Burnside Primary and Pembroke students Emily and Jack chance encounter with US President Barack Obama Jack Patterson and Emily Gale played tennis with US President Barack Obama during a recent trip to the US. Picture: Hemer Luke Source: adelaidenow ON A family trip to the US, cousins Jack Patterson and Emily Gale scored a chance encounter with the world's most powerful man. During the April trip to visit family friend Bobby Schmuck, who works at the White House, Jack, 13, and Emily, 9, found themselves face-to-face with US President Barack Obama. The cousins' grandparents had hosted Mr Schmuck when he was an exchange student in Adelaide 10 years ago. Mr Schmuck organised for the families to attend the White House's Easter Egg Roll, hosted annually by the First Family. As part of the event, which has been held for 135 years, the White House lawns are opened to the public for sport and games. Jack and Emily had finished a session of tennis when they were asked to stay behind to meet a special guest. "I was hoping it was someone famous or the president but they weren't giving anything away," Jack, who is in Year 8 at Pembroke School, says. Then we could see something going on as camera men and security came through. Then Barack Obama came through and everyone was cheering ... some people were crying. The president has an overwhelming presence, Jack says. He was quite tall and charismatic. He had an aura about him that made everyone just want to follow him around. The cousins were given the chance to have a hit of tennis with Mr Obama. Emily, a Year 4 student at Burnside Primary School, ws delighted to have met and played tennis against the US President. "He said 'hello, Emily' and we shook hands," she says. He's left handed and very good at tennis. But I won a point against him. Some of the cousins' friends are still in disbelief at the meeting. "There are still some people who don't believe me," Jack says.