Mount Carmel School’s leadership team and AlumKnight Association recognized MCS Chairperson and 1985 AlumKnight Vicente Babauta, fourth from left, as the 2020 AlumKnight of the Year. Mount Carmel School encourages interested community members to join the legacy by enrolling their children today. An online application is available at www.mountcarmelsaipan.com. MCS photo
She and the school’s other teachers and staff were recognized on Tuesday as part of the Catholic Schools Week celebration.
“We value our teachers in so many ways,” MCS president Dr. Galvin Deleon Guerrero said.
Over the past years, he added, MCS teachers have been provided more benefits that include a 401(k) program, a generous insurance package, and more resources through the Public School System and federal programs.
In the past five years, he said, MCS administrators and teachers have received a 50 percent pay hike.
“Despite all the benefits, resources, and salary increases, for me, I feel valued when I hear directly from students how much of an impact I have on their lives,” Deleon Guerrero said in his remarks. “It makes me feel like the work I do matters. It makes me feel like my service to you is achieving something.”
Villar said her goal as an educator is to inspire and motivate her students. She teaches science subjects to seventh, eighth, and ninth graders.
“Teaching science in middle school and high school is not easy,” she added. “But arousing the students’ curiosity, giving them motivation to learn, and seeing them learn and even applying the same to their lives is an accomplishment for me.”
Villar obtained a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, the Philippines. Founded in 1611, UST is one of the world’s largest Catholic universities in terms of enrollment.
As a quality assurance manager in a manufacturing company in the Philippines, Villar conducted seminars for her colleagues.
When she relocated to Saipan 20 years ago, she was a “full-time housewife and a hands-on mother” to her son who attended MCS. She also provided tutorial services to her neighbors and friends’ children.
When her husband passed away in 2017, she decided to teach at MCS.
“Even before I became a teacher here, I was a very active parent. I volunteered as a librarian, and participated in school activities.”
“Now that I am part of the MCS family, I want to share my talent in teaching and spread the wisdom that I have as a science teacher,” she added.
Also on Tuesday, MCS recognized Leeani Villagomez as Support Staff of the Year.
“It feels amazing to be nominated and chosen as Support Staff of the Year,” Villagomez said. She started working as MCS office manager in August 2017.
“Thank you so much for making every day worth [it],” she told her MCS family.
Awardees
Teacher of the Year — Evangeline Villar
Teacher of the Year runner-up — Keiko Yamagata
Teacher of the Year 2nd runner up — Eleonor Alejo
Support Staff of the Year — Leeani Villagomez
Perfect Attendance awardees — Zhen Zhu “Pearl” Jin and Francis San Nicholas
