Latest news with #YorkHighSchool
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Disabled teacher says dog is 'lifeline' in her science lab
While Cheryl Alexander teaches her students about atoms and elements, a special helper is on hand in her science lab. The York High School chemistry teacher is joined by her assistance dog Tyrian, who has been her canine partner for the past eight years. As a wheelchair user with physical and sensory disabilities, Ms Alexander says she often needs Tyrian's help with doing manual activities. "He is my hands, he's almost an extension of myself," she explains. The 44-year-old, who lives in York, says a day in the life of a teacher is never dull, with no two days - or two minutes - the same. Although her classroom may be a little different, with an adjoining cupboard-turned-office for Tyrian, Ms Alexander says having a dog in a science lab is not as difficult as people may think. "When I go around my room, I drop things a lot," she explains. "We do stamps as rewards and I drop them all the time and he knows as soon as he hears one hit the floor, he picks it up and gives it to me. "He will stay in the cupboard if I ask him to. If we've got a practical, I don't want him to be bringing me vials of sulphuric acid or anything." Tyrian also helps with collecting things from the students and bringing them to Ms Alexander, which she says they love. At school, his office has a bed, toys, water, food and a cooler fan for the summer months and he enjoys frequent walks at break time. "He's a good dog for this type of work because he's calm and quiet when he needs to be and active and straight on getting things otherwise," Ms Alexander says. "If I have something I need in my bag, he can pull it open and find something in it and bring it to me, rather than me having to get it. "It's a really big lifeline." Ms Alexander has other adaptations around her classroom, such as microphones to pick up what students are saying because she is hard of hearing. "I have spent my entire adult life in this chair so I don't know what it's like to not be," she says. "Lots of disabled young people never see a disabled adult going about their business and living their life. "I think it's very easy when you don't have anyone to look up to like you, to just think there is nothing for you and you're on your own. "Even for students who don't have disabilities, they look at me and think 'she somehow manages to turn up every morning, maybe I can as well'." The teacher says she explains her condition to each new class and what they have to do differently. "I'm certainly treated like I'm just another member of staff and the students really don't see the difference," she adds. In recognition of Ms Alexander's outstanding teaching and advocacy work for students facing adversity, she was honoured at The Educators' Trust Awards 2025. She attended an awards evening at the Merchant Taylors' Hall in London, where she received the Master Educator's Award for Outstanding School Leadership. "It's a bit overwhelming because I don't feel like I've done much particularly, this is just my everyday," she said. "One of the things I'm most proud of is investing in students and investing in them as people and to be the 'village'. "It takes a village to raise a child and I feel like I'm collecting the award on behalf of my village, the people that helped me. "Teachers were incredible role models for me when I was at school. I had a really difficult time growing up and they pushed me to be my own cheerleader and be proud of my own success. "I hope I'm part of that village for the students I teach now." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. The Educators' Trust
BBC News
10-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Disabled York teacher says dog is 'lifeline' in her science lab
While Cheryl Alexander teaches her students about atoms and elements, a special helper is on hand in her science lab. The York High School chemistry teacher is joined by her assistance dog Tyrian, who has been her canine partner for the past eight years. As a wheelchair user with physical and sensory disabilities, Ms Alexander says she often needs Tyrian's help with doing manual activities. "He is my hands, he's almost an extension of myself," she explains. The 44-year-old, who lives in York, says a day in the life of a teacher is never dull, with no two days - or two minutes - the same. Although her classroom may be a little different, with an adjoining cupboard-turned-office for Tyrian, Ms Alexander says having a dog in a science lab is not as difficult as people may think. "When I go around my room, I drop things a lot," she explains."We do stamps as rewards and I drop them all the time and he knows as soon as he hears one hit the floor, he picks it up and gives it to me. "He will stay in the cupboard if I ask him to. If we've got a practical, I don't want him to be bringing me vials of sulphuric acid or anything." Tyrian also helps with collecting things from the students and bringing them to Ms Alexander, which she says they love. At school, his office has a bed, toys, water, food and a cooler fan for the summer months and he enjoys frequent walks at break time. "He's a good dog for this type of work because he's calm and quiet when he needs to be and active and straight on getting things otherwise," Ms Alexander says."If I have something I need in my bag, he can pull it open and find something in it and bring it to me, rather than me having to get it. "It's a really big lifeline." Ms Alexander has other adaptations around her classroom, such as microphones to pick up what students are saying because she is hard of hearing. "I have spent my entire adult life in this chair so I don't know what it's like to not be," she says."Lots of disabled young people never see a disabled adult going about their business and living their life. "I think it's very easy when you don't have anyone to look up to like you, to just think there is nothing for you and you're on your own. "Even for students who don't have disabilities, they look at me and think 'she somehow manages to turn up every morning, maybe I can as well'."The teacher says she explains her condition to each new class and what they have to do differently. "I'm certainly treated like I'm just another member of staff and the students really don't see the difference," she adds. 'It takes a village' In recognition of Ms Alexander's outstanding teaching and advocacy work for students facing adversity, she was honoured at The Educators' Trust Awards 2025. She attended an awards evening at the Merchant Taylors' Hall in London, where she received the Master Educator's Award for Outstanding School Leadership. "It's a bit overwhelming because I don't feel like I've done much particularly, this is just my everyday," she said. "One of the things I'm most proud of is investing in students and investing in them as people and to be the 'village'. "It takes a village to raise a child and I feel like I'm collecting the award on behalf of my village, the people that helped me. "Teachers were incredible role models for me when I was at school. I had a really difficult time growing up and they pushed me to be my own cheerleader and be proud of my own success. "I hope I'm part of that village for the students I teach now." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
CBS News
25-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Visually impaired teen setting his sights on success in the boxing ring
Elmhurst, Illinois native Dino Pecoraro certainly has the heart of a boxer. The 17-year-old is punching back at life's obstacles and hoping to compete in the ring, despite a rare condition that impacts his vision. Dino Pecoraro decided to start boxing when he was 16 years old, just a few years after he had first noticed a change in his vision. "It kicked in at like freshman year, so like 14. My teacher emailed my mom, because … I was having trouble reading the board," he said. That led to being diagnosed with a rare disease that currently has no cure. "I got Stargardt's disease. It's genetic. My body doesn't process Vitamin A very well, so it turns into sludgy stuff and then builds up in my macula. I have a big blind spot in the middle of my eyes. So it's like faces are hard to see, reading," Dino said. But Dino has always wanted to box. He researched and tried different gyms, before eventually finding Kendrick Watkins, a professional boxer with a 2-1 record, and the owner of Trenches in the Jefferson Park neighborhood in Chicago. "He's here sometimes when I'm not even here. You know, we're just missing each other by an hour or something, but he's grinding, always here," Watkins said. The work Dino puts in inspires others around him, including his coach. "He's already doing defense, hitting punches, you know. He's seeing stuff normal to me," Watkins said. "There's some people with 20/20 eye vision that can't even see those punches coming. So for him to be out here doing that, it's amazing, and it motivates me to keep going and keep pushing." The skillset Dino has developed in just a year and a half is not only impressive, but is one he and Watkins feel is ready for the next level. "He came to me, he said, 'Coach, I think I want to compete,' and I said honestly the level and how much training and work and your reflexes. And we spar a little bit get a little work in. He earned it," Watkins said. "So like it will keep getting worse and worse, so I'm trying to, got to grind now so hopefully I can get some fights before it gets worse and worse," Dino said. Setting up a fight is just one of many goals Dino has for his future. "You can't let any obstacles get in your way. If you've got a goal, you've just got to do it. It doesn't matter if you've got a disease, or you're different than anyone else. You just have to keep going," he said. Anything this 17-year-old wants to do will be seen through to completion. Dino is a senior at York High School, and is headed to Illinois State University next year, where he plans on studying special education. He wants to become a teacher.
Chicago Tribune
12-02-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Sarah Meisels, who oversaw growth of Wheaton Public Library, dies at 88
Sarah Meisels was director of the Wheaton Public Library for 35 years, overseeing several expansions and renovations as the western suburb grew. 'She dedicated herself to the Wheaton Public Library and the patrons who use it, and (she) always wanted it to be the best for Wheaton residents,' said Dawn Kovacs, the library's deputy director. Meisels, 88, died of heart failure Feb. 1 at her home at the Bickford of St. Charles assisted living and memory care facility in St. Charles, said her niece, Alexandra Adams. She was a longtime Wheaton resident. Born Sarah Greaves in Elmhurst, Meisels graduated from York High School and studied at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania before transferring to the University of Minnesota, where she earned a bachelor's degree. Meisels attended Chicago-Kent College of Law and taught at Moser Secretarial School in the Loop before getting a master's degree in library science from Rosary College, which is now Dominican University. In 1966 Meisels joined the staff of the Wheaton Public Library, just a year after the library opened its building on North Cross Street in Wheaton. The building was renovated in 1973 and expanded in 1978. Originally a reference librarian, Meisels was promoted in 1978 to director of the library, succeeding Marjorie Lincoln. Colleagues recalled that Meisels took over in the midst of an expansion and renovation project, and she oversaw its successful completion. While Meisels spent plenty of her time managing the library's finances and facilities, she was a bibliophile at heart who greatly enjoyed leading Great Books discussions and having less formal literary chats with the library's patrons, colleagues said. 'I don't think she ever used a computer, but she knew that we had to computerize, and she was all for it,' recalled Carolyn DeAre, the library's retired deputy director and reference librarian. 'She always wanted to get the latest that was available — even though she might never use it, she knew that's what a library had to do.' Kovacs also recalled Meisels' strong support for computerizing the library's collections in the late 1980s. 'As new technology came around to libraries, like CD-ROMs, databases and the internet, I asked if we could do that, (and) Sarah never said no and found the money to pay for it,' Kovacs said. 'We expanded to teaching patrons how to use library technology like CD-ROM and database searching, and then how to use technology in general, like email, web searching and eBook readers, which required additional staff that Sarah hired. She loved the old — Great Books, opera, ancient history — but she wasn't afraid of the new.' Meisels also championed and oversaw the library's biggest expansion, a 2007 addition and renovation that added computer workstations, a mural in the library's Children's Story House and a new west entrance linking the library's campus with nearby Adams Park. To do so required closing North Cross Street, a move that was controversial at the time. 'She was the one who fought to have Cross Street closed so that the library could adjoin the park, which I think was a wonderful idea,' DeAre said. 'She could see us having programs out there (in the plaza), and we didn't realize how sunny it would be out there.' To help build community support for the 2007 addition and renovation, Meisels helped launch the current Friends of Wheaton Public Library group, which was instrumental in getting Wheaton's City Council to approve that project, DeAre said. Looking back, Meisels said she took pride in the 2007 project. 'I loved it. A lot of people don't care for that sort of thing, with the disruption and everything. But I think that was the culmination of my career,' Meisels told the Tribune in 2013. 'Architects can make it look pretty but you've got to know how libraries work. It takes a librarian to plan a building.' Meisels also steered the library through strained municipal budgets during the global financial crisis, which led to a 16% reduction in tax revenue. Employees took pay cuts, and the library's board to decide to close the library on Fridays. 'Nobody liked it. You never like to restrict service to your public because that's why you exist,' she told the Tribune in 2013. 'It was a difficult decision. I know the board had a hard time with it.' Meisels retired at 76 in 2013. Upon her retirement, she reflected on the future of libraries. 'Books aren't going to go away,' she said. 'Things just evolve but a lot of things sort of stay the same because people are the same. You just do it with a different twist.' A first marriage to Frank Kille ended in divorce. Meisels' second husband, Henry, died in 2001. She also is survived by a sister, Margaret Adams. A visitation will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at Pedersen Ryberg Funeral Home, 435 N. York St., Elmhurst. A memorial service will follow at 11 a.m.
