I was president once.

Yes, that’s true, and during my one-year tenure in eighth grade, I did an OK job.

Nothing to write home about, mind you, but I ran our student council at Our Lady of Guadalupe school in Hermosa Beach, Calif., the best I could when I wasn’t thinking about playing soccer and baseball and worrying that my record collection wasn’t big enough.

I kept the after-school meetings short, organized my share of school events and even made a speech at a Rotary meeting.

I knew that I wasn’t going to be a “politician” for long … I was just following in my big brother’s footsteps. He took school politics to another level in high school, but I was long gone from that arena by then.

However, I look back fondly on those days whenever election time rolls around and I can still be involved by having my say via filling out my ballot.

I wasn’t able to catch the early results on TV Tuesday night since I was out at Redmond High covering the girls state soccer tournament. (My wife did send a text at halftime to notify me that Obama had been re-elected.) When I got into the car for the drive home, I listened intently to what was going on across our state and nation.

I’m familiar with several of the candidates — Jay Inslee, Suzan DelBene and Ross Hunter — since I’ve met face to face with them to write stories for both the Redmond and Bothell-Kenmore reporters.

At press time, all three of them were leading in their respective races and I hope they can lead our state well during their terms.

It’s always interesting to see people you once sat down next to on a personal level up at the podium speaking into a microphone in front of hundreds or thousands of supporters. My speech at the Rotary club back in the day brought me out of my shell and gave me some public-speaking experience, which in turn, gave me confidence to interview people for the stories I write these days.

What I find important is to listen to what each politician has to say — whether you’re for or against them — because there may be something in their speeches that we can relate to and learn from. Not just where they stand on issues, but even the way they speak or handle themselves in front of a crowd and the TV cameras.

It all helps shape us, whether we’re making a presentation at work or in a college or high-school class.

Or giving an eighth-grade presidential speech.