A Different Kind of School Lunch; Students Enjoy Tacos and Talk at Kansas City Dia de los Ninos Event.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- This is a lunch hour they'll never forget. On Monday, May 1, students from three Kansas City schools will step off the bus and into a world of potential and possibilities.

Mattie Rhodes Center, with support from GE, is sponsoring Kansas City's "Dia de los Ninos" by throwing a "working" lunch for selected students of Northeast Middle School, Westport High School and Cristo Rey High School. This is the first year the event has focused on teenaged children; previous events have focused on younger children.

The students will be hosted by Mattie Rhodes staff, school counselors and administrators and GE volunteers, each of whom will share their personal stories of overcoming adversity to succeed.

Dia del Nino is Day of the Child in Spanish and is an annual celebration of children. It started in 1925 in Mexico and has since spread to other countries, including the United States. It's also a time of reflection, when adults and mentors consider what they can do to help our community's young people see their potential and succeed.

The Kansas City event will feature remarks from various speakers and words of encouragement and inspiration from special guest, Wizards Defender Nick Garcia.

At the conclusion of the program, GE and Mattie Rhodes Center will present a $1,000 check to each school to help fund tutoring programs, fulfilling their shared purpose of promoting education among urban youth.

"GE's willingness to work with Mattie Rhodes Center indicates their commitment to preparing our future workforce and acknowledging the Center's efforts to increase awareness about educational issues in the Hispanic community," said John Fierro, Executive Director of Mattie Rhodes Center.

"GE's goal is to not only be a great company, but a good company," said Jesse Resendiz, Communications Manager of GE Insurance Solutions, member of the GE Hispanic Forum. "And a big part of that is sharing our resources and passion to help kids in the community maximize their talents and realize their dreams."

Among the schools, Westport High School will send 35 students to the celebration along with Principal Connie Espinoza-Springfield and one of her counselors.

"I'm excited and looking forward to seeing the students take part in such a vital activity," said Espinoza-Springfield. "Hispanic students need more role models and they can benefit from having relationships with people who can show them it's possible to succeed in life."

Espinoza-Springfield says her school uses almost all of the family and children's services offered by Mattie Rhodes Center - from mentoring to housing and counseling services.

Reporters and photographers are welcome to join us.

--Date and Time: Monday, May 1, 11:00am - 1:45pm

--Location: Cristo Rey School, 211 W. Linwood, Kansas City, Missouri

Founded in 1894, Mattie Rhodes Center bridges culture and communities through arts, mental health and social services. The organization empowers individuals and families through culturally competent, bilingual services in a respectful and compassionate environment. Visit www.mattierhodes.org for more information on available programs and services.

GE (NYSE: GE) is Imagination at Work -- a diversified technology, media and financial services company focused on solving some of the world's toughest problems. With products and services ranging from aircraft engines, power generation, water processing and security technology to medical imaging, business and consumer financing, media content and advanced materials, GE serves customers in more than 100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit www.ge.com.