Currents in Education
Students honor Mr. Hoyt with surprise yearbook dedication
By Melissa Wood
Rob Butler calls out auction items at the Hoyt-A-Thon to raise money to help support 26-year York High School teacher Jack Hoyt, who is battling cancer. The event, which was held last Thursday, May 31, and included a silent and live auction, live music and dinner, raised more than $13,000. On Friday, Hoyt was honored with the 2007 York High School yearbook dedication.
Photos by Kate Rasche
YORK - Although he was too ill to make it to the ceremony, longtime York High School teacher Jack Hoyt was able to watch and hear the moment when senior Anna Lifvergren announced that the 2007 yearbook would be dedicated to "Jack Hoyt, a great teacher and a great man."
The announcement came as a surprise to Hoyt, who has been battling Acute Myelogenous Leukemia since August. He watched the ceremony with wife Colleen by means of a live feed to his laptop computer. Hoyt underwent chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant in January, but is struggling with side effects from the treatments.
The York High School gymnasium, which minutes before was as loud as a pep rally as students cheered, stomped and did the wave from their seats in the bleachers, grew suddenly quiet as everyone listened for Hoyt's response.
"Thank you all very, very, very much," said Hoyt. "I'm pretty sick right now, but I'm trying to work as hard as I can to get better. Your prayers and strength have helped me through this ordeal, so thanks an awful lot."
Hoyt's response drew more cheers and a loud "We love you Mr. Hoyt!" said in unison from students who waved banners and dressed as farmers to honor Hoyt's other avocation as a "gentleman farmer" in Gorham, where he raises beef cattle.
The night before, Thursday, May 31, the school hosted the "Hoyt-A-Thon," where more than $13,000 was raised to help Hoyt and his family pay numerous bills for doctors' visits and medication - as well as gas and tolls - as he fights for his life against the disease. Students are also participating in a "Hats off for Hoyt" fundraiser where they can wear a hat to school on Fridays for a $1 donation.
Lifvergren, who is the high school yearbook editor and wrote the dedication, said that students voted overwhelmingly for Hoyt to receive the honor. Usually, she said, the students vote and the top three are then voted on again. But this year that was not necessary because so many had voted for Hoyt - who, she added, would probably have been the students' choice even if he hadn't been ill.
She said that although she never had him as a teacher, she used to hang out in his room and he would always tease her that she was going hunting because she often wore an orange Princeton sweatshirt.
Lifvergren said the dedication was easy to write because of who he is - an amazing teacher and person. Hoyt has been an industrial arts teacher at YHS for 26 years.
"He's more about teaching life than he is about anything else," said Lifvergren.
