A Portage Life in the Spotlight: Helen Hoock

 

Helen-Hoock"Those who know, do. Those that understand, teach." ― Aristotle

Helen Hoock is an educator to her core. Teaching kindergarten and first grade for nearly twenty-five years is enough to support that statement. But, since Hoock's retirement in 1997 she has continued to work with the first grade students at Crisman Elementary School in Portage.

Hoock lives in Miller with her husband. She is active and passionate about her community.

"I've always been politically active. More on a local level and environmentally," she said.

Hoock has two adult children who both attended Gary High School, where her husband also spent his carrier as the Director of Research and Development. Hoock and her husband, both retired, do a lot of traveling to visit their children who live on either coast.

"Life is good," Hoock said, after discussing her home and family.

Before beginning her carrier with the Portage Township School System, Hoock attended Antioch in Ohio for three years as well as Roosevelt University and Indiana University North West where she got her Bachelors Degree. After earning her Bachelor's, Hoock went on to Purdue Calumet where she received her master's degree in early childhood and reading. Before volunteering at Crisman Elementary School in Portage, Hoock taught there for twenty-four years.

"Its an educational family that I feel fortunate to have been a part of," Hoock stated.

If her kind words in regards to her career with Chrisman Elementary School are not enough to exemplify of her love for its staff, students and philosophy of education, then her life after retirement will do just that.

Since Hoock's retirement in 1997, she has been volunteering with the first grade students at Crisman Elementary. Hoock teaches a lesson and leads a project that lasts the duration of the students' first grade year. Each student writes and illustrates a story and Hoock (along with teachers and parent volunteers) work to make a published book for each student that hosts the story and illustrations they worked on all year. The lesson Hoock teaches alongside this project teaches the first graders about the publishing process.

"Its very invigorating and I have had some wonderful experiences. Every year its different and the children are always different. I get a lot of fun out of it," Hoock explained about her experience volunteering.

As someone who has truly found their calling might, Hoock ends with, "I am wondering how long and I am going to do this, but I can't imagine not."