New York school changes name to honor Obama

A school in New York has been renamed Barack Obama Elementary School in honor of his election to the presidency.

Students at Ludlum Elementary School in Long Island requested the Hempstead school board change the name, and the board agreed after students read essays explaining why they thought Obama Elementary would be meaningful to them.

"Many of the students don't know anything about Charles Ludlum, but this is truly going to be real to them," the school's principal, Jean Bligen, told the Associated Press.

Many of the school's 460 students took part in a mock debare and an election in the fall, according to Newsday. The result: Obama won 257 votes and John McCain got 28.