Obama's teacher leaves Hefty legacy

Hawaii's Star Bulletin pays a beautiful tribute to Mabel Hefty, Obama's 5th grade teacher, made famous by his reference to her as his favorite teacher on the YouTube debate. It quotes Ms. Hefty speaking of Obama before she passed away in 1995: Obama's name had come up as her mother was dying of cancer, before he went into politics, Whorff said. "I know he's going to be somebody,'" Hefty told her daughter. "You probably will hear about him. If you do, look him up."

There's a very nice bit about his father's visit to Obama's class to make a presentation on Kenya. Several of her former students who gained prominence in Hawaii or just followed her footsteps are also featured.

starbulletin.com | News | /2007/07/29/