For a split second, shortly before 1 p.m. yesterday, you could have heard a pin drop in the sports hall of Warwick Academy.

Barack Obama, the man about to become the 44th president of the United States of America, had appeared on the wall in front of a sea of navy blue blazer-clad students, faces all pointed to the makeshift screen, not a fidgeter among them.

Next thing, a cacophony of applause, cheers and whistles burst forth from the pupils — and quite possibly a fair few of the teachers too.

The entire school, apart from a few students given permission to go home for lunch and watch with their families, was gathered in the hall to witness the historic presidential inauguration, projected onto the wall from a live CNN Internet feed.

Jane Vickers, the private school's director of development, said the excitement among the youngsters was palpable from the moment they walked into the room at 12.20 p.m. "The noise is incredible every time Obama appears," she said.

At Warwick, as at schools across the Island, the election of Barack Obama has provoked stimulated debate in the classroom.

Teachers said not all the children were supporters of the Democrat, but most grasped the huge significance of his arrival at the White House.

American citizen Gates McGavick, 12, said: "I think that it was just monumental for an African American, to come from 60 years ago where you wouldn't be served in a restaurant and weren't allowed to do very much, to the point where he is the leader of our nation."

The Pembroke youngster added: "His speech was really inspiring. I'm really excited about his presidency."

Kayla Johnson, 17, from Southampton, said it was "really cool" that the school had arranged for everyone to watch the event together. "It's pretty exciting; we are making history because it's the first black American president."

As the swearing-in ceremony began, a handful of students solemnly followed the instructions of US Chief Justice John Roberts and stood for the awe-inspiring event about to take place.

One boy, still sitting cross-legged, determinedly waved a small Stars and Stripes flag above his head.

A brief technical glitch brought a gasp from the room: no one wanted to miss this moment in history. But it was quickly dealt with and the new president was sworn in, to more loud whoops and cheers.

Afterwards, 12-year-old Zarai White, from St. George's, looked relieved. He had worried beforehand: "I think Obama might get assassinated."

At 1.25 p.m., Principal Maggie McCorkell told the students they had ten minutes before afternoon class. "I hope you found that as moving and important an event as I did," she said. From the expressions on the student's faces as they streamed out of the hall, it looked like they did.