Lynn high school student meets Obama

Tiara Marquez said Wednesday night she was still in shock that she got to meet President Obama.Tiara, a senior at Fecteau-Leary Junior Senior Alternative High School, had practically a front-row seat to see the president, who came to Boston?s Faneuil Hall Wednesday to advocate for his signature legislation and shore up faltering support for his troubled Affordable Care Act.?He had a very firm handshake,” said Marquez. “He just shook my hand and said, ?Thank you for coming.? The guy right next to me said ?Go Sox!?” And she said the president, a longtime Chicago White Sox fan, replied, “Yup, I love Boston.?”Obama lived up to her expectation of him, joking during his speech and speaking “like he was talking right at me,” said Marquez.Tiara?s teacher, Ben Johnson, thought it might be a good idea to have his government students see the president on his visit to Boston.He said he approached the school?s principal, Maura Durgin-Scully, who supported the idea of a field trip. But after striking out with the event planners at Faneuil Hall and with the White House, who explained that they couldn?t accommodate an entire class, Johnson wasn?t too hopeful. Then he called U.S. Rep. John Tierney?s office in Peabody and spoke to a staffer to see what could be done.?I said, ?We?d love to go,? and 40 minutes later, the staffer called back and said, ?Give me three names,?” said Johnson, who knew that Tiara, one of his top students, was a big fan of the president.Marquez said she bothered her teacher for days about the chance to see the president.?I heard maybe we could see Obama and I got so excited,” she said.In describing why she is such a fan, Marquez said, “He?s the first black president, and he?s so different than any other president, with his sense of humor and just the way he is.”Before they could go, however, Tierney?s staff member explained that the White House needed to do a quick background check on Johnson, Tiara, and a third school staff member. The result: Two tickets to see the president speak.Johnson and Tiara took the commuter rail into Boston Wednesday morning to North Station and then took the short walk to Faneuil Hall, where they faced heavy security. Once they were in, however, they both had a clear view.?Our seats were at podium level, so we could see everything,” said Johnson, who has taught at Fecteau-Leary for five years.Marquez said she couldn?t believe how exclusive the meeting was, with only about 200 people inside the historic hall, she guessed.?We were standing really close, only a couple steps down from where security was,” said Marquez, who was waiting for reaction from friends to the photos she had posted online earlier in the day. “He was shaking people?s hands on the floor, and I kind of stepped down real quick.”