AUBURN – Spencer Dowd looked into the camera of a laptop Tuesday at the Washburn Elementary School as Principal Richard Dedek helped him make a video of the second-grader’s advice to President-elect Barack Obama.

“I think food prices should go down,” Spencer said. “I want more fun places for kids to go after school.”

Lexa Bibeau, 7, looked into the camera and said: “You should stop the war in Iraq. Please bring back the soldiers. And help people who have no home.”

“I think you should ride in a helicopter instead of a plane to save gas,” Damien Gilley said in his message to Obama.

What began as writing letters to Obama has morphed into second-graders’ advice via a video. On Friday, a video will be sent to Change.gov, Obama’s transition Web site.

The letters will be mailed to the White House.

Second-grade teacher Barbara Carson came up with the letter-writing idea. She invited the principal to hear students read their letters.

Dedek was moved by what he heard. Their letters have “a lot of city-oriented messages for cheaper oil, food to cost less, more stuff for kids to do after school. Some of it is from kids’ direct experiences. Some from what they’re hearing around the kitchen table.”

Many adults in Auburn locked in higher oil prices this summer, and as a result have to pay higher costs, he said. “You don’t think about second-graders thinking about the price of oil or food. … Times are tough. Students are thinking about the economy.”

He suggested making videos because while letters are good, some of the message could get lost, he said. On video, a smile, a face, a tone of voice, can’t get lost. “When you hear them it almost makes you want to cry,” Dedek said.

He presented a challenge to the second-graders.

He gave them a week to perfect reading their letters aloud, giving them time to read fluently in front of the camera and focus on expression and delivery.

Working with students Wednesday, Dedek coached as he recorded.

“When I say go, speak real loud, Spencer,” Dedek said. After Spencer read his letter, Dedek said, “Now let’s pick two sentences you wrote. … Can you say it with a lot of expression?” Spencer did.

“The way you said it looking into the camera was perfect,” Dedek told him.

Mackenzie Clark, 7, read her letter while Dedek recorded. “Being president is hard work, so please take care of yourself. Eat apples and healthy food,” she said.

Dedek asked Mackenzie to repeat her advice. She looked into the camera and said, “I think you should eat apples and healthy food.”

Dedek is making two videos, one of the students reading their letters, another where he’ll splice their advice together.

Among the advice: Obama should take a trip to Florida, get in good shape by climbing the White House stairs, help the world become safer, help the world become cleaner, stop the war in Iraq, help Auburn have cheaper oil prices, not waste gas on Air Force One, help people who have no food and help Auburn get after-school activities.

Making a video encouraged students to practice their reading and uses technology in a way they haven’t before, Dedek said. Administrators have new laptops with a video program, allowing him to record the video and edit it.

When asked if Obama will see the second-graders’ video, he said, “there’s a little bit of trust here.” On Obama’s Web page he’s inviting people to offer feedback and advice.

Washburn’s videos will be sent Friday during a ceremony. “We’ll show the video, attach it to an e-mail file and hit send. We’ll gather around the laptop to communicate to the president.”

Dedek is hoping they’ll hear back. “You never know what could happen.”