from student correspondents available on the PDE website on Inauguration Day to help students across Pennsylvania get a sense of the "live" experience in Washington, D.C.’’
            ``These lesson plans are available on the PDE website at The Central Greene School District will utilize these resources in classrooms as our students take part in this historic day as citizens of Pennsylvania and the nation.
        -Dr. Jerome F. Bartley, Education Department, Central Greene School District, P.O. Box 472
Waynesburg, Pa. 15370, The Pennsylvania Department of Education

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Other Schools:

Miami
        Students on January 20th in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system will have access to President Obama’s inauguration speech through ITV (instructional television), which is provided through WLRN-TV (channel 17), an affiliate of the Public Broadcasting System (PBS).

New York
        Students (approximately 500) at the Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning and Social Change (200 West 135 Street in Manhattan) will be escorted to the  Abyssinian Baptist Church (132 Odell Clark Place, formerly West 138th Street, between Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. and Malcolm X Boulevards, also known as 7th and Lenox Avenues) to watch President Obama’s inauguration address.

Cleveland
        Peter H. Corrigan, Jr. Principal of St. Ignatius said the Jesuit Preparatory High School are making arrangements so that students will be able to view the event during their lunch and free periods at various points around campus, including a viewing reception inside the Rade Dining Hall, one of the largest rooms in the school, which will have a large flat screen television monitor.

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        NOTE: I’m sure their will be mountains of ``Inauguration Watching Parties’’ scheduled at colleges and universities across the country, too many to document here, but Charles S. Maier, Professor of History at the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies at Harvard University wrote that he wasn’t aware of any special activities at Harvard on Inauguration Day, and went on to write that ``NO CONCESSIONS [are] to be made either on exams that are scheduled for that day. ‘’
        It's obvious that Harvard isn’t a ``University of Change’’, unlike are incoming administration.

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        On a more serious note, I was stunned when I called a number of schools districts to find out what was being planned for Inauguration Day. 
        Outside of Chicago and a few other school districts nationwide, I was shocked to discover so many schools administers, activity planners, principals etc., hadn’t given much thought to what they’ll do to prepare students for one of the most historic inaugurations in U.S. history.
        It seems such a missed opportunity for many of these school administrators (educators mind you), not to have given more thought to scheduling activities for a special moment, an event that comes around only once every four years; and especially this year when a black president will take the oath of office for the first time in the United States’ 223rd year history..
        Personally, I find that absolutely abominable.
        -    Bill Lucey
             billlucey@bellsouth.net