HR0581 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0581 LRB099 12724 MST 36531 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Ed Hightower on the occasion of his retirement as Superintendent of Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7; and

WHEREAS, Ed Hightower joined District 7 in 1996, and during his tenure, the district has grown from 5,000 students to over 7,000 and has developed into one of the top school districts in the State of Illinois, academically, athletically, and in the performing arts; and

WHEREAS, Ed Hightower has received numerous awards, including the Illinois Distinguished Principals Award in 1989, the Who's Who of American Educators in 1992, the Illinois Principal of the Year Award in 1993, the National Distinguished Principals Award in 1993, the Elijah P. Lovejoy Human Rights Award in 1990, the Illinois Jaycees 10 Outstanding Young Persons Award in 1990, and the Trails West Distinguished Citizen of the Year award in 2007; he was named to the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Alumni Hall of Fame in 2012; and

WHEREAS, Ed Hightower has been a Division I basketball referee for 36 years; he has officiated in 12 NCAA Final Four tournaments, represented the United States at the 1990 World Championship of Basketball held in South America, been selected as the "Neutral" basketball official for the European Basketball Championship held in Munich, Germany in 1993, represented the United States at the Goodwill Games held in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1994, and represented the United States at the Goodwill Games in New York in 1998; he was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame in 2014, named one of the top 100 St. Louis area athletes of the century in 1999, inducted into the Illinois Basketball Association Coaches Hall of Fame in 1998, named National Association of Sports Officials Gold Whistle Award winner in 1995, awarded the Missouri Athletic Club Carol O. Bauer Award in 1994, and named the Naismith College Official of the Year in 1992; and

WHEREAS, Ed Hightower is a current Trustee on the Lewis and Clark Community College Board of Trustees with over 20 years of service; he served on the Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees for 12 years, facilitating SIUE's becoming a NCAA Division I sports program; he was also on the St. Anthony Hospital Board for 18 years; he is a member of the Edwardsville Rotary Club; and

WHEREAS, Ed Hightower has a bachelor's degree, master's degree, and specialist degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; he has a doctorate in education administration from St. Louis University; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Ed Hightower on his retirement as Superintendent of Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7 and we wish him the best in all his future endeavors; and be it further

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