Sep 1, 2003 By: yunews
Sep 1, 2003 -- Sitting at a table in Belfer Hall鈥檚 cafeteria on the Wilf Campus, Harriet Levitt reminisces about her 23-year teaching career at the Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy/ 黑料社 All High School for Boys.
When one of her former English students and debate team members nominated her as the high school teacher who most influenced him, Mrs. Levitt said she felt 鈥渉umble鈥 about receiving her first formal accolade for teaching.
鈥淢y true reward is keeping in touch with former students,鈥 Mrs. Levitt said. 鈥淚 am very curious about them and I care about them.鈥
When former student Howard Heching, YH鈥98 of Monsey, NY, was inducted into Cornell University鈥檚 Merrill Presidential Scholars Program this spring, Mrs. Levitt immediately came to mind.
Mr. Heching, 23, graduated from Cornell in May and plans to attend Cornell鈥檚 Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College this fall. He was one of 35 graduating seniors (representing the top 1 percent of his class) to receive the Merrill award that recognized students for academic achievement, strong leadership ability, and potential for contributing to society.
Merrill recipients choose one high school teacher and one college professor who inspired them and contributed to their scholastic experience. Mrs. Levitt was one of 35 high school teachers (who came from as far as India, Singapore, Bulgaria, and Japan) who were honored during a two-day event at Cornell.
鈥淏asically, it really wasn鈥檛 much of a decision for me,鈥 Mr. Heching said about nominating his sophomore English teacher. 鈥淪he is very caring about her students and really wants to make sure they make the right decisions.鈥
Mrs. Levitt, who lives in Scarsdale, NY, describes herself as 鈥渃urious, accepting, and demanding,鈥 and said she often pushes her students to fulfill their potential.
MSTA Dean Michael Hecht agrees. 鈥淲e are very pleased to know that Harriet Levitt鈥檚 selfless dedication over more than two decades has been acknowledged not only by the Yeshiva community, but also by the larger academic world.鈥
In addition to teaching and coaching the debate team, Mrs. Levitt is a mother of three (her middle child, Mark, graduated from MSTA in 1983 and from Yeshiva College in 1988) and a grandmother of five. She plays tennis, participates in a Hadassah reading group, and exercises every morning with a walking group.
But, smiles Mrs. Levitt, 鈥淢y chief interest is my grandchildren.鈥
