Roselle I. Carreon is Teacher of the Year

Oleai Elementary School’s Roselle I. Carreon, a 4th grade teacher, poses with her family members, OES staff members, Public School System Commissioner Glenn Muna, Board of Education members Herman Atalig, Herman Guerrero, Janice Tenorio, and BOE chair Marylou Ada yesterday. (Contributed Photo)

An Oleai Elementary School teacher who has been with the Public School System for over 10 years was recognized yesterday as the 2019 State Teacher of the Year.

Roselle I. Carreon, a fourth-grade teacher at Oleai Elementary School, was named yesterday the 2019 CNMI PSS State Teacher of the Year, while Hopwood Middle School’s Michael Berbes was named 2019 CNMI Instructor of the Year and Garapan Elementary school’s Grace Belyea and Hopwood Middle School’s Salote Kesol tied as 2019 CNMI Teacher Aide of the Year.

Education Commissioner Glenn Muña said that Super Typhoon Yutu delayed the awarding, which he noted was usually announced before Thanksgiving.

“We wanted to recognize our teacher, instructor, and teacher aide of the year before the end of the year 2018,” said Muña. “It was deserving to recognize these hard-working individuals and I am very grateful for their services.

In a short statement to Saipan Tribune, Carreon noted she feels both humbled and honored.

“I did not expect to receive the honor, but I did my best in completing all requirements. I am extremely grateful. My mom, Brigida DLG Ichihara, was also the CNMI State Teacher of the Year for 1995 and was also the principal for Koblervile Elementary School. She is my inspiration. My father, Juan A. Ichihara, was also an educator and a former administrator at WSR Elementary School. He, too, is an inspiration,” she told Saipan Tribune.

“I am also thankful to my husband, Nick, and children, Jose and Isabel. They have been my support in this wonderful profession [which is both] challenging and rewarding,” she added.

Carreon is a three-time Oleai Elementary School Teacher of the Year for 2010, 2018, and 2019. This year, she bested 11 other candidates from other schools within PSS.

Carreon got her master’s degree in education from the Framingham State College on Aug. 31, 2006, and her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the Northern Marianas College on Dec. 20, 2003.

She has over 14 years of teaching experience with OES at the kindergarten level, as well as 3rd and 4th grades since early 2004.

Hopwood Middle School, on the other hand, was able to bag two awards for the year, namely the Instructor of the Year and sharing the Teacher Aide of the Year with Garapan Elementary School.

Berbes was also awarded the Instructor of the Year plum last year.

“This job is one of the most fulfilling careers I have ever been in,” Berbes told Saipan Tribune.

Although he was on the fence about switching careers many years ago, “I stayed because of my cadets.” Berbes is an instructor at Hopwood for the Middle School Leadership Board, along with after-school programs for 6th to 8th graders.

Berbes, who is also an U.S. Army reservist, had been with the school since 2010. He is also an alumnus of Hopwood before going to high school at Marianas High School.

“Just seeing my cadets being successful when they join the [U.S.] military or if I see them in the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program being commanders—that is the most fulfilling thing [in my line of work],” he said.

Hopwood’s Salote Kesol shared the 2019 CNMI Teacher Aide of the Year award with Garapan Elementary School’s Grace Belyea.

“I am very proud of them and they deserve to be recognized at the state level,” said Hopwood principal Dr. Rizalina Liwag.