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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Ruthie Meeks Walker has been named the 2009 |
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Elementary Teacher of the Year for the Region VII Education Service |
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Center by the Texas Education Agency; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Harrison County, Ruthie Walker graduated |
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from Hallsville High School, and in 2002, she earned a bachelor's |
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degree in education from East Texas Baptist University, where her |
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mother, Mary Meeks, and her husband, Will Walker, also completed |
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their studies; four years later, she attained her master's degree |
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in curriculum and instruction from The University of Texas at |
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Arlington and became certified as a reading specialist and a |
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teacher of English as a second language; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Walker began her teaching career at the same |
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school that her father, Phillip Meeks, had attended as a child, |
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South Marshall Elementary; she later taught elementary school in |
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Springdale, Arkansas, before returning to the Marshall Independent |
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School District, and she currently teaches first grade and third |
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grade literacy at Robert E. Lee Elementary School; she is also an |
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educational consultant for the National Writing Project and has |
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presented several workshops in reading, writing, and math; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to receiving the Region VII Teacher of |
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the Year designation, Mrs. Walker has been named the Marshall ISD |
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Elementary Teacher of the Year and the Robert E. Lee Elementary |
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Teacher of the Year; moreover, this esteemed educator is active in |
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the National Education Association, the Texas Classroom Teachers |
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Association, and the Parent Teacher Association; and |
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WHEREAS, Through the years, Mrs. Walker has reached beyond |
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the classroom and has contributed to the schools she has worked with |
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by engaging in numerous campus activities, including pep rallies |
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and musicals, and by coaching soccer; taking inspiration from the |
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John Dewey quote "Education is not preparation for life, education |
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is life itself," Mrs. Walker seeks to teach the children in her |
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classes the importance of giving to others, and she has organized a |
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service project for her students that benefits local animal |
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shelters; and |
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WHEREAS, Teachers play an important role in fostering the |
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intellectual and social development of children during their |
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formative years, and Ruthie Walker has helped to set countless |
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pupils on the path toward future achievement; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Ruthie Meeks Walker on her |
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selection as the 2009 Region VII Elementary Teacher of the Year and |
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extend to her sincere best wishes for continued success and |
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happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mrs. Walker as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |
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Hughes |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 584 was adopted by the House on |
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February 23, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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