How I went to the Inauguration for free

I keep getting asked: How did you get to go to the inauguration for free??

So I will explain the how and then go into details about the amazing time I had in Washington DC.

I overhead Leslie Wilson, the students activities coordinator at LTU, about how Lawrence Tech was going to hold a student debate. I immediately asked her how I could participate and she put my name down as an interested student.

The student debate would need a total of 10 students (5 for Obama and 5 for McCain). The incentive to participate was that the team's candidate who won the actual election would be sent to Washington DC- and all paid trip by LTU.

Later I got an email saying that due to the large number in interested students, the faculty running the debate will have to hold auditions. Each student had to prepare a one-minute speech defending his or her candidate on any issue of his or her choice. 

At my audition, I spoke about education. After my speech, the faculty asked me further questions on my topic to further analyze my knowledge of the subject.

A couple of days later the team members were announced and I made the team! The Obama Team members were: Fritz Belfort, Tyson DeLandsheer, Adam Dumas, Jennifer Guthrie, and me. We also had an alternative (Sydney Pea) in case any of us got sick.

We had two weeks to prepare (and believe me that was NOT enough time!). Each group member had to prepare a four minute speech on three issues that were given by the faculty.

My issues were: Health Care, Education, and Poverty.

There were two wins that each team was aiming for: to win the student debate and to win the actual election.

Ballots were handed out before and after the debate to determine the winner of the student debate. The team that persuaded more people to change their votes to their team's candidate won.

The debate lasted around two hours. First with the prepared four minute speeches and then a Q&A session with the audience.

After so much preparation the ballots were counted and the Obama team won!!

Now we had to get our second win...

and as you all know by now, Obama won the election and that is why I was sent to the inauguration for free (Jan 17th-21st).