Mr. Preston Hayes

Chemistry teacher

I'll never forget the first day of class, 1967. Mr. Hayes had just returned from the Philippines. and this was his first teaching assignment. He walked to the front of the class to introduce himself and began speaking while holding 2 beakers of clear liquid.

As he began to speak telling us about his adventure, one of the liquids turned bright orange. As he continued speaking, the other beaker instantly turned bright blue! He continued to speak as if nothing had happened and was as calm as could be. Meanwhile the entire class was stirring trying to figure out what the heck had just happened! Well, he had 'captured' us, and we were all in the palm of his hand!

With the timing of a Jerry Seinfield, he began to explain what had happened was a simple chemical reaction, and that this year we were going to learn all about these kinds of phenomena!

He not only had the complete focus and attention of the entire class, even those of us who were kind of traditional 'goof-offs', that year he taught me that education was fun, learning was exciting, and that school and teachers weren't the enemy! He literally changed my life to become one who loved learning, and all the excitement it entailed!!

...At the ripe old age of 52, I became a licensed High School Basketball Official. One day, I had a game at Glenbrook South HS. As I approached the scorers table, sitting there, looking exactly like he did that day back in 1967 was Mr. Hayes! I re-introduced myself, and his memory was sufficiently jarred such that he acknowledged me from those early days. I told him how he had change this high school big-mouth and 'behavior challenged' kid into a young man for whom learning became a life long joy!!

I'll never forget Mr. Hayes, and will be eternally thankful for his dedication to science, learning, and educating young men and women!