By Emma Dalton, staff writer
The words at the top of the professional, clean paper read, ‘The White House… Washington’. Dated Oct. 17, 2014, the letter is addressed to ‘Ms. Julie Abt and friends’, friends referring to a select number of students who were part of Abt’s Honors World Literature class, here at Indian Trail High School.
It all started with an assignment, the students were told to write a letter to a person of authority who would have a say on an important issue.
“I wanted [my students] to connect to the real world,” said Abt.
At the time, the kidnapping of more than 200 school girls in Nigeria was breaking news. The girls were kidnapped April of 2014 and most have yet to return home. They were taken by Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram, from a school in Chibok, Nigeria.
About 15 to 20 students chose to make a stand on this issue. Each wrote letters which were addressed directly to the president himself.
One of these students, Yasmeen Rayyan, was a junior at the time she wrote her letter. Within it she included a plea for government intervention to help support the Nigerian government.
Directly quoted from her letter she wrote, “Dear Mr. President… I believe armed forces should enter Nigeria because it is a general conflict, history repeats itself and it is inhumane what is happening.”
In response to Rayyan and several of her classmates plea’s, the President sent back his response only four months later.
“At my direction… our Government is providing extensive assistance to help find those girls and bring them back to their families,” said the president, “Along with millions of people across the globe, Michelle and I are outraged and heart- broken over the kidnapping.”
The United States did in fact send experts to Nigeria to help them develop an approach to handling threats from Boko Haram.
“No child should be forced to live in fear for getting an education and pursuing her dreams,” President Barack Obama said. “The United States is committed to doing its part to help prevent mass atrocities, protect basic human rights, and promote opportunity for all.”
The president continued to reassure the students that the United States was going to help bring the girls home.
“Using every available tool, we will keep working to resolve the root causes of conflict, build lasting institutions, and train the peacekeepers, police, and soldiers who protect those in danger,” said Obama. “Combating terrorism means protecting civilians and ensuring respect for human rights – not only in Nigeria, but around the world.”
Rayyan was more than pleased to find out about the president’s response.
“Despite his busy schedule at the White House, a letter was actually written back addressing the situation,” said Rayyan. “It was really cool to receive a letter with the presidential seal, especially when we were not expecting a response.”
It’s not every day students receive a letter from such an important national figure. Especially not one signed in bold, black pen: ‘Sincerely, Barack Obama.”