R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, On May 23, 1997, Doris Jean Gill will celebrate 26 1-2 years of noteworthy service as an educator at the graduation 1-3 ceremony at Port Arthur's Sam Houston Elementary School; and 1-4 WHEREAS, Ms. Gill was graduated from the University of 1-5 Houston before earning a master's degree in school administration 1-6 from Lamar University; she began her career as a teacher at Dick 1-7 Dowling Elementary School in the Port Arthur Independent School 1-8 District in 1971 and was director of the district's Head Start 1-9 Program for eight years before becoming principal of Sam Houston 1-10 Elementary School in 1984; and 1-11 WHEREAS, Ms. Gill has helped to make reading more exciting 1-12 and challenging for all her students by establishing both the 1-13 Accelerated Reading Program and the Distar Reading Pilot Program at 1-14 her school and by making the campus a Koalaty Kid Reading Program 1-15 Charter School; and 1-16 WHEREAS, Her involvement with the Adopt-a-School Program and 1-17 the Junior Achievement Program has enhanced the learning potential 1-18 of many young Texans, and her work with these and other initiatives 1-19 has brought the school several prestigious accolades over the 1-20 course of the years, including the governor's Academic Excellence 1-21 Award, the Texas Successful Schools Award, and the Texas Mentor 1-22 School Award; and 1-23 WHEREAS, This esteemed educator has further contributed to 1-24 the field of education as a member of the Texas Mentor School 2-1 Organizational Committee, Phi Delta Kappa sorority, and the Texas 2-2 Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA), which 2-3 honored her as TEPSAN of the Year in 1993; she has been granted an 2-4 honorary life membership in the Sam Houston Parent-Teacher 2-5 Association and has been a finalist for the National Distinguished 2-6 Principal Award as well; and 2-7 WHEREAS, Ms. Gill has also worked for the betterment of the 2-8 Port Arthur community as a board member of several organizations, 2-9 including St. Mary Hospital and the St. Mary Foundation, the United 2-10 Community Service Organization, the African American Cultural 2-11 Society, and the Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce, which 2-12 recently honored her with its Athena Award; and 2-13 WHEREAS, In addition, she has received the Service to Mankind 2-14 Award from the Port Arthur Sertoma Club and the Silver Award from 2-15 the Chamber of Commerce at the statewide level, and she was one of 2-16 five women in the nation selected for the Tribute to Black Women 2-17 Community Leaders Award by the National Council of Negro Women and 2-18 Quaker Oats Company in 1995; and 2-19 WHEREAS, A woman of immense vision, Doris Gill has greatly 2-20 enhanced the quality of education and life in the Port Arthur 2-21 community, and her remarkable commitment is a source of inspiration 2-22 to all who are privileged to know her; now, therefore, be it 2-23 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas 2-24 Legislature hereby honor Doris Jean Gill for her exemplary 2-25 contributions both as an educator and as a civic leader and extend 2-26 to her warmest best wishes for continued success and happiness in 2-27 the future; and, be it further 3-1 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-2 prepared for Ms. Gill as an expression of high regard by the Texas 3-3 House of Representatives. Price _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 660 was adopted by the House on April 23, 1997, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House