84R8374 KSM-D
By: Canales H.R. No. 587
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, JoAnn Gama, cofounder and superintendent of IDEA
Public Schools, has deservedly been named one of the 2015 Pillars of
Success by The University of Texas--Pan American Alumni
Association; and
WHEREAS, The University of Texas--Pan American Alumni
Association honors outstanding graduates as Pillars of Success,
highlighting their motivational stories and achievements as
positive examples for current and future students; recipients of
the award come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, but
they have all shown dedication, integrity, and a commitment to
excellence in their specialized professions and in their
communities; and
WHEREAS, A Houston native, JoAnn Gama graduated from Sam
Houston High School in 1993 and attended Boston University on a full
scholarship; she earned a master's degree in educational
administration from The University of Texas--Pan American in 2003;
as part of the Teach for America program, she moved to Donna in 1997
and taught fourth and fifth grade English as a Second Language
classes; after her first year, she was nominated by her peers as
Teacher of the Year; in 1998, she joined with another Teach for
America member to found the IDEA Academy as part of the Donna
Independent School District; and
WHEREAS, Following the academy's success with the district,
Ms. Gama applied for a state charter, and in August 2000, the IDEA
Academy Charter School opened with 150 students enrolled in fourth
through eighth grades; since then, Ms. Gama has been instrumental
in developing the IDEA Public School system, which currently
educates more than 15,000 students in 30 schools across the Rio
Grande Valley and in San Antonio and Austin; several of the schools
have garnered significant honors for their students' success, and
in 2009, IDEA Public Schools became the first charter to receive the
H-E-B Excellence in Education Award as the best school system in
Texas; in 2013, IDEA Donna, IDEA Quest, and IDEA Frontier were
ranked in the top one percent of all public high schools in the
nation; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Gama was the winner of the 2009 Peter Jennings
Award for Civic Leadership, and she was appointed to President
Barack Obama's White House Commission on Educational Excellence for
Hispanics in 2010; and
WHEREAS, Texas is fortunate to have passionate and engaged
educators like JoAnn Gama, and her contributions to the greater
good will resonate far into the future; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate JoAnn Gama on being named one of
the 2015 Pillars of Success by The University of Texas--Pan
American Alumni Association 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 Ms. Gama as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.