SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 333
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
recognize Karen Thornton, who has been named the recipient of the
2019 Women of Excellence Award in Education by the YWCA of
Lubbock; and
WHEREAS, The prestigious Women of Excellence Award is
bestowed annually to women in the Lubbock community who have
excelled in their careers and who have made substantial
contributions to their chosen fields and to the organizations and
businesses in the community; and
WHEREAS, Karen Thornton has served for over 40 years as an
elementary school teacher, counselor, and principal in Lubbock,
and she is currently the esteemed principal of Waters Elementary
School; over the course of her distinguished career as an
educator, she has demonstrated resourcefulness and enthusiasm
for her work, and her commitment to preparing young people to
succeed and thrive in an ever-complex world has been a source of
inspiration for her students and colleagues alike; and
WHEREAS, Karen's own education continued throughout her
career; in addition to her master of arts degree from Texas Tech
University, she earned a certificate from the Harvard Graduate
School of Education's National Institute for Urban School
Leaders in 2009; and
WHEREAS, Karen regularly spends hours nominating her
teachers for awards, and many of them have been honored as
teacher of the year for the quadrant, the district, or the
region; and
WHEREAS, The culture of excellence Karen has established
during her tenure at Waters Elementary School is evident in the
success of her students, many of whom meet and exceed state
standards and are recognized for academic achievement every year;
her students have placed in the Global Finals in Destination
Imagination for the past eight years and have earned cross-country
banners that fly high in the school's gymnasium; and
WHEREAS, Karen's commitment to service goes well beyond the
schoolhouse; known for her common refrain, "I'll do it," she
never hesitates to give her time and resources to the community;
for over 20 years, Karen has served on, volunteered for, or
financially contributed to countless organizations, such as the
United Way, the Lubbock Independent School District Council of
Parent Teacher Associations, the Lubbock ISD Y-Care Advisory
Committee, the Ronald McDonald House, Westminster Presbyterian
Church, the American Heart Association, the March of Dimes, and
Autism Awareness; when needed, she is known to help families pay
their electric bills or buy tennis shoes for children or their
family members; and
WHEREAS, Earning the Women of Excellence Award is a
capstone in Karen's distinguished and highly recognized career
of service, during which she has had a profound and positive
impact on the lives of countless children, parents, and teachers,
and on numerous organizations; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th
Legislature, hereby congratulate Karen Thornton on earning the
prestigious 2019 Women of Excellence Award in Education and
extend to her best wishes for continued success in all her
endeavors; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
her as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate.
Perry
________________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on March 7, 2019.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate