The oldest of seven children, my dad was raised on a hardscrabble farm just outside Mitchell, South Dakota. Home to the 8^th Wonder of the World, the Corn Palace.

One day, when dad was in the 8^th grade, he came home from school and Grandpa met him on the front porch. "You're not goin' back to school tomorrow," Grandpa told him. "We need you in the field."

The Great Depression had struck, my family needed everyone working together to save the farm, and that was the end of my dad's time in school.

When I was growing up, Dad didn't talk much. But he did have his own version of the speech Grandpa had given him: "They can take everything away from you," he'd say, "But not your education. So get one."

That's the origin of my deep belief in the power of a good education and a strong public school system. I experienced just that growing up in rural Southwest Washington, where I had wonderful teachers in the Vancouver School District. Their teaching and dedication to their students had a positive, and profound, influence on my life.

Al Bauer, my history teacher at Columbia River High School, became my life-long mentor. I never stopped learning from Al. I joined him in the state legislature where he served with distinction for 30 years, and until the day he passed away, a couple of years ago, we spoke every week on the phone. I miss him dearly, and I'm forever grateful for the decades of guidance he gave me.

All of my life, I have carried my belief in, and gratitude for, education. Early in my career I worked in the school systems. During that time I even met the love of my life, Paula, who was a middle school teacher at the time and who later became a middle school principal.

(I'd be remiss if I didn't say there's a special place in heaven for middle school educators – and not just because Paula's looking over my shoulder as I write this!)

I carried that belief into my service in the state legislature many years ago where I co-chaired the Education Committee and had the privilege to be the House lead on writing the state's first Basic Education Act. I fought hard for the state to increase its support of schools. After all, there isn't anything ambiguous about the constitution's charge that education is the "paramount" duty of the state.

I carry it to this day where Paula and I continue to prioritize giving our time and resources to education-focused organizations.

And I will continue to carry it in my heart and in my actions as your Lieutenant Governor and into the future.

Denny