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February 5, 2013

Washington Insider

Central High’s Liles a guest at Obama’s inauguration

Derrick Miller The Duncan Banner

CENTRAL HIGH — It’s not every 18-year-old who gets the opportunity to attend the presidential inauguration. But Posey Liles, a Central High School senior, isn’t every 18-year-old.

Liles, daughter of Larry and Sonya Liles, attended the Jan. 21 presidential inauguration, as Barack Obama was sworn in for four more years of service to the United States. Liles and her 15-year-old sister, Larnie Johnetta Silverhorn of Elgin, were elected as leaders in the Comanche Nation, an honor that allowed them to attend the event.

“I don’t even have a word to describe it,” Liles said. “It was overwhelming. It didn’t even hit me that it had been four years.

“It was a once in a lifetime thing. I was happy I got to go.”

Liles was elected as the Comanche Nation Tribal Title. Silverhorn was the junior princess for the Comanche Nation.

When the opportunity arose to attend the inauguration, they jumped at the chance. Liles said it was exciting getting to do something not everyone will get the opportunity to do.

Although the sisters had green tickets, which seated them in the middle section, they could make out a figure that was Obama. Liles said there were also screens that enlarged the action on stage.

“Everybody started yelling, started roaring,” Liles said. “There were a lot of people there. A lot of people.”

That roar is one of the definitive things she remembers about being at the inauguration.

She also remembers seeing a guy sitting in a pine tree. She said the police were trying to get the guy out of the tree.

“I wondered how he got up there, why he was up there,” Liles said.

The sisters flew out of Lawton around 6 a.m. Jan. 20. From there, they landed in Dallas and then to Washington, D.C. From there, they went to their hotel.

It wasn’t until 9 a.m. the next day they went to the inauguration.

“That’s probably where it settled in that I was there,” Liles said.

At the ceremony, Liles met people from around the country. She met a church group from California. The group drove in a bus and was set to head home following the inauguration.

But the inauguration wasn’t the end of the adventure for the sister.

That night, they attended the inaugural ball at the Smithsonian. Jan. 23, they met U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, who represents Oklahoma. They met several other people, including actor Chaske Spencer, who plays Sam in the “Twilight Saga” series.

Liles is a fan of Spencer.

Another highlight of the trip was getting to ride in a taxi.

“That was cool,” Liles said.

The sisters headed home Jan. 24. Although they were slated to leave that morning, snow delayed their flight until the afternoon.

Liles made it home around midnight, following a lengthy layover in Dallas.

Jan. 25, which was a Friday, things went back to normal, including Liles returning to school.

“Hopefully the person who gets my title in four years gets to go,” Liles said.

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