S*0706 Concurrent Resolution, By Courson and Jackson
 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF COLUMBIA, INC. FOR ITS
 LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO HELPING MEET THE CHALLENGE OF SCHOOL READINESS IN
 RICHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE WITH THE SUCCESSFUL PILOT YEAR OF "SMART MATTERS"
 AND FURTHER COMMENDING THE JUNIOR LEAGUE AND RICHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE FOR
 THEIR UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP IN THIS ENDEAVOR.

   04/24/97  Senate Introduced, adopted, sent to House SJ-8
   04/29/97  House  Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence HJ-3

COMMENDING THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF COLUMBIA, INC., FOR ITS LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO HELPING MEET THE CHALLENGE OF SCHOOL READINESS IN RICHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE WITH THE SUCCESSFUL PILOT YEAR OF "SMART MATTERS" AND FURTHER COMMENDING THE JUNIOR LEAGUE AND RICHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE FOR THEIR UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP IN THIS ENDEAVOR.

Whereas, the Junior League of Columbia has a long-standing commitment to the Columbia community to identify local challenges and commit its trained volunteers to meet these challenges; and

Whereas, the Junior League of Columbia has a seventy-three-year history of initiating community projects like Guardian ad Litem, Cities in Schools, Congaree Land Trust, and Sistercare to meet local needs; and

Whereas, in 1996, the Junior League of Columbia elected to focus all of its volunteer and financial resources on meeting the challenge of school readiness in Richland School District One; and

Whereas, the Junior League and Richland School District One have partnered to implement the pilot year of "Smart Matters," a family-based initiative to improve school readiness, at A.C. Moore Elementary and Mill Creek Elementary schools; and

Whereas, "Smart Matters" offers guidance and early intervention in the lives of preschoolers and the most permanent people in their lives - their parents; and

Whereas, "Smart Matters" brings together teachers, preschool children and their parents, Junior League volunteers, and other community agencies to instill a love of learning in children long before they reach the first grade; and

Whereas, the pilot year of "Smart Matters" has touched more than four hundred preschool children and their parents at A.C. Moore and Mill Creek with more than six thousand volunteer hours contributed by the Junior League; and

Whereas, the Junior League will expand "Smart Matters" in 1997-98 to include Bradley Elementary School and others in the future. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:

That the members of the General Assembly commend the Junior League of Columbia, Inc., for its leadership and commitment to helping meet the challenge of school readiness in Richland School District One with the successful pilot year of "Smart Matters" and to further commend the Junior League and Richland School District One for this unique partnership that celebrates the spirit of cooperation and volunteerism in the Columbia community and extend the commendation of the General Assembly to these organizations for their commitment to ensuring that all children enter the first grade ready to learn.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Becky Laffitte on behalf of the Junior League of Columbia, to Dr. Donald Henderson on behalf of Richland School District One, to Joanne Wilkes on behalf of A.C. Moore Elementary School, and to Tommy Edwards on behalf of Mill Creek Elementary School.