HC community rallies behind admired educator

By Sydney Momeyer and John Burke

At the beginning of the second semester of the 2015-16 school year, one of HC’s dedicated World History teachers announced that he would be taking the rest of the year off due to his wife’s recent diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer. Many students and teachers have donated time and resources to helping Carl Mirzaian’s family through this difficult time. When most at HC began to notice the absence of one of their most beloved teachers and coworkers, they had already made the decision to assist him.

“[Mr. Mirzaian] has always been the type of teacher that you can tell just really cares,” sophomore Caroline Gies said. “He has had a good relationship with everyone in our class. He is the type of teacher who always takes the time to do something for you.”

Gies and Katie Montgomery, another sophomore in Mirzaian’s class, decided to sell baked goods in order to raise money for Mirzaian and his family.

“We wanted to help him pay for whatever needs to be paid for,” Montgomery said. “We bought candy and our friend Chloe Naylor baked things. We sold them and all the funds went to his family.”

Gies, Montgomery, and Naylor raised over $220 over their two day period in late February.

“We raised the money and then gave it to him in a check,” Gies said.

His coworkers have donated in a different way. After Mirzaian’s announcement that he would be out for the rest of the semester, his fellow teachers considered the toll that he and his family would be going through.

Elise Perry, fellow teacher and personal friend of Mirzaian, has coordinated with other teachers to provide meals and take care of his house while he is busy.

“I’ve been trying my best to keep the department informed,” Perry said. “I call him once a week and check in on him to find out he’s doing and how the department can help. We have taken meals for his family and Mrs. Cabble’s husband has done yard work for them. I have given some sick days along with Mrs. Cabble and others.”

For a public employee to donate sick days is the equivalent of giving away a part of your retirement funds.

“When teachers retire, the school system pays you for your unused sick leave,” Perry said. “Depending on how many days you give out depends on what the rate will be.”

Some of the people involved in helping Mirzaian during this time have dealt with similar experiences in their own family. For example, Gies had cancer in her own family and this prompted her to help.

“His situation resonates deeply with me,” Gies said. “When I found out, I wrote him and his family a letter.”

While some of those involved with helping Mirzaian have been similarly affected, all of them are sending their best wishes to their co-worker and teacher to back at HC soon.