HR0904

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HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are pleased to congratulate Illinois Secretary 
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of State Jesse White and the members of the Jesse White 
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Tumbling Team on the occasion of the team's 50th anniversary in 
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2009; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, The Jesse White Tumbling Team has thrilled 
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audiences since December 8, 1959, when Illinois Secretary of 
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State Jesse White, the team's founder and coach, created the 
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team to provide a recreational, athletic, educational, and 
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cultural enrichment experience for young people throughout the 
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State; the team makes over 1,000 appearances each year; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, The Jesse White Tumbling Team's acrobatic 
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performances can frequently be seen during half-time shows for 
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the National Basketball Association, the National Football 
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League, and Major League  and Minor League Baseball games; the 
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team has appeared on numerous television programs, including 
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Late Night with David Letterman, The Tonight Show, Good Morning 
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America, The Jenny Jones Show, the Mickey Mouse Club, and How'd 
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They Do That; to their credit, the team has appeared in 4 
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movies and 25 commercials; the team entertains at business and 
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sporting events year-round, including colleges and 
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universities nationwide; the team also performed during the 
 


 






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52nd, 53rd, and 54th Presidential Inaugural Parades; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, The Jesse White Tumbling Team has performed in 6 
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countries outside of the United States of America and has an 
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international following; the team's fans can be found from 
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Tokyo, Japan, to Hong Kong, China, Bermuda, Jamaica, and 
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Canada; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, A number of the Jesse White Tumblers, some of whom 
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are as young as 6 years old, are residents of Chicago's Henry 
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Horner housing development; other members of the team are 
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residents from 11 communities within the Chicago metropolitan 
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area; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The Jesse White Tumbling Team was designed to be a 
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juvenile delinquency prevention program that helps youngsters 
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"grow tall and straight"; the members are required to abide by 
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Jesse White's strict rules, which include staying in school, 
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maintaining a "C" average in academic coursework, and staying 
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away from gangs and drugs; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Due to Jesse White's "tough love" approach and his 
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active involvement as coach, teacher, friend, mentor, 
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confidant, and surrogate father to the members, over 12,000 
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young men and women have benefited from the program since the 
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team's inception; and
 
 


 






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    WHEREAS, The Jesse White Tumbling Team will celebrate the 
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50th anniversary of the creation of the team during a reception 
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and dinner on February 23, 2010 at the United Center in 
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Chicago; therefore, be it
  
 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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congratulate Jesse White and all the past and present members 
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of the Jesse White Tumbling Team on the occasion of the team's 
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50th anniversary and thank Illinois Secretary of State Jesse 
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White for the creation of this
 wonderful program, for putting 
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his heart and soul into it, and for the countless fans they 
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have entertained; and be it further
  
 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White as a 
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symbol of our esteem and respect.