Charter school's founder knew young Obama

TAMPA -- English Bradshaw stood behind the top row of George M. Steinbrenner Field waiting for Barack Obama to take the podium. The last time he saw the fellow Hawaii native, the presidential nominee was in gym shorts.

Bradshaw, one of the founders of the Walton Academy for the Performing Arts in Tampa, went to school with Obama's parents in Hawaii. Several years later, when Bradshaw was a sports coach for an elementary school there, he watched Barack Obama play basketball for the school's rival.

And now, in Tampa, the once basketball-bouncing boy's name is plastered on signs, banners, tickets and T-shirts. And Bradshaw is surrounded by another generation of students.

"Obama! '08! Be a part of something great!" chanted the charter school students before the rally, eliciting applause from the rest of the crowd. The school asked each child's parents whether it would be okay to attend the rally. Not one said no. The school's principal, Tanika Walton, sang the national anthem.

Fifth-grade student Tia Black, 9, said she supports Obama because "he'll bring the troops home and lower gas prices and everything."

"I respect what he believes in, everything he wants to do for America," Black said over tiny eyeglasses. "He's going to lead us to perfection."

Kim Wilmath, Times staff writer

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