SENATE RESOLUTION

                         1997-8676

By Senators McAuliffe, Franklin, Goings, Wood, Sheldon, Spanel, Swanson, Wojahn, Patterson, Rasmussen, Brown, Prentice, Haugen, Fairley, Hargrove, Bauer, Kohl, Kline, Hale, Jacobsen and Oke

     WHEREAS, The Washington State Parent Teacher Association (PTA) serves children and families throughout the state by promoting educational excellence for all children; and

     WHEREAS, 1997 marks one hundred years of the PTA serving as a voice for children in the schools and in the community; and

     WHEREAS, The Washington State PTA has worked for the improvement of student learning and higher standards in our schools; and

     WHEREAS, For one hundred years the PTA has promoted the education, health, and safety of children and families; and

     WHEREAS, Through hard work and perseverance, the PTA has successfully worked for the enactment of child labor laws, a public health service, hot lunch programs, a juvenile justice system, and mandatory childhood immunization programs; and

     WHEREAS, The PTA has fought against narcotics and drug addiction, promoted automobile safety belt and child restraint legislation, and created the national HIV/AIDS education program for parents; and

     WHEREAS, The PTA stresses the importance of parents being involved in the education of their children; and

     WHEREAS, The PTA lives by the brisk philosophy of one of its founding mothers, Alice McLellan Birney, when she stated, "Let us have no more croaking as to what cannot be done; let us see what can be done, and above all see that it is done"; and

     WHEREAS, The Washington State PTA carries out this philosophy through numerous programs including the Teddy Bear Patrol to give teddy bears to children who are hurt and the parent involvement program providing training for parents, educators, and the business community; and

     WHEREAS, The Washington State PTA should be commended for its strong advocacy for the education, health, welfare, safety, care, and protection of children in the home, school, and community;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate honor and recognize the PTA's contribution to supporting the education, safety, health, and welfare of all children; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the PTA of the state of Washington.

I, Mike O=Connell, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 1997-8676,

adopted by the Senate April 26, 1997.

MIKE O=CONNELL

Secretary of the Senate