Bill Text: NY J00339 | 2025-2026 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Honoring Stephen Moore upon the occasion of his designation for special recognition by HEARTS Port Washington on February 7, 2025

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2025-02-11 - ADOPTED [J00339 Detail]

Download: New_York-2025-J00339-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 339

BY: Senator MARTINS

        HONORING  Stephen  Moore  upon the occasion of his
        designation for special recognition by  HEARTS  Port
        Washington on February 7, 2025

  WHEREAS,  Individuals  who give of their time and energies and serve
the best interests of their communities are assets  beyond  remuneration
and cannot be sufficiently extolled; and

  WHEREAS,  This  Legislative  Body  is  justly proud to honor Stephen
Moore, upon the occasion of his designation for special  recognition  by
HEARTS  Port Washington, to be recognized at its Annual Red Party at the
Polish American Hall in Port Washington, New York, on  Friday,  February
7, 2025; and

  WHEREAS,  HEARTS  (Helping Enrich the Arts of Port Washington) is an
independent, grassroots not-for-profit  501(c)3  community  organization
whose  mission  is  to  add meaningful value to children's lives and our
community by supporting, promoting,  and  enriching  the  arts  in  Port
Washington and its public schools; and

  WHEREAS, Since its founding in 2011, HEARTS has funded more than 180
grants district-wide, as well as scholarships for art and music students
for  college;  the  non-profit  also  provides  interactive high-quality
programming in theater, music, fine arts, creative writing,  dance,  and
much more; and

  WHEREAS,  HEARTS  has  created  PortFest,  a community art and music
festival celebrating arts in Port Washington, as well as Curtains Up, an
after-school musical theater program for elementary school students; and

  WHEREAS, The organization also created Dancing Classrooms, which  is
a  partnership  with  the  Creative  Arts  Department, HSA/PTAs, The Ed.
Foundation, and the Port Washington Summer Music Program; and

  WHEREAS, Stephen Moore started his educational adventure at Highland
Park Elementary in Salt Lake City, Utah;  in  third  grade,  he  clearly
remembers  his  teacher asking him what he wanted to be when he grew up,
and of course, he immediately responded, "An artist!"; as  a  child,  he
would  doodle, draw, and "design" machines; his first oil painting class
in fifth grade was transcendent; and

  WHEREAS, At Utah State University, in northern Utah,  Stephen  Moore
studied  illustration  and painting while driving a truck to pay for his
education; after graduation, and on his way out of town, he  stopped  at
his  favorite  professor's  studio  and  bought  a  small  painting as a
talisman of inspiration; and

  WHEREAS, While on vacation in New York City, Stephen Moore  knew  he
had found his home and moved there to become an illustrator, working for
many  publishers,  including  Scholastic, Dodd Mead, and The Daily News;
the City's museums inspired him to return to school to study fine art at
Pratt Institute where he received a Master of Fine Arts degree; and

  WHEREAS,  Stephen  Moore  has  shown  his  art  at  various  venues,
including  the  Bronx Museum of the Arts, P. S. 122, and SculptureCenter
in Queens; in 1997, and much to his surprise, he was offered a  teaching
position  at P.   S. 132 in Washington Heights where he taught for seven
years; and

  WHEREAS, For the past 21 years, Stephen Moore has been exceptionally
fortunate  to  have  John Philip Sousa Elementary School as his home for
teaching art; he is known  for  creating  large  (sometimes  too  large)
legacy art installations on the Sousa campus; and

  WHEREAS,  Stephen  Moore  has found that teaching young children has
been a joyful and extraordinary adventure; as a teacher, he has obtained
National Board Certification and has received the Title I  Distinguished
Educator Award; he is extremely grateful to HEARTS for its support; and

  WHEREAS,  Throughout the years of his community service, a period of
constructive involvement, Stephen Moore has stood  constant  in  dignity
and good grace; and

  WHEREAS,   Rare   indeed  is  the  impressive  dedication  shown  by
individuals for the benefit of others which Stephen Moore has  displayed
throughout his life; and

  WHEREAS,  It  has always been the objective of this Legislative Body
to  honor  and  support  those  individuals  who  have  displayed  their
commitment  to the betterment of their communities, and it is the intent
of this Legislative Body to inscribe upon its records  this  tribute  to
Stephen  Moore,  that  future  generations  may  know and appreciate his
admirable character, his many benevolent  deeds,  and  the  respect  and
esteem in which he is held by his peers; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Stephen Moore upon the occasion of  his  designation  for  special
recognition  by  HEARTS  Port  Washington on February 7, 2025; and be it
further

  RESOLVED, That a copy of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted to Stephen Moore.