Dr. Ruiz Announces Guest for State of the Union Address

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Dr. Raul Ruiz (D-Palm Desert) announced that he would host Rafael Barboza as his guest to the State of the Union address on January 20th. Mr. Barboza has been a guidance counselor at Coachella Valley High School for 28 years and was a mentor to Dr. Ruiz when he attended CVHS.

“Mr. Barbosa helped make my dream of becoming a doctor a reality. Day after day, he drove me to become a better student and a better person,” said Dr. Ruiz. “When the time came to apply for college and money was tight at home, he paid for my application. I have seen first hand how he invests his time and energy in each student by instilling the values of hard work, integrity, and perseverance, and the knowledge that they can achieve anything. Hosting Mr. Barboza as my guest for the State of the Union is an opportunity to highlight the hard work and dedication of educators in the Coachella Valley and inspire students to work hard and follow their dreams.”

While in D.C., Mr. Barboza will meet with representatives of the White House Initiative for Education Excellence for Hispanics to discuss ways to make college more accessible to students in underserved communities.

“It is an honor and a privilege to attend the State of the Union as a guest of our Congressman and my former student, Dr. Ruiz,” said Rafael Barboza. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I hope to make the most of my time in Washington. I look forward to speaking with my students at Coachella Valley High School about this experience and show them a real life example of what is possible when you work hard, persevere, and are committed to achieving your dreams like Dr. Ruiz.”

The President is scheduled to give the State of the Union Address to a Joint Session of the 114th United States Congress on January 20th, 2015.

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