President George W. Bush will meet John Sant when he arrives in St. Louis, Missouri, on Wednesday, April 16, 2003. For more than 10 years, Sant has been an active volunteer helping to improve academic acheivement among disadvantaged students.

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 Sant who are answering the call to volunteer service.

After his retirement in 1991, Sant decided to dedicate his time to working with programs that help disadvantaged children improve their academic achievement. Through his involvement with after-school programs for St. Louis youth and the St. Louis Public School District, Sant helped to establish Partnership for Youth, a nonprofit organization known today as AmeriCorps St. Louis. This program has 70 corps members serving as mentors and tutors in the St. Louis Public School District and 25 corps members serving as part of the Emergency Response Team, assisting with natural disasters or emergencies throughout the state. Sant also serves as a board member for the St. Louis Public Schools Foundation.

President Bush created the USA Freedom Corps office at the White House to foster an American culture of service, citizenship and responsibility. Through the USA Freedom Corps, President Bush wants to help every American answer the call to service by strengthening and expanding service opportunities to protect our homeland, support our communities and extend American compassion around the world. Interested volunteers can find information on the USA Freedom Corps at www.usafreedomcorps.gov or by calling 1-877-USA-Corps.

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