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Jenna Bush returns to West Texas to inspire locals to make a difference
  
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by Kathleen Thurber
Midland Reporter-Telegram
In many ways, returning to West Texas is still like coming home, Jenna Bush said Tuesday before speaking to more than 400 at the George W. Bush Childhood Home's fundraiser.
The historic home, which opened in 2006, contains the refrigerator Bush said she remembers seeing during visits to her grandmother's house as a child. And after being born in Midland and growing up in Texas, she said it's always nice to be welcomed back with that southern hospitality and kindness that permeates the area
Though her father is finishing his second term in the White House, Bush said she had a fairly typical childhood and she's working to make a difference the way her mom did as a teacher and librarian, though she said she's obviously proud of her dad's accomplishments, as well.
"There's ways to serve your country without becoming president of the United States," Bush said.
It's service that she's already started having taught in an inner city school before moving to Panama for nine months to work with UNICEF, an international children's advocacy group.
It was there that she met a young woman who prompted her book, "Ana's Story," which she hopes will encourage others to make a difference the way Ana inspired her.
"I didn't go to Latin America to write a book at all," Bush said, explaining she went to learn how to better connect with her students and their parents, many of whom had immigrated from South America.
During her work with UNICEF, though, Bush was sent to record the stories of children in the area, which is how she stumbled upon Ana -- a single teenage mother Bush describes in the book as hopeful despite the years of abuse she experienced and the HIV diagnosis she's been dealing with since birth.
Bush, who studied English and creative writing at the University of Texas, said she hopes "Ana's Story" will inspire the middle school and high school students it was written for to make a difference as there are children dealing with abuse and poverty like Ana everywhere, even in Midland.
"We're very lucky here in the United States," she said, adding it's hard for most children here to imagine living in Third World countries and "Ana's Story" gives them a glimpse of that.
Bush said she plans to continue working for "kids without a voice," but said any future political aspirations are out of the question.
She's toured the country talking about her book and has returned to South America to see the projects proceeds from her book are funding, but said eventually she hopes to get back into the classroom somewhere and of course to keep writing. She's already completed a second book, which will come out Tuesday.
When the next president is elected in November she said she hopes he or she will treat their children the way her parents did.
"We grew up the way normal kids grow up," Bush said, adding her parents never pressured her or her twin to participate in any political or other activities -- something she said she thinks any good parent would do.
The about $100,000 raised at Tuesday's event, which included a dinner and presentation from Bush, will go toward operating costs and educational programs at the Bush Childhood home, said the event's chairman Rick Davis.
Since opening, the home has hosted more than 7,000 visitors from every state and 38 countries, he said. It's also attracted lots of locals who remember seeing the Bush twins around town when they were young girls and feel as if they've watched them grow up over the years.
He said they're grateful for the Bush family's support of the house many visitors describe as quaint or modest.
"You don't have to live in a fancy home or a big house to make a difference," Davis said.
Kathleen Thurber can be reached at kthurber@mrt.com.
The historic home, which opened in 2006, contains the refrigerator Bush said she remembers seeing during visits to her grandmother's house as a child. And after being born in Midland and growing up in Texas, she said it's always nice to be welcomed back with that southern hospitality and kindness that permeates the area
Though her father is finishing his second term in the White House, Bush said she had a fairly typical childhood and she's working to make a difference the way her mom did as a teacher and librarian, though she said she's obviously proud of her dad's accomplishments, as well.
"There's ways to serve your country without becoming president of the United States," Bush said.
It's service that she's already started having taught in an inner city school before moving to Panama for nine months to work with UNICEF, an international children's advocacy group.
It was there that she met a young woman who prompted her book, "Ana's Story," which she hopes will encourage others to make a difference the way Ana inspired her.
"I didn't go to Latin America to write a book at all," Bush said, explaining she went to learn how to better connect with her students and their parents, many of whom had immigrated from South America.
During her work with UNICEF, though, Bush was sent to record the stories of children in the area, which is how she stumbled upon Ana -- a single teenage mother Bush describes in the book as hopeful despite the years of abuse she experienced and the HIV diagnosis she's been dealing with since birth.
Bush, who studied English and creative writing at the University of Texas, said she hopes "Ana's Story" will inspire the middle school and high school students it was written for to make a difference as there are children dealing with abuse and poverty like Ana everywhere, even in Midland.
"We're very lucky here in the United States," she said, adding it's hard for most children here to imagine living in Third World countries and "Ana's Story" gives them a glimpse of that.
Bush said she plans to continue working for "kids without a voice," but said any future political aspirations are out of the question.
She's toured the country talking about her book and has returned to South America to see the projects proceeds from her book are funding, but said eventually she hopes to get back into the classroom somewhere and of course to keep writing. She's already completed a second book, which will come out Tuesday.
When the next president is elected in November she said she hopes he or she will treat their children the way her parents did.
"We grew up the way normal kids grow up," Bush said, adding her parents never pressured her or her twin to participate in any political or other activities -- something she said she thinks any good parent would do.
The about $100,000 raised at Tuesday's event, which included a dinner and presentation from Bush, will go toward operating costs and educational programs at the Bush Childhood home, said the event's chairman Rick Davis.
Since opening, the home has hosted more than 7,000 visitors from every state and 38 countries, he said. It's also attracted lots of locals who remember seeing the Bush twins around town when they were young girls and feel as if they've watched them grow up over the years.
He said they're grateful for the Bush family's support of the house many visitors describe as quaint or modest.
"You don't have to live in a fancy home or a big house to make a difference," Davis said.
Kathleen Thurber can be reached at kthurber@mrt.com.
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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of mywesttexas.com.
Jack wrote on Apr 18, 2008 9:47 AM:
" Why have this thing at the country club and not the public library when the inspiration and driving force are people trying to excel and make a difference despite extraordinary odds? Typical Midland wannabe elitist stuff. Most of those that might have gained true inspiration from the visit and meeting left out in the cold because they do not feel comfortable at "The Club". "
JACK wrote on Apr 18, 2008 2:44 PM:
" Hey guys,
Are you not planning on printing my comments regarding the irony of this event taking place at the public library as opposed to the country club, but are willing to print this rant from "the -eurasian" from above??
I will wait to see if you publish my relevent comments. If not I will make my request again.
PLEASE PRINT MY VERY REASONABLE COMMENTS FROM THIS MORNING,
thank you,
Jack/Midland "
Are you not planning on printing my comments regarding the irony of this event taking place at the public library as opposed to the country club, but are willing to print this rant from "the -eurasian" from above??
I will wait to see if you publish my relevent comments. If not I will make my request again.
PLEASE PRINT MY VERY REASONABLE COMMENTS FROM THIS MORNING,
thank you,
Jack/Midland "
Jack wrote on Apr 18, 2008 7:50 PM:
" Typical Midland elitism.
An article entitiled, " Bush returns to west Texas to inspire locals to make a difference". The heroine of the story, a woman who, despite being HIV positve and living in third world conditions, excelled. So where was this event held? Midland country club of course!! Why not the public library where everyday people who strive to make a difference in our communities that NEED help would be comfortable attending?? Not the Midland way of course....... "
An article entitiled, " Bush returns to west Texas to inspire locals to make a difference". The heroine of the story, a woman who, despite being HIV positve and living in third world conditions, excelled. So where was this event held? Midland country club of course!! Why not the public library where everyday people who strive to make a difference in our communities that NEED help would be comfortable attending?? Not the Midland way of course....... "
the-eurasian#earthlink.net wrote on Apr 19, 2008 12:49 AM:
" Jack
Good suggestion!!! Even better and more convenient would be for Jenna and Ana to dialog with the people right here in this thread which she can do even if she is in the Whitehouse, in Panama , or anywhere 24 hours a day!!!
Shoe 'em Jenna!!!! Show 'em!!! Dialoging with the people in the internet will make this Bush girl more popular and more significant in bringing positive changes to the world and country than Bush the Older and Bush the Younger who isolate themselves in their ivory towers!!! Someday when Pres. Bush the Younger is in his ranch, Jenna, I suggest he dialogues with the common people via the internet using his name and title and not a pseudonymn. He is still a young man with many more years of productive life ahead. "
Good suggestion!!! Even better and more convenient would be for Jenna and Ana to dialog with the people right here in this thread which she can do even if she is in the Whitehouse, in Panama , or anywhere 24 hours a day!!!
Shoe 'em Jenna!!!! Show 'em!!! Dialoging with the people in the internet will make this Bush girl more popular and more significant in bringing positive changes to the world and country than Bush the Older and Bush the Younger who isolate themselves in their ivory towers!!! Someday when Pres. Bush the Younger is in his ranch, Jenna, I suggest he dialogues with the common people via the internet using his name and title and not a pseudonymn. He is still a young man with many more years of productive life ahead. "
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the-eurasian#earthlink.net wrote on Apr 17, 2008 5:18 AM:
DEAR JENNA Bush,
Title of Kathleen Thurber's article here says you came to Midland to inspire the locals. I'd like to inform your dad that he has indeed inspired me as a local MIDLANDER FROM HIS HOMETOWN to invent. Pres. Bush did this when he used my experimental invention to give his $300 rebate to millions of people during his first or second year as president. This May 2008, your dad who is the EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT and the ENTIRE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT composed of half a thousand congressmen and senators will distribute $300, $600,$1,200 to 130,000,000 american households. THEY WOULDN'T BE DISTRIBUTING THESE AMOUNTS TO COUNTER RECESSION/GREAT DEPRESSION IF NOT FOR EURASIAN EXPERIMENTAL ON THE CRAIG ANDERSON SHOW IN MIDLAND WHEN YOUR DAD WAS ONLY A GOVERNOR OF TEXAS. NEITHER ALSO WOULD GREENSPAN HAVE STIMULATED THE ECONOMY TO END UP EMPLOYING 2 MILLION FEDERAL RESERVES CONDEMNED UNEMPLOYABLES BEYOND THE 95% CUTOFF. THE DETAILS OF THIS I SUBMITTED TO CONGRESSMAN JACKSON BY TELEPHONE ON CSPAN IN 1992 WITH BRIAN LAMB DOING THE INTERVIEW. IT IS IN THE CSPAN ARCHIVES AND MY VOICE IS THERE DISCLOSING MY EXPERIMENTAL THE MOMENT THE FATHER, JESSE JACKSON LEFT. THESE ARE REVOLUTIONARY IDEAS. MY EXPERIMENTAL TO REP. JACKSON HAS ALREADY PROVEN THAT THE ECONOMIC BOOKS OF THE 20th CENTURY WERE WRONG. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO THE US ECONOMY AS A RESULT OF MY EXPERIMENTAL TO JACKSON:
http://www.martincapital.com/chart-pgs/Ch_gdp.htm
notice the 4 percent horizontal green bar? Notice the 6%-7% spikes above the 4 percent green bar???
Your dad swore to uphold and defend the US Constitution against domestic enemies. So too these congressmen and senators.
US Constitution article 1 section 8 clause 8 MANDATES CONGRESS TO ENCOURAGE INVENTIONS.
FIFTH AMENDMENT OF THE US CONSTITUTION PROHIBITS GOVERNMENT FROM USING PRIVATE PROPERTY WITHOUT JUST COMPENSATON - such as eurasian's intellectual properties. TELL YOUR DAD THAT THE US GOVERNMENT OWES EURASIAN JUST COMPENSATION FOR ITS USE OF A NUMBER OF EURASIAN'S INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES. IT IS GOOD THAT YOUR DAD AND GOVERNMENT USED AND ARE USING EURASIAN EXPERIMENTALS. AND I THANK THEM FOR THAT. BUT THAT IS NOT ENOUGH. JUST COMPENSATION IS ALSO NEEDED.
Here are only a few of the many experimentals I have made. The one entitled "METAL POSTS AS BARRIERS ATTENTION GARY SAUNDERS" WAS USED BY THE CITY OF MIDLAND TO PREVENT REPETITIONS OF MR. KHANH TRAN TYPE DEATHS AT MIDLAND'S DOWNTOWN RAILROAD CROSSINGS.
http://www.myopenforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=63
Thanks,
the-eurasian@earthlink.net
"