Each year, the University of Southern Maine’s Walter E. Russell Chair in Philosophy and Education honors a Deering High School educator who embodies the core values of the teaching profession – someone who ignites a passion for discovery in students, engages in the school’s ongoing life, and brings creativity and innovation to the classroom.

This year’s honoree is special education teacher Margaret Hoyt. Hoyt is celebrated for investing extensive hours, guiding students who need extra support, championing learners by attending events beyond the school day, and serving as a vital energy source for some of Deering’s most compelling co-curricular activities. 

Each year, under the auspices of the Walter E. Russell Chair in Philosophy and Education, USM honors a Deering High School teacher for excellence in teaching with the award. Recipients are chosen by their colleagues. Walter E. Russell was principal of Gorham Normal School, a teachers’ college that eventually merged into the institution now known as USM, from 1906 to 1940. A preacher and educator born in Fayette, Russell died in 1948.  Concerned about the lack of qualified schoolteachers in Maine during the 1930s, Russell emphasized building up a source of quality teachers for the state.

Learn more about Hoyt and other outstanding Deering teachers in this article on the DHS website.