Twanna M. Powell Lecture Series - 4/24/2002
Laura Bush
Laura Welch Bush shares America's concerns about the education of our children. Through her national initiative called Ready to Read, Ready to Learn, she stresses that America's children can't wait to read. In fact, they should have a book and an adult to read with long before they start school.
In her speeches and public appearances, Mrs. Bush expresses what many Americans believe: that every human being should be treated with dignity; and that no child should be left behind in school, or in life.
On September 8, 2001 Mrs. Bush launched the first National Book Festival, which featured authors from across the nation and was attended by tens of thousands of people.
Three days later, on September 11, the nation experienced the worst terrorist attacks on American soil in history. Since then, Mrs. Bush has focused her energy on helping our nation, especially children, through the healing process. She encourages Americans to spend more time together as families and support the teachers who take care of their children every day in school.
Mrs. Bush joined a worldwide effort to stop the Taliban's oppression of women and children in Afghanistan. In November 2001, Mrs. Bush became the first First Lady in history to record a full presidential radio address, speaking out on the plight of women and children under the oppressive Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
Mrs. Bush is also interested in women's health issues - particularly breast cancer awareness.
Her love of education and reading began in her younger years and guided her to a career as a Texas public school teacher and librarian. She attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education in 1968. Later, she enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin and earned a Master of Library Science degree in 1973. Afterward, she worked at the Houston Public Library, Kashmere Gardens Branch, until she moved back to Austin in 1974.
She worked as a librarian at Dawson Elementary School until 1977, when she met George Walker Bush at the home of mutual friends. They married in November 1977 and made their home in Midland. In l981, George and Laura Bush became the proud parents of twin girls, who are named Barbara and Jenna, after their grandmothers.
Today she brings her experienced viewpoints, her love of children and her interest in education to a much broader audience as the wife of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush.