HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 92-4734, by Representatives Franklin, Casada, Bray, Nelson, Horn, Mitchell, Haugen, Cooper, Rayburn, Roland, Wood, Edmondson, Wynne, Zellinsky, Hargrove, Riley, Rust, Prentice, Ludwig, Grant, Morris, Leonard, Sheldon, Pruitt, Ogden, Basich, Day, Wineberry, Ebersole, Spanel and D. Sommers

     WHEREAS, It is the policy of the Washington State Legislature to recognize excellence in all fields of endeavor; and

     WHEREAS, It is also the policy of the Legislature to encourage all students to remain in school and finish their high school education; and

     WHEREAS, The Legislature wishes to recognize the exceptional talents and contributions made by an East Tacoma reggae group known as Excel, which wrote a song called "Education" to encourage young people to stay in school; and

     WHEREAS, Excel member Novel Harris, a senior at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, deserves credit for writing the song; and

     WHEREAS, Fellow Excel members Raymond Miles, a freshman, and Michael Matlock, a sophomore, who also attend Lincoln High, should be honored as backup singers in the group; and

     WHEREAS, Former Excel member Tom Prum, a ninth-grader at Gray Middle School in Tacoma, will be sorely missed for his contributions to the group since he recently moved to another town; and

     WHEREAS, Excel should be applauded for its song "Education," which finished in the Top-Ten in a nation-wide contest among schools competing with stay-in-school messages; and

     WHEREAS, Excel performed its song November 19, 1991, during a trip to the "Rocking the Nation for Education" semifinals in Washington, D.C.; and

     WHEREAS, The boys deserve praise for volunteering their time to help young children at Tacoma's Eastside Neighbor Center;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives in the State of Washington recognize Excel band members Novel Harris, Michael Matlock, Raymond Miles, and former member Tom Prum; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Legislature thank the dozens of Tacoma businesses, the Eastside Neighbor Center and the rest of the Tacoma community for their support in sponsoring the boys' trip; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives to the Eastside Community Center, Lincoln High School principal Dr. Charles Walker, and members who accompanied the group on its recent visit to Washington, D.C.

             I hereby certify this to be a true and correct copy of

             Resolution 4734 adopted by the House of Representatives

                                February 5, 1991.

                         ________________________________

                           Alan Thompson, Chief Clerk