Thank you, Mr. Nash Alexander for that kind introduction. And thanks for inviting us to the Benjamin S. Carson Honors Preparatory School today. I like your school's motto: "To teach and learn so well that family background is no longer an issue." It reminds me of one of the president's favorite mottos: No Child Left Behind.

And speaking of favorites, it's an honor to be here with Mrs. Laura Bush. You know we have a lot in common. We both have two daughters and have husbands who know what it's like to live in a household full of women.

Over the last four years, Mrs. Bush has traveled across this country as a tireless advocate for our children. And during her travels, she has learned a lot about the everyday problems our children face. I want to thank Mrs. Bush for focusing on helping our children beat these challenges as part of the new Helping America's Youth initiative.

It's also great to see the first lady of Georgia, Mrs. Mary Perdue, and all the state and local officials who are here. And I want to thank Atlanta Superintendent Beverly Hall and Roxanne Spillett, who is the president of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Thanks for all your hard work on behalf of our children.

We want to make sure all of our children steer clear of violence and risky behavior and graduate high school ready for the lives ahead of them. At the same time, we know that students who struggle with reading have a far higher chance of dropping out of school. Trying to get through secondary school without knowing how to read is a bit like trying to build a house without a foundation.

But there's good news. There's a science to teaching older students to read just the same way there's a science to teaching younger kids to read. No matter how old you are, you need to know a few basic skills before you can read. We have a lot of good research on this subject thanks to the work of experts like Dr. Reid Lyon from the National Institutes of Health. Thanks for being here today, Reid, and thanks for all the good research you're doing.

We want to make sure this research makes it to the classroom where it can help kids. That's why the president's new budget increases funding for our Striving Readers program to $200 million. It's a program that is making a real difference in the classroom by providing teachers with scientifically proven methods for helping teenagers who have trouble reading. It's just one part of the president's plan to ensure every student leaves high school prepared for the challenges of college and the 21st-century workforce.

When we help children become better readers, we start them on the path to success. That's why I am so excited by the Computer Assisted Debate Project (CAD) right here at this school. The program not only helps at-risk students from the inner city become better problem solvers--it also makes them into better readers. Just ask Dr. Carol Winkler. She helped put together the project and is the chair of the Department of Communication at Georgia State University and also the co-executive director of the National Debate Project. Thanks for being here today, Dr. Winkler, and for making a difference in the lives of students like our next speaker.

Michelle Parks is an eighth-grader who says debate has helped her solve problems in and out of school. And it's also given her some good public speaking practice. She may even have more than I do! So now it's my pleasure to introduce Michelle Parks. Thank you.

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