Five Franklin youth get inside look at White House
Published 10:43 am Thursday, August 5, 2010
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Quache Taylor’s dream is to work at the White House.
The 14-year-old Franklin girl got a glimpse at “her future workplace” on Tuesday.
Quache was among five local teens chosen to visit the President’s home in Washington, D.C., as part of the Summer Super Jam Kids Program sponsored by Franklin Parks and Recreation and Boys & Girls Clubs in Franklin.
“It was wonderful,” said Quache, who is the daughter of Eric and Angela Taylor of Franklin and Stacey Royster of Petersburg. “I’ve always told my father ‘I want to go to Harvard and work at the White House.’”
Quache was joined by Kayla Grant, Demetre King, Christopher Eley and Tavin Boone for the evening tour. Parks and Recreation Director Frank Davis chaperoned.
Arrangements were made through Jenny Reavis, who works for the FBI in the Situation Room at the White House. Jenny Reavis is the daughter of Beth Reavis, director of social services for the City of Franklin.
Background checks were done on everyone before they entered the White House. They visited the Cabinet Room and Rose Garden and saw the Oval Office.
“You talk about one of the most beautiful things you’ve ever seen in your whole life,” Davis said about the Oval Office. “You couldn’t go in, and you couldn’t take a photo, but you could stand there and just look.”
They also visited the Situation Room, a 5,000-square-foot conference room and intelligence management center in the basement of the West Wing of the White House. Everyone took a turn sitting in President Obama’s chair.
It was Davis’ understanding that President Obama, who turned 49 on Wednesday, was home during the visit. Obama’s wife, Michelle, and 9-year-old daughter, Sasha, were in Spain, while daughter, Malia, 12, was at summer camp.
The five youth chosen to go Washington were picked based on those whom would most appreciate the experience.
“This one young man — Chris (Eley) — every time we go somewhere, he’s into a lot of things with history,” Davis said.
“It was fun,” said 11-year-old Kayla, who is the daughter of Tameka and Cory Grant of Franklin. “It was pretty exciting to be there.”
Kayla’s favorite thing was sitting in Obama’s chair in the Situation Room.