HR0721 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0721 LRB098 15202 GRL 50188 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Melissa Leisner, English and reading teacher at Prairie Knolls Middle School, for winning the 2013 Milken National Educator Award from the Milken Family Foundation; and

WHEREAS, The Milken Award recognizes educators in the early and middle phases of their careers for engaging and inspiring teaching, community and school involvement, and educational accomplishments; the award is called the Oscar of teaching and was awarded to 40 outstanding educators nationally; Milken Award recipients also receive $25,000; and

WHEREAS, The award's namesake, Lowell Milken, created the award program to honor educators over 25 years ago; and

WHEREAS, Melissa Leisner is a lifelong resident of Elgin; she has been teaching for 15 years and has been at Prairie Knolls Middle School in Community Unit School District 301 since it opened 7 years ago; and

WHEREAS, Melissa Leisner teaches 7th-grade English language arts; 5 years ago, she started a program called YA Cafe, originally called Young Adult Cafe, to introduce students to great literature; and

WHEREAS, Melissa Leisner earned her undergraduate degree at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb; she also earned master's degrees at Aurora University and Judson University in Elgin; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Melissa Leisner for winning the 2013 Milken National Educator Award from the Milken Family Foundation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Melissa Leisner as an expression of our esteem and respect.