SLS 16RS-626 ORIGINAL 2016 Regular Session SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 23 BY SENATOR PEACOCK COMMENDATIONS. Commends Nicole Vasquez on being selected the 2016 Louisiana High School Teacher of the Year. 1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION 2 To commend and congratulate Nicole Vasquez on being selected as the 2016 Louisiana 3 High School Teacher of the Year. 4 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Teacher of the Year Program, which is cosponsored by 5 the Louisiana Department of Education, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary 6 Education, and Dream Teachers, is an annual event which recognizes and honors top 7 performing teachers in Louisiana; and 8 WHEREAS, the awards were presented at the 9th Annual Cecil J. Picard Educator 9 Excellence Symposium and Celebration in Baton Rouge on July 11, 2015, by the Louisiana 10 Department of Education in association with Dream Teachers and the Louisiana Principals 11 Association; and 12 WHEREAS, Captain Shreve High School English and Social Studies teacher Nicole 13 Vasquez was selected as the 2016 Louisiana High School Teacher of the Year; and 14 WHEREAS, Mrs. Vasquez was among nine finalists for the annual award which 15 celebrates and honors Louisiana's most exceptional high school teachers; and 16 WHEREAS, Mrs. Vasquez graduated from Leesville High School in 2003, earned 17 a Bachelor of Science in Secondary English from Northwestern State University in 2007, a 18 Master of Education in Special Education, Gifted, from Northwestern State University in Page 1 of 3 SCR NO. 23 SLS 16RS-626 ORIGINAL 1 2010, and her certification in Secondary Social Studies from Northwestern State University 2 in 2011; and 3 WHEREAS, Mrs. Vasquez has immense gratitude and love for her school and district 4 and has been given the opportunity to showcase all of the hardworking and dedicated 5 teachers at Captain Shreve High School; and 6 WHEREAS, Mrs. Vasquez believes teamwork makes Captain Shreve High School 7 a great place to teach and learn with a staff that supports and truly encourages each other; 8 and 9 WHEREAS, Mrs. Vasquez's teaching assignments include ninth and tenth grade 10 English, eleventh and twelfth grade Liberal Arts I (Philosophy and Multicultural 11 Perspectives), and general, enriched, honors, and gifted phases; and 12 WHEREAS, she was a Z Club cosponsor and a Youth and Government cosponsor, 13 and from 2007-2010, served as Drama Club sponsor where she codirected three musicals and 14 three sets of one-act plays; and 15 WHEREAS, her various volunteer roles have included faculty powder-puff team, 16 faculty cheerleader, faculty volleyball team, wiffle ball tournament, participation in KGTR 17 broadcast channel skits and interviews, and the talent skit in the Faculty Talent Show; and 18 WHEREAS, Mrs. Vasquez said much of her own success during her eight years at 19 Captain Shreve High School has come from Principal Sandra McCalla's guidance; and 20 WHEREAS, Dr. McCalla is grateful for the work of Mrs. Vasquez both inside and 21 outside the classroom as she is a testament to the power of teachers; and 22 WHEREAS, the Caddo Parish School Board and superintendent celebrate and 23 applaud Nicole Vasquez for this accomplishment as she continuously motivates and 24 challenges her students, and engages them in thought-provoking discussions designed to 25 inspire and cultivate a love of learning. 26 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 27 commend Nicole Vasquez for her service and dedication to the students at Captain Shreve 28 High School and congratulate her upon her selection as the 2016 Louisiana High School 29 Teacher of the Year. 30 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Page 2 of 3 SCR NO. 23 SLS 16RS-626 ORIGINAL 1 Nicole Vasquez. The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jerry J. Guillot. DIGEST SCR 23 Original 2016 Regular Session Peacock Commends Nicole Vasquez of Captain Shreve High School upon her selection as the 2016 Louisiana High School Teacher of the Year. Page 3 of 3