Christian Learning Experience Camp 2014

Last June 13 we held the first Christian Learning Experience Camp on the school grounds. Led by the Campus Ministry, the high school students and teachers gathered in the evening. Several facilitators from the Silay City parish church joined in. The camp lasted until around 6 AM, the next morning.

One can never be thankful enough for the blessings He gives us. The camp is newly organized to bring everyone closer to God and to experience different ways of worshipping God personally, and as a community.

Through the night, the students prayed the Rosary, sang songs like Jesus, Light of the World around the bonfire in the middle of the field, made their personal reflections, and shared in small groups.

Kindergarten Class of 2014 Graduation

Our kindergarten students are finally ready to enter grade school! The class of 2014 held a simple graduation ceremony last March 22 at the school's Edgardo Ledesma Hall.

With the theme "Play, Learn, and Grow Together with Jesus!", the 38 kindergarten kids showed off in great performances for their parents and guests.

Everyone was entertained with the mini-play in the Ilonggo dialect, 

"Si Amo kag si Bao (The Monkey and the Turtle)"

The morning class performed a dance number, "Jesus is my Superhero."

The afternoon class danced to the song, "God Made Me."

The morning class with adviser, Sir Gabby Madayag.

The afternoon class with adviser, Ms. Mylyn Dorendes.

Sportsfest 2014

If you ask any student what excites them most in the school year, they’d probably tell you either one of these things: the last day of classes before vacation, or the annual, week-long affair called Sportsfest.

Sportsfest 2014 was held last February 3 - 7 in St. Francis of Assisi School of Silay City!

On Monday morning they gathered neatly at the covered court as the prayer song played, shiny pompoms and props carefully put aside. They heartily cheered as their representatives performed the symbolic torch run and raised the flags, each a different color.

But of course the parents and family friends and students had something else to really cheer for: the real fun starts with the series of cheer dances -- stunts and all -- performed by the high school classes and some grade school levels.

We had sophomores sporting silver hair…

freshmen with braids and face paint, midriffs gleaming with silver dust…

upperclassmen riding motorcycles and waving bright banners, boys playing the drums, popping party poppers…

Five days of different sports (from basketball to volleyball, football (or soccer), and track and field), competitive cheers, no class work, and more games – Sportsfest is always enough to keep everyone busy and in high spirits amidst the lectures and paperwork throughout the academic year.

A Day at Work

One Thursday in November 2013, forty one high school seniors went their own ways to join teachers, software engineers, mechanics and technicians, cooks and hotel management workers, book keepers and sales clerks.

For roughly 8 hours, these graduates-to-be took a glimpse of what a working day in their desired field is like.

Anjo Tingson at Baldevia Pension House in Silay City

This one-day career immersion is part of SFAS’ career orientation program headed by Ms April Suating of the guidance office. It was only launched in 2012.

Gleanne Sola at Silay Tourism office

Jake Canag at the Akubo Software Philippines office in Bacolod City

Every month the SFAS high school welcomes a visit from either a professional or a fresh graduate and a representative from various schools. These guest speakers tell stories of their experiences and work and of the courses or programs in other colleges and universities.

Miguel Belonio, Ken Rey Pabale, John Nino Busel, Keith Monge, Miguel Lavilla, and Claude Corudga
at Hacienda Tinihaban's farm and "shop."

Occasionally our students also visit school campuses for a brief career talk and a tour by a representative. 

Christine Diaz with SFAS's school nurse

Some seniors spent the day with Ayala Office’s marketing team, at the Akubo Software, the Baldevia Pension House, the Silay Tourism team, and with teachers at SFAS itself.

The school hopes the students not only find a deeper appreciation for education, but also “for the work that their parents do every day,” Ms April said, “so that they can have this education.”