R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The Rio Grande Marine Institute (RGMI) has been 1-2 tremendously influential in the lives of many at-risk youths in 1-3 South Texas by offering a range of educational and rehabilitation 1-4 services, and these remarkable efforts are indeed worthy of special 1-5 legislative recognition; and 1-6 WHEREAS, RGMI is a branch of the Associated Marine Institutes 1-7 (AMI) and is a nonprofit organization providing alternative 1-8 correctional programs for teens; nationally, AMI and its affiliates 1-9 have helped more than 12,000 youths, through 48 wilderness and 1-10 marine institutes in eight states and the Cayman Islands; and 1-11 WHEREAS, Based in Brownsville, RGMI is a contract care 1-12 provider for adjudicated youths committed to the Texas Youth 1-13 Commission, which recently bestowed "Exemplary Program Status" on 1-14 this unique organization; and 1-15 WHEREAS, The institute's innovative programs provide 1-16 experience-based marine and wilderness curricula, community service 1-17 opportunities, educational services, and strict discipline and 1-18 care; the results are outstanding and include an exceptionally high 1-19 program completion rate and low recidivism, and, of those students 1-20 who are eligible, more than 95 percent earn their GED; and 1-21 WHEREAS, RGMI and its participants have completed more than 1-22 3,000 hours of community service in the lower Rio Grande Valley, 1-23 and organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, the East 1-24 Brownsville Little League, the Laguna Atascosa Wildlife Refuge, and 2-1 the San Benito Girls and Boys Club are but a few of the many 2-2 programs to benefit from its efforts; and 2-3 WHEREAS, Foremost, however, are the teens who have benefited 2-4 from a program that emphasizes self-respect and responsibility, 2-5 education and possibilities; the work being done in behalf of 2-6 at-risk youth by the Rio Grande Marine Institute is of the utmost 2-7 importance for the future of the youth of this state, and it is 2-8 indeed appropriate to recognize these efforts at this time; now, 2-9 therefore, be it 2-10 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas 2-11 Legislature hereby honor the Rio Grande Marine Institute for its 2-12 successful work with the at-risk youth of Texas; and, be it further 2-13 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-14 prepared for the Rio Grande Marine Institute as an expression of 2-15 high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Solis of Cameron _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 73 was adopted by the House on March 25, 1999, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House