HR0190 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0190 LRB097 11220 KXB 53048 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to honor Rafael Mendez Jr. on his work as the homeless liaison for the Waukegan School District; and

WHEREAS, Rafael Mendez Jr. was born October 14, 1958 in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, the second of five children of Rafael and Ruth Mendez; he was educated in Waukegan public schools and received a General Education Degree in 1978; he has worked as a dishwasher, apparel store salesman, grocery clerk, carpenter/plastering apprentice, and metal heat treating tech; and

WHEREAS, He now works for the Waukegan School District, where he has been a truant officer, security officer, and residency officer, and currently holds the position of homeless program liaison; and

WHEREAS, Since 2002, he has worked extensively with the homeless students of Waukegan; his duties include:

(1) identifying the homeless population and coordinating activities, entities, and agencies that benefit homeless students;

(2) ensuring that homeless children and youth enroll in and have a full and equal opportunity to succeed in the schools they are eligible to attend, including Head Start and preschool programs;

(3) initiating referrals to health care, dental, mental health, and other appropriate services;

(4) informing parents or guardians of homeless children and youth about the available educational and related opportunities and providing them with meaningful ways to participate in the education of their children;

(5) promoting awareness of the educational rights of homeless children and youth by posting public notices in schools, family shelters, and soup kitchens;

(6) advising parents, guardians, and any unaccompanied youth of the mediation process involving enrollment disputes and fully informing them of procedures for accessing all transportation services required by the McKinney-Vento Act; and

(7) allocating funds to provide school uniforms, backpacks, school supplies, access to field trips, outdoor education, and assistance with summer school fees; and

WHEREAS, The endless giving of his time and dedication to homeless students goes well beyond his assigned duties; he organized "Coats 4 Kids" in 2002, resulting in thousands of donations of new winter coats, hats, and gloves by public and private corporations and employee groups from surrounding communities; and

WHEREAS, In 2004, he was presented with a certificate of appreciation from the Illinois State Board of Education in recognition of exemplary service to the Illinois McKinney-Vento Homeless Student Programs; and

WHEREAS, In addition to his valuable work, he has kept alive his love for music as a guitar player, songwriter, singer, and recording artist, with frequent performances throughout Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan; and

WHEREAS, His wife, Rachelle, also works for the students of Waukegan, as a third grade teacher; he is an active member of the Trinity Christian Center in Zion and is quite proud of the fact that he is a lifelong "home-grown" resident of Waukegan; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we honor and thank Rafael Mendez Jr. for his hard work and dedication to the homeless students of Waukegan, and commend him for for the many ways in which he has enriched the lives of the people of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Rafael Mendez Jr. as a symbol of our respect and esteem.