House Resolution 47

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE LEADERSHIP AND EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE OF MS. LUCILLE WOOD TO EAST CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

WHEREAS, Ms. Lucille Wood, a 1949 graduate of Louisville High School, a 1951 graduate of East Central Junior College, and a 1953 and 1955 graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, earning bachelor and master degrees in health, physical education and recreation, respectively, has been an invaluable asset to East Central Community College (ECCC), where her leadership, dedicated service and commitment to education continue to prove her worth; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Wood began her employment at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Wesson, in 1953, as physical education instructor and coach of the girls’ high school basketball team, then a part of the junior college, and coached the junior college women’s and men’s tennis teams during her tenure in 1953 and 1954; and

WHEREAS, her employment at ECCC in Decatur, Mississippi, began in 1956, where she taught classes and coached various "Club Teams" from 1957 to 1975, capturing state titles in basketball in 1970 and 1973; and

WHEREAS, instrumental in reinstating women’s basketball on the community and junior college level in 1974, Ms. Wood led efforts to establish scholarships for team members and helped establish the Title IX ruling in the colleges of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Wood served as coach of the Warriorette basketball team from 1974-1985, leading her team to state championships in 1976 and 1979 and several division titles; and

WHEREAS, the first President of the Women’s Basketball Association in Mississippi in 1975, Ms. Wood was one of the first coaches of a Mississippi Junior College Women’s All-Star Basketball Team, was selected in 1978-1979 as Mississippi Association of Coaches Junior College Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year and was named to the Top 20 National Junior College Coaches of the Year; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Wood, who also coached ECCC volleyball and tennis teams and led the volleyball team to the 1970 state title and had five members of her tennis teams capture state titles, retired from coaching in 1986 but continued her involvement in athletics in various capacities, including serving as National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Director of Athletics for Region 23 and in 1990 was one of only three recipients of the NJCAA Service Award, the only Mississippian to receive such an honor; and

WHEREAS, for her service in athletics at ECCC, Ms. Wood was honored by being chosen the second inductee into the College’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986 and again in 1988 when the Physical Education Building at ECCC was named in her honor and the honor of General Denver Brackeen; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Wood has been honored for excellence as a physical education and education instructor on numerous occasions at ECCC, including being named ECCC Alumnus of the Year in 1965, her selection to Who’s Who of Women in Education in 1984, HEADWAE Instructor of the Year in 1990, Academic Instructor of the Year in 1993, Red Rose Award recipient presented by Xi Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma for Excellence in Education; and Humanities Council Teacher of the Year in 2003; and

WHEREAS, she has held various positions of leadership at ECCC, including Alumni Association President in 1963 and 1964, and Faculty Club President in 1967 and 1985; was chosen to speak at the College’s 75th Anniversary convocation in 2003; and serves as Chairman of the Division of Social Science, Business and Education and sponsor of the Student Education Association; and

WHEREAS, other honors received by Ms. Wood include: "Power of One Award" at the Mississippi Women’s Conference in 2003, recognition in 2004 as an "Ageless Hero" state award winner in the Love of Learning category by BlueCross-BlueShield of Mississippi and induction into the National Junior College Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2004; and

WHEREAS, a charter member of the 2007 Mississippi Community/Junior College Sports Hall of Fame, Ms. Wood is completing her 53rd year as a faculty member in the Mississippi Community and Junior College system in 2006-2007 and is currently recognized as the longest tenured faculty member; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize and commend excellence in our state educators of Ms. Wood's caliber, who have gone above the requisite call of duty to instill and cultivate the extent of knowledge our state's youth and young adults need to become vital and productive members of society:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby express our appreciation to Ms. Lucille Wood for her excellent leadership and dedication to athletics, academics and other endeavors throughout her outstanding career as an instructor and coach in the Mississippi Community and Junior College system.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Ms. Lucille Wood and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.