President George W. Bush delivers remarks Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2006, on No Child Left Behind during a visit to the Waldo C. Falkener Elementary School in Greensboro, N.C. The President congratulated the school's principal, teachers and the parents for "working hard to make this a fantastically interesting place for our children to go to school." Seated in the background are Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings and Dr. Amy Holcombe, Principal of the school.
President Bush: I … met a lady named Michelle Gilmore. Michelle is -- there you are. Thanks for coming. Michelle and her husband, Tiran are here.Michelle volunteers as a mentor.
If you are concerned about the future of North Carolina, or concerned about the future of our country, and you want to make a difference, become a mentor.
It's amazing what happens when an adult takes time out of her life, in this case, to say to a child, I care about you and I want to help. The true strength of the United States of America lies in the hearts and souls of our citizens. And the amazing thing about our country is that there are millions of acts of kindness that take place on a daily basis, and it hasn't required one government law.
And the reason I mention Michelle, and the reason I welcomed her to Air Force One is because I wanted to, one, thank you as an individual, and remind people that you can serve America by loving a neighbor just like you'd like to be loved yourself. And I appreciate you being here, Michelle. Thanks for coming. (Applause.)