By Davila                                              H.R. No. 418

         75R9666 WMS-D                           

                                 R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is proud to honor

 1-2     the Texas Agricultural Extension Service's Empowering Teen Leaders

 1-3     Program on its remarkable success in developing leadership and

 1-4     citizenship skills in young Texans and welcome participants in the

 1-5     program to the Capitol on March 20, 1997, in observance of

 1-6     Government In Action Day; and

 1-7           WHEREAS, The Empowering Teen Leaders Program is a leadership,

 1-8     communication, and coalition building development course that

 1-9     includes mentoring by individuals with the Texas Agricultural

1-10     Extension Service and Texas A&M University, as well as state

1-11     representatives and community leaders; and

1-12           WHEREAS, Participants in the program exemplify the desire of

1-13     many of our state's youth to make a positive difference in their

1-14     communities by performing acts of kindness in behalf of others,

1-15     such as mowing lawns and delivering meals to the elderly; and

1-16           WHEREAS, Indicative of the far-reaching effects created by

1-17     the Empowering Teen Leaders Program is the Good News Gang in

1-18     Houston, which boasts many thousands of members ranging in age from

1-19     five to 18 years old, each of whom has earned membership status by

1-20     performing a charitable act; and

1-21           WHEREAS, From 1992 through 1996, 171 future leaders were

1-22     successfully trained, and they in turn have shared their knowledge

1-23     and enthusiasm with hundreds of other young people, resulting in

1-24     more than 9,000 hours of community service benefiting over 18,000

 2-1     Texans; and

 2-2           WHEREAS, The Empowering Teen Leaders Program has greatly

 2-3     enhanced the lives of its participants and those around them, and

 2-4     this worthy initiative is truly deserving of special legislative

 2-5     recognition at this time; now, therefore, be it

 2-6           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

 2-7     Legislature hereby commend all those Texans whose efforts have made

 2-8     the Texas Agricultural Extension Service's Empowering Teen Leaders

 2-9     Program the resounding success that it is today; and, be it further

2-10           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

2-11     prepared for the Texas Agricultural Extension Service's Empowering

2-12     Teen Leaders Program as an expression of high regard by the Texas

2-13     House of Representatives.