HR0825 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0825 LRB100 15609 MST 35563 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Kenneth Dion Hutchinson of Chicago, who passed away on October 18, 2017; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Hutchinson was born in Chicago to Leslie and Kenneth Hutchinson on December 26, 1981; he attended Goodlow Elementary School and Lindblom College Preparatory High School, where he was involved in many activities, including wrestling, Senior Brother's Council, and was President of the National Honor Society; he and his future wife, LaSandra, attended high school together, founded the Student Action Committee, and attended Northwestern University together; they were married on June 5, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Hutchinson graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in social policy and studied abroad in Ghana, West Africa; he co-directed Northwestern's gospel choir and the Northwestern Community Ensemble; he worked as a work-study student in Northwestern's undergraduate admissions which allowed him the opportunity to continue in undergraduate admissions as the Assistant Director and Co-Coordinator of African American Recruitment after graduation; he grew passionate about increasing college access for students from underrepresented groups; after Northwestern, he began serving as the founding Director of College Counseling for Urban Prep Charter Academy for Young Men - Englewood Campus; and

WHEREAS, At Urban Prep, Kenneth Hutchinson led college-counseling efforts and was charged with helping to ensure the school accomplished its goal of a 100% college acceptance rate for every graduate of the school; his persistence soon paid off, as students were placed in summer enrichment programs at colleges and universities around the world, including Thailand, Argentina, Ghana, South Africa, China, Mexico, England, the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica; during his six years with the organization, he designed an approach to college counseling that led him to successfully achieve their goal of a 100% college acceptance rate; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Hutchinson attended the Harvard University Graduate School of Education's Institute for Urban School Leaders and graduated with a Master of Science and Communication from Northwestern University; he served on a variety of boards and programs in the education sector, including Penn State University's Multicultural Resource Center's Black Male Empowerment Group; he was a reader and National Ambassador for the Bill Gates Millennium Scholarship; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Hutchinson was baptized at Christ Temple Apostolic Faith Church in October 2001; he ministered through Oasis Bible Study, preaching and teaching on a variety of college campuses including Northwestern University, Princeton University, Wesleyan University, and the University of Cape Coast in Ghana; in 2015, he joined the All Nations Worship Assembly, where he served on the worship team, the prophetic team, and the deliverance team; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Hutchinson joined the Cristo Rey Network in September 2015 as the Director of College Initiatives; among his greatest accomplishments was fostering a collaborative community of nearly 70 college counselors and alumni advisors, whose roles were similar to the one he previously had at Urban Prep; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Hutchinson was a loving father who shared countless funny sayings and inside jokes with his family; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Hutchinson is survived by his wife, LaSandra Nicole Hutchinson; his son, Noah; his daughters, Noelle, Bella, and Halle; his mother, Leslie Matthews (Theodore); his father, Kenneth (Debra) Hutchinson; his brother, Maurice (Kemba) Hendrix; his stepbrothers, Quentin Ray and Antonio Ray (Aisha); his sisters, Sade Hutchinson and Kendra Jenkins; his mother-in-law, Lucille (Michael) Green; his brother-in-law, Roderick Houston; his nieces, Laila, Alyssa, and Jayden; and an extended family of beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Kenneth Dion Hutchinson, and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Kenneth Hutchinson as an expression of our deepest sympathy.