Bill Text: VA SR63 | 2024 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending I.C. Norcom High School.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-02-15 - Bill text as passed Senate (SR63ER) [SR63 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-SR63-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, I.C. Norcom High School of Portsmouth City Public Schools, a distinguished academic institution and one of the oldest historically Black high schools in the United States, celebrated its 145th anniversary in 2023; and
WHEREAS, the origins of I.C. Norcom High School date to 1878 when the construction of Chestnut Street Colored School, formerly the Chestnut Street Academy at Zion Baptist Church, established the first school building for African Americans in the City of Portsmouth; and
WHEREAS, from 1883 to 1916, the Chestnut Street Colored School was guided by principal Israel Charles Norcom, a pioneering educator whose visionary leadership left a profound and lasting impact on the Portsmouth community; and
WHEREAS, when the Chestnut Street Colored School moved to a new building in 1920, it was renamed I.C. Norcom High School in recognition of the enduring legacy of its former principal; and
WHEREAS, after relocating in 1937 and again in 1953, I.C. Norcom High School settled at its location on London Boulevard in 1998, where it has shined as a beacon of academic and athletic excellence ever since; and
WHEREAS, succeeding principals have upheld the virtues and traditions established by I.C. Norcom throughout the school's history, including W.E. Waters, A.T. Edwards, E. Blair, L. Wallace, V. Randall, DeWayne Jeter, Walter Taylor, Timothy Johnson, Lynn Briley, Rosalynn Sanderlin, Shameka Pollard, Laguna Foster, and Teesha Sanders; and
WHEREAS, I.C. Norcom High School consistently provides its students with an exceptional learning environment where they may cultivate their curiosity and spark their success; over its long history, the school has produced scores of local leaders in the areas of politics, education, and athletics; and
WHEREAS, members of the I.C. Norcom High School Alumni Association sought, with great purpose and zeal, to champion their alma mater and honor its history throughout the anniversary year; and
WHEREAS, the accomplishments of I.C. Norcom High School are the result of the hard work and dedication of its leaders and educators, the spirit and commitment of its students, and the extraordinary support of the entire Portsmouth community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That I.C. Norcom High School hereby be commended on the occasion of its 145th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to I.C. Norcom High School as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's high regard for the institution's contributions to the Commonwealth.
