"It's like a job. You have goals. You see results" -Yuriy, Experience Corps Member

WASHINGTON, DC — President George W. Bush honored Howard Gilpin of the Philadelphia Experience Corps with the President's Volunteer Service Award by presenting the award in person at the Philadelphia International Airport. Gilpin, a retired medical billing and collections clerk, has tutored students at Levering Elementary School for a total of 900 hours over the past two years. He is one of 450 members of the Experience Corps Philadelphia and is actively recruiting other men to become involved with the program.

"Next to the day I got married and the day my daughter was born, this was the highest day of my life," Mr. Gilpin said.

Philadelphia Experience Corps is the largest and one of the five original Experience Corps programs. The program recently won the national Program of Excellence Award and operates in over 40 schools, serving 4,500 children.

"Mr. Gilpin is one of our most valued members," said Rob Teitz, director of Experience Corps Philadelphia. "In addition to his role as a tutor, he has taken the lead on establishing an after-school math program."

The President’s Volunteer Service Award was created at the President's direction by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation President Bush honors a local volunteer when he travels throughout the United States.

This is the third presidential award given personally to Experience Corps members.

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Experience Corps, an award-winning program, engages people over 55 in meeting their communities' greatest challenges. Today, in 19 cities across the country, 2,000 Experience Corps members tutor and mentor elementary school students struggling to learn to read. Independent research shows that Experience Corps boosts student academic performance, helps schools and youth-serving organizations become more successful, and enhances the well-being of the older adults in the process. Experience Corps is a signature program of Civic Ventures.