First Day of School * * Photos **

[Undercurrent]

Monday morning Sasha and Malia Obama went to their first day of school at Sidwell Friends. Mom Michelle took the girls in a Secret Service motorcade with multiple SUVs and a police escort. Dad stayed back, after arriving in DC Sunday night and helping them get ready Monday morning.

First Malia was dropped off, then Sasha. They were accompanied by multiple ear piece-wearing agents.

Photos from inside the hotel getting ready are credited to the Obama Transition Office

[geardaddy]

1. K&R'd

[nini]

2. that pic of Sasha looking out the window is adorable

She's a cutie.

[leftynyc]

21. Do you think she realizes

her father is about to be the most powerful single person on the planet? I doubt I would have comprehended that at her age.

[nini]

37. She may have an idea

but at her age I doubt she gets the enormity of it all.

Malia on the other hand may get it.

[FailureToCommunicate]

22. The photos are by Time's Callie Shell who has been with the Obamas 'before

there were crowds and secret service' She describes how the kids were trying to make their dad feel better about missing drop off on their
first day at a new school. They promised to tell dad all about their day...

full story here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98694675

[goclark]

25. Thanks for the link

The photos are so special.

[stillcool]

29. thanks..it's nice that.....

she's been with them since the beginning..they must feel comfortable with her.

[nini]

36. thanks for this link

shows what a solid foundation that family has. Those kids are going to be fine.

[calimary]

41. That's such a cute photo - she's so little her whole face doesn't show in the window yet.

She's going to grow up before our eyes.

[onefreespiritedchick]

3. The girls are SO cute!!!

K&R!

[Beaverhausen]

4. LOL_ I just mentioned wanting pics of Sasha and Malia in another thread

thanks for posting these.

[Ishoutandscream2]

5. Absolutely beautiful children

I know their parents are very proud of them.

[bluestateguy]

6. Obama should have a non-negotiatble rule for the media

"Step over the line covering my daughters, and all access for your network/newspaper/magazine is cut off, IMMEDIATELY."

[lamp_shade]

8. He probably let them do the school thing "JUST THIS ONCE".

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

7. TOO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[firedupdem]

9. Beautiful! Keep those girls safe!

Sasha reminds me of myself when I was little with the 2 pigtails! I got a bang with my pigtails for picture day! LOL

[Cha]

10. Big Special day in

their lives and for our country, too. And, being documented, oh so sweetly.

[PatSeg]

11. Wow, how far we've come

Seeing the girls escorted by Secret Service to school, reminded me of the little girl in the sixties who had to have a military escort to go to school in the south. Now Sasha and Malia are protected because their father is soon-to-be President of the United States! We've really come a long, long way. Just imagine where we could be in another forty years.

[alsame]

13. Yes, it's amazing to think about how much has changed within our

own lifetimes. And what the future will hold.

[PatSeg]

18. I can still picture that young girl, about Malia's age

and it gives me chills. I would love to know what became of her and see her reaction to what is happening today.

[BklynChick]

24. reminded me of Ruby Bridges too.

[Voice for Peace]

34. rubybridges.com

http://www.rubybridges.com/

[gblady]

15. wow...

your post made me tear up a bit...remembering that picture in my mind...
We truly have come a long ways...

It's important, especially when there's still so much to do...
that we remember our successes.

[PatSeg]

19. At the time, it seemed like the pace was so slow and

the task often hopeless. To see the fruits of all those efforts realized in my lifetime makes me very hopeful about our future.

[wndycty]

20. Yeah, seeing secret service escorting girls to class is completely different than seeing. . .

. . .the Army escorting them.

[Patiod]

23. Had the same thought about how far we've come

A little OT, I'm also thrilled the girls will be getting an education grounded in Quaker values.

[PatSeg]

26. Found the Norman Rockwell painting.

She actually was closer to Sasha's age. I think she was going to kindergarten.





Also found this poem:

Tuesday: Ruby Bridges
1960 - 6 years old

Mom said, "My God, what have I done?"
She spoke her heart
Ruby Bridges
She did her part
Ruby Bridges
She reflected
Ruby Bridges
We were affected
Ruby Bridges
That little child
Ruby Bridges
That world beguiled
Ruby Bridges
By a little child
Ruby Bridges
Who changed the course of history
Ruby Bridges
No longer a memory
But a reality
who? "Ruby Bridges"

Rose Marie Roybal
P.O. Box 1164
Los Alamitos, CA 90720

http://www.rubybridges.com/pictures.htm

Photo of her as an adult.


Ruby Bridges: 'Each and every one of us is born with a clean heart. Our babies know nothing about hate or racism.'
http://www.hno.harvard.edu/gazette/2002/04.25/01-rubybridges.html

[Undercurrent]

33. Thank you so much for posting this

and the pictures too.

Amazing how far we have come on this road to a more perfect union. And how far we have yet to go.

[Muttocracy]

35. thanks for posting that. nt

[SpookyCat]

27. That is exactly what I was thinking! :-)

For some bizzare reason, I see the Norman Rockwell painting in my head first, isn't that weird?

But yes, it gives me chills!

[PatSeg]

28. It must be a very powerful painting

as it popped in my head immediately and I could see that freshly ironed cotton dress on that tiny little girl surrounded by big men.

[blaze]

31. Ruby Bridges website

This page tells, briefly, her memory of that first year. Get your hankies ready.

http://www.rubybridges.com/story.htm

[PatSeg]

32. Amazing story

What an incredible inspiring family!

[monmouth]

12. Who is the older white man? They seem to enjoy whatever he's saying.

I'll guess he's the head of the school or something. Bet the kids are excited, would love to be a fly on the wall tonight when they have dinner and tell all about it.

[Catherine Vincent]

14. No school uniforms?

[Ocracoker16]

42. Quaker schools don't have uniforms

[skeewee08]

16. #5 does it for me Sasha looks so cute looking out the window:-)

[Hope And Change]

17. K & R!

[tigereye]

30. what a big change for those kids!

A whole new world for them. I hope they do well, and folks try to make it as normal as possible for them.


They are such adorable kids!

[AtomicKitten]

38. They are obviously cherished. ;)

[Sultana]

39. The girls are so precious

I hope they enjoyed their first day of school.

[Fearless]

40. LEAVE THE KIDS ALONE!

That's all.