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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, For the past 25 years, the VAST Academy of Houston |
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| 6 | 7 | | Community College has effectively provided postsecondary education |
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| 7 | 8 | | to Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Launched in 1990 as one of the first programs of its |
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| 9 | 10 | | kind in the nation, the VAST Academy offers differently abled |
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| 10 | 11 | | individuals the chance to receive postsecondary vocational |
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| 11 | 12 | | training and to earn a meaningful credential that will enable them |
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| 12 | 13 | | to find work and achieve independence; students also receive |
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| 13 | 14 | | training in such life skills as computer literacy, work etiquette, |
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| 14 | 15 | | health and fitness, and financial literacy; the program provides |
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| 15 | 16 | | further enrichment through the student organization the Eagles |
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| 16 | 17 | | Club, which hosts a variety of notable events, including employment |
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| 17 | 18 | | workshops, a health and beauty expo, and a blood drive, and which |
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| 18 | 19 | | has consistently been named Student Organization of the Year; and |
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| 19 | 20 | | WHEREAS, The academy began with 55 students and one |
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| 20 | 21 | | instructor, and today it serves more than 150 students annually at |
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| 21 | 22 | | three locations in the Houston area; in addition to drawing |
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| 22 | 23 | | students from throughout the HCC district, the program offers a |
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| 23 | 24 | | residential option that has attracted students from across Texas |
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| 24 | 25 | | and around the nation; since its inception, the academy has |
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| 25 | 26 | | provided instruction to more than 3,000 men and women; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, The VAST Academy has partnered with over 60 |
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| 27 | 28 | | companies and businesses in the region, and half of the program's |
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| 28 | 29 | | graduates each year find jobs in child care, animal care, |
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| 29 | 30 | | housekeeping, customer service, food service, and other types of |
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| 30 | 31 | | employment; and |
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| 31 | 32 | | WHEREAS, Over the past quarter-century, the HCC-VAST Academy |
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| 32 | 33 | | has continued to fulfill its critical mission, giving its students |
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| 33 | 34 | | the opportunity to feel the pride of achievement and helping them to |
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| 34 | 35 | | build fulfilling, productive, and independent lives; now, |
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| 35 | 36 | | therefore, be it |
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| 36 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 37 | 38 | | Legislature hereby commend the Houston Community College VAST |
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| 38 | 39 | | Academy for providing quality postsecondary education to Texans |
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| 39 | 40 | | with intellectual and developmental disabilities and extend to the |
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| 40 | 41 | | staff and students of the academy sincere best wishes for continued |
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| 41 | 42 | | success in their important work; and, be it further |
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| 42 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 43 | 44 | | prepared for the VAST Academy as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 44 | 45 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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