STUDENTS WERE once again recognized for excellence in various fields at the annual Loyola Schools Awards for Leadership and Service (LSALS).
Held last March 5, the awards were intended to honor outstanding students, student groups and athletes who had manifested leadership and a commitment to direct this leadership to humble service.
True to this year’s theme of “Heralding Hope and Transformation,” the ceremony featured prizes like the Ateneo Socio-Civic Engagement for National Development (Ascend) Awards, given to students who had excellently applied their academic papers or projects to sustainable economic development.
Two student groups bagged this award, one for a social enterprise project that created additional livelihood for a community in Nueva Ecija, and another for a sustainable disaster response system in Cagayan de Oro.
Unexpected
“Excellence is futile without service,” said Ken Abante (IV BS ME), the 2012 awardee for Most Outstanding Individual. The erstwhile COA president and Class 2012 valedictorian did not expect the honor.
“I was already indifferent to the award from the start because there are people who have done much greater things… I was overwhelmed when I learned that I would be its recipient,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.
The team of Sid Lee, Jecoy Manalo, Aika Narciza and Mikki Roa (V BS CoE) developed the winning Sustainable Photovoltaic System with Cooling Optimization and Applications for Disaster Response. Roa said that he was both shocked and happy at their victory.
Recipients in other categories include the Health Sciences Society’s “Project Laan” for Most Outstanding Project, and the Ateneo Glee Club for Most Outstanding Group.
Service as the mantra
Abante emphasized the value of service. He explained that parlaying excellence in order to attain self-glorification is problematic.
He cited the issues of the SM Blue Residences, the Palea predicament and the Sumilao farmers’ plight as examples of what come from undertakings that do not endeavor service.
Abante added that he was inspired to serve by two street children from Katipunan, who gave him a greeting card as a present on his birthday.
Written on the card was, “Happy Birthday Kuya Ken… pasensya na, wala kaming pera, pero ito, ibinibigay namin sa ‘yo para ipakita ‘yung pasasalamat namin [Happy Birthday, Kuya Ken… we don’t have the means for anything grander, but we just want to express our gratitude to you through this gift nonetheless].”
The awardee saw generosity and service at their purest through the small act of the two street children, saying that people tend to forget these values.
He also gave some advice for those caught in what he called a “paralysis of convenience.” He said that people are afraid to make mistakes, fall down or fail.
“Ateneo taught me how to fail well—fail na pasulong—to fail forward,” he said. “Hindi na ako takot magkamali [I’m not afraid to make mistakes anymore].”
Abante further said that depth of commitment is important—when one willingly gives oneself to a meaningful commitment.
Renewable energy
Meanwhile, interest in renewable energy and its potential for development were Roa’s motivation behind the winning project. “We are talking about harnessing the free and abundant energy being provided by our sun… especially when such technology can be used to improve the lives and welfare of people in a sustainable way.”
Aside from their thesis advisers, Roa especially acknowledged Paul Cabucungan for the clean water system design, and Jun Granada and Engr. Rey Guerrero for their assistance in the system’s implementation in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.
A native of Cagayan de Oro, Roa added that the project’s implementation also hit close to home when disaster struck.
“Seeing it in action… and helping people from my hometown was the real reward,” he said. “It was really a joy to see it being of benefit to my fellow Kagayanons.”
Cagayan de Oro and Iligan were among the areas devastated by landslides and flooding when Typhoon Sendong tore through Mindanao late 2011.
Well-rounded athletes
Sportsmen who have brought honor to the Ateneo through demonstrations of their athletic prowess were also among the awardees that evening.
The GUIDON–Moro Lorenzo Awards for Sports were given to Toby Gadi from the Ateneo Blue Shuttlers and Celina Gonzalez from the Ateneo Women’s Swimming Team.
Gadi was ranked the Philippines’ no. 1 player in Men’s Badminton, while Gonzales was one of Ateneo’s top swimmers, winning gold in the women’s 200-meter Individual Medley at the UAAP season 74 Swimming tournament.
For being a well-rounded athlete exhibiting both exceptional athleticism and holistic growth, Andrea Faustmann of the Women’s Rifle Team was named the Ambrosio Padilla Athlete of the Year.
With reports from Jeamay R. Palo
