Field Dedication Celebrates a 54 Year Career in Education
By Cookie Steponaitis
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Statistics show that most Americans change careers at least five to seven times in their adult lives. Gone are the days of people serving twenty, thirty, forty, or even fifty years in a career and a community. That’s the beauty of statistics, because there is always someone to prove them wrong. Case in point is Vergennes resident and educator Roland Guyette.
Born in Newport, Vermont, Roland Guyette entered the field of education after graduating from Lyndon State College in 1957 and has never left. He is still active and impacting the lives of youth and in some families reaching the third generation. Roland Guyette is a man who has never sought the limelight or accolades for his passion working with teens and was stunned to find himself the center of attention on Saturday,
September 24th, when generations gathered during the homecoming celebration at VUHS to unveil the dedication of the Roland Guyette Athletic Fields. Spearheaded by VUHS athletic director Peter Maneen and Dianne Marcotte, the ceremony was the culmination of over a year of active fundraising, planning and work that linked the school, community, civic groups and individuals in donations to pay for the field work and new entrance to the fields that Guyette has cared for since 1967.
When Roland Guyette arrived at VUHS in the fall of 1967 to teach Drivers Education he had already been in the education field a decade, serving as a history teacher and coach at Newport Center School District from 1957-1960 and Haverhill Academy in New Hampshire from 1960-1967. During the next thirty-three years, Guyette not only taught generations to drive at VUHS but also served in the capacities of JV Baseball Coach, JV Girls Basketball Coach, Athletic Director, Girls Varsity Soccer Coach, Varsity Baseball Coach, JV Boys Soccer Coach, Varsity Boys Soccer Coach, Cross Country Coach and grounds keeper from 1990-1999. While the official naming of the fields signifies the love and respect of literally thousands who have passed under his tutelage, to most Vergennes residents the field has always been his anyway. No matter the time, season or temperature, the fields were cared for by Guyette to the awe and amazement of teams who came and looked on at the meticulous care they received.
While he officially retired from teaching in 2000, Guyette has never left VUHS, his beloved teenagers or athletics. He continues to serve as the assistant grounds keeper and is present at most home games and events, running the score clock and keeping books for teams. Summers find him still engaged in his other job working at the Vergennes Pool, a partnership that began in April 1966 and continues to this day. While Vergennes Mayor Mike Daniels proclaimed it officially Roland Guyette Day and the unveiling of a sculptured plaque recorded for all time the longevity and quiet passion for teens and sports of this Vergennes educator, leave it to modern technology to provide a way to involve hundreds of his past students.
Started a little over a couple of months ago, a former student started on Facebook a group called Roland Guyette Taught Me How to Drive. Now with close to 500 members, the responses, memories and comments from graduates spanning 1967-2011 include, “He was the first person that required me to wear a seat belt,” “I just remember driving with him and he calmly turned to me and said, ‘When is the last time you had your eyes checked?’ I got my first pair of glasses that week’,” “Is there anyone in Addison County that he DIDN’T teach how to drive?” “Do you think Mr. G. looks like Tony Bennett?” “We were riding down a steep hill in Hinesburg and Charlie was at the wheel. He got going pretty fast, so Roland said “Release Charlie, Release. SO, Charlie took his hands off the wheel,” and lastly, “Roland taught me how to drive, but more importantly Roland taught me how to live my life.”
Faces, dates and information can and are etched into stone, but the lessons learned from a man like Roland Guyette defy time, generations and even today continue to inspire a new generation who are searching for definitions to words like community member, civic responsibility, and finding their passion in life. Simply put, Roland Guyette found his 54 years ago and he has never let go…. It was and always will be, “all about the kids.”