People

January 2005

The Manatee Man

He might be a physical education teacher in school, but on the street, Gary Pane is known as the "Manatee Man."

Pane, who teaches at Suncoast Elementary School in Springhill, Florida, discovered manatees while swimming in the Crystal River and, after the initial shock, was instantly drawn to the gentle animals. As luck would have it, Suncoast Elementary chose the manatee as a school mascot in 1994. Most mornings, Pane stands by the school's manatee statue greeting students as they arrive. It's somewhat of an inspiration to him. "Between my experiences in the water with manatees and our beautiful manatee statue, the feeling and words began to flow and the songs were written," says Pane, who composes on his guitar.

A 30-year teaching veteran, Pane performs in schools, festivals, and parades to raise environmental awareness among adults and children. It's easy to see why he's popular with the kids; he has fun with his music. One song, "Manatee Profanity," is a rap song with lyrics like, "Don't mess with my splash."

With plans to retire at the end of the school year, Pane is looking forward to taking his show on the road, where he can teach manatee awareness to a whole new audience.

—Emily Goodman

Lifesaver

While others travel to the beach for a little fun and sun, Eric Hoyt heads there to save lives. Although he spends his weekdays teaching fifth grade at Cedar Road Elementary School in Chesapeake, Virginia, Hoyt spends his weekends as an emergency medical technician (EMT) with the Davis Corner Volunteer Rescue Squad in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

To prepare for the job, Hoyt had to master an eight-month training class that met two nights a week, followed by field training. Now, during his four 12-hour shifts each month, he works as an attendant in charge or drives the ambulance for his squad, the largest volunteer rescue system in the country. 

Having previously taught fourth- and fifth-grade science to gifted students, Hoyt's finding that his science background comes in handy for his EMT duties. It's also perfect for his other "extracurricular" job, working with Project Salute, a two-week summer program for middle school kids who design a space shuttle mission using a bus as the shuttle. With the help of NASA blueprints and curriculum plans, Hoyt's students add on to the shuttle each summer and work together to conduct the mission while learning about space and NASA.

—E.G.

Mother Hen

"Mother hen." That's what students in the Grant school district's Independent Living Program (ILP) call Jackie Ray, the committed teacher who nurtures, disciplines, educates, and loves them.

"Many foster children lose a lot of school time because they're constantly moving from family to family and from school to school," says Ray. "A lot of these kids move around so much, they find a sense of connectedness here."

Originally a high school vocational teacher, Ray never imagined she would end up teaching adult and foster education. "My whole focus has changed because of the student population we have now," says Ray. "I'm seeing more children from dysfunctional homes. They're stressed and angry, which causes them to rebel and act out." A foster parent herself (she's fostered eight boys), Ray vowed she "had to do something to help these kids make it out in the world."

ILP gives Ray a chance to make good on that vow. She teaches students valuable anger management, conflict resolution, and life skills. Frustrated kids who struggle academically become refocused. They also get the chance to experience things other children take for granted. "Many of our students have never seen a beach, even though they live in L.A.," says Ray. "They've never been on a boat or visited an aquarium."

Ray knows first hand how vulnerable her students are. A year ago, a teenager she was close to committed suicide, a tragedy that made Ray even more determined to help children in foster care. So it was especially rewarding when one young graduate recently returned to work with the program.

"She's excited about being a motivator for the children," says Ray. "She told me there were many times she had thought about giving up. But she learned if she could just make it to class, she could make it through life."

—Sabrina Holcomb

The Right Stuff

When retired Minnesota member Wally Wakefield gives his word, he honors it—even if sticking to his principles costs him $200 a day.

"This was about the First Amendment and the right to gather information," says Wakefield. "It was also a matter of trust between me and the individuals who spoke with me." 

Unfortunately, the price of not jeopardizing the First Amendment was steep. Wakefield's failure to comply with the judge's orders cost him a fine of $200 a day,

but even that didn't shake him. Luckily, the case caught the attention of other journalists who admired his stand and created a fund that would cover the total fine, which reached nearly $19,000. The Washington Post even entered the fray with an editorial stating that Wakefield "did the right thing."

Despite his time in court, this former elementary school teacher turned First Amendment defender plans to uphold his principles while he continues to report.

—E.G.

Got a Tip?

Do you have an interesting story idea? Contact Sabrina Holcomb.