Michelle Obama Surprises Guys and Dolls

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Ania Szydlowski, Editor

On Thursday, November 1st, former First Lady Michelle Obama visited Whitney M. Young Magnet High School to surprise the Guys and Dolls dance team and to promote her new book, “Becoming”. The girls were told that they were going to be filmed doing a dance that they perform every year at their “Up Close and Personal” show. What they did not know was that Michelle Obama was standing outside the dance room while they performed. Nyla David ‘19 mentioned, “It was an amazing experience. I thought I was in a dream and it was the best moment of my life.” Dr. Kenner stopped the rehearsal to announce to the girls that there was a “surprise for them”. When Michelle Obama entered the room following Principle Kenner, the girls broke out into screams and tears.. Kataleena Huynh ‘21 explained, “Meeting someone that you and everyone around you have looked up to for so long is unreal. You always see them on T.V. or on the news and you never know what to expect if you were to ever met them in real life. You don’t know if they would meet your expectations or not, but Michelle Obama exceeded every expectation I had for her and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to do so.” After an intimate conversation between her and the team, the girls had the opportunity to perform the dance for her. In awe by the performance, Michelle Obama expressed her joy from watching and how proud she was of them. Once she gave all of the members a hug right before leaving, Michelle Obama was able to sign the hanging poster of herself dancing in the Whitney Young Dance Department when she was a student at the school. “One of the most inspiring people in the world was taking the time to be with us and listen to what we had to say. That lifted me up in a way that nothing else ever will,” noted Julia Rademacher-Wedd ‘20. One final picture of everyone together completed the surprise and left the dancers inspired.