Presidential Election 2008

The students of RCA were in the spotlight for a couple of weeks, enjoying the excitement over their “You Can Vote However You Like” song.  But what may have been missed in all the media coverage was how much the students really knew about the political issues.  Mock debates were held almost daily in their global studies classes, giving students the opportunity to discuss platform agenda items including the war in Iraq, off-shore drilling, the economy, and health care.   This Presidential election proved to be a very exciting time in our country’s history and in turn for our students.

Speaking of the Presidential song and its popularity, students broadened their media appearances beyond just Atlanta.   A select group was chosen to go to New York in order to appear live on ABC’s Good Morning America and BET’s 106 & Park.  While waiting to perform live just outside Time Square for their GMA debut, students had a chance to meet and hang out with Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts.  They even met southern cooking guru, Paula Deen, who also happened to be a guest on the show that morning.

Then it was off to the Waldorf Astoria hotel to tape the Presidential Song for Fox Business Network. The students’ performance aired later that day during the network’s daily Happy Hour show.  Click here to see the performance Getting out the Vote.

And from there, students headed to CBS studios to appear Live on Black Entertainment Television’s hit show 106 & Park.  While there students ran into several rap celebrities.

Meanwhile, while one group of students was in New York, another group of RCA students was invited by Barak Obama’s campaign to come to Columbus, Ohio.  Only there for the day, students performed “You Can Vote However You Like” and helped to pep up voters who were stuck in long voting lines.

When election night finally arrived, RCA decided to throw a “Watch the Returns” party at the school.   CNN was one of the main guests.  The national cable news network chose the Academy as one of its sites for the evening.  In addition, RCA students, their parents, faculty and friends were there to watch the votes come in as poll after poll closed through the night.  Food, fun, and games were part of the festivities.  But RCA students also made predictions on which states would swing red or blue.  It was truly an exciting election night!