HR0011 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0011 LRB104 07496 ECR 17540 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Project Education Plus (PEP) and its founder, Vince Carter, on the occasion of the organization's 45th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, As of 2025, PEP has been serving the young people, seniors, disadvantaged families, and children of the Cabrini-Near North, Lincoln Park, Old Town, West Town, Near West, and East Garfield Park communities in Chicago for 45 years; and

WHEREAS, Since its inception in 1980, PEP has worked to divert the anger, frustration, and negative attitudes of young people growing up in disadvantaged environments into positive learning experiences and constructive activities; and

WHEREAS, PEP's mission is to enlighten young people on how to take advantage of educational, technological, and recreational outlets in society and transfer that knowledge into a successful, self-sufficient life; and

WHEREAS, Through the Maryann Donlon Senior Citizen Program, PEP has branched out to meet the needs of local senior citizens and older adults; the purpose of this program is to give seniors a socializing base and some activities to do rather than being shut in; the seniors meet to plan activities, field trips, fundraisers, and social events; during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, seniors are treated to dinner and baskets of holiday items for their families; these activities also serve as an intergenerational component of PEP; and

WHEREAS, Another component of PEP is the SMART Program, which is designed to provide academic enrichment to youth, teens, and adults in the community and includes an after-school program, a technology program, a summer math and science camp, a high school and college mentoring program, and a recreational program; and

WHEREAS, One of the highlights of PEP's recreational program is the Chicago Demons baseball, basketball, and rugby programs for boys and girls; these teams participate in city, regional, and national tournaments and have visited many major universities as part of their travels; and

WHEREAS, Vince Carter is the founder and executive director of PEP, and he has worked for decades as a mathematics teacher and head basketball coach at Von Steuben High School in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system; and

WHEREAS, Vince Carter was named a 2021 Chicago Peace Fellow by the Goldin Institute for his work with PEP; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Project Education Plus (PEP) and Vince Carter, founder of PEP, on the occasion of the organization's 45th anniversary; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to PEP and to Vince Carter as an expression of our respect and esteem and with best wishes for the continued success of such an outstanding organization.