HJ0058 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0058 LRB103 39611 MST 69917 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Many people enjoy learning about history, and the recognition, or study, of the past allows students of all ages, young and old, the opportunity to learn and grow; and

WHEREAS, History offers many important insights into the present and the possible future; by learning and understanding the successes and failures of the past, the groundwork for a brighter future ahead is laid; it is important to encourage history education due to its instillment of civic duties and qualities that good citizenship requires; and

WHEREAS, Connections to the past help build empathic connections to the present and the future, aid in the acquisition of research, writing, and analytical skills that are beneficial in any career field, and offer greater insight into local, state, national, and global affairs; and

WHEREAS, History comes in many forms, including diaries and journals, audio and visual recordings, and pop culture, which assist in ensuring the current generation's legacy is passed down to future generations; it is important to honor the legacies our ancestors left for us, for better or worse, as we hope that our descendants will honor us; and

WHEREAS, National History Day is a nonprofit education organization improving the teaching and learning of history; and

WHEREAS, National History Day reaches more than half a million students and tens of thousands of teachers each year through its international student history contest and its wide range of professional development programs for teachers, curriculum tools, and other educational activities; and

WHEREAS, National History Day's core program is its competition in which students in grades 6 through 12 choose a historical topic that they then explore deeply by conducting extensive research in libraries, archives, and museums before presenting their conclusions and evidence through papers, exhibits, performances, documentaries, or websites, moving through a series of contest levels where they are evaluated by professional historians and educators; and

WHEREAS, The knowledge of history is the birthright of all individuals from every walk of life, and the study of history allows us to learn and grow from the past in order to advance towards a brighter, happier, and more peaceful future where we can live life to the fullest; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we declare June 15, 2024 as History Day in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we recognize all those who volunteer at historical societies in Illinois for all they do to preserve and spread our history; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the National History Day organization as a symbol of our respect and esteem.