By Meghan McCormick
The idea of a swimming pool, bowling alley and movie theater all available without leaving home -- not to mention a servant to pick up laundry and clean bedrooms -- sounds like a terrific idea to students at Jackson and Roosevelt elementary schools.
They agree 10-year-old Malia Obama and her 7-year-old sister, Sasha, will get to live in a once-in-a-lifetime setting when their father, Barack Obama, is sworn in as president of the United States in January.
Jackson students Trae Young, Alli Wilson-Burns, Zoe Zachary and Stevie Stevens are the same age as Malia Obama. Each child has an idea of how he or she would enjoy life as "First Daughter or Son."
"You would have access to every room in the house," Alli said. "I wonder if there is a door bell in the White House?"
Alli also was curious if the president runs the country like a household.
"I wonder if they would rule their country like they rule their kids," she said.
Alli said if she moved into the White House, homeschool would be a good option for her, and she has just the place for putting bunches of books.
"I would get my own personal library and put every book available in it," Alli said.
She said checking out all the rooms in the White House would be an adventure.
"Abraham Lincoln's room is supposed to be haunted," she said.
But that wouldn't keep the fifth-grader from sleeping there.
"Abraham Lincoln is a nice person," Alli said.
Zoe said the White House would be a great place for learning and socializing.
"You would be around history and where history is made," she said.
Zoe said she would eventually get tired of Secret Service agents following her around and listening to her conversations with friends, but a rose garden and movie theater would be perks to being First Daughter.
"You could go to the movies whenever you want," she said.
In addition to residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., the Jackson group said they could handle a little traveling in Air Force One.
Zoe said as the president's daughter, a trip to France would be high on her agenda.
"I would look at all the cool sites and museums," she said.
Alli said she'd choose an Italian getaway.
"I think it would be really cool to go to Italy, and visit those really old countries and see the churches," she said.
Her classmate Stevie said if her father were named president, she could help him design laws.
"I want the world to be a better, safer place," she explained.
Trae said if he had to move to the White House, his dog, Ally, would make the trip with him. He also could take a visit from the Miami Heat basketball team.
"That would be real cool," he said.
At Roosevelt Elementary, Maci Milligan, Joel Adkins, Emily Miller, Jaci Evans and Brian Varva also are curious about life in the White House. The students are the same age as Sasha Obama.
Maci said access to the Oval Office would be a benefit to living at the White House.
"I think it would be cool because you get to see inside the Oval Office," she said.
Her classmate Emily had a similar opinion.
"If one of my parents got elected for president, it would be cool because one of my parents would be famous and you would get to do a lot of fun stuff in the White House," Emily said.
Jaci, Joel and Brian came up with games they could play inside the multi-story structure.
"I would bowl all day and then go to the movie theater," Jaci said.
"It would be fun to run up and down the stairs," Joel said.
Brian said the rooms could provide plenty of space to hide in.
"It would be an awesome place to play hide and seek in," he said.
Roosevelt students said they would help their parents come up with new laws.
Brian said he would encourage the president to shorten the school day 30 minutes.
"You could get out and see your family more often," he said.
Maci said she believes the school week should be shortened.
"I would pick one day out of the week to go to school," she said.
Joel said there should be a new law for drivers.
"No talking on the phone as you are driving," he said.
Jaci said if one of her parents, were elected president, she'd suggest a change to the American flag.
"I would want my face on the American flag," she said.
Maci said if she lived in the White House, she could invite all her friends over for a sleepover.
"You'd have a lot of room," she said.
Meghan McCormick
366-3539
mmccormick@normantranscript.com
