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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, April 28, 2016 | 6 Forest Grove steps up for their teacher Leah by Julia Le Oakville Beaver Staff Spotlight "Connected to your Community" They did it for Leah Noyes. S tudents at Forest Grove Preschool held their annual fundraiser last Thursday (April 21) -- this year in support of their teacher, who was suddenly diagnosed with brain cancer in January. "Although our students have always decided on their charitable causes in the past, none have ever been felt as deeply as this," said preschool manager and teacher Sabrina Capraro. Capraro said the fundraising event has taken place annually over the last year and in the past, has supported local charities. However, this year, students expressed a desire to help Noyes, who just recently nished radiation and chemotherapy treatment, with costs not covered by insurance or OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan). "This is as close as it's gotten to home," said Capraro, admitting the news came as a shock to their school community. Last Thursday's event featured games, raf es, and a bazaar that offered baked goods and handmade items created by students. Together, Forest Grove students from the before and after school, preschool and Junior and Senior Kindergarten (JK and SK) programs helped raise more than $2,000 at the fundraiser. Every morning, while she It will be matched by greeted her students, they the Westoak Trails Bouwould run, full speed ahead levard school, so Noyes will receive $4,000. and crash into her with Capraro said teachgenuine excitement. ing has been such a huge part of Noyes' life. In fact, as the 32-yearold was wheeled out of brain surgery a few Sabrina Capraro months ago, she woke Forest Grove Preschool up worried about the Forest Grove fundraiser, which she was originally in charge of organizing, Capraro said, noting she'd learned this from Noyes' family. Noyes' is always thinking about her students, according to Capraro and that has resonated with her students. Capraro said the most common adjective Noyes' students use to describe their teacher is `joyful.' "Leah was the natural leader, the undeniable `good cop'," Capraro said, noting Noyes always nds the silver lining in everything and is ready for preschool dance party any time, any day. "Every morning, while she greeted her students, they would run, full speed ahead and crash into her with genuine | photo courtesy Forest Grove Preschool Forest Grove Preschool teacher Leah Noyes, 32, is battling brain cancer. Above, Noyes is pictured with students, clockwise from top right, Piper Caldwell, Layla Calzonetti and Saakshi Kandoi. Pictured at right, during the school's recent fundraiser in Noyes' honour, top to bottom, Danika Renton pours lemonade; Brent Morris runs a card matching game; Kiera Fahey, left, Sydney Peterson, Tereska Orszag and Ethan Studholme sell a cupcake to Elsie Stevens. | photos by Michael Ivanin - special to the Beaver excitement," she said. "Every parent would watch in relief to see their child run into a teacher's arms with such trust and ease -- when they were with Leah, they were more than loved." That rings true for Celina Ayotte whose mother Tenille Ayotte told the Oakville Beaver how important it was for her family to show support for Noyes, who was Celina's teacher for two years. see Noyes on p.7 Volume 54 | Number 34 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington (905) 845-3824 Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. NEIL OLIVER Vice ­President and Group Publisher KELLY MONTAGUE Regional General Manager DANIEL BAIRD Director of Advertising ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor Editorial Department (905) 845-3824 Advertising Department (905) 845-3824 Classi ed Advertising (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095