The 44th president of the United States will be sworn in Jan. 20 on the steps of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. And Indus School eighth grader Ginger Freden-Bahr will be there to see the inauguration of the country’s president.
Freden-Bahr said she’s excited and can’t wait to go to the five-day Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference. A part of the conference includes watching the inaugural parade, the inauguration of the president and attending a black tie gala inaugural ball.
She said she is looking forward to the parade and would like to meet the new president, but she doubts she will get the opportunity while there.
Freden-Bahr received the invitation in an envelope with the president’s seal on it. Proud mother Kimmi Bahr said her daughter held it up while walking back from the mailbox and said, “Look mom, it’s my golden ticket!”
Bahr said she is worried about how to afford a trip to Washington, D.C., but said she will find a way to make it happen.
They have received a lot of support from friends and family, Bahr said. In addition to support, one friend is donating money to pay for a new ball gown Freden-Bahr can wear to the black tie inauguration ball.
Bahr is holding a spaghetti supper fund raiser from 5-8 p.m. May 3 at the Northwoods Y to help fund the trip. Drinks will follow the supper.
To help fund the trip, Freden-Bahr has also applied for scholarships. In an essay for the scholarship, Freden-Bahr reflected on the challenges the next president of the United States will face and the leadership skills needed to lead the country.
Freden-Bahr considers six challenges facing the country which the next president is expected to address — health care, the economy, global warming and over consumption of natural resources, gas supply and immigration, according to her essay.
To help overcome the challenges, the next president needs the qualities of goal setting, teamwork, communication, character, courage, persistence, creativity and problem solving.
A trip Freden-Bahr made to Washington, D.C. in sixth grade earned her the invitation to the Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference in January.
Her fifth grade teacher Suzanne Matthews nominated her for the Junior National Young Leaders Conference. She was then chosen by the state, along with three others, to participate. About 250 students were chosen to participate nationwide based on their achievements. One percent of the nation’s scholars are nominated, Bahr said.
Her mother said her daughter works hard in school. She also touted Indus School’s small size as a key feature in her daughter’s education. The smaller classes allow teachers to spend individual time with the students, Bahr said. The teachers can find each child’s strength and work to boost that strength, she said. Bahr’s daughter is a good student and outgoing, so teachers help her find opportunities such as the trips to Washington, D.C.
Is politics in Freden-Bahr’s future? She says no because she’s more scientifically minded. But her mother hasn’t ruled out her daughter becoming a lobbyist after Indus students wrote letters to Gov. Tim Pawlenty notifying him of the quality of a deteriorating Highway 11 they must travel every day to get to school.

Inauguration Day traditions
Presidents were sworn in on March 4 until the ratification of the 20th Amendment changed the date to Jan. 20 beginning with Franklin Roosevelt’s second term in 1937. The exception is George Washington, who was sworn in on April 30, 1789.
Since Thomas Jefferson’s second inaugural in 1805, it is the tradition for the president to parade down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House. The only president not to parade down the avenue is Ronald Reagan in 1985 because of inclement weather.
Jimmy Carter began a new tradition in 1977 by walking from the Capitol to the White House. But for security reasons, presidents since have only walked a part of the way.