HR0221 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0221 LRB094 11718 CSA 43614 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Paulie Eberhart of Plainfield, an 8-year-old youngster who attends the Easter Seals Therapeutic Day School in Tinley Park, has been selected as the 2004-2005 child ambassador for Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago; and

WHEREAS, The Easter Seals Therapeutic Day School (school), founded in 1999, serves children with autism who need additional services and therapies to succeed at school; as child ambassador, Paulie puts a real face on the people the school serves and helps people understand why what the school does is so important; and

WHEREAS, Paulie has made appearances at several events, including an Easter Seals golf outing and holiday gala; and

WHEREAS, The school works with students from 35 different school districts; each student works from a basic curriculum set by his or her school district and additional services are offered based on each child's needs; the school has 64 separate curricula and assists students up to the age of 21; the school's state-of-the-art sensory room gives students a place where they can control their environment; and

WHEREAS, Sixty-four students attend classes at the school, which operates year round and offers speech, behavior, vocational, and occupational therapy; during the summer months, staff members increase outdoor and recreational activities; and

WHEREAS, The ultimate goal of the school is to help students progress to a level where they can return to their home school districts; and

WHEREAS, There has been a huge explosion in the incidence of autism and there are not enough programs to meet the need; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Paulie Eberhart on his selection as the 2004-2005 child ambassador for Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago and recognize and commend the Easter Seals Therapeutic Day School for its dedication in providing specialized education and support services for autistic children; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to Paulie Eberhart and the Easter Seals Therapeutic Day School as an expression of our admiration and esteem.