093_HR0451

 
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 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS,  The  members   of   the   Illinois   House   of
 3    Representatives  wish  to congratulate Dr. John Walter "J.W."
 4    Smith, Jr. on his recent retirement as the Executive Director
 5    of  the  Chicago  Public   Schools   Department   of   Sports
 6    Administration after 40 years of service; and

 7        WHEREAS, "J.W.", as he is affectionately and respectfully
 8    known  to  the  hundreds  of students, teachers, and athletic
 9    coaches that he has mentored over the years,  had  spent  his
10    entire  40-year  professional  career  in  the Chicago Public
11    Schools; and

12        WHEREAS, A native of Chicago, Dr.  Smith  graduated  from
13    Dunbar  Vocational  High  School,  and  received a bachelor's
14    degree  from  Northern  Illinois  University,  a  masters  in
15    Physical Education from Indiana University, and  a  Doctorate
16    of Philosophy in Education Administration from the University
17    of Illinois at Chicago; and

18        WHEREAS,  Dr.  Smith  began  his  teaching  career in the
19    Chicago Public Schools in 1963 at Harlan High  School;  since
20    then,  he  has taught at Kenwood High School, Percy L. Julian
21    High School, and prior to becoming Executive Director in  the
22    Chicago  Public School's Department of Sports Administration,
23    was Principal at Adam Clayton Powell Elementary School; and

24        WHEREAS, While at Percy L. Julian  High  School,  he  won
25    eight  city football championships and two Prep Bowls; he has
26    been credited  with  changing  the  image  of  Public  League
27    football; and

28        WHEREAS,  During  his tenure as Executive Director of the
29    Chicago Public Schools Department of  Sports  Administration,
30    he  pushed  Public  League  sports  into the 21st Century; he
31    organized and implemented a  structured  sports  program  for
 
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 1    elementary  schools  that covered 14 sports, reinstituted the
 2    indoor track  program,  established  freshman  and  sophomore
 3    levels  of  competition, organized and implemented the summer
 4    sports camp, and started the no-pass/no-play policy in  which
 5    students  with a GPA of less that 2.0 must be contracted into
 6    an individual study plan in order to play;  in  addition,  he
 7    realigned  sports  conferences  with  competitive  levels and
 8    equity, doubled the  number  of  paid  coaches  available  to
 9    schools  per  sport  and  also  brought  in lacrosse, 16-inch
10    softball, golf, water polo, and double-dutch; and

11        WHEREAS, Dr. Smith's awards include the National Football
12    Foundation and  Hall  of  Fame  Distinguished  American,  the
13    College  Academic  All-American  Football  Team,  the Chicago
14    Public League Coach of the Year (5 times),  Kappa  Alpha  Psi
15    Fraternity  Outstanding Achievement (5 times), Operation PUSH
16    Coach of the Year, Coca-Cola Man of the Year,  Illinois  High
17    School  Association  Distinguished Service, Chicago Sun-Times
18    Teacher  of  the  Month,  and  the  Chicago  Public   Schools
19    Principal of Excellence Award; and

20        WHEREAS,  Dr.  Smith  is  a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi
21    Fraternity, the National  Alliance  of  Black  Public  School
22    Administrators, Operation PUSH, the Chicago Urban League, and
23    the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association; and

24        WHEREAS, A retirement gala celebration honoring Dr. Smith
25    is set for August 7, 2003; therefore, be it

26        RESOLVED,   BY   THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE
27    NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,  that
28    we  congratulate  Dr.  John  Walter  "J.W." Smith, Jr. on his
29    retirement after 40 years of dedicated service to the Chicago
30    Public Schools; and be it further

31        RESOLVED, That a suitable  copy  of  this  resolution  be
32    presented  to  Dr.  John  Walter  "J.W."  Smith,  Jr.  as  an
 
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 1    expression of our respect and esteem.