GMS teacher all geared up for epic journey

It all started with Jack London’s The Call of the Wild. For the past 15 years, when the snow begins to fly and the temperature drops, the eighth grade students at the Galvin Middle School experience this rich and timeless piece of classic literature.

The wintery scene outside the classroom window is the perfect backdrop for a story of survival told through the eyes of the beloved Husky, Buck, that takes place in the harsh and bitter cold Yukon. In the 1890s, London joined the thousands of other prospectors who made their way to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush. Although his hopes and aspirations of striking gold did not materialize, he left agog with inspiration. The gold he found was not in yellow metal nuggets, but in the adventures he experienced in the Far North.

Iditarod Teacher on the Trail finalist Brian Hickox with his father and sister at a recent fundraiser organized by his Galvin Middle School colleagues.

Having taught this remarkable story of courage, Maureen Holland, grade 8 English teacher, was drawn to Alaska in the spring of 2014. There she witnessed firsthand the link that the Iditarod, for the past 45 years, has commemorated to its rich past, the legacy of dog sledding as it was used by the native people and the tough Husky breed.

The race is held every year during the first week of March and challenges mushers to traverse a trail of more than 1,000 miles between Willow and Nome, Alaska. The trail features the beauty of the vast Alaskan expanse — the Tundra, the forests, the Northern Lights, the small towns, the shores of the Bering Sea, and the uniqueness of the Alaskan people.

While in Alaska Holland attended the Iditarod Conference for Educators, an experience she kept close to her heart. She also learned about the Iditarod Teacher on the Trail Program, where every year one teacher from across the country is selected by the Iditarod Trail Committee to join the race.

The next year, when Brian Hickox joined the English faculty at the Galvin Middle School, Holland knew instantly that he was it — the ideal Iditarod Teacher on the Trail. And so began a journey of countless hours of collaborative planning and paperwork that culminated in Hickox being nominated as one of three finalists from across the country to be the 2019 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail.

The application process for the program was grueling. Fortunately, the entire GMS community and CPS administrative team wanted Hickox to win just as much as Holland did. What led to him being chosen as a finalist was truly a team effort. Administrators and co-workers wrote letters of recommendation; parents penned letters of support; and teachers, under the enthusiastic guidance of Holland, researched ways to support him.

On January 19, Holland planned an elaborate fundraiser for family and friends at her residence. It was a lavish affair, catered beautifully and attended by over 75 well-wishers. A suggested donation of $20 resulted in a large collection which will pay for the next phase of the journey. (The finalists are required to pay for most expenses out of pocket until the winner is declared). GMS social studies teacher Nancy Flood, along with other staff members, also arranged an elaborate raffle which added fun and funds to the lovely evening.

Hickox will be flying out to Anchorage tomorrow, February 23, to attend the Iditarod Conference for Educators. There, in the presence of the corporate sponsors, he will present his ideas on how to best incorporate the novel and lessons from the trail across the curriculum. Additionally, he will undergo several interviews as part of the rigorous selection process. The winner of the Iditarod 2019 Teacher on the Trail will be announced this April.

“Being selected as the Iditarod Teacher on the Trail,” said Hickox, “would afford me a unique opportunity that would allow me to become immersed in a different culture, share my experiences with others, grow as an educator, and inspire students and educators to learn with engaging activities and insightful messages.”

Well-liked by students and co-workers, Hickox is energetic, compassionate, humorous, encouraging, and an engaging teacher. He is also caring and kind and passionate about his job. “I firmly believe that one’s identity and personality is often shaped through experiential learning and positive interactions with role models,” he said. “Over the course of my life, I’ve had numerous influential teachers who have exhibited patience, dedication, humor, knowledge and empathy. Consequently, ever since I learned about the frameworks of society and the inevitable need to work, I knew teaching was going to be my calling. It is my goal to inspire kids to become lifelong learners, positive role models, and difference makers.”

The Iditarod Teacher on the Trail is responsible for posting lessons on the official Iditarod website for teachers to access during the months leading up to the Last Great Race on Earth. During the race, the teacher visits classrooms in schools throughout Alaska and shares lessons about the Iditarod and all of its valuable connections. Also, he/she helps with the logistics of managing the race behind the scenes. The teacher travels in small planes with the Iditarod Air Force, a group of volunteer pilots who fly from checkpoint to checkpoint and ensure the safety of the mushers and dogs alike. While on the thousand-mile trail, the teacher is responsible for chronicling events live via the internet; this opportunity allows the Iditarod Teacher on the Trail to connect with school communities across the country. What a priceless experience that will be for our students and others nationwide!

Hickox has always been an active thrill-seeker, nature-lover, and a dog person. Raised in Weymouth, he took full advantage of the opportunities the diverse regional area of the state provided; some of his adventures include boating in Buzzards Bay, snowboarding in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, camping in the White Mountains, hiking the Acadia National Park, whitewater rafting down the Kennebec River, and skydiving through the New England skies. Needless to say, his athletic prowess and passion for the outdoors gave him an edge over the many applicants. Currently he is in the running with two elementary school teachers — one from Indiana and the other from Virginia — in their mission to be the Iditarod Teacher on the Trail for 2019.

Good luck to Mr. Hickox as he embarks on the next phase of his impressive journey. Each one of us is rooting for him as we are confident that he will represent us well and make the Canton community incredibly proud. Mush! Hike! All Right! Let’s Go!

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Posted by Rumni Saha on Feb 23 2018. Filed under Features. Both comments and pings are currently closed.