Bill Text: VA SJR155 | 2020 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending Forest Park High School.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2020-03-02 - Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ155ER) [SJR155 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2020-SJR155-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, for 20 years, Forest Park High School, an outstanding public secondary school in Prince William County that features a specialty program for information technology, has provided rigorous and challenging instruction and given young people a safe, supportive environment in which to learn and grow; and
WHEREAS, throughout its history, Forest Park High School has proudly focused on cultivating excellence in support of its students and has been named one of the nation's top high schools by U.S. News and World Report; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School's information technology (IT) program, one of the first such programs in Virginia to offer such a wide variety of specialized technology curriculum, allows students to receive a special diploma and graduate high school with IT certifications; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School is the state model for the Virginia Student Training and Refurbishment Program and SWAT Club, a collaborative effort of the Secretary of Education, Secretary of Technology, Department of Education, and Department of General Services to introduce Virginia's students to the field of IT repair; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School's counseling department has received the Recognized ASCA Model Program designation, which recognizes schools that adhere to criteria in the American School Counselor Association National Model and that are committed to delivering a comprehensive, data-driven school counseling program and an exemplary educational environment; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School was named a Virginia Distinguished Purple Star school for supporting military-connected students and has partnered with the National Federation of State High School Associations and Pixellot to film athletic events and student activities and stream them online, allowing families and military personnel who are unable to attend games and activities to be part of their children's lives while away or abroad; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School hosts Unified Sports, a Virginia High School League and Virginia Special Olympics activity that promotes school spirit and community engagement through activities like basketball games, track and field events, and assemblies that unify special needs students with the student body; in 2019, Forest Park High School was recognized as a National Banner School by ESPN for its participation in the program; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School's "A Street Bruins" program gives students with disabilities the opportunity to interact with other students, gain valuable personal and work experiences, and focus on their abilities instead of disabilities; "A Street Bruins" is an integral program in the school and features an annual multimedia rendition of The Polar Express that is presented annually to over 5,000 elementary students and staff; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School is a Positive Behavior Interventions and Systems school and recently launched an initiative that encourages teachers and administrators to highlight positive student behavior throughout the day and reward students for acts of kindness and generosity or public service; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School's robotics team received the Excellence Award, the highest honor awarded at the RVA VEX Robotics Competition, for its standout performance on the field, robot skills, engineering notebook, and judged interviews; the team qualified to compete at the state championship in March 2020 and has made past appearances at the World Robotics Competition; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School's award-winning annual publication, Ursa Major, produced by the students in creative writing classes, has won the Virginia Trophy Class award multiple times and sponsors a Coffee House in the early spring to showcase art in all forms; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School's music program highlights students of all abilities at all levels and has been awarded the Virginia Music Educators Association Blue Ribbon Award for Excellence 11 times; the school's chorus groups have performed at the White House, the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, Epcot, and Riverside Cathedral in New York City; and the Concert Choir, Platinum Vocal Jazz, and Bel Canto chorus groups have received grand champion awards; and
WHEREAS, the Forest Park High School band is a 14-time Virginia honor band, and the marching band and color guard have earned superior ratings and numerous trophies throughout the past two decades; the orchestra program features three ensembles that perform throughout the community and consistently earn superior ratings at music competitions and festivals; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School also hosts a successful drama program, which sponsors three shows a year, including a musical, a mainstage play, and a one-act play, with popular shows like You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown; Beauty and the Beast; Guys and Dolls; The Wizard of Oz; Oklahoma!; Shrek the Musical; Cinderella; and Young Frankenstein; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School offers a comprehensive United States Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program, which teaches high school students the value of citizenship, responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment, while instilling in them self-esteem, teamwork, and self-discipline; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School offers a leadership program that hosts student-led events throughout the year, including Breakfast with Santa, a tradition that invites the community into the school to enjoy breakfast and take pictures with Santa; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School was crowned the Virginia state champion of Keep America Beautiful's Recycle-Bowl, the national recycling competition for K–12 students, teachers, and school communities; in 2019, Forest Park High School collected more than 5,429 pounds of recyclables; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School hosts an annual Suicide Awareness Walk, organized and led by the Advanced Placement Government class to promote awareness of mental health and suicide prevention, and the event that has featured guest speakers from state and federal government; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School maintains 17 varsity male and female athletic teams, including state championship teams in girls' volleyball, indoor/outdoor track and field, and girls' basketball; the school promotes both academic and athletic excellence, as well as good sportsmanship and a positive team atmosphere; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School has graduated many distinguished alumni, including former United States women's national soccer team member, two-time Olympian, and three-time World Cup player, Ali Kreiger, professional men's soccer player C.J. Sapong, and Women's National Basketball Association player Monica Wright; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School maintains a high degree of student participation in student clubs and activities, with hundreds of students involved in more than 40 clubs, including numerous honor societies, language clubs, and student interest organizations, all of which support service to the community and development of student abilities; and
WHEREAS, Forest Park High School earned the distinction of being a Prince William County School of Excellence in the 2002–2003, 2015–2016, 2016–2017, and 2018–2019 academic years; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Forest Park High School on the occasion of its 20th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Forest Park High School as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for the school's commitment to academic excellence and service to the students of Prince William County.
