High school English teacher Frank Boxer never imagined how his life might change when he chose Duncan Cannon - a dachshund - from the rescue where he was days away from being put down. The faithful dog, now 16, and Frank have a connection that can't be broken, and Frank is equally passionate about his teaching career and students. A new book released by Dog Ear Publishing shares their heartwarming story.
Frank, who teaches at Pines Environmental High School, and his closest colleagues find themselves battling the administration and oppressive education system every year. But the annual trip he takes with 22 students makes it all worthwhile: students experiencing wonder at thousands of fireflies in Nebraska, enjoying the world's largest truck stop in Iowa, taking in circus shows at Las Vegas, hiking to Mooney Falls in the Grand Canyon and learning how to ride horseback and get a living history lesson on a Native American reservation in Pine Ridge, S.D. "Running to Duncan's Field" features a cast of unforgettable characters, such as Alex White Plume, a Lakota elder whose gift of friendship gives Frank a sense of connection to history and the universe at large. A sister who valiantly fights cancer. Students who are inspired by Frank's unusual teaching methods and who, in return, enlighten Frank's career. Treasured colleagues who challenge the tyrannical administration and question the meaning of high stakes educational testing.Videos