President George W. Bush will meet Phuong Nguyen upon arrival in Denver, Colorado, on Monday, August 11, 2003. A recent graduate of George Washington High School, Nguyen is a longtime volunteer with the American Red Cross (ARC) Youth Corps.

Earlier this year, President Bush celebrated the first anniversary of the USA Freedom Corps – his initiative to engage all Americans in service to their neighbors and their nation. President Bush is recognizing individuals around the country, like Nguyen, who are answering the call to volunteer service.

For the past two years, Nguyen has been an active volunteer with the ARC Youth Corps, a partnership program between the Mile High Chapter of the ARC and Denver-area high schools. As part of the ARC Youth Corps program, students participate in “Signature Projects” each semester that require them to identify community needs and establish a plan for addressing those needs through volunteer service. During her junior and senior years, Nguyen worked with other students to organize and implement three such projects including: graffiti removal and mural painting at her school; coordinating a gift exchange between seniors in a nearby nursing home and children at a daycare facility; and creating a field day for elementary students to promote health and fitness.

President Bush created the USA Freedom Corps office at the White House to foster a culture of service, citizenship and responsibility.  Through the USA Freedom Corps, President Bush wants to help every American answer the call to volunteer service by strengthening and expanding service opportunities to protect our homeland, support our communities and extend American compassion around the world.  This summer, the USA Freedom Corps is helping individuals, families, and groups find opportunities to volunteer in their own neighborhoods or on vacations away from home through the new “How I Spent My Summer” initiative.   More information on these opportunities is available at www.usafreedomcorps.gov or by calling 1-877-USA-CORPS.

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