Obama victory inspires Harlem students, principal

NEW YORK (CNN) -- "Obama! Obama! Obama!" a student confidently chants as he strides down the hallway of Sojourner Truth School in Harlem.

Hope is in the air at the predominantly black public middle school just a day after Sen. Barack Obama made history as the first African-American elected president of the United States.

Students are buzzing with excitement.

Teachers Melissa Culley and Laura Rizzo have assembled their fifth-grade students in a third-floor classroom, where the children are eager to talk about what the historic election means to them, how Obama inspires them and their expectations for him as the nation's next president. iReport.com: What's your message for Obama?

"We need some new ideas, and I think Barack Obama is the right man to do that," said Malcolm Mitchell, reading from his essay. "He kinda motivated me because looking at the past, people say, 'black men can't do this; black men can't do that.' ... You know, he's changing time, little by little. Women can vote now, and he's the first African-American president."

Malcolm, 11, says he's also shared his thoughts about this year's election with other kids on Nick.com, the Web site for the children's television network Nickelodeon.

Earlier in the week, the school had a mock election, which Obama won by landslide. Sen. John McCain captured only 13 votes. Teachers say the kids have paid attention to this election. Some went to the polls to watch their parents vote, and many were awake until the wee hours of election night because of honking horns as people celebrated Obama's victory in the streets. See photos of the students at Sojourner Truth School »

Like many Americans, presumably echoing the concerns of their parents, the students told CNN their top issues are the economy, health care, race relations, the environment and the Iraq war.

"[When] Barack Obama becomes president, he can stop the war," said Kaish Bhuyian, 10, whose parents are from Bangladesh. "I want him to help some black people and white people to get together and share."

"I think that he might change a lot in people. I think that Barack Obama is a good choice to be president, not only that he's black, but because he really wants to make a change in this world," said Koolie Brown, 11. "All the things that happened before like racism, segregation. ... It changed so [quickly]."

Of the 425 students at the middle school, 80 percent are black, 17 percent are Hispanic, and 3 percent are white or Asian. But Koolie is quick to point out that both blacks and whites voted for Obama in the national election, because, he says, they believe he represents change.

"I think Barack Obama should make a speech about [how to] stop climate change and to make more foundations for people who are poor and to help people [with cancer] so they can find a cure," said Michael Rosa, 10.

"I feel that Obama is going to be a very good president because he is very brave, intelligent and successful, and he gives me the courage to go out there and be the first girl president of the United States," said Fatoumata Gakou, 11.

Few people at Sojourner Truth could be more excited than Principal Shaniquia Dixon, 38, who colleagues say is no stranger to change. In fact, some say she thrives on it. iReport.com: What's your message for Obama?

Like the majority of her students, Dixon, who's African-American, grew up in a tough neighborhood: the Brownsville section of Brooklyn. In 1975, she was one of four black children, including her sister, who were bused to an all-white school in Coney Island.

"I remember being shell-shocked because I grew up in the projects," Dixon recalled. "I remember going there and the white students just treating us bad. ... At 5 years old, kindergarten, and getting off the bus and the parents were picketing."

She said other parents tried to convince her mother that sending her children to an all-white school was the wrong thing to do. But Dixon says her mother didn't care about the picket signs because she wanted her children to have something better.

Every year, Dixon gives teachers, students and staff a new motto. This year's motto is "Good to Great." A mural painted on the wall outside still reflects the first motto she brought to the school when she started in 2004: "Excellence is a must. Failure is not an option."

Feeling inspired by the enthusiasm of her students, Dixon looks forward to the Obama presidency. She says it gives her hope that anything is possible, and she's also optimistic he will address one of her biggest concerns: funding for education.

"If they didn't cut money to education, we could continue to have [programs] like art and music," she said. "I'll deal with taxes on my house; just don't cut money to education."

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