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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Big Thought has been named a 2013 Texas Medal of Arts |
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honoree for Art Education for 25 years of providing creative ideas |
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to young people that are proven to foster and sustain social, |
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academic, and cognitive growth; and |
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WHEREAS, The Texas Medal of Arts program includes among its |
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honorees institutions that have made important contributions to |
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enhancing artistic opportunities for citizens of the Lone Star |
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State, and Big Thought is indeed one such organization; and |
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WHEREAS, Part of a nationwide network, Young Audiences of |
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North Texas was founded in 1987 by Mitch Jericho and Edith O'Donnell |
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to recruit artists to work in public school classrooms; inspired by |
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that program's success, area civic leaders expanded their original |
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arts-in-education mission, starting Creative Solutions with the |
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Dallas County Juvenile Department to help at-risk teens with job |
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skills and college readiness and establishing Library Live!, a |
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family literacy program that is conducted monthly at every public |
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library in Dallas; today, these programs, as well as Thriving Minds |
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and SLANT, operate under the auspices of Big Thought; and |
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WHEREAS, In each of these endeavors, Big Thought strives to |
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better equip all children for the future by providing equal access |
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to enrichment programs and championing the idea that creative |
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learning boosts school attendance, leads to higher test scores, and |
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improves graduation rates; through public and private partnerships |
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with numerous other entities, the group coordinates collective |
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resources and administers a network of support for the benefit of |
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young people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds; and |
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WHEREAS, Through the years, Big Thought has offered |
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educational activities to students and teachers alike, and it has |
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sponsored numerous performances and workshops; in collaboration |
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with its partners, its initiatives address academic achievement, |
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family services, life skills, and workforce development, and its |
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programs reach more than 100,000 children each year in the |
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classroom and in neighborhood and after-school settings; and |
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WHEREAS, For the past quarter-century, Big Thought has played |
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a pivotal role in arts education in North Texas, and in so doing it |
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has enriched the lives of countless young Texans; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Big Thought on receiving a 2013 |
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Texas Medal of Arts Award and commend the group's staff, sponsors, |
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and volunteers for its vital educational endeavors; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the organization as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |
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Branch |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1564 was adopted by the House on April |
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24, 2013, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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