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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Tara
4 Feldman, who passed away on April 9, 2010; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Tara Feldman was born on July 4, 1975 and was the
6 loving mother of three children, Travis, Leo, Maya, and Kona
7 the dog; the loving sister to Dustin, Mike and Kori; and the
8 beloved daughter of Alan and Joyci Feldman; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Tara graduated from Butler Junior High in Oakbrook
10 in 1989 and from Downers Grove North High School in 1993; and
 
11     WHEREAS, Tara's extensive academic background included a
12 Bachelor of Science in Biology and Master of Arts in Teaching
13 from Tufts University in addition to holding adjunct faculty
14 status at Aurora University and Miami University of Ohio; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Tara launched her career in education and science
16 as an intern at the Museum of Science in Boston and
17 subsequently worked as a science and math teacher at a
18 therapeutic high school, Beacon High School in Brookline,
19 Massachusetts, and as a science editor at Pearson Prentice Hall
20 and Scott Foresman; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Tara was an artist who loved to paint, draw, and
2 create and was a self-proclaimed "science nerd" who enjoyed
3 watching the Discovery Channel and learning about animals; and
 
4     WHEREAS, Tara was a remarkable young woman whose moral
5 compass was pointed in the right direction: toward helping and
6 inspiring people; and
 
7     WHEREAS, Through her work at the Chicago Zoological
8 Society, Tara had a real and tangible impact in the lives of
9 students with disabilities, Chicago Public School teachers,
10 and young and aspiring biologists, scientists and
11 conservationists; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Tara understood that the conservation movement
13 must speak to and hear from all ages, ethnicities, educational
14 and socioeconomic levels, and abilities; Tara developed
15 award-wining conservation leadership programs at Brookfield
16 Zoo around that notion; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Tara's initial work at Brookfield Zoo focused on
18 the education and empowerment of students with disabilities;
19 and
 
20     WHEREAS, Because of her interest and experience in the
21 special education field, Tara first worked at Brookfield Zoo as

 

 

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1 an instructor with "Every Student is a Scientist," an inclusive
2 educational program for students with disabilities that
3 utilizes interactive tablet PCs and hands-on learning
4 activities focused on conservation; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Building off of her success with "Every Student is
6 a Scientist," Tara worked with students with disabilities from
7 Riverside-Brookfield High School, where she coached them on
8 their soft skills and time management and then placed them in
9 volunteer and employment positions at the zoo while showering
10 them with love, praise and continued support; and
 
11     WHEREAS, Tara then paired up with another member of the
12 Brookfield Zoo family, Agnes Kovacs and launched the Chicago
13 Zoological Society's comprehensive science training program
14 for Chicago Public School partners; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Tara not only launched the Levels of Engagement
16 teacher training program, but nurtured and developed it into a
17 national model that was conferred with a national education
18 award from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums; and
 
19     WHEREAS, The Chicago Public School teachers and principals
20 with whom Tara worked can attest to Tara's brilliance,
21 creativity, and passion; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Tara went on to create the summer Science Fair
2 Boot Camps, in addition to Science Fairs for Chicago Public
3 Schools, to give Chicago Public School teachers and students
4 the opportunity to improve their understanding and development
5 in the inquiry process; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Tara helped re-shape and re-launch the Classroom
7 Connections classes at Brookfield Zoo, having helped create
8 over a dozen classes that were participatory,
9 student-centered, and inquiry-based, with more than 20,000
10 students participating in these classes annually; and
 
11     WHEREAS, Tara worked tirelessly to make informal science
12 leaning fun and accessible for all students, families and
13 teachers in Chicago, working to expand the role of informal
14 environments in educating students and adults about science;
15 and
 
16     WHEREAS, Because of Tara, there are third grade students in
17 Chicago who understand complex terms like "habitat
18 restoration" and "deforestation" and who see themselves as
19 conservation leaders; and
 
 
20     WHEREAS, Because of Tara, there are Chicago Public School
21 teachers who have improved their ability to teach and reach

 

 

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1 students and improve science learning through inquiry-based
2 teaching tools; therefore, be it
 
3     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
4 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
5 mourn, along with her family and friends, the passing of Tara
6 Feldman; and be it further
 
7     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8 presented to the family of Tara Feldman as an expression of our
9 sincere sympathy.