Obama writes girl a note for missing school

Kennedy Corpus, 10, of Green Bay, Wis., holds a note President Barack Obama gave to her after learning she was missing her last day of school on Thursday, June 11, 2009 to hear the president speak in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Shawano Leader, Cory Dellenbach)

This is too cool.

Ten-year-old Kennedy Corpus has a rock-solid excuse for missing the last day of school: a personal note to her teacher from President Barack Obama.

Her father, John Corpus of Green Bay, stood to ask Obama about health care during the president's town hall-style meeting at Southwest High School on Thursday. He told Obama that his daughter was missing school to attend the event and that he hoped she didn't get in trouble.

"Do you need me to write a note?" Obama asked. The crowd laughed, but the president was serious.

On a piece of paper, he wrote: "To Kennedy's teacher: Please excuse Kennedy's absence. She's with me. Barack Obama." He stepped off the stage to hand-deliver the note - to Kennedy's surprise.

"I thought he was joking until he started walking down," Kennedy said after the event, showing off the note in front of a bank of television cameras. "It was like the best thing ever."

The fourth-grader at Aldo Leopold elementary in Green Bay already knew what she was going to do with the note: frame it along with her ticket to the event. She said she'd make a copy for her teacher.

Kennedy said she had never seen Obama before. "He's really nice," she said.

Can you imagine what that note is worth? Invaluable in terms of historical value, and big bucks in terms of monetary value. She's one lucky girl, if you ask me.

Sources: The Associated Press
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