| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution recognizing April 16, 2008, as "Barrington |
| 3 | Irving Day" in the State of Florida. |
| 4 |
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| 5 | WHEREAS, on March 23, 2007, Barrington Irving, a 23-year- |
| 6 | old senior majoring in aeronautical studies at Florida Memorial |
| 7 | University, climbed into a single-engine Columbia 400 aircraft |
| 8 | called "Inspiration" and embarked on a 26,800-mile, round-the- |
| 9 | world flight, and |
| 10 | WHEREAS, when he returned to Miami on June 27th, he was |
| 11 | celebrated for setting two world records - he is the first |
| 12 | person of African descent and the youngest person ever to fly |
| 13 | solo around the globe, and |
| 14 | WHEREAS, Mr. Irving traversed four continents, clocking |
| 15 | more than 130 hours of flight time on a 97-day "World Flight |
| 16 | Adventure" that included landings in the Azores, Spain, Greece, |
| 17 | Egypt, Dubai, India, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan, and |
| 18 | WHEREAS, born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised in inner- |
| 19 | city Miami, Mr. Irving is a graduate of Miami-Dade County Public |
| 20 | Schools and is a Mentor in the 5000 Role Models of Excellence |
| 21 | Project, and |
| 22 | WHEREAS, while a student at Florida Memorial University, |
| 23 | Mr. Irving earned Private and Commercial Pilot and Flight |
| 24 | Instructor licenses as well as his Instrument Rating and, in |
| 25 | 2005, he founded a nonprofit organization, Experience Aviation, |
| 26 | Inc., to address the significant shortage of youth pursuing |
| 27 | careers in Aviation and Aerospace, and |
| 28 | WHEREAS, supported by a $10,000 grant from the Miami Dade |
| 29 | Empowerment Trust, Barrington Irving offered guidance and |
| 30 | training to young people in South Florida through a program that |
| 31 | included flying touring planes and learning how to use a flight |
| 32 | simulator and he received an additional commitment of $75,000 to |
| 33 | expand the program and reach more youth in the community, and |
| 34 | WHEREAS, Mr. Irving used these funds to set up what he |
| 35 | hopes will be the first of many Experience Aviation Learning |
| 36 | Centers at Miami's Opa-locka Executive Airport using donated |
| 37 | computers and Microsoft Flight Simulator software, and |
| 38 | WHEREAS, Barrington Irving's successful endeavors in |
| 39 | aviation and his dedication to making aviation education and |
| 40 | training available to many young people are magnificent |
| 41 | accomplishments and represent an energy and a vision that |
| 42 | inspire us all, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 43 |
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| 44 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 45 | Florida: |
| 46 |
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| 47 | That the House of Representatives congratulates and |
| 48 | applauds Barrington Irving on his amazing accomplishments in |
| 49 | aviation and recognizes April 16, 2008, as "Barrington Irving |
| 50 | Day" in the State of Florida. |
| 51 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be |
| 52 | presented to Barrington Irving as a tangible token of the |
| 53 | sentiments expressed herein. |