Almost a month ago today, after a long and grueling campaign for the Democratic nomination, Barack Obama made history by becoming the first African-American to become the Democratic nominee for president of the United States. It is a moment that shows how far the U.S. has come and will be a lesson taught in high school history and government classes from this day forward.

But based on the reactions from a few high schoolers we talked to, many don’t seem to grasp the significance.

Derrick Millsap, a 17-year-old senior at Plattsburg High School, says the nomination isn’t something talked about much in his school or among his friends. Even though he has given little thought to it, he admits that it is something he didn’t expect to see in his lifetime.

“I probably didn’t think that was going to happen,” Derrick says. “Hopefully, it’s a good thing.”

The lack of emphasis on the event also applies to 16-year-old African-American student Zachary Summerow, a junior at Benton High School. He doesn’t think about Obama’s nomination that much and suspects that his friends don’t either.

“Some may not think it’s important right now,” Zachary says.

So, what is important? According to Zachary’s father, Geory, kids are more worried about getting jobs and cars than politics. Zachary just got his driver’s license the day of his interview, which may hint to what takes precedence over politics for high schoolers: a social life.

“Prom versus Barack Obama, prom wins hands down,” says Chris Losson, a history teacher at Bishop LeBlond High School. “It just engages their attention much more than an election.”

While Mr. Losson brings election issues up at the beginning of each class, a time in which he highlights current events, he believes that since the Civil Rights Movement is ancient history to high schoolers that they don’t quite grasp the importance of Obama’s nomination as “the Jackie Robinson of politics.” But with enough television coverage and a little historical prospective, he thinks students will realize they witnessed something unique in American history.

“They’ll hear that it is a really big deal, but I don’t know if they will process it for a long time,” Mr. Losson says.