Retiring Educator Honored with Mural By: Rob Larrañaga
To some, a career in education might be just that, but to one recent retiree with 31 continuous years of elementary special needs teaching experience, her dedication to “her kids” was most evident. Angela Romero (MSE 88, BSE 84) lived a life of total commitment to her profession and students during her tenure with the Clovis and Portales Municipal Schools. For her retirement last year, the staff of James Elementary honored Angela with a mural, hand-painted by some of the teachers and staff. After graduating from Santa Rosa High School in 1980, Angela headed to Portales to pursue her degree and, little did she know, her passion for being an educator. Angela’s devotion to her students extended well beyond the classroom,
and her personal sacrifices earned her great respect and admiration within her profession. She was inspirational to her students to overcome their challenges and rise to their personal best. Giving up was not an option, for her or for them. This stellar work ethic was apparent in every task she took on and earned her the titles of ‘Superwoman’ and the ‘Energizer Bunny.’ Angela’s own quest for excellence with her students can most likely be attributed to the trials and tribulations she witnessed her own mother enduring with her younger brother, Anthony. Ensuring their son had the best opportunity to receive a quality education and become a contributing
member of society was all Angela’s parents sought for Anthony, who developed Cerebral Palsy as an infant. Whether she was decorating Christmas trees to donate to needy families, taking student-teachers under her wing, serving at youth retreats, or helping organize memorial celebrations for former students, Angela did so with a love and passion that left a lasting legacy in her students and fellow educators.
Standing L-R: Tammy Sharp, Laura Owen (MED 02, BSE 94) and Elaine Walker (MED 94, BSE 90) painted the mural pictured above for (seated) Angela Romero.
Student Spotlight: An ENMU Senior Patricia Duran is a senior at ENMU studying communications with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in graphic design. She plans to attend graduate school this fall.
These young women do not have the chance or the opportunity that I have. They might never hold a pencil. They might never understand their written language. They might never learn about the universe around them.
As a young woman, I happened upon an alarming statistic: Over 60 million girls across the world don’t get to attend school.
I have all of the opportunity in the world to pursue those things. Since the first grade, I made my grades a priority and understood that
Patricia Duran
6
Green & Silver | May 2016
