Fourth grader __Aliana Arzola-Piñero i__s about to have the experience of a lifetime! The 10-year-old girl, from San Juan, Puerto Rico, is joining First Lady Michelle Obama at President Obama's annual State of the Union Address on Tuesday night. Wow…now that's a moment I bet she'll never forget!
Aliana is one of just a few guests that were invited to sit in the box with the First Lady and other political officials during the speech. So how did this young girl manage to earn such a coveted spot?
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The 10-year-old got her first taste of the White House when she participated in the 2012 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, sponsored by the First Lady. She didn't win that year, but that didn't stop her from trying again in 2013. After working hard to come up and perfect a new recipe, she went on to represent Puerto Rico for a second time at last year's Kid's State Dinner … and this time, she won!
"It was an honor to be chosen out of all the kids who were speaking out about healthy eating," Aliana told MamasLatinas of her win. So what inspired her to become so involved with the cause in the first place? As she explains, "I want to help kids with health issues to move around, play and be healthier."
Now, both she and her family, who received news of Aliana's invitation on Saturday after celebrating her 10thbirthday, are thrilled that she's getting the opportunity to witness this momentous occasion. "We were beyond excited," her mother, Beatriz Arzola-Piñero, said. "It's such a privilege to support the First Lady on her mission … it's the best birthday present ever!"
No kidding! It's so amazing to see children like Aliana make these kinds of efforts, starting at such a young age. Clearly, she's going to go on to do some amazing things one day. Congrats to her and her family on all of her accomplishments!
Image via Getty Images
