Breakfast with Hillary

Irma Lemus

MAGNOLIA PARK -- For John Burroughs High School student Betsy Lopez,

sitting down to breakfast with first lady Hillary Clinton was anything

but politics as usual.

On March 29, Lopez got an opportunity to meet Clinton at a breakfast

fund-raiser for her New York Senate campaign that was held in Calabasas.

The 18-year-old senior said spending time with the first lady was an

opportunity of a lifetime.

“When Hillary Clinton walked into the room she had something about

her. She’s so defined and speaks so well,” Lopez said.

How Lopez managed to attend the $1,000 a plate breakfast is a tale of

her own accomplishments, her mother’s pride and a generous benefactor.

Earlier in March, Lopez’ mom, Noemy Lopez, showed her employer,

Calabasas businesswoman Tracy Rabin, a videotape of Lopez appearing on

“Chalk Talk,” the Burbank Unified School District’s weekly cable

television program. The student was on the show discussing Burroughs’

Business Academy, which she has been a member of for the past two years.

Rabin was impressed. Knowing that her friends Sim and Debbie Farar

were holding a fund-raiser for Clinton at their home, Rabin decided to

put up the money for Lopez to attend.

Instead of viewing Clinton from a far, Lopez took the opportunity to

meet the first lady in person.

“When I went up to talk to her and take pictures, I told her that I

was really honored to meet her and she told me that she was the one that

was honored. I couldn’t believe it,” she said.

Lopez, who is planning to attend UC Santa Barbara in the fall, said

she was inspired by her meeting with Clinton to consider majoring in

political science.

“I loved the way she answered questions. We had the opportunity to ask

her questions and she didn’t give a narrow view, she really answered our

questions by giving different view points,” Lopez said.