By Deshotel                                            H.R. No. 345
         76R7878 JBR-F                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The Port Arthur Independent School District has
 1-2     declared March 1-5, 1999, as Peace Week, and this designation is
 1-3     indeed worthy of special recognition; and
 1-4           WHEREAS, During this period, students will participate in
 1-5     planned curriculums and special programs that will teach them how
 1-6     to co-exist in peace and harmony and  how to seek nonviolent
 1-7     solutions to conflicts and disagreements, and such training has
 1-8     far-reaching beneficial consequences, for it extends to both
 1-9     interpersonal relationships and domestic and foreign affairs; and
1-10           WHEREAS, The Port Arthur Independent School District and the
1-11     citizens of Port Arthur have developed Peace Week as a means of
1-12     calling attention to the patterns of community violence that spread
1-13     into the schools and as a way of encouraging a united effort among
1-14     students, teachers, parents, and the community to find peaceful
1-15     solutions to dissension and misunderstandings; and
1-16           WHEREAS, The celebration of Peace Week is benefitting from
1-17     the participation of PTAs, ministers' alliances, student
1-18     organizations, ethnic leaders, the Martin Luther King Support
1-19     Group, Texas legislators, city government officials, business
1-20     leaders, school/business partners, dads' clubs, the chamber of
1-21     commerce, and various other community organizations; and
1-22           WHEREAS, This year's Peace Week will be anchored on the
1-23     morning of March 1, 1999, by a torch run, flag ceremony, and
1-24     leaders' breakfast hosted by U.S.  Congressman Nick Lampson at
 2-1     Tyrrell Elementary School; events will culminate on the evening of
 2-2     March 5, 1999, with a parade and rally involving more than 1,000
 2-3     participants at the Port Arthur Independent School District's
 2-4     Memorial Stadium; and
 2-5           WHEREAS, Peace Week 1999 will also include an art and essay
 2-6     contest, schoolwide contests, and many other activities designed to
 2-7     encourage participation by all students; now, therefore, be it
 2-8           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
 2-9     Legislature hereby recognize March 1-5, 1999, as Peace Week in the
2-10     Port Arthur Independent School District and encourage other school
2-11     districts across the state to develop and implement similar
2-12     initiatives; and, be it further
2-13           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-14     prepared for the Port Arthur Independent School District as an
2-15     expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.