Mari Tanabe was completely flabbergasted after a night at the Democratic National Convention on Monday, her peaceful demeanor pierced by the excitement and the cacophony of voices.

The Manitou Springs High School senior wrote her way into the convention’s first night, as a presidential winner of the Write to Lead essay contest, sponsored by the organizers of the Democratic National Convention. Her essay “Restless for Change” was one of two winners from 1,200 entries statewide.

So, she saw Sen. Ted Kennedy make a triumphant stand at the podium. She received a VIP tour and a behind-the-scenes look at the earth-friendly efforts at the Pepsi Center. And she saw Michelle Obama speak.

“It was completely overwhelming. It was amazing,” gushed Tanabe, 17, when the night was over. “I’ve never felt so patriotic, or proud.”It’s not really what I was expecting. I thought it would be more like a conference and more formal. But it was like a sporting event, the crowd was so hyped.”

She said Michelle Obama’s speech brought tears to her eyes. She “instills hope in me,” Tanabe said.

Her favorite thought was this, as Michelle Obama described something she learned from her husband Barack Obama: “He talked about the world as it is and the world as it should be. And he said that all too often we accept the distance between the two and settle for the world as it is, even when it doesn’t reflect our values and aspirations.”

Tanabe isn’t old enough to vote in this election, but she’s volunteering her time for the Obama campaign.

Her parents, Bob Tanabe and Sukie Jackson, were able to attend the convention with her, and the three will also be at Invesco Field on Thursday night to hear Obama’s acceptance speech.

“It’s a great example of how children take you places you never thought you’d go,” Jackson said.” It’s an amazing experience for her. She’s just on cloud nine.”

Photo by Dave Mayo