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S. 746

STATUS INFORMATION

Senate Resolution
Sponsors: Senator Ford
Document Path: l:\s-res\rf\007coll.mrh.rf.docx

Introduced in the Senate on April 22, 2009
Adopted by the Senate on April 22, 2009

Summary: Marva Collins

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
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   4/22/2009  Senate  Introduced and adopted SJ-3

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

4/22/2009

TO HONOR MS. MARVA COLLINS AND TO THANK HER FOR HER MANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION AND HER MANY YEARS OF SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO OUR NATION'S YOUTH.

Whereas, Ms. Marva Collins grew up in Atmore, Alabama at a time when segregation was the rule, and African-Americans were not permitted to use the public library. The schools she attended had few books and no indoor plumbing; and

Whereas, her family instilled in her an awareness of the family's historical excellence and helped develop her strong desire for learning, achievement, and independence; and

Whereas, after graduating from Clark College in Atlanta, Georgia, she taught school in Alabama for two years and in Chicago's public school system for fourteen years; and

Whereas, her experiences in that system and her sons' prestigious private schools convinced her that many children deserved a better education than what they were receiving; and

Whereas, her dedication to children and education led her to use $5,000 from her school pension fund to begin an educational program with an enrollment of her own two children and four other neighborhood youngsters; and

Whereas, Westside Preparatory School was thus founded in 1975 in Garfield Park, a Chicago inner-city area; and

Whereas, during the first year, Ms. Collins took in children with various challenges and disabilities, and by the end of that first year each child scored at least five grade levels higher. She had proven that the previous labels placed on the children were misguided; and

Whereas, one of the students she took on that first year who had been labeled as borderline mentally retarded graduated from college Summa Cum Laude in 1976; and

Whereas, Ms. Collins' graduates have entered some of the nation's finest colleges and universities, such as Harvard, Yale, and Stanford. They have become physicians, lawyers, engineers, and educators; and

Whereas, Ms. Collins has received many accolades in recognition of her outstanding work with children, including The Jefferson Award for Benefiting the Disadvantaged, The Humanitarian Award for Excellence, Legendary Women of the World Award, honorary doctoral degrees from Amherst, Dartmouth, Notre Dame, and Clark University, and the prestigious National Humanities Medal; and

Whereas, the Senate finds it fitting that such achievements and service be honored. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the Senate of South Carolina honors Ms. Marva Collins and thanks her for many contributions to education and her service and dedication to our nation's youth.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Ms. Marva Collins.

This web page was last updated on Monday, November 23, 2009 at 2:45 P.M.