Thursday, July 30, 2015

Grade 4 Recollection

Last July 11, the Grade 4 students had a day Recollection at Balay Kalinungan, Bacolod City.  The students heard Confession on July 9 at the school's prayer house.  
  


The recollection was facilitated by Sir Jomar Eguid and student assistants, Marlyn Bernasol of Grade 10 and Louis Spencer Umali of Grade 9.  They prayed the rosary and had a drawing activity of the most important person in their life. The students were given the chance to know more about God and His greatness.



They had film showing of “Joseph the Dreamer” and “Ang Sulat ni Bunso kay Ina.“  Sir Jomar shared that the students were participative and cooperative.  He also had them write on the Message City, a make-shift expression wall to write down their feelings and learning after the activity.   




I learned not to be jealous if someone has a new thing.  And I know now who is God. by Kimberly Capablanca

I learned about loving my parents.  I liked watching the movie about God and drawing my loved ones.  by Arianne Joy Valencia

I learned to love my parents because they might be gone soon. I also learned to be friendly at all times.  I liked the part where we made drawings and gave it our all and then they ripped our drawings because they showed us how God feels when we destroy the things He creates.  by Leirae Joyce  Casamayor

I learned not be jealous and I liked the movie "Ang sulat ni Bunso kay Inay".  by Nicole Educado

Monday, July 27, 2015

Grade 5 Recollection


Last July 10, the Grade 5 students had a whole day Recollection at Domus Dei in Silay City.   They had their Confession on July 9 at the school prayer house.




Brother Arnold Pendon Demapanag and Brother Joemar Marifosque of the Sacred Heart Seminary facilitated the Grade 5 students.


Activities included Drawing, Group Sharing, Film Showing (Inside Out), Mass and a quick visit to the Elderly Priests.


I learned to love our parents and our classmates.  by Juliana Marie Canasa

I learned about the importance of our parents and family and how to be creative.  by Nichole Anne Valencia

I liked the film showing.  by Ashley Santillan

What I like is making the family chart.  by Grace Coja 

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

American Composer visits St. Francis of Assisi School of Silay City


American composer and conductor, Joseph "Joe" Curiale, and his friend Erel Bucayan visited St. Francis of Assisi School of Silay City last July 2 and shared cute purses to 1st to 3rd grade scholars and met Tapulanga Foundation Board Officer, Joey Benin, at the P U N O N G.



"My recent visit to St. Francis of Assisi School of Silay City was an inspiration. The loving atmosphere, and warmth of the students and faculty made it clear that this is a school where real education can be found. Having the good fortune of Executive Director Ma Carmela Abello Golez serving as my tour guide, it was easy to understand how this was achieved. It requires strong and intelligent vision, backed by love, compassion, and unbending dedication to reach and maintain such a high and noble goal. I look forward to visiting again as soon as possible," Dr. Curiale shared.




Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Initiation Week and Freshmen Night 2015

St. Francis of Assisi School of Silay City held a week-long activity called Initiation Week culminating with a Freshmen Night last June 29 to July 3. A school’s traditional activity for freshmen students to establish friendship and brotherhood among freshmen to their High School Brothers and Sisters in the upper grade levels. The Initiation Week aims to develop skills and abilities, unleash creativity and confidence through curricular activities and uplift the values of respect, confidence, teamwork and perseverance throughout high school life.



The initiation week showcased different day to day activities like Big Brother and Small Sister,  an activity where a 
freshman
 is paired with a senior student who will act as their brother/sister. They also got to wear costumes with different themes for the whole week.
































The Initiation Week concluded with a Freshmen Night where a variety show from different groups showcased the new found talents of the grade 7 students.

Friday, July 3, 2015

Mary Anne Ledesma-Deduque's visit to St. Francis of Assisi School of Silay City


Our family joined my brother Andy in a visit to St. Francis Assisi School of Silay City today where he met Jericho, an incoming Grade 1 student, whom he has been supporting as a scholar this school year.

Jericho is one of three sons of a barber working in Silay City. His picture and profile were uploaded in the Tapulanga Foundation (the fund-raising arm of the school) website last year when they launched their search for sponsors for SY 2014-2015.

Carmela "Micmic" Abello-Golez, the school administrator, her husband Raymond, and their three-year old son met us at the entrance of the school and showed us around the campus.

In one classroom, a few students were strumming guitars under the tutelage of a teacher. A few other students were cleaning the classrooms. Others were repainting desks. The basketball court was alive with teenage boys engaged in a friendly competition of sorts.

Since it is summer and the students were gone, the school was quiet amid a beautiful stretch of green lined with trees on the periphery. The classrooms showed signs of just having survived a happy schoolyear, with artwork on many walls and chalk marks just starting to fade on the blackboards.

As we walked past the row of classrooms leading to an open field, a white structure caught our attention. We were told that this was their chapel, made purely of mud -- no nails, no steel foundation, no other material. Its windows and furniture used bamboo and its roofing, grass. The students themselves built this quaint place of worship, where religious activities and/or some Religion classes were held throughout the year.

Beside the daycare center was a playground with colorful swings, monkey bars, and painted tires where small children could crawl. We sat around here for much of the afternoon while the children played. Micmic & Raymund, meanwhile, filled us in on the work that the school has been doing.

Micmic shared how they have been employing the Dynamic Learning Program (DLP), a brainchild of physicists Dr. Christopher and Ma. Victoria Carpio-Bermido of the Central Visayan Institute Foundation, with considerable success and significant gains. For this, she and other key people in the school went to the Bermidos' school in Bohol for training. Subsequently, other teachers in the school followed suit.

The Bermidos were recipients of an honorary degree at the Ateneo de Naga University in 2014 in recognition of this precise educational innovation. They had, during their brief stay in Naga to receive their award, also introduced this program to academic institutions in Naga as well.

St. Francis of Assisi School of Silay City Foundation, Inc. is a private Catholic institution in my hometown. Last year, it celebrated its 50th year of existence since its establishment in 1964. Located on a five-hectare campus in the outskirts of the city, its vision is "to provide quality Christian education particularly to the children of farm workers in the area and the neighboring communities who cannot afford the regular private schools." It is supervised by the La Salle Christian Brothers.

The school has 600 students from kindergarten to high school. Of these, 400 are scholars supported by donors here and abroad.

The Tapulanga Foundation, which takes charge of ensuring that support for these students continues, has recently launched its "60 Scholars in 30 days" challenge again for SY 2015-2016.

Sixty (60) new students have passed the entrance exams to this school and need sponsors to support their schooling this school year and beyond. Their pictures and profiles have all been uploaded in their website: www.tapulanga.org/60-scholars.

Some, we were told, choose a scholar that is of the same age as their children. Others choose a scholar at random. Still others choose a scholar who captures their hearts.

This chosen scholar then becomes part of their lives. He or she communicates with them through letters. When opportunity arises, as it did for my brother Andy today, both scholar and benefactor meet face-to-face. Such an encounter is as moving as it is inspiring.

Indeed, my family was moved by watching Jericho shyly shake my brother Andy's hand and my brother, after exchanging stories with Jericho's father, patting Jericho on the back and saying, "Matuon ka guid mayo, ha? (Study well, okay?). Watching this inspired us to also rise to the challenge of helping one child's education in this school this school year.

In the midst of so much despair and grief in our midst, this is one place where hope shines through clearly and fiercely in so many ways.

If you find it in your hearts to do your share, too, please check out the Tapulanga Foundation website and sponsor a child.

I do not know a better way to make a difference in this world -- or, at least, to start doing so.

Written by Mary Anne Ledesma-Deduque
April 15, 2015