Long Island students get first-hand civics lesson by watching inauguration

ROOSEVELT, Long Island (WABC) -- Some students on Long Island got a first-hand civics lesson Friday by watching the inauguration of President Donald Trump.

Talk about "rockin' the vote!" Newly elected members of Student Council at the Ulysses Byas Elementary School in Roosevelt had their own take on Inauguration Day, reciting their own oaths.

"Hereby affirm that I will faithfully serve...strive to achieve..the high level of expectation..of the student council," they said.

For school officials here and the kids in grades pre-K thru 6, this day was less about the President and more about the process.

"The process of picking a candidate and having a debate and campaigning," said school principal Angela Hudson.

And making some pretty cool promises they hope to keep.

"What's something that's gone on at the school that you'd really like to try to fix?", we asked.

"Bullying," said one student.

"I have a program I made called T-B-H, which is "to be honest," said another student.

There was also some music and history mixed in. And, in a community such as Roosevelt, which is named for a president, that means something.

"It's always important to know what's going on and know where you come from. Gotta know where you come from to know where you're going, right?", said Teo Campfield, the parent of a council member.

While more than 48 percent of Long Islanders supported Donald Trump, Roosevelt was not a community where he won many votes.

Still, these student council members watched the inauguration speech Friday. But they also shared their feelings about the divisiveness quite candidly.

"If kids got to vote, Hillary Clinton would've definitely won," said student council president Tamia Page.

Bottom line? Bringing the ownership back to them, their principal says.

"If they were running for the presidency, how would they try to make the world a better place?", said Hudson.

Trying their best not to miss a valuable history lesson, after a contentious election.