Oregon Education Hero

OREGON EDUCATION HERO

Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I rise today to honor one of Oregon's unsung heros, Dean Azule. For more than three decades, Mr. Azule has dedicated his life to educating and enriching the lives of countless young Oregonians. He is an educator in both mind and spirit and has dedicated his life to ensuring the success of Oregon's youth.

While attending Oregon College of Education, OCE, now know as Western Oregon State University, Mr. Azule worked as a family liaison with an American Indian youth program funded by the Indian Education Act. As a family liaison, he tutored and counseled hundreds of American Indian youth, providing career guidance and helping them to explore their career opportunities. Upon graduation from OCE, Mr. Azule joined the Northwest Regional Educational Lab and worked on their Indian Reading Language Development Program. This program has been invaluable in helping American Indian youth keep their indigenous languages alive.

Mr. Azule next established the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde's extremely successful Education Department. With his invaluable assistance, the Department now includes Head Start, Youth Education, Higher Education, and Vocational training programs which has served to help the lives of hundreds of tribal members. The Grand Ronde Education Department has become a model of success across the county-much to the tireless efforts of Mr. Azule.

After almost 10 years with the Grand Ronde Tribes, Mr. Azule joined the Salem-Keizer public school system in 1999. Active in community outreach programs, he has helped disadvantaged children continue their education despite facing social and economical hardships at Washington Elementary, Keizer Elementary, and Miller Elementary School. Most recently, he has taken a behavioral health position at the new West Salem High school.

Mr. Azule is a true champion for Oregon's children, and I know he will continue to play a vital role in educating and making a difference in the lives of children in our State. His tireless spirit serves as an inspiration to us all. Today, I am proud to honor Dean Azule as an education hero for our great State of Oregon.