Swampscott students in the middle of inauguration activities

BOSTON – He comes from a Democratic family, but Roger Soley decided to broaden his political horizons Thursday by asking top state Republican Charlie Baker to stop on the way to his inauguration as governor and pose with him for a selfie.?He said, ?Sure,?” said the Swampscott Middle School student.Soley and 60 other seventh- and eighth-graders were among students from seven Massachusetts communities invited by Baker?s inauguration team to stand in prominent spots along the route Baker and wife, Lauren, walked on their way to the State House inauguration.The Swampscott students lined a roped-off pathway near a giant cake concocted in the shape of the State House and waited under the watchful eye of Principal Robert Murphy for Baker to appear.Murphy said the students earned their way to the inauguration by writing one-page essays explaining why they wanted to attend the event. He said the students passed that challenge with flying colors. As a result, they were boarding a bus at 8:30 a.m. for the trip into Boston.As they waited for Baker to walk by them, they were treated to the pomp and circumstance surrounding a governor?s inauguration, including shrilling bagpipes, a 19-gun salute that greeted Baker and colorfully uniformed honor guards.?It?s really cool,” pronounced eighth-grader Mia Guthrie.In his essay, Soley explained how many of his family members are Democrats and how the inauguration provided an opportunity to hear a Republican governor?s goals and priorities. The students listened to Baker?s speech in the State House auditorium.He said the selfie request was spur-of-the-moment, but added that he spotted Baker last fall at a Swampscott High football game.Eighth-grader Noelle Erikson said Baker?s success reflects well on Swampscott and demonstrates to students that “if someone from our town can make it this far, we can too.”Murphy managed to shepherd his students to Boston and around the State House even though he underwent fusion surgery on his left ankle two weeks ago.?It?s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Murphy said.