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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Valley Grande Adventist Academy in Weslaco is |
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celebrating the 75th anniversary of its founding in 2011; and |
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WHEREAS, Early in the 20th century, Seventh-day Adventists |
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living in the Rio Grande Valley began to desire an education for |
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their children that was grounded in their religious beliefs, and a |
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number of adults taught children in their homes or at churches; a |
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permanent school, originally named Valley Grande Academy, was |
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founded in 1936, and classes were held in a Weslaco church |
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auditorium until construction was finished on a classroom building |
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the following year; and |
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WHEREAS, Valley Grande Academy had an enrollment of 100 |
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students by 1944, and the coming years saw many improvements, as a |
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vocational building and garage and a new building for the |
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elementary grades were added; the most dramatic change came in |
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1964, when the decision was made to turn the school into a boarding |
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academy; local congregants opened their houses to students until |
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dormitories were completed, and in 1972 the school was chosen as the |
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boarding academy for the Texas Conference of Seventh-day |
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Adventists; and |
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WHEREAS, Renamed Valley Grande Adventist Academy in 2005, the |
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school currently educates children enrolled in kindergarten |
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through the 12th grade, and it is accredited by the Southern |
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Association of Colleges and Schools and recognized by the Texas |
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Education Agency through recommendation of the Texas Private School |
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Accrediting Commission; providing its pupils with a well-rounded, |
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quality education, the academy emphasizes the harmonious |
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development of the spiritual, mental, vocational, social, and |
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physical powers of each individual student; and |
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WHEREAS, Valley Grande Adventist Academy encourages its |
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students to lead worship services and Bible study, and offers |
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extracurricular activities such as band, wind and string ensemble, |
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chorale groups, and interscholastic competitions in many different |
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sports; and |
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WHEREAS, For three-quarters of a century, the faculty and |
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staff of Valley Grande Adventist Academy have committed themselves |
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to meeting the educational needs of their students, and the school |
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has played a vital role in helping numerous young Texans build a |
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bright and prosperous future; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 75th anniversary of Valley |
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Grande Adventist Academy in Weslaco and extend to all those |
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associated with the institution sincere best wishes for continued |
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success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the academy as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |