'Back to School Day' Draws Lawmakers To Classrooms

By Michelle Galley

Vienna, Va.

After Virginia state Delegate Jeannemarie A. Devolites was introduced to the 90 squirming 4th graders in the cafeteria of Louise Archer Elementary School here, she asked her audience a seemingly obvious question: "Does anyone have any idea what I do?"

The answer was not so obvious in the crowded lunchroom. Just a smattering of hands went up, and it was only after a couple of wild guesses that one child hit the nail on the head and said, "Make state laws."

But Ms. Devolites, a Republican, was unperturbed by the responses of the 9- and 10-year-olds. Teaching students about her job, she said, is why she visited the school earlier this month as part of the America's Legislators...