Reps. Lipsey, Accavitti, Bieda, Booher, Brown, Condino, Cushingberry, Gonzales, Hopgood, Kolb, Lemmons, III, Lemmons, Jr., Mayes, Murphy, Plakas, Sak, Shaffer, Alma Smith, Tobocman, Vagnozzi and Zelenko offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 318.

A resolution designating December 4th-8th, 2006, as “Promise Week” in the state of Michigan.

Whereas, The Kalamazoo Promise scholarship program was announced approximately one year ago; and

Whereas, The Kalamazoo Promise provides Kalamazoo Public School graduates with the opportunity to obtain post-secondary education, at any state of Michigan institution of higher learning, with up to a 100 percent tuition scholarship; and

Whereas, The state of Michigan and the Greater Kalamazoo community recognize the importance of student success and educational excellence in creating vitality and economic development for the entire state; and

Whereas, A strong correlation has been documented between educational attainment and a community’s quality of life; and

Whereas, The Kalamazoo Promise not only dramatically intensifies the Kalamazoo area’s focus on and commitment to education, it also supports Governor Granholm’s emphasis on the need for greater higher education opportunity; and

Whereas, The state is grateful to the generous anonymous donors who made the Kalamazoo Promise possible, and also recognizes the responsibility of every citizen to take ownership of and build on the promise of educational success and community vitality; and

Whereas, The week of December 4-8, 2006 has been set aside as “Promise Week” to highlight and foster the work of Kalamazoo community task forces in the areas of student success, educational excellence, community vitality, and economic development.  We also encourage other Michigan communities to create similar higher educational opportunities; and

Whereas, Several Kalamazoo community events will be held to highlight the community’s response to the announcement of the Kalamazoo Promise, to describe the importance and impact of the Promise on the greater region, and to explore ways in which individual citizens can get involved in ensuring the success of the Promise; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body designate December 4th-8th, 2006, as “Promise Week” in the state of Michigan; and be it further

Resolved, That we applaud the Kalamazoo Promise and its ensuing positive benefits, including a highly educated citizenry and increased economic development.  We encourage our respective communities to observe “Promise Week,” to promote a dialogue on the ways that similar programs may be implemented in communities throughout the great state of Michigan, and discover ways in which we are able to build on the promise of a greater Kalamazoo for all of the citizens of the state of Michigan through personal involvement and commitment.