R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, On April 18 and 19, 1997, a team of students from
1-2 Taylor High School in the Katy Independent School District competed
1-3 in the U.S. Academic Decathlon in St. George, Utah; and
1-4 WHEREAS, That team came back to Texas as the record-setting
1-5 National Academic Decathlon Champions; the group earned more points
1-6 than any other team had scored in the previous 16 years of state
1-7 and national Academic Decathlon competition; and
1-8 WHEREAS, The success of the team was augmented by some 40
1-9 individual medal-winning performances; every member of the team won
1-10 at least two personal gold, silver, or bronze medals; and some
1-11 members won scholarships worth $1,000 to $3,000; and
1-12 WHEREAS, The rigorous requirements of this competition
1-13 demanded all members of the team to have a broad knowledge in all
1-14 subject fields--each team member was required to take comprehensive
1-15 written tests in economics, fine arts, language and literature,
1-16 mathematics, science, and social studies, besides having to perform
1-17 interviews, essays, and extemporaneous speaking--and team members
1-18 had to rely on each other for success in a team question-and-answer
1-19 relay; and
1-20 WHEREAS, The success of this group of young men says not only
1-21 great things about their abilities as individuals but as a unit;
1-22 and the unit could not have reached such impressive heights of
1-23 achievement without the steady hand of coaches Susan Shellum and
1-24 Cynthia Sweatnam, who guided the team to a record-setting victory
2-1 in state competition in Arlington just weeks before resetting that
2-2 record in national competition; and
2-3 WHEREAS, The winning coaches and team members--Eric Madrazo,
2-4 Chris Banse, Shaumo Sadhukhan, Steven Chang, Anjan Choudhury,
2-5 Saamir Hassan, Scott Schneider, Michael Lebold, and Simon
2-6 Peron--have been welcomed back home in Katy and in the Capitol in
2-7 Austin by enthusiastic crowds of friends, family, well-wishers,
2-8 supporters, and statewide elected officials; now, therefore, be it
2-9 RESOLVED, That the Texas House of Representatives of the 75th
2-10 Legislature congratulate the National Academic Decathlon Champion
2-11 team from Katy Taylor High School and pay tribute to its
2-12 record-setting accomplishment; and, be it further
2-13 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-14 prepared for the members of this team and for Katy Taylor High
2-15 School as a token of esteem from the members of the house of
2-16 representatives.
Culberson
Heflin
Laney Gutierrez Oliveira
Alexander Haggerty Olivo
Allen Hamric Palmer
Alvarado Hartnett Patterson
Averitt Hawley Pickett
Bailey Heflin Pitts
Berlanga Hernandez Place
Bonnen Hightower Price
Bosse Hilbert Puente
Brimer Hilderbran Rabuck
Burnam Hill Ramsay
Carter Hinojosa Rangel
Chavez Hirschi Raymond
Chisum Hochberg Reyna of Bexar
Christian Hodge Reyna of Dallas
Clark Holzheauser Rhodes
Coleman Horn Rodriguez
Cook Howard Roman
Corte Hunter Sadler
Counts Hupp Seaman
Crabb Isett Serna
Craddick Jackson Shields
Cuellar Janek Siebert
Culberson Jones of Lubbock Smith
Danburg Jones of Dallas Smithee
Davila Junell Solis
Davis Kamel Solomons
Delisi Keel Staples
Denny Keffer Stiles
Driver King Swinford
Dukes Krusee Talton
Dunnam Kubiak Telford
Dutton Kuempel Thompson
Edwards Lewis of Tarrant Tillery
Ehrhardt Lewis of Orange Torres
Eiland Longoria Turner of Coleman
Elkins Luna Turner of Harris
Farrar McCall Uher
Finnell McClendon Van de Putte
Flores McReynolds Walker
Gallego Madden West
Galloway Marchant Williams
Garcia Maxey Williamson
Giddings Merritt Wilson
Glaze Moffat Wise
Goodman Moreno Wohlgemuth
Goolsby Mowery Wolens
Gray Naishtat Woolley
Greenberg Nixon Yarbrough
Grusendorf Oakley Zbranek
_______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 868 was adopted by the House on May
9, 1997, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House