Middle School students presented teacher Colin Poole on Thursday with a yearbook they dedicated in his honor.

Poole, who is battling a rare form of cancer that he has received treatment for in New York City, was present for the eighth grade class to give him a copy of the yearbook.

Students, faculty and staff, as well as the community, have rallied around the 28-year-old foreign language teacher from Colonie this year after the diagnosis and the quest for a cure led him to take a leave of absence from the school.

A major fundraiser over the winter raised thousands of dollars for Poole and his wife and several other events - from a spaghetti dinner organized by an student to a candy sale - have raised funds to help the teacher in his time of need.