Whidbey Island residents hunkered at home, taking a break at work or sitting in classrooms shared in a moment of history Tuesday morning as they watched Barack Obama’s inauguration as 44th President of the United States of America.

“I think it was the most inspiring spectacle I’ve seen in my entire life,” said Oak Harbor resident Trudy Sundberg, a well-known Democrat in the conservative area.

The event was especially thrilling for Sundberg and another Oak Harbor resident, Helen Chatfield-Weeks, since they both have daughters attending the inauguration in Washington, D.C.

“I’m tired of jumping up and down and clapping,” said Chatfield-Weeks, who doesn’t confine her famous “hip-hip-hooraying” to public events.

She was thrilled by Obama’s first address to the nation as president.

“I just think it was one of the best speeches I’ve ever heard,” she said. “It fulfilled every wish I would ever have for a presidential speech. It encompassed so many things.”

At schools in Oak Harbor and Coupeville, educators harnessed the energy and excitement of the inauguration of the first African-American president to teach students about civics and civil rights. The presidential inauguration marked a milestone in Peter Szalai’s 26-year teaching career.

“This is the first time we’ve stopped an entire school to watch an inauguration,” he said.

Oak Harbor Middle School combined Martin Luther King’s birthday and the inaugural ceremony into one lesson Tuesday in a school-wide assembly honoring King’s societal contributions.

Student President Tommy Murphy delivered a speech to the student body that he prepared with the help of ASB advisor Miss Goebel. Since his own election, the eighth-grader has gotten used to public speaking, so Tuesday’s speech was no big deal, he said.

A slide show narrated by Szalai and Mary VanderVelde, both social studies teachers, transported the middle schoolers through civil rights movement milestones, including Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat to a white man on a public bus and King’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech.

“Barack Obama was 2 years old when Dr. King made that speech,” VanderVelde said, placing the nation’s evolving racial views in perspective for the gym full of 11, 12 and 13-year-old students.

The assembly continued with a multimedia presentation of King’s words flashing across a giant screen accompanied by upbeat music set to a recording of the speech.

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character,” King said.

If only King was still alive to witness President Obama’s inauguration. The celebration of King’s birthday and the inauguration of the nation’s first black president is a great opportunity to make an old and timeless lesson tie into something current and relevant to students today, Szalai said.

After the assembly, in Szalai’s eighth-grade U.S. history class, 23 students patiently waited for and then watched the inauguration.

As Obama placed his hand on the Lincoln Bible and took the oath of office, several students stood, mimicking the president-elect’s motions.

War, safety, education, economy, and national pride were among topics the students discussed following Obama’s speech.

“I’m glad to see there’s a black president,” Brooklin Sorlien said, “because there’s obvious change.”

Samantha Berkiner spoke with her classmates about the nation’s progress in racial relations since Obama’s childhood.

“It’s exciting to see a new president and that he’s black,” she said.

Race is but one fresh element to the 2008 presidential inauguration.

Minutes after the president’s speech, as Szalai’s students talked among themselves, the veteran teacher printed Obama’s inaugural speech text from the internet for an impromptu change to the routine.

“We got a standard lesson plan this morning, but I’m kind of going by the seat of my pants now,” he said.

Down the island, Coupeville High School students also broke from their studies to watch the inauguration on television. They either viewed from classrooms or a communal meeting space where the event was projected onto a large screen.

Pupils from neighboring classes joined Ryan Grenz’s college prep contemporary issues class to see the historic event. For one student, the real thrill was the election of a younger president.

“It was really enlightening to see a new generation elected,” said junior Mason Luvera following Obama’s inauguration speech.

Although he was too young to vote, Luvera said he supported the new president, adding that he thought Obama was different from everyone else who ran and believed the president will bring change.

Luvera’s comments were echoed by fellow student Madeline Isaacson.

“It’s extraordinary to watch this historic moment,” Isaacson said. She, too, supported Obama even though she was also not old enough to vote. She said she agreed with Obama’s plan for healthcare and education, and hopes the new president’s leadership will regain the respect of other nations.

While there were many students who supported Obama, there were some who favored John McCain during last year’s election. Several of the students who supported the Arizona senator during the race enjoyed watching the inauguration ceremony and are open to Obama’s fresh ideas for the country.

As the event is dissected by the media in days to come, Sundberg and Chatfield-Weeks will be getting first-hand accounts from their daughters.

Sundberg said her daughter, Jan Whitsitt, and her friend also got tickets to one of the balls Tuesday night, so it might be awhile before she hears from her.

Chatfield-Weeks said her daughter, Oak Harbor resident Linda Chatfield, already told her Monday that she got to shake hands with MSNBC commentator Ken Olbermann during pre-inauguration festivities. It was a thrill for the Olbermann fan.

Chatfield-Weeks watched the event at home with her other daughter, Camelia.

“It was so wonderful to watch,” she said. “What a marvelous day. Even the weather was beautiful.”

— Jessie Stensland and Nathan Whalen contributed to this story.