Inauguration 2017: Local students react to Trump, D.C.

Springfield High School government teacher Zach Raines and three students attended the inauguration of President Donald Trump on Friday afternoon. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Springfield High School government teacher Zach Raines and three students attended the inauguration of President Donald Trump on Friday afternoon. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

It was an exhausting but historic day for students from southwest Ohio high schools who came to the inauguration of President Donald Trump.

Students from Oakwood High School, Springfield High School and Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati are traveling on the same bus this weekend through Washington, D.C.

“I prefer not to pick a side, I went to see the history and what it was like, and I don’t regret it one bit,” said Elizabeth McGrath, 16.

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Maggie Ryan, 17, said she thought “they just got to the point very fast.”

“I thought it would be a much bigger affair with much bigger celebrations,” Ryan said. “We’ve had, just over the last two days with these kids, talks about politics, talks about civics, talks about parties,” said Mitch Miller, an Oakwood teacher. “Today was not about politics, it was about civics.”

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Springfield High School government teacher Zach Raines and a group of three students watched the inauguration from the National Mall, which had big screen TVs and loud speakers set up for the event.

“It was amazing, just everything that goes into the actual experience of being there,” Raines said. “They really think about everything.”

While she didn’t support Trump during the election process, it was still a cool experience to witness history, said Alexis Greene, a senior.

“I love interacting with the other spectators there,” she said. “It was very exciting.”

Staff writer Michael Cooper contributed reporting

INAUGURATION COVERAGE

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Text from Trump’s inaugural address

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