In May, Moscrop secondary teacher Beth Applewhite was with some of her cousins who are black professionals.

The conversation turned to the U.S. election in November, and the idea was floated, wouldn't it be neat for them all to be in Chicago, hometown of U.S. Senator Barack Obama, on Nov. 4 for what could be a big day in history—the election of a black president.

When she approached principal Reno Cioffi to get some time off they began thinking, "Why not take some students?" The previous September Applewhite, who is half-black, had formed a Black-Afro student committee, which she believes to be the first of its kind in the area, and the group had taken off, growing to 30 students.

Having a front-row seat for history in the making was tantalizing. The learning opportunities immense. It would be an experience of a lifetime.

So despite the late start at organizing one of the most unique field trips ever proposed in Burnaby, they decided to go for it.

•••••

The day after it became clear Obama would trump Hilary Clinton to become the Democratic candidate, Applewhite announced the trip to the club. An essay contest would determine which two students who would get to go.

Hearing her speak, Roman Kovacic thought, "Wow! That's really cool. Can we actually do this?"

Later at home, he told his parents about the trip.

"My mom was blown away and my dad was totally floored," says Kovacic, whose mother is from Trinidad and Tobago.

Among the club, the enthusiasm was contagious.

Parents of the other children were willing to pay to have their kids go. Other teachers said, "Wow! Can I go?" Applewhite replied, "Sorry, I can't validate having six teachers for six students."

"People are recognizing it's a once-in-a-lifetime chance," she says. "It's sort of like knowing the Berlin Wall is coming down and asking, 'Do you want to be in Berlin for that?' ”

So early next month six students, Applewhite and another teacher along with a youth worker will jet off to the Windy City on a five-day trip into history. Kovacic and fellow Grade 12 student Shanyne Noel won the essay contest and get their flights paid for through fundraising.

Applewhite has hooked the group up with King College Prep High School (named for Dr. Martin Luther King), which is about three blocks from Obama's home. They also have tickets to his acceptance speech, but Applewhite has yet to confirm the students' age won't prohibit them from attending.

Kovacic, for one, is eager to go.

"The thought the world has come to the point where there could be a person of colour in office, that's monumentous," says Kovacic inventing a word combining monumental and momentous that somehow seems appropriate for the situation.

"Even if I'm like 20 feet from [Obama] or 10 feet from—heaven forbid I'd get to shake the man's hand—that in of itself would make the trip for me."

In his essay, Kovacic wrote about how this would be his chance to shine as an ambassador for Moscrop.

"The opportunity to see a whole different culture, a whole different way of life. I pretty much haven't left Canada," says Kovacic. "This is going to be my first time out past Seattle."

The club has inspired him to get as much as possible out of his Grade 12 year, socially and academically. He's even shooting to become class valedictorian.

"It showed me I have to be a role model to people. It's not just me. It's me and my little brother and my friend's little brothers," says Kovacic.

•••••

Noel's father is the Caribbean country of Grenada and her mom is Filipino. In her essay, she wrote about how at times she was ashamed of her skin colour, like when some students told her to go eat watermelon and fried chicken. She didn't know what that meant, and Applewhite had to tell her of the historic origins of such dated racial sayings. Obama is an inspiration, Noel wrote, and is a more positive role model and image in the media than more embarrassing hip-hop icons.

Noel sighs with sadness when she discusses Augustine Ackon's situation. Ackon is from Ghana and wondered in his essay "what's the big deal." There are plenty of presidents who are black where he comes from. But then he said it would be excellent for someone who's black to be the "leader of the free world" and how that would change things on an international scale.

Applewhite loved the essay, but Ackon can't go because he doesn't have the passport to get him across the border. She's hoping to arrange a videoconference between Moscrop and King with Ackon being the moderator at this end.

Because it's such an outside-the-box field trip, Applewhite, Cioffi and the students made an appearance at Tuesday's board of education meeting because trustees were so intrigued.

"Dream big, I say, live in the realm of possibilities, I always tell my students. You never know," says Applewhite.

To raise money for the trip, an evening of Afro and Caribbean music and dance will be held at Moscrop on Oct. 22. Admission is $6.

ggranger@burnabynewsleader.com