As the final stages of the US presidential race get underway, 20 sixth-formers from five UK schools have joined campaigners for Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton and a number of the Republican congressional races. The students are part of the Inspire US 2016 programme, run by education charity The Transformation Trust, which offers opportunities to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to help them develop new employability skills and grow in confidence. TES will carry a report each day from the students.

Reporting from Florida are Khadar Osman, Ginapreet Sandhu, Jaivir Gupta​ and Jasmeet Sanghera, sixth-form students at Lampton School in Hounslow​, west London

Two days before the election, the US Inspire team headed up to Kissimmee in Florida to attend President Barack Obama’s rally in the Osceola County Stadium.

This being his second visit to the state this week alone, it showed the importance of the “swing” state and, in addition, how important the Hispanic vote is for the Democratic party. They are the biggest ethnic minority in the state, so getting the Hispanic vote is critical for nominee Hillary Clinton winning this key state.

Even hours before the rally started, the atmosphere was electric. We arrived four hours before the start time, but others had been there much longer. 

There was an incredibly diverse mix of people in the lines; a real representation of the diversity of US society. Many rally-goers had dressed for the occasion, too, sporting T-shirts and badges with slogans like “Nasty women” and “My body, my vote”.

Before any of the politics, we were welcomed with a performance by the superstar Stevie Wonder. The singer played many songs, including hits such as Superstition and I Wish, and he also played a song which he wrote specifically for the rally, making a play on the Republican nominee Donald Trump’s slogan “Make America great again” by stating that: “I already live in an America that is great, together we are going to make it better.”

‘Don’t boo Trump - go out and vote!’

Seeing Air Force One in the skies above us spread a wave of energy throughout the crowd as we anticipated the arrival of President Obama.

The love expressed by those who turned out was phenomenal; many screamed “Don’t go!”, communicating their sorrow as he came to the final days of his eight-year stretch in office.

Speaking with those around us, it appeared that even after two terms he seemed to be defying the maxim that all political careers end in failure.

“Equality is on the ballot, justice is on the ballot and women’s rights are on the ballot,” was just one example of the hard-hitting lines from the president. His aim was clearly to reinforce what Hillary Clinton stands for in comparison with her rival.

Many individuals booed when Donald Trump was mentioned but President Obama replied: “Don’t boo, vote”; a refreshing and positive way to the amplify the idea that change is in the hands of those who were attending.

At the end of the rally, we were all left wondering, is this election is now “signed, sealed, delivered”?

President Obama certainly hoped to make it so, reminding the audience of how crucial their state is to the outcome tomorrow: “If we win Florida, it is a wrap,” he told the crowd. “If we win Florida, it is over.”

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