SLS 19RS-3485 ORIGINAL 2019 Regular Session SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 277 BY SENATOR BISHOP COMMENDATIONS. Commends Michael Daniel Nelson for being named Teacher of the Year by the Jefferson Parish Schools System. 1 A RESOLUTION 2 To commend and congratulate Michael Daniel Nelson on being named the Teacher of the 3 Year for 2018-2019 by the Jefferson Parish School System. 4 WHEREAS, Michael Daniel Nelson was born August 3, 1967 in New Orleans 5 Louisiana, grew up in the Uptown area of New Orleans, and attended McDonogh #35 Senior 6 High School; and 7 WHEREAS, after participating in the marching band for four years and graduating 8 with the class of 1985, Mr. Nelson joined the United States Army active duty and performed 9 Basic Training in Ft. Bliss, Texas; and 10 WHEREAS, after serving two years in Germany, he returned home joined the 11 Louisiana National Guard and enrolled at Southern University at New Orleans, earning a 12 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a minor in Economics in 1993; and 13 WHEREAS, after five years of working in several positions with Gulf Coast Bank 14 & Trust, Mr. Nelson pursued employment in education as a Jobs for America's Graduates 15 Job Specialist, began work at Walter L. Cohen, and in 1999, transferred to L.W. Higgins 16 High School in Marrero, Louisiana; and 17 WHEREAS, Mr. Nelson simultaneously continued his military career with the 18 United States Army Reserves as a Master Sergeant with the 377th TSC and First Sergeant Page 1 of 3 SR NO. 277 SLS 19RS-3485 ORIGINAL 1 with the 469th Finance Group; in 2003 Mr. Nelson was headed on his first deployment to 2 Kuwait and Iraq for the Operation Enduring Freedom tour; and 3 WHEREAS, as a veteran and currently serving thirty-four total years in the United 4 States Armed Services, his achievements include: recipient of the Army Commendation 5 Medal, recipient of the Army Achievement Medal, recipient of the Good Conduct Medal, 6 recipient of the Army Meritorious Unit Award, recipient of the Unit Citation Award, 7 Primary Leadership Development Course (PLDC), Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course 8 (BNCOC), Advanced Non Commissioned Officer Course (ANCOC), recipient of a General 9 Officer's Coin, recipient of a Command Sergeant Major's Coin, and obtained the Operational 10 Contract Support (Military Occupation Skill) MOS ASIC Identifier; and 11 WHEREAS, Mr. Nelson continued employment with the Jefferson Parish Public 12 School System and earned several accomplishments with the JAG (Jobs For America's 13 Graduates) Program; as a Job Specialist, Mr Nelson teaches 37 core competencies that 14 enhance employability skills and his students are engaged with community service, 15 fundraising events, field trips and guest speakers; and 16 WHEREAS, he is a recipient of the Mayor's Community Service Award; and 17 WHEREAS, Mr. Nelson accomplished National JAG's 5 of 5 Outcome in 2008, 18 2009, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2017, and 2018, was noted as an Outstanding Job Specialist at the 19 National Training Seminar in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2018, and received the JAG 20 Patriot Award in 2005; and 21 WHEREAS, he attained graduation rates of 94% and higher since 2001 and 100% 22 in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017 and 2018, is a mentor for Job Specialist in the state 23 of Louisiana and across America, propelled the Higgins Career Association to one of the 24 best JAG sites in the state of Louisiana, and earned 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards in 25 Employability Skills at the Louisiana Career Development Conferences; and 26 WHEREAS, Michael Dennis Nelson is an accomplished educator with demonstrated 27 ability to teach, motivate, and direct students and adults while maintaining high interest and 28 achievement, an articulate communicator able to effectively interact with diverse populations 29 of individuals at a variety of academic levels who consistently maintains excellent relations 30 with students, parents, faculty, and administrators, is self-motivated, and who possesses Page 2 of 3 SR NO. 277 SLS 19RS-3485 ORIGINAL 1 strong planning, organizational, and leadership skills; and 2 WHEREAS, Mr. Michael Nelson resides on the Westbank of New Orleans, is 3 married to Sheree T. Nelson, his high school sweetheart and mother of his two lovely 4 daughters Zhane' Racquel Nelson and Zaria Monet Nelson, and he also has a son, Jemell 5 Michael Nelson; and 6 WHEREAS, on February 9, 2019 he was named Teacher of the Year for 2018-2019 7 by the Jefferson Parish School System. 8 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana 9 does hereby commend and congratulate Michael Daniel Nelson on being named the Teacher 10 of the Year for 2018-2019 by the Jefferson Parish School System. 11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 12 Michael Daniel Nelson. The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jerry J. Guillot. DIGEST SR 277 Original 2019 Regular Session Bishop Commends Michael Daniel Nelson on being named the Teacher of the Year for 2018-2019 by the Jefferson Parish School System. Page 3 of 3