By:  Truan                                       S.R. No. 510
    1-1                           SENATE RESOLUTION
    1-2        WHEREAS, Dr. Maria Luisa Garza, founder of the Gulf Coast
    1-3  Council of La Raza in Corpus Christi, has dedicated her life to
    1-4  helping disadvantaged youths; and
    1-5        WHEREAS, The remarkable individual is the executive director
    1-6  of the council which operates eight services that touch thousands
    1-7  of the city's citizens; and
    1-8        WHEREAS, A nonprofit organization founded in 1980, the
    1-9  Gulf Coast Council is affiliated with the National Council of
   1-10  La Raza, an organization working for civil rights and economic
   1-11  opportunities for Hispanics; and
   1-12        WHEREAS, Starting with a donation of $12,000, Dr. Garza has
   1-13  developed programs designed to meet the social service needs of
   1-14  disadvantaged young people; and
   1-15        WHEREAS, Recognizing the need for a runaway shelter for the
   1-16  city in 1980, Dr. Garza appeared before the city council time and
   1-17  again until she accomplished her goal; since then she has been
   1-18  responsible for starting the general equivalency diploma program,
   1-19  a family counseling program, the teen pregnancy class, the
   1-20  recreation center, drug abuse prevention classes, and AIDS
   1-21  education; and
   1-22        WHEREAS, Persistent, hardworking, and strong-willed,
   1-23  Dr. Garza has taken advantage of opportunities and is adept at
    2-1  persuading others to agree with her; and
    2-2        WHEREAS, Funding for the programs is an on-going concern;
    2-3  three times a week, Dr. Garza operates the council's fund-raiser;
    2-4  additional funding comes from donations and grants from public and
    2-5  private sources; and
    2-6        WHEREAS, Totally dedicated to her work, Dr. Garza takes
    2-7  calls from the runaway shelter at all hours of the night while
    2-8  finishing work she brought home; and
    2-9        WHEREAS, As a child growing up in Mexico, Dr. Garza learned
   2-10  about helping others from her mother who started a school to teach
   2-11  people to read each time the family moved; the young girl became
   2-12  aware of the difference she could make in someone else's life; and
   2-13        WHEREAS, After graduating from high school at 16,
   2-14  Dr. Garza became a nurse, moved to Brownsville, and attended Texas
   2-15  Southmost College on a scholarship to learn English; and
   2-16        WHEREAS, Pursuing her studies at several south Texas
   2-17  colleges, the astute student earned a bachelor of arts degree in
   2-18  elementary education, a master's degree in Spanish and management,
   2-19  and a doctorate in bilingual education; and
   2-20        WHEREAS, She has an extensive background in teaching having
   2-21  taught kindergarten to master's degree level students from 1968 to
   2-22  1991; now, therefore, be it
   2-23        RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
   2-24  73rd Legislature, hereby commend Dr. Maria Luisa Garza for her
   2-25  meritorious service to improve the lives of others; and, be it
    3-1  further
    3-2        RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
    3-3  her as an expression of the deep respect and gratitude of the
    3-4  Texas Senate.
    3-5                                 _____________________________________
    3-6                                        President of the Senate
    3-7                                      I hereby certify that the
    3-8                                 above Resolution was adopted by
    3-9                                 the Senate on March 30, 1993.
   3-10                                 _____________________________________
   3-11                                        Secretary of the Senate
   3-12                                 _____________________________________
   3-13                                          Member, Texas Senate