By West                                               H.R. No. 1003

         75R15478 JHS-D                           

                                 R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, Odessa's Ireland Magnet Elementary School has been

 1-2     selected as a finalist for the 1997 Governor's Awards for

 1-3     Environmental Excellence; and

 1-4           WHEREAS, Since 1992, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation

 1-5     Commission has coordinated "CLEAN TEXAS 2000," an innovative

 1-6     voluntary statewide pollution prevention program developed to

 1-7     educate Texans about the measures we can take to preserve and

 1-8     protect the environment; and

 1-9           WHEREAS, CLEAN TEXAS 2000 and the Office of the Governor

1-10     cosponsor the annual Governor's Awards for Environmental Excellence

1-11     to reward and recognize outstanding environmental projects and

1-12     accomplishments; and

1-13           WHEREAS, Since its establishment seven years ago, the Ireland

1-14     Elementary Recycling Project has become a highly successful venture

1-15     that involves not only the school's students and faculty, but

1-16     parents and other members of the community as well;  the project

1-17     seeks to empower students and to change their previously held

1-18     attitudes and habits toward the environment; and

1-19           WHEREAS, Students earn "recycle bucks" for their

1-20     participation in the recycling of plastics, aluminum, and paper

1-21     products; at the end of the school year, kids can redeem their

1-22     bucks for items donated by local businesses or for other

1-23     merchandise purchased with funds from the school's environmental

1-24     account; and

 2-1           WHEREAS, The students, faculty, and staff of Ireland Magnet

 2-2     Elementary School have set a positive example for Odessa's citizens

 2-3     by voluntarily protecting our state's environmental and economic

 2-4     future, and their efforts will undoubtedly encourage others to

 2-5     participate in pollution-prevention programs that will help to

 2-6     ensure a clean Texas for future generations; now, therefore, be it

 2-7           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

 2-8     Legislature hereby congratulate the students, faculty, and staff of

 2-9     Ireland Magnet Elementary School on being named a finalist for the

2-10     1997 Governor's Awards for Environmental Excellence and extend

2-11     sincere best wishes to them for continued success with their

2-12     outstanding recycling program; and, be it further

2-13           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

2-14     prepared for prominent display at Ireland Magnet Elementary School

2-15     as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of

2-16     Representatives.