IT WAS a win-win situation for Alay ni Ignacio (ANI).
To improve its thrust of preparing junior and senior public high school students for college entrance tests, ANI introduced a Non-Academic Formation Program to supplement its summer instructional curriculum.
The same program would later become a winning project entry for the 8th Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) Awards. The awarding ceremony was held last December 9, 2010 at the Malacañang Palace.
ANI is a group under Pathways to Higher Education (Pathways), a program which helps senior students from public high schools secure scholarships and financial aids from universities. ANI was also recognized in the 2006 TAYO Awards for its academic program.
A need for holistic formation
ANI is best known for its summer instructional program, but academic formation was not enough, according to ANI Principal Eumir Angeles.
Angeles said that while participants passed college entrance exams, a lot of them didn’t get scholarships because they fared badly during the interview. Some students were shy during the interview, while others changed their minds after receiving the scholarship.
“They felt that they just came from public schools, so their status was lower. That’s where the need for holistic formation, and later, non-academic formation came about,” he said in Filipino.
ANI instructors then started teaching Christian Living (CL) and Enrichment along with subjects such as Mathematics, English, Chemistry and Physics.
According to Assistant Principal for Academics Sarah Uy, CL at ANI was a simplified version of Theology 121 (Introduction to Doing Catholic Theology).
She said, “We deepen their understanding of the faith, in knowledge… [so that] they are able to know more about themselves but at the same time, realize the presence of God in their lives.”
Meanwhile, she said that Enrichment was similar to the Introduction to Ateneo Culture and Tradition. “It’s about knowing yourself first,” she said.
Homeroom advisers and guidance counselors also help in the students’ non-academic formation, serving as their mentors throughout the program.
In addition, different clubs and activities such as class picnics and sports fests serve as other avenues for ANI kids to bond.
Assistant Principal for Administration Berns Esguerra believes that making friends with others is a vital part of non-academic formation. “We don’t just develop talents or skills; we develop friendships and relationships,” she said.
Fun factor
Among other entries nationwide, both Uy and Angeles think that the project’s uniqueness made it stand out.
“[The students] would enjoy [the lessons] and, at the same time, learn something… you can’t be too serious about the projects you present…if it’s all work without fun, chances are you won’t win,” Uy said in a mix of English and Filipino
Esguerra meanwhile believes that ANI deserved its second TAYO award because the program was able to change the lives of the participants.
“Some people joined ANI not knowing what it’s about. Through ANI, I hope they discovered that there’s more to life than what they have in front of them.”
Nat’l Finalist: ATF 2010
Meanwhile, another Ateneo entry placed in the TAYO Awards. Ateneo Task Force (ATF) 2010, which encouraged students to be more active in the National Elections, received a National Finalist Distinction.
Ateneo Resident Student Association (ARSA) President Rina Go said that the award showed how much Ateneans can accomplish as a united community.
“Putting together our unique resources, strengths and best practices as large student groups helped create avenues for Ateneans to take an active role in projects that go beyond Ateneo, those that involve the entire nation,” she said.
Meanwhile, for ATF 2010 Co-Head Ken Abante, the distinction is a step away from the sheltered Atenean stereotype.
“We wanted to show the judges [that] we can go out and externalize as well,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.
