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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are pleased to honor Rafael Mendez Jr. on his 
4work as the homeless liaison for the Waukegan School District; 
5and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Rafael Mendez Jr. was born October 14, 1958 in 
7Bayamon, Puerto Rico, the second of five children of Rafael and 
8Ruth Mendez; he was educated in Waukegan public schools and 
9received a General Education Degree in 1978; he has worked as a 
10dishwasher, apparel store salesman, grocery clerk, 
11carpenter/plastering apprentice, and metal heat treating tech; 
12and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, He now works for the  Waukegan School District, 
14where he has been a truant officer, security officer, and 
15residency officer, and currently holds the position of homeless 
16program liaison; and
  
 
17    WHEREAS, Since 2002, he has worked extensively with the 
18homeless students of Waukegan; his duties include:
19        (1) identifying the homeless population and 
20    coordinating activities, entities, and agencies that 
21    benefit homeless students;
22        (2) ensuring that homeless children and youth enroll in 
 
 
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1    and have a full and equal opportunity to succeed in the 
2    schools they are eligible to attend, including Head Start 
3    and preschool programs;
4        (3) initiating referrals to health care, dental, 
5    mental health, and other appropriate services;
6        (4) informing parents or guardians of homeless 
7    children and youth about the available educational and 
8    related opportunities and providing them with meaningful 
9    ways to participate in the education of their children;
10        (5) promoting awareness of the educational rights of 
11    homeless children and youth by posting public notices in 
12    schools, family shelters, and soup kitchens;
13        (6) advising parents, guardians, and any unaccompanied 
14    youth of the mediation process involving enrollment 
15    disputes and fully informing them of procedures for 
16    accessing all transportation services required by the 
17    McKinney-Vento Act; and
18        (7) allocating funds to provide school uniforms, 
19    backpacks, school supplies, access to field trips, outdoor 
20    education, and assistance with summer school fees; and
  
 
21    WHEREAS, The endless giving of his time and dedication to 
22homeless students goes well beyond his assigned duties; he 
23organized "Coats 4 Kids" in 2002,  resulting in thousands of 
24donations of new winter coats, hats, and gloves by public and 
25private corporations and employee groups from surrounding 
 
 
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1communities; and
 
2    WHEREAS, In 2004, he was presented with a certificate of 
3appreciation from the Illinois State Board of Education in 
4recognition of exemplary service to the Illinois 
5McKinney-Vento Homeless Student Programs; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, In addition to his valuable work, he   has kept 
7alive his love for music as a guitar player, songwriter, 
8singer, and recording artist, with frequent performances 
9throughout Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan; 
10and 
 
11    WHEREAS, His wife, Rachelle, also works for the students of  
12Waukegan, as a third grade teacher; he is an active member of 
13the Trinity Christian Center in Zion and is quite proud of the 
14fact that he is a lifelong "home-grown" resident of Waukegan; 
15therefore, be it
  
 
16    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
17NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
18we honor and thank Rafael Mendez Jr. for his hard work and 
19dedication to the homeless students of Waukegan, and commend 
20him for for the many ways in which he has enriched the lives of 
21the people of Illinois; and be it further
  
 
 
 
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1    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
2presented to Rafael Mendez Jr. as a symbol of our respect and 
3esteem.