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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Dr. Maria Luisa Garza retired as superintendent of |
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Dr. M. L. Garza-Gonzalez Charter School in Corpus Christi on |
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January 30, 2018, drawing to a close an exemplary career in |
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education; and |
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WHEREAS, A longtime advocate for disadvantaged students, |
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Dr. Garza initially launched the school in 1980 as the educational |
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branch of the Gulf Coast Council of La Raza; the council, which she |
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cofounded with her husband, Ricardo Gonzalez, provides critical |
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services for at-risk youth and their families; under her |
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outstanding leadership, the institution earned state accreditation |
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in 1993 and was awarded charter school status in 1996; she also |
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helped secure funding for the new 60,000-square-foot campus that |
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opened in 2002; the school, which was originally called the Academy |
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of Transitional Studies, was later renamed in Dr. Garza's honor; in |
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2016, this first-generation charter school was recognized by the |
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State Board of Education for 20 years of operation under the Texas |
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Education Agency; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Garza completed a bachelor's degree and a |
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doctorate in education from Texas A&M University-Kingsville, and |
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she holds two master's degrees from Corpus Christi State |
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University; the recipient of numerous accolades, she was honored in |
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2013 with a Y Women in Careers Award by the YWCA of Corpus Christi; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Through her dedicated efforts to foster a supportive |
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and challenging educational environment, Dr. Maria Garza has made a |
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positive difference in the lives of many young Texans, and she may |
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take well-deserved pride in her exceptional record of achievement; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. Maria Luisa Garza on her |
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retirement as superintendent of Dr. M. L. Garza-Gonzalez Charter |
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School and extend to her sincere best wishes for the future; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Garza as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |