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The president was slightly behind schedule, but that didn't stop him from spending some time with some young citizens of the Hyde Park community.
They are members of a group called "Becoming A Man." It's an organization that offers mentorship and a chance to offer some perspective for these kids. Nothing could have furthered that group's goals better than some one-on-one time with the President of the United States.
"It was really exciting," said Corey Stevens. "I don't even have the right words for it. Just having the commander-in-chief himself standing in a circle and talking to us, it was amazing."
"It's not what he said, it's what he did," said Robert Scates, "how he was able to become the president, that should be able to spark some change in my eyes, because we as black men, we are stereotyped in so many ways. For him to be a black president, that shows a lot."
Each of the young men ABC7 spoke with said having 20, 30 minutes to spend with the president, to hear from him that his life wasn't all that easy when he was their age, meant the world to them.
"We each went around and talked about something where we lacked in integrity or self-determination in determining our goals and achieving those goals," Stevens said.
"Basically we just had a conversation about relieving our stress, what helps us relieve our stress and our anger," Scates said. An hour after the speech, the young men were still inside the Hyde Park Academy auditorium, now empty, still trying to process it all.
