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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Intercultural Development Research Association |
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celebrated the 40th anniversary of its Valued Youth Partnership in |
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2024; and |
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WHEREAS, Established in San Antonio in 1984, the IDRA VYP is a |
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research-based cross-age tutoring and dropout prevention program |
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that recruits at-risk secondary students to serve as tutors for |
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elementary students who are also struggling in school; by |
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experiencing the positive contributions they can make in the lives |
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of others, the older children are more able to appreciate their own |
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assets and to value the importance of their own education; and |
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WHEREAS, Since its inception, the partnership has helped to |
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keep 35,500 students, or 98 percent of its tutors, in school, and it |
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has positively impacted 750,000 children, families, and educators; |
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in addition, participating students have seen such benefits as |
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improved attendance, reduced disciplinary action referrals, |
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enhanced academic and life skills, strengthened perceptions of self |
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and school, and a higher likelihood of advancing to postsecondary |
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education; and |
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WHEREAS, This internationally recognized program operates in |
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numerous U.S. states as well as in Puerto Rico, Brazil, and England; |
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among its many accolades, it was named a Bright Spot in Hispanic |
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Education by the White House in 2015, and it was one of only 30 |
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programs worldwide to be initially included in the International |
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Youth Foundation database; it has also been featured as an |
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education model in several publications and in extensive media |
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coverage; and |
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WHEREAS, For more than four decades, the IDRA Valued Youth |
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Partnership has worked to reduce the school dropout rate and has |
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provided worthwhile leadership experience for students all over the |
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nation and the world, and the program is indeed worthy of |
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recognition for the exemplary role it plays in the communities it |
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serves; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 89th Texas Legislature |
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hereby commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Intercultural |
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Development Research Association Valued Youth Partnership and |
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extend to all those affiliated with the program sincere best wishes |
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for continued success with their important work; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for IDRA as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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Senate. |