Sara E Clemente:
CLASS OF 1968
Alfonzo Diaz Lebron High SchoolClass of 1968
Juncos,
Alfonzo Diaz Lebron High SchoolClass of 1965
Juncos,
Sara E's Story
After working hard and many years of living in Waterbury, Connecticut my parents fullfilled their dream of bulding a home and returning back to their hometown in Puerto Rico. Hence; my arrival to Puerto Rico in 1960 and moving to Juncos in 1961 and the beginnig of my love for the quaint little town which I call home. The love is so strong that to this day (40+ years after I left Juncos) I can only refer to Juncos as my home and the many other locations where I have lived are referred to as my place but never home. I guess it is true; home is where the heart is. My heart is always in Juncos where I had the best times of my life with my family and friends; which still continue to be my friends.
After arriving in Juncos, I completed my studies in la Tomas Hernanadez, Fulgencio Pinero, Jose M Gallardo, and the Alfonso Diaz Lebron High school a newly built high school across the street from my home in Valencia... where I resided all my life while in PR. I made many friends in school and remember having the same classmates every year until I graduated. I still rememeber many of them and still consider them my best friends. I'll always remember Victor Flores; he was the first person I met while I was walking with my dad in town the day before I began school. I recall that he was with "Sololo" a friend of my dad and was surprised to see him in my 6th grade class when I arrived to Mrs. Pedraza's class in 6th grade. I also remember Mrs. Morales, my English teacher. She looked out for me at the request of my father. I spent the next 12 years in Juncos, going to school and working alongside my father en el "ventorillo aquel de mil recuerdos" , I graduated from the Alfonso Diaz Lebron High school. High school was fun with the exception of my Spanish class. Hated all and everything about the class, made it through that darn class with the help of my classmates ( Millie, Nicky, Fernando, Monsita, Victor, Milian, Norma, Olga, Wilfredo, Gladys, Carlitos, Ochoa, Julio R, Julio B, Julio Juan and many more...). I think I had my first true crush in high school too, I remember being afraid to even go to the my prom with him. So I went alone and partied and danced all night. I did have a good time at my prom, but I wonder what would of happened if I had accepted his invitation to the prom. Oh well, que sera, sera.
Immediately after graduating, I went to NY where I planned to stay and go to college; but it was not to be. I was sent right back to PR when the summer was over and began my college years. I started at el Colegio Regional de Humacao...Expand for more
where I made a lot of more friends, had my first boyfriend and partied hard ( I almost flunked my first semester). The dances in the Teatro Victoria were legendary. I danced ( that's when I could dance all night and not miss a beat) to la Sonora Poncena, Willie Colon y Hector La Voe, El Gran Combo, Tommy Olivencia, Bobby Valentin, Tempo 70, El Sabor de Nacho and so many great bands. That was when salsa was salsa. Afterwards I transferred to the UPR, where I flirted, dated, partied some more , made more friends, had my first job interview; ( by the way I got the job' that's how I got back to the US.) and finally graduated with my degree in Education and English, The college years were a lot of fun . I met many people, fell in love for the first time, represented Juncos in the Miss PR pageant ( that was a bunch pounds ago), graduated from modeling school, partied and enjoyed all that college life had to offer without getting into any trouble.
Once I graduated, I began another journey... I left PR September 1974. I admit I was scared but with my dad's encouraging words and my mother's support I moved forward and started working as an ESL teacher at the Broadway Jr. High School in Newark, NJ and met some of my best friends: Denise Alamo, Rose Tyson (my best friend in the world), Gloria Arlak, Susana Alvarez. I also met my husband, married and divorced him. Now he is known as the wasband :) I loved teaching and still do. It was a great experience. While teaching in Newark, I lost my father( it was very painful), worked part time jobs in Macy's, taught adult education, worked summer programs and at non profit organizations, and started working for the USPS and the beginning of my Federal government career.. Most of the experiences during that time frame were fun. I learned a lot and I learned to be totally independent. But the best was yet to come.....
I began my career in the Federal government working at the USPS as a distribution clerk on the floor at Newark, NJ ( but not for long). Yep, I was the one that sorted mail and placed it in the sack so that it would move forward to the bull pen. I sometimes worked in the bull pen as well. That was hard work but fun as well. I enjoyed working with all the guys. Within a year, I was off the floor. I was asked to cover the Hispanic Employment specialist job while Tony Rosario the current specialist was away on training. This is how I began my brother friend relationship with Tony Rosario and Carlos Santiago. We were inseparable and we still remain good friends.
To be continued!
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