Today (February 7), Presidio High School students were honored at the White House by President Barack Obama during a national Science Fair demonstration.
The Alpine Daily Planet featured the story of Janet Nieto and Ana Karen, members of the Presidio High School Rocketry Team that competed as a National Finalist in the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Also visiting President Obama was Gwynelle Condino, a 7th grade student, and TARC team leader, at Lucy Franco Middle School in Presidio.
Shella Condino is the physics teacher with a knack for rocketry who led the students to national recognition. Other news reports on the event include the Dallas News, which recounts how the girls told the President about a Presidio tradition:
As Obama was leaving their exhibit, Gwynelle, a seventh-grader at Lucy Rede Franco Middle School, stopped him.
“Um, Mr. Obama? We have a tradition in Presidio rocketry to have a group hug after every project,” she said.
Obama said he liked the tradition and gave them all a hug.
In this video clip, President Obama shoots a marshmallow rocket and gives a hug to the Presidio kids.
