| Dr. Vilma Helms, Ph.D. Dayton, Ohio Role model, Organizer, Advocate of Gifted and Talented Children, Passionate Supporter of Enrichment of Fil-Americans Women’s Lives |
Rudy Bernardo, a previous TOFA awardee said that it is with
distinct honor and privilege recommending Dr. Vilma P. Helms to
be one of the Twenty Outstanding Filipino-Americans in the
United States and Canada. He had known Dr. Helms as an
outstanding civic, cultural and humanitarian leader not only
among Filipinos in the area, but thoughout the whole Dayton
community.
Dr. Helms is the first Filipino-American elected to the Jefferson
Township Local School Board. Her responsibilities as a School
Board member are to support the School District Superintendent
in all decisions that conform to board policy; engage in advocacy
on behalf of students, promote the benefits of a public education
system to the community and work with the superintendent and
the community to develop a vision for the school. One of her
projects is to recruit the best and most qualified teachers and
administrators to improve the quality of education in the district.
She was able to recruit Filipino teachers to work in the Jefferson
Local Schools.
Dr. Helms was the Supervisor of the Gifted and Talented
Education Program at the Dayton Public Schools. During her
distinct honor and privilege recommending Dr. Vilma P. Helms to
be one of the Twenty Outstanding Filipino-Americans in the
United States and Canada. He had known Dr. Helms as an
outstanding civic, cultural and humanitarian leader not only
among Filipinos in the area, but thoughout the whole Dayton
community.
Dr. Helms is the first Filipino-American elected to the Jefferson
Township Local School Board. Her responsibilities as a School
Board member are to support the School District Superintendent
in all decisions that conform to board policy; engage in advocacy
on behalf of students, promote the benefits of a public education
system to the community and work with the superintendent and
the community to develop a vision for the school. One of her
projects is to recruit the best and most qualified teachers and
administrators to improve the quality of education in the district.
She was able to recruit Filipino teachers to work in the Jefferson
Local Schools.
Dr. Helms was the Supervisor of the Gifted and Talented
Education Program at the Dayton Public Schools. During her
tenure as Supervisor of the “Gifted and Talented Program,” she was able to lead the Gifted Specialists in the
identification and recognition of the multi-cultural students in the four areas of giftedness, such as
Academically Talented, Cognitive Ability, Creativity and Performing Arts. She was able to develop enrichment
activities that led to the international recognition of the Dayton Public School Gifted and Talented Program.
In 1988, Dr. Helms was invited to be one of the featured presenters at the World Conference of the Gifted at
the Hague, Netherlands. She presented with two other Gifted Specialists a paper entitled “Servicing the
Emotional Needs of the Gifted Students in the Dayton Public Schools.” In 1992, Dr. Helms was again invited
by the World Conference of the Gifted in Taipei, Taiwan to present a paper entitled “Servicing the Multicultural
Gifted Students in the Dayton Public Schools.” Witnessing her presentation…Servicing the Multi-Cultural
Students, she was then invited by the President of Notre Dame College of Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat and the
Director of the Assumption College in Manila, Philippines to address their respective staff and faculty about
gifted education. Dr. Helms was elated and surprised to see the excitement and interest of the teachers in
Manila and in Sultan Kudarat about gifted education. They were convinced that children who are potentially
gifted and talented should be provided with all the opportunities outside the regular classroom. Dr. Helms
then, co-organized with Notre Dame College of Tacurong President, the First Gifted/Talented Program at that
prestigious school in Sultan Kudarat.
Dr. Helms has a passion for advocating Gifted/Talented Services to children of all races. She believes that
every child has a unique area of giftedness and talent. In 1995, she presented with Sister Leonor Pagorogon
O.P., the President of Notre Dame College of Tacurong the paper entitled “The Gifted/Talented Program at
Notre Dame College of Tacurong” at the World Conference of the Gifted in Toronto, Canada.
Another passion of Dr. Helms is the undying support for the enrichment of women’s lives. She co-founded
and became the first Executive Director the Filipino-American Ladies Organization of Dayton (FALOD). The
organization’s goals are: 1) help and enrich the lives of Filipino-American women and their families; 2) help
preserve Filipino-American family values, heritage and culture through education and examples; 3) offer
moral, emotional and spiritual support to Filipino-American families, and 4) work with the other local, national
and overseas organizations that deal with similar family and social issues.
In 1988, Dr. Helms founded the Children’s International Dance Group of Dayton (CIDGOD). These unique
and admirable children performed and brought cheers and happiness to so many elderly, lonely and destitute
people of the community. They performed in nursing homes and senior citizens’ centers. Aside from her
busy schedule and work-related functions, Dr. Helms always finds time to participate in many cultural, civic
and social activities of the Filipino-Americans. She is at present a member of the Dayton Folk Arts. They
perform Philippine dances during the Dayton International Fair and other festivals in neighboring
communities. She served for two consecutive terms as President of the Philippine American Society of
Greater Dayton.
Previous to this, she was also a past President of the Filipino American Social Club of Springfield. She is
also a past President of FAPA, Dayton, and the Beacon International Toastmaster Club. She is at present a
member of the following organizations:
World Organization for Gifted Children
Western Ohio Education Association
National Association for Gifted Children
National School Board Association
National Education Association
National Notary Association
Optimist Club of Dayton
Dr. Helms was born in Camalig, Albay. Sher finished her high school at St. John’s Academy, Camalig, Albay.
She has a Bachelor of Science in Education, major in Elementary Education from Bicol University, Legaspi
City; she obtained her Master of Arts in Education, majoring in Guidance and Counseling at East Carolina
University in North Carolina. In 1984, she was awarded Ben emeritus Doctor of Philosophy in Education at
the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. She taught elementary school in the Philippines, Virginia, Guam,
North Carolina and at the present time is still teaching gifted children in Ohio, Dayton Public Schools. Even
with all of those civic and social activities and teaching job, she still ahs time to oil paint, her favorite hobby.
She paints landscapes and seascapes. She is also an avid ping pong player.
Dr. Helms is happily married to Wendell Helms of Arab, Alabama, a U.S. Air Force retiree. They have four
children, Rex, John, Mary, and Wendy and have 10 grandchildren.#
identification and recognition of the multi-cultural students in the four areas of giftedness, such as
Academically Talented, Cognitive Ability, Creativity and Performing Arts. She was able to develop enrichment
activities that led to the international recognition of the Dayton Public School Gifted and Talented Program.
In 1988, Dr. Helms was invited to be one of the featured presenters at the World Conference of the Gifted at
the Hague, Netherlands. She presented with two other Gifted Specialists a paper entitled “Servicing the
Emotional Needs of the Gifted Students in the Dayton Public Schools.” In 1992, Dr. Helms was again invited
by the World Conference of the Gifted in Taipei, Taiwan to present a paper entitled “Servicing the Multicultural
Gifted Students in the Dayton Public Schools.” Witnessing her presentation…Servicing the Multi-Cultural
Students, she was then invited by the President of Notre Dame College of Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat and the
Director of the Assumption College in Manila, Philippines to address their respective staff and faculty about
gifted education. Dr. Helms was elated and surprised to see the excitement and interest of the teachers in
Manila and in Sultan Kudarat about gifted education. They were convinced that children who are potentially
gifted and talented should be provided with all the opportunities outside the regular classroom. Dr. Helms
then, co-organized with Notre Dame College of Tacurong President, the First Gifted/Talented Program at that
prestigious school in Sultan Kudarat.
Dr. Helms has a passion for advocating Gifted/Talented Services to children of all races. She believes that
every child has a unique area of giftedness and talent. In 1995, she presented with Sister Leonor Pagorogon
O.P., the President of Notre Dame College of Tacurong the paper entitled “The Gifted/Talented Program at
Notre Dame College of Tacurong” at the World Conference of the Gifted in Toronto, Canada.
Another passion of Dr. Helms is the undying support for the enrichment of women’s lives. She co-founded
and became the first Executive Director the Filipino-American Ladies Organization of Dayton (FALOD). The
organization’s goals are: 1) help and enrich the lives of Filipino-American women and their families; 2) help
preserve Filipino-American family values, heritage and culture through education and examples; 3) offer
moral, emotional and spiritual support to Filipino-American families, and 4) work with the other local, national
and overseas organizations that deal with similar family and social issues.
In 1988, Dr. Helms founded the Children’s International Dance Group of Dayton (CIDGOD). These unique
and admirable children performed and brought cheers and happiness to so many elderly, lonely and destitute
people of the community. They performed in nursing homes and senior citizens’ centers. Aside from her
busy schedule and work-related functions, Dr. Helms always finds time to participate in many cultural, civic
and social activities of the Filipino-Americans. She is at present a member of the Dayton Folk Arts. They
perform Philippine dances during the Dayton International Fair and other festivals in neighboring
communities. She served for two consecutive terms as President of the Philippine American Society of
Greater Dayton.
Previous to this, she was also a past President of the Filipino American Social Club of Springfield. She is
also a past President of FAPA, Dayton, and the Beacon International Toastmaster Club. She is at present a
member of the following organizations:
World Organization for Gifted Children
Western Ohio Education Association
National Association for Gifted Children
National School Board Association
National Education Association
National Notary Association
Optimist Club of Dayton
Dr. Helms was born in Camalig, Albay. Sher finished her high school at St. John’s Academy, Camalig, Albay.
She has a Bachelor of Science in Education, major in Elementary Education from Bicol University, Legaspi
City; she obtained her Master of Arts in Education, majoring in Guidance and Counseling at East Carolina
University in North Carolina. In 1984, she was awarded Ben emeritus Doctor of Philosophy in Education at
the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. She taught elementary school in the Philippines, Virginia, Guam,
North Carolina and at the present time is still teaching gifted children in Ohio, Dayton Public Schools. Even
with all of those civic and social activities and teaching job, she still ahs time to oil paint, her favorite hobby.
She paints landscapes and seascapes. She is also an avid ping pong player.
Dr. Helms is happily married to Wendell Helms of Arab, Alabama, a U.S. Air Force retiree. They have four
children, Rex, John, Mary, and Wendy and have 10 grandchildren.#
Washington D.C. Since 1987
Washington D.C. Since 1987
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