Dolgeville teacher gets special farewell before deployment to Afghanistan

By Dave Dellecese

Story Created: Sep 28, 2007 at 4:29 PM EST

Story Updated: Sep 28, 2007 at 5:27 PM EST

DOLGEVILLE - Students at Dolgeville Middle School took a break from the books to say farewell to their teacher today. Frank Engle will be heading overseas with his national guard platoon. But not without a proper goodbye.

"Good afternoon scholars," Engle said to students today in an assembly. As if on cue, the students responded: "Good afternoon, Mr. Engle."

Frank Engle's enthusiasm to teach is what makes him popular at Dolgeville Middle School. It's also why his upcoming deployment to Afghanistan is difficult for his students to face.

"He just loves to have fun and he gets down on our level and does stuff that we would enjoy," said Emily Briggs, 12, one of Engle's students. "Not just sitting in a classroom."

Seventh and eighth grade students held a going-away assembly for Engel today, and the admiration the kids have for their social studies teacher was visibly reciprocated.

"I love it," said Engle. "It's really my life. I mean, the kids...i would do anything for them."

And they would do anything for him, even sending him off with a special gift while he's overseas.

"We made him a monkey," said Tyler Richards, 13. "My mom made him a monkey...because he loves monkeys."

With monkey in hand, Engel will leave to serve his country knowing he has a big family waiting for him.
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