Golden Eagle Arena

Former First Lady Laura Bush to speak at West Hills College Lemoore Sept. 24th

West Hills College Lemoore will host former First Lady Laura Bush on Sept. 24th as part of the Distinguished Lecturer and Performer’s Series at the college, according to Don Warkentin, president of WHCL.

She follows on the heels of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin who appeared at the college on May 1st at the first event held in the new 2,500 seat Golden Eagle Arena events center on campus.

Mrs. Bush is actively involved in issues of national and global concern, with emphasis on education, health care and human rights.

As First Lady, Mrs. Bush made an historic trip to Afghanistan in 2005, and witnessed first-hand the progress achieved by the Afghan people after the fall of the Taliban regime.

She visited the Women's Teacher Training Institute in Kabul, which is training women to lead classrooms that girls were once forbidden to enter. She met with President Hamid Karzai and expressed America's continued support for Afghanistan's new democracy, which ensures equal rights for women and men. Mrs. Bush's involvement in Afghanistan began in 2001, when she delivered the weekly presidential radio address to call attention to the plight of women and children suffering under the Taliban.

A former teacher and librarian, Mrs. Bush convened in 2001 a Summit on Early Childhood Cognitive Development, providing a forum for prominent scholars and educators to share research on the best ways for parents and caregivers to prepare children for lifelong learning. She is an enthusiastic proponent of teacher recruitment programs such as Teach for America, The New Teacher Project and Troops to Teachers.

As the leader of former President George W. Bush's Helping America's Youth initiative, Mrs. Bush has listened closely to the concerns of young people, parents and
community leaders throughout the country. She draws attention to proven programs that help children avoid such risky behaviors as drug and alcohol use, early sexual activity and violence, and highlights the need for a caring adult role model in every child’s life.

In September 2001, Mrs. Bush joined the Library of Congress to launch the first National Book Festival. The Festival has grown each year, drawing more than 120,000 book-lovers from across the nation to Washington, D.C. in 2008. In 1995 Mrs. Bush established the Texas Book Festival, and it continues to thrive today.

In 2006 Mrs. Bush hosted leaders from around the world for the White House Conference on Advancing Global Literacy, showcasing successful, culturally aware literacy programs from a diversity of countries. Her leadership of this effort led to her current role as Honorary Ambassador for the United Nations Literacy Decade.

Tickets for Mrs. Bushes’ appearance at WHCL went on sale today at 10 a.m. and available at Protix.com or by phoning 1-866-977-6849. No tickets will be on sale on campus. For questions, contact WHC events coordinator Don Branker at 559 925-3214.

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West Hills Community College District serves the west side of the San Joaquin Valley and is part of the California Community College System. Its two colleges, West Hills College Coalinga, which includes North District Center, Firebaugh, and West Hills College Lemoore, serve more than 7,000 students on campus and online each semester.