First Lady Visits Department of Education

By Maria Glod

In the first stop of a planned series of visits to federal agencies, first lady Michelle Obama went to the Department of Education today to energize workers by announcing: "I am a product of your work."

During a 10 minute speech with a pep rally atmosphere, Obama plugged the president's stimulus plan, which would pay to renovate thousands of schools, add funding for preschool for disadvantaged children and increase federal dollars for Pell Grants for college students. She said the infusion of cash would prevent teacher layoffs and help children in poverty and those with disabilities. [Wash. Post]