High School Students Express Optimism, Concern Following President Trump's Inauguration

CLAYTON, N.J. (CBS) -- President Trump's words are too new for us to really know their place in history, but the judges of their importance and their truth will include students.

Students looked on as Trump said "together we will determine the course of America and the world for many, many years to come." That is a future that belongs to students like the one in Mike Ahern's history class who locked in to watch President Trump's inauguration speech.

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"From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land," Trump said.

The road from listening to learning involved discussion and sprinkled in the process of forming opinions is perspective. "He's got to take care of everybody," Ahern told his class. "He's got to put any emotion, any personal beliefs aside he's got to work for the betterment of our country."

So, what did the president say that made an impression on the students?

"I like the line where he said to get rid of welfare and bring more jobs back," said sophomore Paige Bociek. Rahzirah Blocker said that what resonated with her was when he said "that everyone will be treated the same or whatever, and I also like from his speech how he mentioned the poverty in our country."

"Overall, I think his speech brought us to more unity," said Brian Muller. "He wants us to become a united nation again and become stronger than ever."

While unity was a reoccurring theme in the president's speech, several students said that it was not the theme they saw in Trump's campaign.

Diamond Taylor said she is trying to figure out what his presidency will look like. "I still have concerns about everything," she said. "But, you always have to hope for the best, hope that he lives up to everything he says and you have to have high expectations."

One of the themes that the students really discussed was about America first and what that means to other countries and what message was the president trying to send.