A LEGACY OF DISTINCTION

It matters to the Deleon Guerreros that their children attend MCS. The Lion Warrior Knights as the Deleon Guerreros call themselves, from left to right, Velma, youngest daughter Mary Shelley, Galvin, Victoria and Wiliam Blake DeLeon Guerrero. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS)

GALVIN S. DELEON GUERRERO

One former student who carries the torch of distinction for Mount Carmel School is Dr. Galvin S. DeLeon Guerrero, the current president of the Northern Marianas College and a third generation AlumKnight.

DeLeon Guerrero is a highly respected educator who has taught, shaped, and mentored some of the CNMI’s present and future leaders.

Galvin Deleon Guerrero in high school. This AlumKnight distinguished himself as an outstanding student and as the AlumKnight of the Year when he graduated as part of MCS’s Class of 1991.

DeLeon Guerrero’s MCS education has left a profound impact on his perspective and outlook in life, so much so that he aspires to make the school’s mission a part of his daily life. “I have embraced the school’s mission to educate the whole person to see with Christ’s eyes as the core of how I live and work. This means that I strive to understand the world with the deep wisdom that informs Jesus’ perspective and engages the world with the compassionate love that drives Jesus’ ministry.

This legacy of servitude and compassion has been common thread across four generations of the DeLeon Guerrero family, beginning with his grandfather, Jesus Diaz Sablan. “He helped found the school in 1952 by driving around Susupe and Chalan Kanoa with a megaphone on hand, selling raffle tickets for the school’s inaugural fundraiser.”

Sablan’s daughter, Jessica, followed suit and became one of the graduates of the Class of 1972. DeLeon Guerrero found himself next in line to become an AlumKnight. Including his studies at Sr. Remedios, DeLeon Guerrero spent all 14 years of elementary and secondary education at MCS, graduating with the Class of 1991. DeLeon Guerrero graduated with honors, receiving the school’s most distinguished graduate award.

After MCS, DeLeon Guerrero continued his studies at the University of Puget Sound where he graduated with cum laude honors in English Literature in 1996. In 1998, DeLeon Guerrero went full circle and returned to his high school alma mater where, for the past 25 years, he has held several key administrative positions starting as the school’s vice principal to becoming MCS president, which he served for nine years.

As an AlumKnight, DeLeon Guerrero shares several insights about his experiences, beginning as a student to being a parent to three students—Victoria Ann, William Blake and Mary Shelley—who are the current generation of AlumKnights.

“In the 6th grade, then monsignor and later bishop emeritus Tomas Camacho was delivering a homily at a school Mass. Pointing to the Pascal Candle, he asked the entire student body assembled if anyone could tell him what a beacon was. No one raised their hand. Until I did. He invited me up to the amble. As nervous as I was, I made my way to him, and he asked me to share my answer on the microphone. I said, “A beacon is a light that gives hope.” He then told me, “You are correct, faithful servant.” After that, he became a trusted mentor and a close friend until he passed away. And since that moment in the 6th grade, I have continued trying to be a faithful servant that radiates the light of hope everywhere I go.”

As a parent, DeLeon Guerrero has witnessed his children learn “and grow into the amazing wonders that they are today. As a teacher, he says he has had the privilege “to work with students and colleagues to tell amazing stories on stage or in film, deliver important messages in speech competitions, and help cultivate generations of AlumKnights who make a difference in the world.” And as an AlumKnight, he has been proud to share “a great legacy with countless AlumKnights who lead and serve our community.”

“What I see, both in my own family and in my former students, are AlumKnights who have yielded an exponential return on the investment in their education at MCS. AlumKnights receive the academic education they need to get into some of the world’s best colleges, but they also receive the kind of character and leadership education that they need to come back and give back to their home islands.”

On top of what DeLeon Guerrero describes as a robust education, he said MCS also places Catholic faith at the center of its education, ensuring that Catholic sacraments and traditions are embedded into students’ lives.

“As devout Catholics, this matters to me and my wife,” he said.

WILLIAM HUNTER

William Hunter, a second generation MCS AlumKnight, says both the Sr. Remedios school and Mount Carmel School have become the educational pathway of choice for his parents, particularly his mother, who is an AlumKnight herself.

MCS Class of 1990 graduate William Hunter with his mom, Gloria Hunter.

Hunter, who is the distance learning education coordinator at the Northern Marianas College, said his mother strongly believed that it was important for them to have a strong Christian education. “And with her being an AlumKnight herself, she knew MCS would be a good school for myself and my siblings.”

Three generations of Hunter’s family have attended MCS, beginning with his mother, Gloria Worswick Hunter. Born and raised in Palau, Gloria Hunter had to leave her family in Palau if she wanted to get an education higher than 9th grade. In 1963, armed with a scholarship from the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz, Gloria Hunter moved to Saipan to join her best friend and cousin, the late Valeria Blau to study at MCS.

William Hunter narrates that when it came time to choose where he and his siblings will attend school, both his parents were resolute in their decision to send them to MCS.

A graduate of the Class of 1990, Hunter joined his three other siblings at MCS—his eldest brother, Robert, who graduated in 1987; sister Tamara from Class of 1988; and his youngest brother, Glen, from the Class of 1991.

Following in his family’s footsteps are Hunter’s children, Brianna from the Class of 2017; Class of 2021 graduate Brandee; and Brissa, who will be graduating with the Class of 2023 this June.

Hunter has fond memories of his 12 years at MCS, with one of them being the time his class fundraised for their senior year trip to Australia, an event that he said left him with a lasting lesson on teamwork. “I still see the same synergy in the Class of 1990 today and it is a reason why our batch is one of the many alums that, to this day, continues to give back to MCS.”

Also, it was in Virgil Abueme’s computer class that sparked Hunter’s interest in computers for more than just gaming. “It was the era of the Apple II and the five-and-quarter floppy disk and it was in this class where I started grasping the role technology will play in improving productivity and efficiency.”

Over anything else, Hunter values the relationships that were honed during his 12 years at MCS, which until now remain strong. Aside from the values that he learned from his mom, Hunter attributes the nurturing environment at MCS for shaping who he is today. “Over 30 years later, I still connect with many of my classmates today.”

Hunter credits his MCS education for building the foundation that has set the course of his life. “It is important to invest in building a foundation that is built on a strong value system and one that will help you navigate life. I highly recommend MCS to future generations. My daughters had a wonderful experience studying at MCS and I hope that the same opportunity will be given to future generations. While my wife and I had to make some sacrifices to ensure that our daughters could attend MCS, we would do it all over again if we had to.

“A sincere thank you to everyone who has had a hand in MCS’ success over the last 70 years. This includes Bishop Ryan Jimenez and the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa, as well as past and present school board members, presidents, principals, teachers and administrative and support staffs. Most especially, kudos to all the parents, including mine, who provided us with an amazing learning opportunity that has helped mold us into who we are today. Please continue to support MCS and help carry it through another 70 years.”

JOSEPH C. GUERRERO

His family’s belief in MCS’ values and their support of Catholic education are the reasons why three generations of the Guerreros have considered the school their alma mater.

The legacy of an MCS education began with Joseph C. Guerrero’s mother, Rita, who graduated with the Class of 1968. Following suit were his siblings—Anthony, Class of 1988; Bettina, Class of 1990; Patrick, Class of 1996; and Teresa Class of 2006. His wife, Eleanor T. Cabrera, attended MCS from the 1st through 11th grade, while Guerrero himself studied at MCS between 1980 and 1991 before moving to Pullman High School in Washington to complete his high school education.

MCS AlumKnight and Saipan businessman Joseph Guerrero.

The current generation of AlumKnights are represented by the children of Guerrero’s siblings and his two sons Christian, Class of 2022, and Ruben who will be graduating with the Class of 2024.

Guerrero, who, with his wife Eleanor, are the co-owners of Transcends LLC, which operates the Naked Fish Bar and Grill, Hafa Adai Realty, and Transcends Consulting, said that kindness and compassion are the greatest lessons he learned from MCS.

“The school has taught me the importance of helping others in our community and to share my time and talents as gifts from God,” he said.

Guerrero recalls days of school assemblies and sporting events as treasured memories of his time at MCS. “Pep rallies were so much fun and allowed us to be creative and display school spirit. My favorite subject was lunch break where we enjoyed playing everything—dodgeball, football, basketball and volleyball.”

The gift of lasting bonds of friendship are what Guerrero considers is the legacy of his MCS education. “The lifelong relationships with my classmates and many other AlumKnights are an important part of my personal life and professional life.

“As a proud AlumKnight, I am grateful to MCS for all that it has offered to me and my family and pray for its continued success in building a strong community bound together by Christian values.”