Volpe Journal Summer 2000
 US Department of Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater hosts Larry Gregory, a seventh grader from the Kennedy School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. |
Seventh Grader Becomes a Washington Insider
Larry Gregory, a Cambridge middle school student, is invited to Washington
In the fall of 1998, Kennedy School seventh grader Larry Gregory, and several other students, met with US Department of Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater. This meeting was held at the Volpe Center and was an opportunity for Secretary Slater to describe his Garrett A. Morgan Technology and Transportation Futures Program, a program that encourages students to take advantage of the opportunities for service and achievement in the transportation industry. The program was named in honor of Garrett Morgan, an African-American from Cincinnati, Ohio, who left school in the sixth grade but went on to invent the traffic light. At this meeting, Larry asked Secretary Slater if he could visit him in Washington.
Larry had a chance to ask this again last June, when Secretary Slater visited the Kennedy School to recognize the Volpe Center's "Lunch Buddies" program, a program where Volpe Center volunteers read aloud to second and third graders individually. Larry's persistence won him an invitation to spend a day with Secretary Slater, and on May 22, Larry; Lisa Van Vleck, Director of Corporate Projects for CSV; and Kelly Rowan, a Kennedy school teacher, flew to Washington.
Larry began his day by accompanying Secretary Slater to the National Press Club for the America Buckles Up Children press conference. From there, he was off to the White House to attend a reception honoring South African President Mbeki and his wife. Larry also got a tour of the White House with Secretary Slater and met President Bill Clinton, several Congressmen, and Attorney General Janet Reno. For security reasons, he was unable to attend the cabinet meeting although he did get to meet members of the President's cabinet, including Secretary of Defense William Cohen. Larry and Secretary Slater then attended a luncheon hosted by Vice President Al Gore.
Larry later visited the National Air and Space Museum with Kelly Rowan and Lisa Van Vleck before boarding the plane for home.
Larry said he admires Secretary Slater because, "He's very good at his work, and he makes sure that he gets out his words about important things people need to know." And, he hopes that someday Secretary Slater will run for President.