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Runnels School eighth-grader Theresa Hudson attended a leadership conference in Washington, D.C., last year, but her return trip this year to the nation’s capital came with an added perk: an invitation to Barack Obama’s inauguration.

We asked Hudson to keep us posted the best way any eighth-grader bopping around the Capital could: text message.

So she hit us with updates from her cell phone, thanks largely to her sweet, new unlimited texting contract, a Christmas gift from her super-cool mom, Louisiana Lottery President Rose Hudson.

We encouraged Theresa to keep things short and sweet and informal—as though she were texting a friend. This is her text journal.

Jan. 14, 8:12 a.m.

Hello its Theresa! I hav a question, do u want me to text u frm just the inauguration or the whole conference?

225: Hey! A couple from the conf would be nice if u have time.

8:18 a.m.

Ok then got it! Got 2 go 2 skool later!

Jan. 17, 10:41 p.m.

Heylo! So im finally here in dc! Im so excited! Even tho I don’t hav my luggage and I dont have a room yet, im still extremely excited! So we listened to a man named Erik Weihenmayer who is a blind man who literally climbs mountains! It was so cool to hear him speak about his obstacles and we he ovr came them. So now im working on being wut he calls an alchemist. Tht means finding the silver lining in hard situations. Tht is my new goal! So I didn’t have a room or my luggage a while ago but now my luggage iz on its way and I actually hav a room! Well I gotta get some rest cause I gotta get up at 4:45 in the morning! L8tr!

Jan. 18, 11:23 a.m.

OK so im on the bus leaving the university of maryland where we heard Gen Colin Powell give a speech! It was so cool to hear him speak about the election and get someone else’s perspective on it. So now we are on our way to go the opening ceremony for the inauguration at the Lincoln memorial! Its going to be so much fun! But its also going to be cold! Talk to u l8tr!

Jan. 18, 9 p.m.

Heylo! So as it turns out I didnt get to go to the Lincoln memorial but I went to this restaurant and there were like 4 or five celebrities there in the same room as us! People like david artchuleta, george lopez, Jennifer lopez, someone from that 70s show and a lot of other people! It was so much fun and so exciting!

Jan. 19, 9:47 a.m.

Ok so we are in the newseum rite now and we are looking @ picture that won pulitzer prizes. Some of these pictures are extremly sad and just downright shocking! We also watched a movie in 4D w/ moving chairs and evrything which wuz really cool. And we also saw pieces of the berlin wall and saw how it separated east and west germany. I got alot of pictures!

Jan. 19, 1:42 p.m.

Wow Al Gore iz a great speaker! I really didnt think i'd enjoy his speech but i did! But hes a littl older than i expected! Lol!

Jan. 19, 10:44 p.m.

Heylo! So we watched a documentary called 'The Third Monday In October'. It wuz about these middle schoolers tht ran for class president at the same time tht bush and kerry were running for president of the US. It wuz really cool cuse after the movie some of the stars came on the stage and we got to ask them questions and stuff and it wuz awesome! Well i gotta go to bed! Got a big day tomorrow!

225: Hey Theresa! Can you give us an update on what you're seeing? How close are you to the action? Can you see the first family? Let us know soon. Thanks!

Jan. 20, 9:36 a.m.

Hey! Im not supposed to hav my fone out rite now but we arent en in the mall yet! Ill text u when i can tho!

Jan. 20, 2:23 p.m.

Hey srry! Well here's some sad news. We got to the mall so late tht all of the entrances were closed! =( so as it turns out we didnt get to watch the whole thing. I wuz so dissappointed i wuz crying! But we went to the hotel and watched the whole oath! But when obama was officially president of the US i could just feel evryones excitment in the hotel lobby. We all screamed and yelled and clapped and i evn cryed (again). So evn tho it wasnt the experience i hoped for, i still had a great time! Now im on my way to eat some lunch (im starving!). L8tr!

Jan. 21, 1:11 a.m.

Heylo! Wow tht wuz a party! We danced and we were supposed to take pictures but they cut us off as soon as they called our group! All of us were talking about it l8tr and we all agree tht today wuz the worst day of the whole conference. So by the end the day, evryone was MAD! All and all if i could give this conference a grade it would be a C+. Because evn tho today wuz bad, all of the other days were ok! Well we are going home tomorrow and i am so excited! I missed all of my friends and family! Gotta go 2 bed! C ya!

Jan. 21, 6:14 p.m.

So i made it home in one piece! Im really glad i had this experience evn tho it didnt go as planned. Id like to thank evryone frm 225 magazine for letting me be a journalist for 5 days and also im glad my parents let me go to this conference. Again it didnt go as planned and evryone iz a little upset about tht but just being there wuz a great experience! L8tr!