President George W. Bush will meet Ricardo Rios when he arrives in South Bend, Indiana, tomorrow. Rios is an AmeriCorps member working with the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) teaching math and science to middle school students at St. Adalbert's School in South Bend.

In his State of the Union address, President Bush called on all Americans to dedicate at least two years of their lives—the equivalent of 4,000 hours—in service to their communities, our country and the world. President Bush is recognizing individuals around the country who are answering the call to service and will recognize Rios as an example of the dedication to service he is hoping to instill in all Americans through his USA Freedom Corps initiative.

Rios, a former accountant and financial analyst, has volunteered as an educator at home and abroad. In 1998, Rios spent a year as a volunteer in Colima, Mexico teaching English, computer skills and physical education at a school for orphans. As a University of Notre Dame undergraduate, Rios volunteered 4 hours each week as a tutor for families learning English as a second language and also volunteered as a tutor in after school programs. Through the Alliance for Catholic Education and AmeriCorps, Rios is now working with middle school students at St. Adalbert's school.

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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