[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 30 (Tuesday, March 11, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E426-E427]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  A GREAT TEACHER . . . AN INSPIRATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 11, 1997

  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, this past February 24 would have been the 
52d birthday of Helen Leon Guerrero Carriveau should she have survived 
here bout with cancer. Helen Carriveau left a lasting impression on her 
family, her friends, her colleagues, and most importantly her many 
students. A resident of Latte Heights, Mangilao, Helen taught in the 
Guam Public School System for 28 years. She began her teaching career 
on Guam in 1968 at George Washington High School. The next year she 
transferred to Dededo Junior High School, now known as Dededo Middle 
School, and taught there until 1986 when she transferred to John F. 
Kennedy High School. For the next 10 years, Helen worked avidly 
advising and supporting almost every student organization on campus.
  Helen worked endlessly during the seventies and eighties toward the 
preservation of the Chamorro language and culture. Through her role as 
a language teacher, Helen used her charisma to coach her many students 
who participated in the various islandwide oratorical contests. Part of 
her role included coordinating the various campus activities at Dededo 
Middle School where she was teaching at the time.
  Helen's work at John F. Kennedy High School during her 10 years of 
service were especially rewarding to her many students. She was the 
main advisor for the John F. Kennedy High School student government 
program, WAY. During her term as faculty advisor, the WAY Program 
developed from a student government class to an active school and 
community-based operation. Students made major decisions affecting 
school fundraising, activities, calendars, and financial management. 
Through her work, the student government office became equipped with 
computers, printers, a facsimile machine, a copy machine, and a direct 
telephone line. With her encouragement, WAY defined its role as 
umbrella organization for the other student entities throughout the 
school. Together, they supplied the school with trashcans for litter, 
provided a public address system for school functions, and acquired 
display cases for the art classes. Helen helped form and organize 
several other student organizations including HITA--Helping Islanders 
to Achieve--and the community-based JFK chapter of the SHOUT Program. 
She was an advisor to the S Club, several class councils, as well as 
the National Honor Society.
  Together with Connie Guerrero, another educator, Helen became a lead 
facilitator and organizer of the Guam Close-up Program which literally 
brought hundreds of our island students to our Nation's Capital for 
participation in workshops and lectures developed to spark and maintain 
student interest in government and democracy. Under Helen's leadership 
several other programs were introduced to Guam students. These included 
the Pacific Basin Program, the Citizen Bee, and the Geography Bee.
  Helen's friend and colleague, Robert Abaday gave the following eulogy 
at her memorial services:

       Helen began writing her autobiography on December 5th, 1996 
     and penned the last entry on January 6th, 1997--the day 
     before she entered the hospital. She never got to finish the 
     story, but I, as a colleague at JFK High School and as her 
     friend, will do my best to relate some things about her as I 
     remember her.
       Helen's enthusiasm for teaching excited her students; 
     encouraged them to do their best; and, in some lit the 
     passion for teaching. Her classroom was alive with colors, 
     art, music, exotic foods, posters, pinatas, and student 
     assignments for social studies and Spanish. She shared her 
     knowledge of Guam, history, and Spain. Helen initiated the 
     JFK Cinco de Mayo celebration, which has since become an 
     annual event. She was involved in the school and loved the 
     students. Helen was an ``Islander'' who led us in school 
     spirit and fiercely believed her school and students were the 
     best on island.
       Teaching was not a job that ended at 2:30--it was a 
     lifestyle that included evenings, weekends and vacations. 
     Helen was always ready to stop by school for meetings or to 
     chaperone. She was always ready to listen to student's 
     problems; help them find solutions; encourage them to 
     continue; and when she needed to, straighten them out. She 
     allowed others to experiment and to make their own mistakes. 
     Students in Spanish, history and student government loved her 
     classes and knew Helen was there for them. Students returning 
     from college on vacation would seek her out, once again, to 
     share their triumphs and their worries.
       Helen had a very active life. Look at the lists over the 
     years for committees, workshops, and chaperons and Helen's 
     name will be included. Close-up, National Honor Society, 
     SHOUT, Peer Counseling, and Geography BEE were only a few of 
     her many activities. She shared her knowledge of Guam and its 
     history during the Golden Salute by leading tours for 
     Veterans.
       Helen was well-organized, responsible, and thorough. 
     Whatever activity or event she ran would be sure to be 
     smoothly planned and implemented.
       Those who worked with her could expect to be recruited for 
     some event or job, but we knew Helen would be there working 
     right along with us. She believed in working together and 
     asked for input from others. She always had a few minutes 
     available to bounce ideas and phrases around. Helen could 
     make you feel your ideas were good and you were an important 
     port of any endeavor.
       Helen made others feel welcome--new students at the 
     orientations, new classes, new colleagues-faculty, staff, and 
     administrators. People were drawn to Helen. They enjoyed her 
     company, she loved a good story and was a great storyteller. 
     She was a charter member of the Social Studies Party Animals. 
     Helen made everyone feel better just being around her. She 
     enjoyed laughing and made us laugh along with her. You could 
     always tell when Helen was holding back a laugh though--her 
     eyes danced.
       Friendship was very important to Helen. Her father told her 
     that if you had friends--you were rich. Helen had many 
     friends. If you ever needed any help, Helen was there. I have 
     pictures of Helen and Liz Huey sweeping water out of 
     classrooms after a typhoon, sweating and laughing. Helen 
     taught a group of us how to play pinochle a few weeks before 
     Christmas. She was considerate, encouraged

[[Page E427]]

     us to ``go for it'', and went out of her way for others. Her 
     generous nature made us feel honored to be accepted as her 
     friends.
       When you needed a spokesperson, a mediator or a dragon 
     fighter, Helen was there. Helen was known for her high sense 
     of values, family pride, love for live and integrity. 
     Compassionate and dignified could be used to describe this 
     gracious and joyful woman. She showed us what it meant to 
     have courage and to value family, friends, and life. She 
     shared her life with all of us--moment by moment. She 
     encouraged us, she challenged us, she brought out the best in 
     us. Helen taught all of us. She taught us how to enjoy every 
     bit of life. She taught us, through her own example, how to 
     live.''

  Her thoughtfulness and influence extended far past the campus of John 
F. Kennedy High School. She can count on many other students as her 
pupils. Joshua Tenorio, one of my legislative assistants is included as 
one of those students. He met her many years ago during a trip to 
Washington he had made to participate in the Close-up Program. As a 
representative of the Guam Youth Congress, Joshua did not have an 
advisor. Helen adopted his group and they bonded from then on. Joshua 
told me:
       She was a true inspiration to us all. She was always 
     encouraging and provided us with her full support. Her death 
     is a loss to the entire island of Guam for she represented 
     everything positive about being an educator. She lives on in 
     the minds of the hundreds of students she touched with her 
     heart. I know that her husband and her children can safely 
     say that she led the best possible life. That is why we 
     should celebrate it whenever we think of her. One thing is 
     for sure, she will never be forgotten.

  Helen was my colleague in various projects over the years. She was 
intelligent, committed, and a positive influence on everyone she came 
into contact with. I will miss her, her students will miss her, and the 
people of Guam have lost a great educator.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I submit this statement for 
the Record. May others take note and use her as an example of the best 
that we can be. My sincere condolences go out to her husband, Kenneth, 
and her children and their spouses, Kenneth and Llolanda, Monique, and 
Brett, and her two grandchildren, Katherine and Kieran.

                          ____________________