HR0824 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0824 LRB095 14131 KXB 39990 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Ruth Meissen, an art teacher at Harlem Middle School in Loves Park, as Illinois Teacher of the Year; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois State Board of Education named Ruth Meissen as Illinois Teacher of the Year; she will spend next semester representing Illinois Teachers at State, local and national events; she was named Illinois Teacher of the Year at the 33rd annual Those Who Excel/Illinois Teacher of the Year banquet; and

WHEREAS, As Illinois Teacher of the Year, Ruth Meissen will have the opportunity to take her knowledge and expertise out of the classroom; she will spend the 2008 spring semester speaking at teacher workshops, educational conferences, and civic and community meetings; she will receive a lifetime tuition waiver to State universities and a one-semester paid leave to pursue coursework or develop an educational project that will benefit students Statewide; and

WHEREAS, Ruth Meissen will represent Illinois at the NASA Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama and in the National Teacher of the Year program sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers and ING; she will also receive products and services from Motorola and SMARTer Kids; and

WHEREAS, Ruth Meissen initially pursued a career in advertising and within a few short years was vice-president of the Northern Illinois Advertising Council; after a few years, she took some time off to raise her second child and it was during that period when she began to think about changing careers; she discovered that she loved being in the classroom; she works with the student council, creating partnerships with businesses that can help students, Habitat for Humanity, fundraising, and adopting a sister school in New Orleans that had experienced severe damage during Hurricane Katrina; and

WHEREAS, Her work with the Hynes School in New Orleans fostered correspondence programs between the students at Harlem Middle School and students at Hynes; she raised money for supplies and visited the school, at her own expense, to meet the children and their teachers; she holds an art degree from Columbia College and a master's degree in teaching from Rockford College; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Ruth Meissen and wish her continued success as she works as an educator; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Ruth Meissen as a symbol of our respect.