Gabi and Lauren Go to Washington

Two Danville High School students, Lauren Peterson (l) and Gabi Potts (r),  jumped at the chance to attend this historic inauguration. 

By Sharon Lakey

On January 20, 2008, the world’s eyes will be turned on Washington DC as Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. Two Danville high school students will be there in person. Gabi Potts, senior, and Lauren Peterson, freshman, have been planning this adventure long before they knew the historic magnitude of the event.

Gabi came to it through a program called The Presidential Classroom. Its mission has been to provide outstanding high school students with a first-class civic education using Washington DC as a classroom. The program was created in 1968 when a strong youth voice surfaced in America. Having attended one of their weeklong institutes in Washington, Gabi received a postcard in July that listed the inauguration as one of the upcoming events. She applied online and was selected. 

Lauren came to it through another door—the National Young Leaders State Conference (NYLSC). This group’s goal is to foster and inspire young leaders. It was founded 23 years ago and tailors programs to specific age groups. Having been through that training in Cambridge MA, she received a letter in June telling her of the inauguration opportunity. Like Gabi, she jumped at the idea.

Interestingly, the girls come from opposite sides of the political spectrum. Gabi, though a stated independent, tends toward the more liberal, Democratic point of view; Lauren comes from the Republican. After graduation, Gabi hopes to major in aerospace engineering and minor in politics and has her fingers crossed on acceptance into a major university. Lauren, with three years left in high school, is focused on building her skills as a student leader.  

This summer, as part of her senior project, Gabi received an education in door-to-door politicking when she helped Jane Kitchell and Kitty Toll with their re-election bids. “I, personally, knocked on 100 doors,” says Gabi. She was more in tune with Hillary Clinton’s campaign at that time, as she is especially concerned with women’s issues. Lauren says she was focused more on McCain’s policies. “Probably, I was influenced by my parents,” she says candidly. “But since the election, I’ve been studying some of Obama’s ideas,” she says. “I like them,” she says, but adds, “not all of them.” 

Now, as President-elect Obama prepares his team for the coming term, both girls are excited about the possibilities. Gabi feels his election has “opened a lot of doors, especially for minorities and women. There is new ground to explore,” she says. Lauren hopes “we will wake up and fix what we’ve done: wake up to the pollution, violence and war, and learn how to spend more wisely as a nation and individually.” 

Most likely, the girls will not see each other at the inauguration after they reach Washington, but the itineraries for Gabi and Lauren in Washington are well planned. They will travel on January 17 and return on January 21.  Both agendas include keynote speakers, tours, debates, and will culminate in all the inaugural festivities, including attendance at one of the black tie gala inaugural balls. They have been informed of a strict dress code requirement for all the events and are planning to pack accordingly. Gabi’s inaugural gown is in the making and Lauren is planning to wear the dress she wore at eighth-grade graduation.

Both girls need to raise approximately $3,000 to cover expenses for the entire event. They have already completed some individual fundraising, but are planning to host a Mexican dinner before a basketball game sometime in early January. They wish to thank the many donors who have already given and hope to see many at the Mexican dinner. 

North Star readers are in for a treat. Look forward to the next issue to get a first-hand view and insight of one of the most historic inaugurations in America’s history from two very perceptive young women.            

This article was published in the January 2009 issue of The North Star Monthly

A wintry, welcome retreat at The Sundance Mountain Lodge

Letter to the Editor: The Colorado Springs Gazette

It took four hours of stop-and-go traffic through Colorado Springs to Monument on Sunday, November 30, before we considered pulling off I-25. The Mustang spinning in the lane to the left, the depleting bars on the fuel gauge and impending darkness urged our taking of County Line Road exit. Blowing snow made it difficult to find the access road that led back to the red "Hotel Now Open" banner that I had seen out of the passenger's window.

My husband dropped my sister and me off at the front door. The light, warmth of the fireplace, and the sight of a man busy with his computer at the front desk gave me hope. A young man from Santa Fe, standing with his wife and small daughter in front of me, told the story. "We're on a kind of waiting list," he said. "They just opened this hotel four days ago, and there aren't enough rooms. They've got a team trying to open as many as possible."

I looked around. There was a quiet sense of relief in the room among the bundled travelers. Dave (the man's name at the desk) multi-tasked between the computer, the people leaning over the counter and the phone. All this he did with an affable smile. "Initiation by fire," he exclaimed. My husband took our spot in line, and my sister and I checked out the bar and restaurant area. The Broncos were trouncing the Jets on television, but the same sense of peace reigned in this room where a lone waitress was filling orders from a limited menu of soup, sandwiches and drinks.

When my husband joined us, we were visiting with a couple who had offered to take a room with no bedding since they had sleeping bags in the car. "We have a room," he reported. "But there's only one king-sized bed!" The woman across from us laughed and told us of the time in Mongolia when she slept in a common bed with eleven others.

Before retiring to our room, Gary, one of the owner's, spoke with us in the lobby. He was dressed in work clothes, having been point-man for the team that had been opening rooms. "There will be some sleeping on the floor in there tonight," he said, pointing to the restaurant area. Like Dave, Gary was charged-up with the honest task of serving those who truly needed a safe night's rest.

In the morning, with the same good humor that marked our entire experience, we were served a continental breakfast. Sun poured in the big windows as travelers checked out. The young son of a couple from Aurora was chided by his mother for opening the front door, the cold air sneaking into the lobby. "I want to see the snow," he said, regretfully letting it close. I smiled, remembering the night before when it was a wide and welcome open door.