Teen returns from inaugural trip to address

Darleene Barrientos

Watching President Bush’s inauguration ceremony last month was an

incredible experience for La Crescenta student Areni Shahinian, but

there was one detail that kept her from fully enjoying the moment.

“It was really cold, so a lot of people’s minds were on trying to

keep themselves warm,” Areni, 13, said.

Areni, 13, a Tujunga resident, returned to her La Crescenta school

last month after watching the presidential inauguration in

Washington, D.C. The Chamlian Armenian School student was invited by

the People to People Presidential Inauguration program.

Areni attended the inauguration with students from other parts of

the country. They arrived four hours early.

As she waited, she caught glimpses of President Bush and former

President Clinton, but she didn’t recognize anyone else.

After braving long lines of security, the cold, the snow and the

heat generated by her multilayered attire, Areni said she mostly

enjoyed hearing Bush speak.

“His speech was the best part,” Areni said. “It is cool listening

to a wise man say his thoughts about our country and how to make it a

better place.”

Areni was able to attend the inauguration because of her

participation in last year’s youth World Leadership Forum in

Washington, D.C.

Most of the students invited to the presidential inauguration have

completed at least one People to People leadership and ambassador

program, People to People spokeswoman Susannah Cornelius said.

“Usually only the really outstanding, top students are attending,”

Cornelius said.

For Areni, the trip was a chance to see her history and government

books come to life. She believes Bush will be a good president based

on what she saw and heard of him.

“He had a good clue of what he was doing,” she said.

But even though the president was the focus of her trip, Areni is

most fond of her memories of the friendships she forged with girls

from Georgia and New York.

“They all had accents, and by the end of the week, I was beginning

to talk like them,” Areni said. “Southern people like to say ‘y’all,’

and now I’m beginning to say ‘y’all.’”