Claire Yost was a teacher and counselor in the Saginaw Public Schools, principally at her alma mater, Arthur Hill High School. She was a relentless advocate for her students and spent a great deal of her personal time, energy and resources on their behalf. She loved and respected them, recognizing each one as individual, worthwhile and unique. They were well aware of this and trusted her. Because of that she was able to “hound them with humor” and “nag them with nurture” to spur them into reaching for their potential. Her generous, loving and abundant sense of humor, her boundless love of life and her belief in her mission helped immensely in this.

Among the teaching awards Claire received were the Arthur Hill Teacher of the Year, the Arthur Hill Honor Alumna and The Saginaw News Diamond Award. She was an active member of the Saginaw Education Association for over 15 years, serving as vice president and on several bargaining teams. At Arthur Hill High School, Claire was active on her school Quality Team and a volunteer for the innumerable functions, both official and extracurricular, both small and large, that keep schools running and give them life and a sense of community. Claire enjoyed widespread respect and affection from her teaching colleagues and administrators, and was an inspiration and role model to many. In 2009 she was honored with a special tribute from the “Retirement Choir from Our Lady of Maximum Irreverence.”

More than these honors, she felt truly rewarded by the love, respect, and appreciation she received in return from her students. Of special delight to her were the “turnaround” kids, the ones for whom the light bulb went on and who then were able to exert tremendous effort to improve their grades and build their lives. This scholarship is for them.

Claire retired in June 2009 and passed away in December 2010.