H.R. No. 1203

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Edith O'Donnell of Dallas has been named the 2009 Texas Medal of Arts honoree for Individual Arts Patron by the Texas Cultural Trust; and

WHEREAS, A graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, Mrs. O'Donnell has been a civic leader and philanthropist for more than five decades, and has demonstrated selfless devotion to the arts, giving unstintingly of her time, expertise, and financial resources; she serves on the advisory board of The University of Texas College of Fine Arts and on the board and the education committee of the Dallas Museum of Art, and previously served a six-year term on the Texas Commission on the Arts; and

WHEREAS, In 1987, Mrs. O'Donnell co-founded a Greater Dallas chapter of Young Audiences, believing firmly in the power of the arts to help children learn; she continues to serve on the board of this dynamic organization, which changed its name to Big Thought as it expanded beyond its original arts-in-education mission; through the years, Big Thought has supported educational opportunities for more than 5 million children and more than 6,000 teachers, and has sponsored over 19,000 performances and 124,000 workshops and residencies; its initiatives address academic achievement, family services, and life skills and workforce development, and its programs reach children in neighborhood and after-school settings and in juvenile detention centers, as well as in the classroom; the Wallace Foundation recently acknowledged the effectiveness of Big Thought with an $8 million grant; and

WHEREAS, This tireless advocate for the arts also created an Advanced Placement arts program, which has reached more than 8,000 arts and music students over the past 15 years; its courses have helped build critical thinking, creativity, and other essential skills, and its graduating seniors earn some $10 million in scholarships annually; with the support of the O'Donnell Foundation, young artists are given the opportunity to compete in a juried show, the Young Masters Exhibition; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. O'Donnell's many other cultural activities include her service as a member of the original board of the Friends of the Governor's Mansion of Texas and as a life trustee of the Hockaday School; she is secretary/treasurer of the O'Donnell Foundation, which she and her husband, Peter O'Donnell, Jr., established in 1957; this charitable organization works to strengthen math, science, and engineering programs and supports Advanced Placement and higher education programs in the arts; most of its grants benefit public institutions in Texas; and

WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. O'Donnell have been honored with the James K. Wilson Award and the Linz Award, and they became the first couple in the history of Southern Methodist University to receive honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees together; in 2008, Communities Foundation of Texas partnered with the Morton H. Meyerson Family Tzedakah Fund to inaugurate the O'Donnell Texas AP Teacher Award, which provides substantial cash prizes to educators; and

WHEREAS, Edith O'Donnell has long played a pivotal role in the arts community and in arts education in Texas, and her generosity and selfless dedication have increased opportunities for others and enriched countless lives; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby congratulate Edith O'Donnell on being named the 2009 Texas Medal of Arts honoree for Individual Arts Patron by the Texas Cultural Trust and extend to her sincere appreciation for her unwavering commitment to the arts; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mrs. O'Donnell as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.

Alonzo Kent Davis of Dallas

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 1203 was adopted by the House on April 7, 2009, by a non-record vote.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House