Thank you Principal Floden for welcoming me to Lovejoy Elementary. I'm here to introduce a very special guest who feels right at home in an elementary school. Mrs. Laura Bush, the first lady of the United States, used to be an elementary school teacher herself. Even though she no longer has her own classroom, she continues to devote herself to doing what's right for children and families across America and around the world.

It has been my privilege to know Mrs. Bush for more than 10 years, and to observe her lifelong work of helping others. As a teacher, librarian, and as first lady of Texas and now our entire country, she has demonstrated tremendous affinity and compassion for children in need. Last week, she and the president brought comfort to hurricane Katrina victims. They reminded displaced families--and millions of others who saw them on television--that America is rising to meet this terrible challenge.

Communities along the Gulf Coast and throughout our nation are reaching out to help those affected by this tragedy, and they are also welcoming displaced children into their schools. The response from school districts across our country has been overwhelming, but not surprising. Educators like Mrs. Bush know that in the short term, school can bring stability and reassurance to children's lives. And in the long term, it brings hope and the opportunity to achieve their dreams.

President and Mrs. Bush believe that with a great teacher, every student can succeed--no matter what zip code they live in, what language they speak, or what special needs they may have. That's why President Bush signed a law called No Child Left Behind. This law holds states and schools to the same high standards that teachers set for their students, and it's helping students succeed across our country. It's also providing teachers across our country with the tools and resources they need to succeed. For example,

• Thousands of teachers are participating in the Education Department's free Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative. In fact, all 50 states and the District of Columbia now grant professional development credit to participants.

• We're partnering with TechNet, a group of technology companies, to create workshops by and for teachers in urban areas that focus on math, science, and technology.

• Our free online digital workshops are available to teachers around the world. Next week we're increasing the available courses to 32.

• And starting next summer in Atlanta, we will offer even more regional teacher workshops given by teachers for teachers.

• So far, we have helped more than 200,000 teachers learn effective strategies for raising student achievement. We hope to reach the teachers of more than one million students within the coming year.

Thanks to No Child Left Behind and the hard work and dedication of tens of thousands of students and teachers, we're seeing great results across our country, including right here at Lovejoy Elementary. Over the last few years, Lovejoy students have consistently improved in math and in reading, which happens to be one of Mrs. Bush's favorite subjects. Congratulations, I'm really proud of you. And now I'm happy to turn you over to one of the greatest friends a student or a teacher could ever have--our country's first lady, Mrs. Laura Bush.

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