House Resolution 39

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING MRS. ELIZABETH RICHARDSON ON HER OUTSTANDING DEDICATION TO HER STUDENTS AND FOR BEING NAMED DESOTO COUNTY SCHOOLS TEACHER OF THE YEAR.

WHEREAS, Mrs. Elizabeth Richardson, a second-grade teacher at Hope Sullivan Elementary School in Southaven, Mississippi, who has a passion for teaching and a love for children, was named DeSoto County Schools Teacher of the Year in recognition of her hard work and unwavering dedication to providing an excellent education to her students; and

WHEREAS, before coming to Hope Sullivan Elementary School in 2015, Mrs. Richardson and her family spent a year in the mission field, serving the people of the small West African country of Togo, which is located on a small strip of land located east of Ghana and the Ivory Coast; and

WHEREAS, during their stay in Togo, Mrs. Richardson and her family worked to encourage and develop children's ministry programs in rural churches in which they were involved and they also learned to make important connections across cultural and language divides; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Richardson noted that Togo is one of the poorest countries in the world, but the people there are amazing and they work unbelievably hard, and it was a completely humbling experience, and she and her family worked with its citizens to help develop a children's ministry because in West Africa the majority of the churches are comprised of only women and children; and

WHEREAS, with a background in teaching homeschool, preschool and elementary school in various places, Mrs. Richardson said that her time in Togo gave her a new perspective on life and she began realizing the economic similarities between the citizens of Togo and her students; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Richardson stated that Hope Sullivan Elementary School is a Title One School, and while she cannot compare the economic situations of her students and that in Togo, sometimes there are similar mindsets among people who are struggling with poverty, and if one wants to build bridges to those differences, it is important to remain humble and find ways to connect to people and build relationships; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Richardson has a tremendous passion for helping her students grow and become productive citizens, and she remains dedicated to her daily mission of teaching her second-grade class by helping them comprehend the world around them with riveting lessons and engaging discussions, and she continuously radiates excellence, invigorates with her wisdom and inspires all of her students to be the best they can be; and

WHEREAS, because Mrs. Richardson strives daily to provide a quality education and an inclusive environment where her students can grow and nurture their individual talents and creative abilities, and because of her innovative means to accomplish her mission, she has been honored this year as the DeSoto County Schools Teacher of the Year; and

WHEREAS, seeking to inspire her students to grow as a person, Mrs. Richardson uses the letters of the word "GROW" on a daily basis to remind her students to always make the right choices, and with the first letters of "Give," "Respect," "Only" and "Work" spelling the word "GROW," the students recite the motto, "I choose to give my attention, respect and kindness, only do my best and work without disrupting others. My life is like a journey, and the smartest way to go is forward, not backward, bigger, not smaller. I will choose to grow."; and

WHEREAS, other methods that Mrs. Richardson uses to connect with students includes a regular visit every 10 days from a character she calls the Queen of Ten and another character dressed like a Rubik's Cube; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Richardson further noted that Hope Sullivan Elementary School provides an excellent education for its students and it does everything it can to meet the students' needs and help the students with the challenges they face, and the school provides many programs and training opportunities that are specific to the needs of that particular community; and

WHEREAS, outside of the classroom, Mrs. Richardson is devoted to her husband, Ryan, who is also in education as a geometry teacher at Southaven High School, and their three children, Marie, Jonah and Aaron; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize outstanding teachers such as Mrs. Elizabeth Richardson, who selflessly strive to improve the well-being of children in Mississippi and provide them with the skills necessary for them to fulfill their greatest potential:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Mrs. Elizabeth Richardson on her outstanding dedication to her students and for being named DeSoto County Schools Teacher of the Year, and express best wishes for her continued success in all of her future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Mrs. Elizabeth Richardson and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.