2016 -- H 8153

========

LC005786

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

____________

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CELEBRATING AND COMMENDING RHODE ISLAND DECA ON THE 50TH

ANNIVERSARY OF ITS FOUNDING

     Introduced By: Representatives Messier, O'Brien, Phillips, Kennedy, and Maldonado

     Date Introduced: May 04, 2016

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, DECA, formerly known as the Distributive Education Clubs of America, is

an international association dedicated to preparing high school and college students to become

future leaders and entrepreneurs in the fields of marketing, finance, hospitality and management,

by utilizing real world experience; and

     WHEREAS, The organization is one of ten listed as Career and Technical Student

Organizations by the United States Department of Education; and

     WHEREAS, This year, Rhode Island DECA is celebrating "50 Epic Years" of

academically preparing our state's emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for college and careers,

and by helping and encouraging these students to recognize the benefit of community service; and

     WHEREAS, The Rhode Island DECA program is open to all high school students in the

state and is partially funded through a Perkins Grant that is overseen by Johnson & Wales

University. Currently, the association has 345 members; and

     WHEREAS, One of the key focuses of Rhode Island DECA is community service, which

currently involves the association's leadership team collecting, through a variety of charitable

events, "miracle minutes", as well as monetary and other donations for the Muscular Dystrophy

Association and for the Community Care Alliance which is located in Providence. The

association is also organizing a service event in May to collect donations for the annual "Make A

Muscle Walk" for the Muscular Dystrophy Association; and

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island DECA is also focused on the annual Career Development

Conference where this year, 63 members participated in various DECA competitions in order to

earn the privilege of competing at the national Career Development Conference, which will be

held in Nashville, Tennessee; and

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island DECA has earned our unqualified admiration and gratitude,

and its accomplishments over the past five decades are eminently worthy of our recognition and

praise; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby congratulates Rhode Island DECA on the occasion of its 50th

Anniversary Year celebration. We furthermore recognize the entire association's membership for

their dedicated service to the state by ensuring a brighter and more prosperous future for Rhode

Islanders; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Marsha Bock, Rhode Island State Advisor,

Rhode Island DECA.

========

LC005786

========

LC005786 - Page 2 of 2