TITLE: Commending Dr. Paula Francis-Richardson of Port Arthur for her contributions to education in her community.

SUMMARY: Commending Dr. Paula Francis-Richardson of Port Arthur for her contributions to education in her community.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Those Texans who give generously of their time and talents to benefit the larger community make the world a better place through their actions and their example, and Dr. Paula Francis-Richardson of Port Arthur is one such person; and WHEREAS, A native of Port Arthur, Dr. Francis-Richardson graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School; she pursued her higher education at Texas Southern University, where she earned her degree and became involved in the Houston Voter Registration Project; she later went on to complete her Ph.D. in humanities at Shreveport Bible College; and WHEREAS, Dr. Francis-Richardson was employed as a program consultant in the governor's office, overseeing the Job Training Partnership Act in five regions, and she later worked with proprietary schools for the Texas Education Agency; she returned to her hometown in 1993 and began her career in the classroom, serving as a teacher with the Port Arthur Independent School District; and WHEREAS, This esteemed educator established the Tekoa Academy of Accelerated Studies in August 1999, originally serving students from kindergarten through sixth grade; today, the school operates an additional campus in Orange and provides a comprehensive education to pre-K through 12th grade students; moreover, Dr. Francis-Richardson's valuable knowledge and expertise leading Tekoa have helped the institution earn STEM school recognition from the state comptroller's office; and WHEREAS, Respected within her profession, Dr. Francis-Richardson is a member of a number of worthwhile organizations, including the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the Texas Charter School Association; she has participated in the Brookings Institution executive leadership program and the National Political Congress of Black Women, and she is a lifetime member of the NAACP; in addition, she has served area citizens through her tenure as vice president of the Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation; and WHEREAS, Dr. Francis-Richardson has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to providing many Texans with a strong academic foundation on which to build, and it is a privilege to honor her for her accomplishments; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby commend Dr. Paula Francis-Richardson on her outstanding contributions to the betterment of her community and extend to her sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Dr. Francis-Richardson as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Deshotel Straus Gonz lez Paddie Allen Guerra Parker Alonzo Guillen Paul Alvarado Gutierrez Pe a Anchia Harless Phelan Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phillips Anderson of McLennan Herrero Pickett Ashby Howard Price Aycock Huberty Raney Bell Hughes Raymond Bernal Hunter Reynolds Blanco Isaac Riddle Bohac Israel Rinaldi Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Travis Burkett Keffer Romero, Jr. Burns Keough Rose Burrows King of Hemphill Sanford Button King of Parker Schaefer Canales King of Taylor Schofield Capriglione King of Uvalde Schubert Clardy Klick Shaheen Coleman Koop Sheets Collier Krause Sheffield Cook Kuempel Simmons Craddick Landgraf Simpson Crownover Larson Smith Cyrier Laubenberg Smithee Dale Leach Spitzer Darby Longoria Springer Davis of Dallas Lozano Stephenson Davis of Harris Lucio III Stickland Deshotel M rquez Thompson of Brazoria Dukes Martinez Thompson of Harris Dutton Martinez Fischer Tinderholt Elkins McClendon Turner of Collin Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Harris Fallon Meyer Turner of Tarrant Farias Miles VanDeaver Farney Miller of Comal Villalba Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Vo Fletcher Moody Walle Flynn Morrison White of Bell Frank Mu oz, Jr. White of Tyler Frullo Murphy Workman Galindo Murr Wray Geren Naishtat Wu Giddings Nev rez Zedler Goldman Oliveira Zerwas Gonzales Otto Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1978 was adopted by the House on April 15, 2015, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House