By:  Zaffirini                                        S.C.R. No. 51
                             SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
    1-1        WHEREAS, The World Wise Schools Program was initiated by the
    1-2  Peace Corps to promote global education, international
    1-3  understanding, and awareness and acceptance of differing cultures
    1-4  in the schools of America; and
    1-5        WHEREAS, Through videotapes, newsletters, and personal
    1-6  correspondence between students and Peace Corps volunteers, the
    1-7  World Wise Schools Program promotes respect for other cultures and
    1-8  broadens and enriches the lives of the students participating in
    1-9  the program; and
   1-10        WHEREAS, Correspondence between Peace Corps volunteers and
   1-11  students in American classrooms is the centerpiece of World Wise
   1-12  Schools; through matching volunteers with classrooms in the United
   1-13  States, the program has involved more than 165,000 students since
   1-14  its inception three years ago; and
   1-15        WHEREAS, In addition to the "pen pal" project, returned Peace
   1-16  Corps volunteers visit schools to share their experiences through
   1-17  anecdotes, music, slide shows, photographs, and costumes; and
   1-18        WHEREAS, Endorsement of the World Wise Schools Program in
   1-19  Texas would be beneficial to the students and teachers of the
   1-20  state; each teacher participating in the program would receive four
   1-21  videotapes on the countries where the Peace Corps is involved as
   1-22  well as newsletters containing teaching tips from other World Wise
   1-23  teachers and updates on Peace Corps activities around the world;
   1-24  and
    2-1        WHEREAS, Currently 17 states, including our neighboring
    2-2  states of Oklahoma and New Mexico, have endorsed the World Wise
    2-3  Schools Program and have incorporated the program into their school
    2-4  curriculum, thus receiving the benefit of this resource; now,
    2-5  therefore, be it
    2-6        RESOLVED, That the 73rd Legislature of the State of Texas
    2-7  hereby urge the State Board of Education to endorse the World Wise
    2-8  Schools Program and support its integration into the educational
    2-9  curriculum of Texas schools; and, be it further
   2-10        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
   2-11  prepared for the Central Education Agency and the State Board of
   2-12  Education.