Step up on the table

Step up on the table!

STEP - SYC Philippines Chapter had a small ‘reunion’ at the greenbelt 3 Makati last April 18, 9pm. Bits of SYC memories were part of the dinner table but the main course were the plan of putting up a functional organization which will produce a workable project.

Menu was laid down on the table by our country representative jonizel lagunzad. We were only 6 who discussed different major concerns of the country. Most of the ingredients are poverty and youth. Another plate serves the topic on economics. Side plates also serve technology and bigger plates had focused on education. Jonizel wanted a project that would bring hope to Filipinos. That would be in a broader sense but she explains that its part of the major objective of what the project would be. Detailing the objective, it should be a self-help project and would last a longer time.

There were a lot of flavors presented on the table and we only have to choose the best dish that we could offer to Temasek holdings. The first taste test was an internet project for the host school Wawa National High School. We thought teaching students with the technology of internet, computers and web page designing and letting them create their own journal may keep good communications between the islands of the Philippines. Objective of the program is bridging the gap of cultural differences, educating the students about the internet, making them more English proficient and letting them be active and aware of the current events of the community. And so our plates were filled with great ideas on we could materialized the initial project. Same tastes of the projects were also introduced by one the SYC. But then one flavor is missing and the major taster is not satisfied.

Not until the SYC batch 'ex', as she introduce her self, open another menu for us to taste. It is ideal as she explained it based on her experiences. Career orientation is an important part of being a high school student she stressed. We can direct their career path more accordingly if we share to the students the different careers out there. We should introduce careers that are out of the box. Not like what we could dream but how we could make a living out of it. And that what catches the nose of everyone. If we could educate students as early as third year high school about the realities of different courses, we may inspire their minds the right job opportunities our world could offer. This makes Jonizel more exited about the project. She justified that it is what she is thinking earlier. About giving hope and inspiration to the Filipino children. Letting them explore the realm of possibilities and realities. Channeling between imagination and aspiration. Through this project we could let youth imagine more than they could imagine and aspire more than the reality. We all agreed that this is a perfect program! This would be a long preparation, yes it is hard but all of us agreed that the project is great and let us wait until it cooks tenderly and perfectly!

So this is the recipe:
ingredients
• Target group – Filipino youth preferably indigenous students
• Target school – (maiden host) WNHS, Lumban, Laguna
• resource persons
• work group - SYC chapter
Procedure:
• Case study of the place
• Begin with a small group like some indigent families
• Set a program or orientation
We are hoping TEMASEK would love our recipe. We'll have to wait first for everyone to agree with the project proposal.
Btw thanks to jonizel for the anniversary book! Its nice. Thanks to everyone as well.

pics are from my scrap book
courtesy of flickr