By Flores                                             H.R. No. 1020
         76R16391 BE-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, Maria "Mari" Gonzalez of La Joya has truly
 1-2     distinguished herself through her many years of hard work in behalf
 1-3     of migrant children and their families, and her actions indeed
 1-4     merit special legislative recognition; and
 1-5           WHEREAS, A 1967 graduate of Rio Grande City High School,
 1-6     Mrs. Gonzalez began her career as a teacher's aide with the La Joya
 1-7     Independent School District, which has one of the largest migrant
 1-8     education programs in the state, serving approximately 6,000 such
 1-9     students each year; throughout her career, her knowledge and
1-10     expertise have led her to take on increasingly challenging
1-11     positions with the district, and she has worked as federal programs
1-12     secretary, liaison coordinator, and office manager during her fine
1-13     tenure; and
1-14           WHEREAS, In 1982 Mrs. Gonzalez earned a bachelor's degree in
1-15     elementary education from Pan American University and began working
1-16     even more closely with La Joya students; she was awarded a master's
1-17     degree in adult education from Texas A&I University in 1984, and
1-18     the following year she accepted a position as parent coordinator
1-19     with the district; her appointment as migrant service coordinator
1-20     in 1990 has brought her skills and ability to even greater effect,
1-21     as she now ensures the delivery and quality of a broad array of
1-22     programs for migrant children and their families; and
1-23           WHEREAS, Her remarkable energy and enthusiasm have brought
1-24     many important initiatives to bear in La Joya, including Project
 2-1     SMART, the national distance learning program for migrant students,
 2-2     and the establishment of the Migrant Expanded Opportunity Center,
 2-3     which helps migrant students to graduate on schedule; and
 2-4           WHEREAS, In addition to addressing many state and national
 2-5     migrant initiatives, this esteemed woman is the recipient of the
 2-6     1999 Excellence in Migrant Education award from the National
 2-7     Association of State Directors of Migrant Education and is a member
 2-8     of the Texas State Teachers Association, the National Association
 2-9     for Bilingual Education, and the La Joya City Council; and
2-10           WHEREAS, A wife and mother of three children, Mrs. Gonzalez
2-11     has had a tremendous impact on the lives of countless Texas
2-12     schoolchildren and their families; she is widely recognized at the
2-13     district, regional, state, and national levels for her myriad
2-14     contributions, and it is a great pleasure to join her proud family
2-15     and colleagues in honoring her at this time; now, therefore, be it
2-16           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
2-17     Legislature hereby commend Maria "Mari" Gonzalez for her many years
2-18     of effort in behalf of migrant children and their families and
2-19     extend to her warmest best wishes for continued success and
2-20     happiness; and, be it further
2-21           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-22     prepared for Mrs. Gonzalez as an expression of highest regard by
2-23     the Texas House of Representatives.