Abbie L. Hoisington's students say it the best.
"She taught us about honesty, confidence, kindness and respect for one another and ourselves," said one.
"She cared about us and expected the best for us and never gave up on us," said another.
Ms. Hoisington, 28, of Cranston, was a special-education teacher at Burrillville High School. Though she had been there less than a year, the talkative teacher had made many friends.
Ms. Hoisington's interest in special education began in high school when her teachers encouraged her to get involved with the Special Education Club, her family said. Soon after, she volunteered to work with the Special Olympics. Then she majored in special education at the University of Southern Connecticut.
But she didn't just teach academics. She taught life skills. Ms. Hoisington took her students grocery shopping and gave them cooking lessons. She took them bowling, and sailing on her parents' boat. She and her students made soap and sold it to help raise money for classroom accessories, including a refrigerator they had hoped to buy.
She was a constant advocate for her students.
"She was a pit bull for something she believed in," said her mother, Bonnie A. Hoisington, of Cranston.
Ms. Hoisington wasn't a fan the Great White, the band playing at The Station the night of the fire. She went because her friend, Lisa D'Andrea, a special education teacher in Cranston, asked her to come, Mrs. Hoisington said. Ms. D'Andrea, 42, of Barrington, also died in the fire.
Ms. Hoisington loved music and stepdancing. She collected everything: clothes, CDs, perfumes, and for some reason, pigs. Her family left a porcelain pig at the fire site in memory of her.
But mostly, Ms. Hoisington lived for her students, her mother said.
One of her former pupils, Samuel "Sammy" F. Muskelly, 18, will sing at her funeral today.
Sammy said Ms. Hoisington put up with his 13-year-old bad attitude and always kept him motivated when he was in her class at Hope Middle School in Providence. When he invited her to his plays or talent shows, she would always attend.
"All the high notes that I can't hit, I was hitting them because she came out there for me," he said.
Sammy still knows her telephone number by heart.
"She was like E.F. Hutton to me. When she talked, I listened," he said. "I knew what she was telling me was the right way."
Cathleen Crowley
Boston Globe
Abbie L. Hoisington dedicated herself to teaching and to her students, making time to take them on shopping trips and attend their after-school performances. The 28-year-old special education teacher wore a nose ring, spiked her hair, and was sometimes mistaken for a student at Burrillville High School in Harrisville, R.I.
The Cranston woman brought her spunky presence to Burrillville High last fall, after teaching at other schools in Rhode Island, including Cranston East High School, her alma mater.
"She walked the extra mile for her kids," said Richard Trogisch, principal at Burrillville High. "She was a very empathetic person who really loved her kids. She will be missed by her students and the aides she worked with. She was a young, vivacious teacher who really loved her job and everyone knew it."
After learning that Hoisington had died in last week's fire, her students, many of whom have multiple handicaps, wrote about their beloved teacher, signing a piece of paper that stated "Ms. Hoisington was special to us because ... she made us laugh a lot, she was our best friend, she made us want to learn, she took us on special field trips and introduced us to new pen pals."
Hoisington molded homemade soap with her students, introduced them to the Internet, took them to the grocery store, and showed them how to cook meals.
Her father, Leland Hoisington, said she had wanted to get a refrigerator, washer, and dryer for the classroom to help teach the children life skills.
"Her students were her life," he said.
Even when she socialized with other teachers after school, she talked about her students.
"She loved her kids; she talked about her kids a lot," recalled Amy Van Horn, an art teacher at Burrillville. "Her kids really looked up to her."
Van Horn said Hoisington's students once put little rhinestones on their noses as a joke, mimicking their teacher's facial jewelry.
Hoisington attended the Great White concert with her friend, Lisa D'Andrea, 42, a special education teacher at Cranston East High School, who also died in the fire.
By Ric Kahn
"She taught us about honesty, confidence, kindness and respect for one another and ourselves," said one.
"She cared about us and expected the best for us and never gave up on us," said another.
Ms. Hoisington, 28, of Cranston, was a special-education teacher at Burrillville High School. Though she had been there less than a year, the talkative teacher had made many friends.
Ms. Hoisington's interest in special education began in high school when her teachers encouraged her to get involved with the Special Education Club, her family said. Soon after, she volunteered to work with the Special Olympics. Then she majored in special education at the University of Southern Connecticut.
But she didn't just teach academics. She taught life skills. Ms. Hoisington took her students grocery shopping and gave them cooking lessons. She took them bowling, and sailing on her parents' boat. She and her students made soap and sold it to help raise money for classroom accessories, including a refrigerator they had hoped to buy.
She was a constant advocate for her students.
"She was a pit bull for something she believed in," said her mother, Bonnie A. Hoisington, of Cranston.
Ms. Hoisington wasn't a fan the Great White, the band playing at The Station the night of the fire. She went because her friend, Lisa D'Andrea, a special education teacher in Cranston, asked her to come, Mrs. Hoisington said. Ms. D'Andrea, 42, of Barrington, also died in the fire.
Ms. Hoisington loved music and stepdancing. She collected everything: clothes, CDs, perfumes, and for some reason, pigs. Her family left a porcelain pig at the fire site in memory of her.
But mostly, Ms. Hoisington lived for her students, her mother said.
One of her former pupils, Samuel "Sammy" F. Muskelly, 18, will sing at her funeral today.
Sammy said Ms. Hoisington put up with his 13-year-old bad attitude and always kept him motivated when he was in her class at Hope Middle School in Providence. When he invited her to his plays or talent shows, she would always attend.
"All the high notes that I can't hit, I was hitting them because she came out there for me," he said.
Sammy still knows her telephone number by heart.
"She was like E.F. Hutton to me. When she talked, I listened," he said. "I knew what she was telling me was the right way."
Cathleen Crowley
Boston Globe
Abbie L. Hoisington dedicated herself to teaching and to her students, making time to take them on shopping trips and attend their after-school performances. The 28-year-old special education teacher wore a nose ring, spiked her hair, and was sometimes mistaken for a student at Burrillville High School in Harrisville, R.I.
The Cranston woman brought her spunky presence to Burrillville High last fall, after teaching at other schools in Rhode Island, including Cranston East High School, her alma mater.
"She walked the extra mile for her kids," said Richard Trogisch, principal at Burrillville High. "She was a very empathetic person who really loved her kids. She will be missed by her students and the aides she worked with. She was a young, vivacious teacher who really loved her job and everyone knew it."
After learning that Hoisington had died in last week's fire, her students, many of whom have multiple handicaps, wrote about their beloved teacher, signing a piece of paper that stated "Ms. Hoisington was special to us because ... she made us laugh a lot, she was our best friend, she made us want to learn, she took us on special field trips and introduced us to new pen pals."
Hoisington molded homemade soap with her students, introduced them to the Internet, took them to the grocery store, and showed them how to cook meals.
Her father, Leland Hoisington, said she had wanted to get a refrigerator, washer, and dryer for the classroom to help teach the children life skills.
"Her students were her life," he said.
Even when she socialized with other teachers after school, she talked about her students.
"She loved her kids; she talked about her kids a lot," recalled Amy Van Horn, an art teacher at Burrillville. "Her kids really looked up to her."
Van Horn said Hoisington's students once put little rhinestones on their noses as a joke, mimicking their teacher's facial jewelry.
Hoisington attended the Great White concert with her friend, Lisa D'Andrea, 42, a special education teacher at Cranston East High School, who also died in the fire.
By Ric Kahn
Abbie L. Hoisington's students say it the best.
"She taught us about honesty, confidence, kindness and respect for one another and ourselves," said one.
"She cared about us and expected the best for us and never gave up on us," said another.
Ms. Hoisington, 28, of Cranston, was a special-education teacher at Burrillville High School. Though she had been there less than a year, the talkative teacher had made many friends.
Ms. Hoisington's interest in special education began in high school when her teachers encouraged her to get involved with the Special Education Club, her family said. Soon after, she volunteered to work with the Special Olympics. Then she majored in special education at the University of Southern Connecticut.
But she didn't just teach academics. She taught life skills. Ms. Hoisington took her students grocery shopping and gave them cooking lessons. She took them bowling, and sailing on her parents' boat. She and her students made soap and sold it to help raise money for classroom accessories, including a refrigerator they had hoped to buy.
She was a constant advocate for her students.
"She was a pit bull for something she believed in," said her mother, Bonnie A. Hoisington, of Cranston.
Ms. Hoisington wasn't a fan the Great White, the band playing at The Station the night of the fire. She went because her friend, Lisa D'Andrea, a special education teacher in Cranston, asked her to come, Mrs. Hoisington said. Ms. D'Andrea, 42, of Barrington, also died in the fire.
Ms. Hoisington loved music and stepdancing. She collected everything: clothes, CDs, perfumes, and for some reason, pigs. Her family left a porcelain pig at the fire site in memory of her.
But mostly, Ms. Hoisington lived for her students, her mother said.
One of her former pupils, Samuel "Sammy" F. Muskelly, 18, will sing at her funeral today.
Sammy said Ms. Hoisington put up with his 13-year-old bad attitude and always kept him motivated when he was in her class at Hope Middle School in Providence. When he invited her to his plays or talent shows, she would always attend.
"All the high notes that I can't hit, I was hitting them because she came out there for me," he said.
Sammy still knows her telephone number by heart.
"She was like E.F. Hutton to me. When she talked, I listened," he said. "I knew what she was telling me was the right way."
Cathleen Crowley
Boston Globe
Abbie L. Hoisington dedicated herself to teaching and to her students, making time to take them on shopping trips and attend their after-school performances. The 28-year-old special education teacher wore a nose ring, spiked her hair, and was sometimes mistaken for a student at Burrillville High School in Harrisville, R.I.
The Cranston woman brought her spunky presence to Burrillville High last fall, after teaching at other schools in Rhode Island, including Cranston East High School, her alma mater.
"She walked the extra mile for her kids," said Richard Trogisch, principal at Burrillville High. "She was a very empathetic person who really loved her kids. She will be missed by her students and the aides she worked with. She was a young, vivacious teacher who really loved her job and everyone knew it."
After learning that Hoisington had died in last week's fire, her students, many of whom have multiple handicaps, wrote about their beloved teacher, signing a piece of paper that stated "Ms. Hoisington was special to us because ... she made us laugh a lot, she was our best friend, she made us want to learn, she took us on special field trips and introduced us to new pen pals."
Hoisington molded homemade soap with her students, introduced them to the Internet, took them to the grocery store, and showed them how to cook meals.
Her father, Leland Hoisington, said she had wanted to get a refrigerator, washer, and dryer for the classroom to help teach the children life skills.
"Her students were her life," he said.
Even when she socialized with other teachers after school, she talked about her students.
"She loved her kids; she talked about her kids a lot," recalled Amy Van Horn, an art teacher at Burrillville. "Her kids really looked up to her."
Van Horn said Hoisington's students once put little rhinestones on their noses as a joke, mimicking their teacher's facial jewelry.
Hoisington attended the Great White concert with her friend, Lisa D'Andrea, 42, a special education teacher at Cranston East High School, who also died in the fire.
By Ric Kahn
"She taught us about honesty, confidence, kindness and respect for one another and ourselves," said one.
"She cared about us and expected the best for us and never gave up on us," said another.
Ms. Hoisington, 28, of Cranston, was a special-education teacher at Burrillville High School. Though she had been there less than a year, the talkative teacher had made many friends.
Ms. Hoisington's interest in special education began in high school when her teachers encouraged her to get involved with the Special Education Club, her family said. Soon after, she volunteered to work with the Special Olympics. Then she majored in special education at the University of Southern Connecticut.
But she didn't just teach academics. She taught life skills. Ms. Hoisington took her students grocery shopping and gave them cooking lessons. She took them bowling, and sailing on her parents' boat. She and her students made soap and sold it to help raise money for classroom accessories, including a refrigerator they had hoped to buy.
She was a constant advocate for her students.
"She was a pit bull for something she believed in," said her mother, Bonnie A. Hoisington, of Cranston.
Ms. Hoisington wasn't a fan the Great White, the band playing at The Station the night of the fire. She went because her friend, Lisa D'Andrea, a special education teacher in Cranston, asked her to come, Mrs. Hoisington said. Ms. D'Andrea, 42, of Barrington, also died in the fire.
Ms. Hoisington loved music and stepdancing. She collected everything: clothes, CDs, perfumes, and for some reason, pigs. Her family left a porcelain pig at the fire site in memory of her.
But mostly, Ms. Hoisington lived for her students, her mother said.
One of her former pupils, Samuel "Sammy" F. Muskelly, 18, will sing at her funeral today.
Sammy said Ms. Hoisington put up with his 13-year-old bad attitude and always kept him motivated when he was in her class at Hope Middle School in Providence. When he invited her to his plays or talent shows, she would always attend.
"All the high notes that I can't hit, I was hitting them because she came out there for me," he said.
Sammy still knows her telephone number by heart.
"She was like E.F. Hutton to me. When she talked, I listened," he said. "I knew what she was telling me was the right way."
Cathleen Crowley
Boston Globe
Abbie L. Hoisington dedicated herself to teaching and to her students, making time to take them on shopping trips and attend their after-school performances. The 28-year-old special education teacher wore a nose ring, spiked her hair, and was sometimes mistaken for a student at Burrillville High School in Harrisville, R.I.
The Cranston woman brought her spunky presence to Burrillville High last fall, after teaching at other schools in Rhode Island, including Cranston East High School, her alma mater.
"She walked the extra mile for her kids," said Richard Trogisch, principal at Burrillville High. "She was a very empathetic person who really loved her kids. She will be missed by her students and the aides she worked with. She was a young, vivacious teacher who really loved her job and everyone knew it."
After learning that Hoisington had died in last week's fire, her students, many of whom have multiple handicaps, wrote about their beloved teacher, signing a piece of paper that stated "Ms. Hoisington was special to us because ... she made us laugh a lot, she was our best friend, she made us want to learn, she took us on special field trips and introduced us to new pen pals."
Hoisington molded homemade soap with her students, introduced them to the Internet, took them to the grocery store, and showed them how to cook meals.
Her father, Leland Hoisington, said she had wanted to get a refrigerator, washer, and dryer for the classroom to help teach the children life skills.
"Her students were her life," he said.
Even when she socialized with other teachers after school, she talked about her students.
"She loved her kids; she talked about her kids a lot," recalled Amy Van Horn, an art teacher at Burrillville. "Her kids really looked up to her."
Van Horn said Hoisington's students once put little rhinestones on their noses as a joke, mimicking their teacher's facial jewelry.
Hoisington attended the Great White concert with her friend, Lisa D'Andrea, 42, a special education teacher at Cranston East High School, who also died in the fire.
By Ric Kahn
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