093_HR0217 LRB093 11427 HSS 14165 r 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION 2 WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives wish 3 to congratulate Paula Ann Sprecher on being named a winner of 4 the Golden Apple Award; and 5 WHEREAS, Ms. Sprecher teaches visually impaired 6 kindergarten and first grade students at Farnsworth School; 7 she was recognized for more than teaching reading and 8 writing; her dedication to go beyond the basics and motivate 9 her students to feel good about themselves and to appreciate 10 life earned her the Golden Apple Award; and 11 WHEREAS, Ms. Sprecher works to influence the development 12 of her students by serving as a positive role model; she 13 works diligently at laying the basic foundation of teaching 14 proficiency in academics as well as in the area of 15 blindness-specific skills in order to help each student grow 16 into a happy, well-adjusted, and successful adult; and 17 WHEREAS, The Golden Apple Foundation is dedicated to 18 recognizing and developing excellence in teaching; more than 19 1,100 teachers from Cook, Lake, and DuPage counties were 20 nominated for the award, which is presented to ten winners; 21 and 22 WHEREAS, Ms. Sprecher, along with other winners of the 23 award will receive a tuition-free fall-term sabbatical at 24 Northwestern University, $2,500, a personal computer from 25 Apple, and induction into the Golden Apple Academy; the 26 Golden Apple Academy consists of 170 expert teachers who work 27 together to ensure that all children have the excellent 28 teachers they deserve; and 29 WHEREAS, Ms. Sprecher along with the other recipients 30 will be honored at a ceremony on Saturday, May 31, 2003 at 31 the Fairmont Chicago Hotel; therefore, be it -2- LRB093 11427 HSS 14165 r 1 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 2 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 3 we congratulate Paula Ann Sprecher on being named a winner of 4 the Golden Apple Award, and we commend her for her dedication 5 to educating and encouraging her students; and be it further 6 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 7 presented to Paula Ann Sprecher as a token of our respect and 8 esteem.