[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 124 (Monday, July 21, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H3521]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING JOE SZAFAROWICZ

  (Ms. KAPTUR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Joe Szafarowicz, a 
true pillar of our northwest Ohio community. He is an educator, mentor, 
and lifelong advocate for young people.
  For more than five decades, he has shaped lives, not just by teaching 
in the classroom but by investing in the boundless potential of every 
child he encountered.
  From the halls of St. Agnes Elementary School to the classrooms of 
Toledo public schools, Mr. Szafarowicz inspired generations with his 
belief that every student, no matter their circumstance, deserved 
opportunity.
  Even in retirement, he has never stopped lifting others up, using art 
as a tool to reach at-risk youth and guiding young minds toward hope 
and purpose.
  His impact is evident in the voices of his former students, leaders, 
public servants, and community members who credit his encouragement as 
a turning point in their lives. At the end of March, those students 
gathered to celebrate Joe's 80th birthday.
  We, too, celebrate his life of service, kindness, and unwavering 
dedication to the future of our region. May his legacy remind us all a 
great teacher never stops teaching, and a great heart never stops 
giving.

                          ____________________