From the mike to the Oval Office

Students send wishes to Obama

DINA RUDICK/GLOBE STAFFJalen Birkett, 9, was among the pupils who sent messages to President-elect Barack Obama during a poetry slam yesterday. (DINA RUDICK/GLOBE STAFF)

Nicole Peña wants to end gang violence. Pedro Flores wants to abolish smoking. Erik Gomes wants to control gun use.

The two 11-year-olds and one 9-year-old were three of about 360 Boston elementary school pupils who sent messages to President-elect Barack Obama yesterday at the Strand Theatre in Dorchester, part of the America SCORES New England's 10th Annual Poetry Slam.

The students' messages varied: lower gas prices, halt violence among gangs, restrict gun usage, and increase teacher pay.

Adonijah Lawrence, 8, a third-grader from John Marshall Elementary, stepped up to the microphone and said, "My teacher should be getting just as much money as A-Rod," eliciting a lively outburst from the audience at the reference to New York Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez.

Nastasha Concepcion, 9, a fourth-grader from Joseph Lee Elementary School, said she wants Obama to reach out to low-income families.

"My message for Obama is to help my family have gas so we can have heat," she said.

America SCORES New England works with elementary and middle school pupils from around Boston, getting them involved in soccer and creative writing to combat prevalent problems among urban children: low literacy rates and obesity.

"It's a chance to give these kids a voice to express what's concerning them," said Alex Maeder, an event and administration manager for the after-school program.

Emely Cedano, 10, from James W. Hennigan Elementary School, wanted Obama to give money to the less fortunate.

"I want for him to be a good president and to give money to the poor people because they need it more than he does," Cedano said, running her fingers through her pigtails.