MY SILVER ANNIVERSARY
By: Hershey Jaranilla
This is a write-up about my own personal experience as I participated in SCTHigh 89's biggest event yet. It certainly doesn't represent views & opinions of anyone else but mine. And before going further, I like to start off by confirming that MY Silver Anniversary was a huge success. Whether it is or not to another 89er is his or her own right to express...
It has been roughly 6 months yet the fun memories are still so fresh in my mind.. & minds of many, I'm sure. No words could express the joy & feeling of satisfaction my SCTHigh89 Silver Anniversary has brought me from the one year preparation to the actual night. I can honestly say I have never enjoyed working on anything as much as I did for this event. The very, very early Skype meetings with my fellow officers; discussions on fundraising & approaching 89ers for financial support & other valuable contribution; the pressure of having a deadline & assuring every decision made is for everyone's benefit. All the time, energy, & money spent during prep time was worth it & I have no regrets, whatsoever, in how the whole reunion was put together.
It was a month prior to the reunion when I landed in Manila & got a more personal hands-on experience in finalizing decisions. My first 2 days were spent, along with fellow elected officers, Raymond & Rachel, meeting with Eric of Altitude Mobile Bar who provided numerous interesting alcoholic drinks for us & definitely made the night unforgettable (or did it?); Bobet, our videographer who captured the funniest moments of the night; Kuya Mac who provided our lights & sounds (& who also happens to be my uncle); Kuya Jun Santos (Joseph Santos' brother & fellow SCTHigh alumni) who provided our photography, photobooth & photobooth back drop absolutely FREE; &, of course, there was still time for music & fun as batch mate Ferdie introduced us to Rhythm Syndicate who brought us all up on our feet 80's style the night of the reunion.
Rublou Function Hall, our chosen venue was revisited & floor plans became a step closer to completion. Another taste sampling was scheduled out of the generosity of Tita Loi of Heart & Soul whose staff transformed Rublou into an elegant fine dining experience. Plain shirts needed to be picked up so I braved an adventurous drive to Divisoria with Rachel as my navigator &, more importantly, my saviour for talking a couple of traffic enforcers out of locking me up for a minor offence.. an incident that will never be spoken of again
The last few weeks before the actual event were spent fine-tuning my non-artistic abilities editing & re-editing our souvenir pamphlet; personal visits were being made to our selected special guests; 89ers, Gemma & Ferdie, were strenuously busy printing our souvenir shirts & bags -- a huge contribution they have provided for FREE; the decorating committee led by Joy was putting together a brilliant plan on how to make our centre stage magical.. & that they did; but the most amazing of all.. 89ers from all parts of the world were sending in financial contributions that made a huge difference in keeping the cost down for those who were able to attend. 100% of raffle draw prizes were donated through efforts of those who diligently followed up with companies they work for. Needless to say, the response from generous 89ers was overwhelming, gratifying & definitely heartwarming.
I had the honor of participating in 2 pre- & 1 post-reunion meetings with current SCTHigh89 officers & section coordinators & got to see first-hand the competence & dedication our organizers exhibited in providing us the best 25th year celebration. Excitement was looming as it got closer & closer to the day itself. Mini reunions were taking place around town which has been valuable in promoting our upcoming big event.
Then it was the morning of our scheduled Silver Anniversary. Volunteers were on site early to willingly help out with set up. It was with so much pride watching our fellow SCTHigh 89 men carry heavy equipments 3 floors up using only the stairs.. & they were even more charming as they wrapped perfect bows on chairs we sat on the night of the reunion. Security was being set up by Michael & William to ensure the safety of our vehicles as we party the night away. Throughout the day, 89ers were trickling in to offer a hand which played a huge part in allowing us to stick to schedule as planned.
Then it was time.. music was playing.. our grey shirts were proudly donned.. the buffet was beautifully set up.. the cake arrangement displayed the school uniform we wore as young 89ers.. the stage sparkled in blue & silver.. photos were being taken.. hugs & smiles were being given all around.. that was the scene every guest walked into at the beginning of this special occasion...
.. & the rest is history as manifested by the photos, videos, & positive comments made to this very day.
In conclusion, MY Silver Anniversary was what I expected it to be plus much more. And from the bottom of my heart, thank you, SCTHigh89, for sharing this wonderful &, most definitely, unforgettable moment with me!
By: Hershey Jaranilla
This is a write-up about my own personal experience as I participated in SCTHigh 89's biggest event yet. It certainly doesn't represent views & opinions of anyone else but mine. And before going further, I like to start off by confirming that MY Silver Anniversary was a huge success. Whether it is or not to another 89er is his or her own right to express...
It has been roughly 6 months yet the fun memories are still so fresh in my mind.. & minds of many, I'm sure. No words could express the joy & feeling of satisfaction my SCTHigh89 Silver Anniversary has brought me from the one year preparation to the actual night. I can honestly say I have never enjoyed working on anything as much as I did for this event. The very, very early Skype meetings with my fellow officers; discussions on fundraising & approaching 89ers for financial support & other valuable contribution; the pressure of having a deadline & assuring every decision made is for everyone's benefit. All the time, energy, & money spent during prep time was worth it & I have no regrets, whatsoever, in how the whole reunion was put together.
It was a month prior to the reunion when I landed in Manila & got a more personal hands-on experience in finalizing decisions. My first 2 days were spent, along with fellow elected officers, Raymond & Rachel, meeting with Eric of Altitude Mobile Bar who provided numerous interesting alcoholic drinks for us & definitely made the night unforgettable (or did it?); Bobet, our videographer who captured the funniest moments of the night; Kuya Mac who provided our lights & sounds (& who also happens to be my uncle); Kuya Jun Santos (Joseph Santos' brother & fellow SCTHigh alumni) who provided our photography, photobooth & photobooth back drop absolutely FREE; &, of course, there was still time for music & fun as batch mate Ferdie introduced us to Rhythm Syndicate who brought us all up on our feet 80's style the night of the reunion.
Rublou Function Hall, our chosen venue was revisited & floor plans became a step closer to completion. Another taste sampling was scheduled out of the generosity of Tita Loi of Heart & Soul whose staff transformed Rublou into an elegant fine dining experience. Plain shirts needed to be picked up so I braved an adventurous drive to Divisoria with Rachel as my navigator &, more importantly, my saviour for talking a couple of traffic enforcers out of locking me up for a minor offence.. an incident that will never be spoken of again
The last few weeks before the actual event were spent fine-tuning my non-artistic abilities editing & re-editing our souvenir pamphlet; personal visits were being made to our selected special guests; 89ers, Gemma & Ferdie, were strenuously busy printing our souvenir shirts & bags -- a huge contribution they have provided for FREE; the decorating committee led by Joy was putting together a brilliant plan on how to make our centre stage magical.. & that they did; but the most amazing of all.. 89ers from all parts of the world were sending in financial contributions that made a huge difference in keeping the cost down for those who were able to attend. 100% of raffle draw prizes were donated through efforts of those who diligently followed up with companies they work for. Needless to say, the response from generous 89ers was overwhelming, gratifying & definitely heartwarming.
I had the honor of participating in 2 pre- & 1 post-reunion meetings with current SCTHigh89 officers & section coordinators & got to see first-hand the competence & dedication our organizers exhibited in providing us the best 25th year celebration. Excitement was looming as it got closer & closer to the day itself. Mini reunions were taking place around town which has been valuable in promoting our upcoming big event.
Then it was the morning of our scheduled Silver Anniversary. Volunteers were on site early to willingly help out with set up. It was with so much pride watching our fellow SCTHigh 89 men carry heavy equipments 3 floors up using only the stairs.. & they were even more charming as they wrapped perfect bows on chairs we sat on the night of the reunion. Security was being set up by Michael & William to ensure the safety of our vehicles as we party the night away. Throughout the day, 89ers were trickling in to offer a hand which played a huge part in allowing us to stick to schedule as planned.
Then it was time.. music was playing.. our grey shirts were proudly donned.. the buffet was beautifully set up.. the cake arrangement displayed the school uniform we wore as young 89ers.. the stage sparkled in blue & silver.. photos were being taken.. hugs & smiles were being given all around.. that was the scene every guest walked into at the beginning of this special occasion...
.. & the rest is history as manifested by the photos, videos, & positive comments made to this very day.
In conclusion, MY Silver Anniversary was what I expected it to be plus much more. And from the bottom of my heart, thank you, SCTHigh89, for sharing this wonderful &, most definitely, unforgettable moment with me!
40 & HEALTHY by Hershey Jaranilla
Let's face it, majority of us are in our 40's. Four decades of life experience & compelling stories. Many of us are still enjoying the security of being surrounded by family as we did growing up. Some have had to leave that comfort behind out of neccessity in search of better livelihood. We are now moms, dads, even grandmas & grandpas. We have jobs, errands to run, chores to attend to, appointments to show up for, meals to cook, homework to check,.. the list just goes on & on. It's no wonder that come bedtime we pretty much collapse in our beds only to be woken up shortly for another day of responsibilities.
Healthy living is one of life's responsibilities yet oftentimes the one that gets neglected. Time & money seem to be the widely accepted excuse for not engaging in it. It's time we realize that it's also time & money that we end up losing when health fails.
Being healthy is not just for the wealthy. We don't need to indulge in a membership at a luxurious fitness center. Personal trainers don't necessarily have to be pricy trained professionals. As a matter of fact, they don't have to be human. The internet, books & magazines offer a world of information on staying fit. Our own homes can be a makeshift gym. Pick a corner to do some jumping jacks to get the heart racing. Improvise by using canned goods for weightlifting. The floor is perfect for push-ups & sit-ups . The outdoors can be utilized as a running track. Walk everywhere when feasible. Use the stairs as much as your legs would allow you before opting for the elevator. These are simple tips that all of us can intertwine with our daily activities.
We're Filipinos, therefore we love food. It's what starts our day & it's what concludes our night. I'm not one to give out healthy eating advice when I can easily be bribed with a bag of Doritos & chocolate cake. One rule of thumb I follow, match the amount of activity you do to the amount of food you consume. This is a personal judgement call. You're allowed to cheat but, really, who ends up winning in the end?
The aim is not to look like Barbie or Ken. It's to maintain a certain amount of physical activity in the hopes of preventing ailments. Whatever shape or size we are is irrelevant. We have obligations to the people we love & who love us back. We need to have the physical & mental capacity to keep up with life's demands. We've lived four decades already. How many more is up to us.
Let's face it, majority of us are in our 40's. Four decades of life experience & compelling stories. Many of us are still enjoying the security of being surrounded by family as we did growing up. Some have had to leave that comfort behind out of neccessity in search of better livelihood. We are now moms, dads, even grandmas & grandpas. We have jobs, errands to run, chores to attend to, appointments to show up for, meals to cook, homework to check,.. the list just goes on & on. It's no wonder that come bedtime we pretty much collapse in our beds only to be woken up shortly for another day of responsibilities.
Healthy living is one of life's responsibilities yet oftentimes the one that gets neglected. Time & money seem to be the widely accepted excuse for not engaging in it. It's time we realize that it's also time & money that we end up losing when health fails.
Being healthy is not just for the wealthy. We don't need to indulge in a membership at a luxurious fitness center. Personal trainers don't necessarily have to be pricy trained professionals. As a matter of fact, they don't have to be human. The internet, books & magazines offer a world of information on staying fit. Our own homes can be a makeshift gym. Pick a corner to do some jumping jacks to get the heart racing. Improvise by using canned goods for weightlifting. The floor is perfect for push-ups & sit-ups . The outdoors can be utilized as a running track. Walk everywhere when feasible. Use the stairs as much as your legs would allow you before opting for the elevator. These are simple tips that all of us can intertwine with our daily activities.
We're Filipinos, therefore we love food. It's what starts our day & it's what concludes our night. I'm not one to give out healthy eating advice when I can easily be bribed with a bag of Doritos & chocolate cake. One rule of thumb I follow, match the amount of activity you do to the amount of food you consume. This is a personal judgement call. You're allowed to cheat but, really, who ends up winning in the end?
The aim is not to look like Barbie or Ken. It's to maintain a certain amount of physical activity in the hopes of preventing ailments. Whatever shape or size we are is irrelevant. We have obligations to the people we love & who love us back. We need to have the physical & mental capacity to keep up with life's demands. We've lived four decades already. How many more is up to us.
High School Life: The Road of Rights and Wrongs By Raymond Bonifacio
High school life can be described as the beginning of our journey to a world full of expectations. This is the period where we decide on significant things in our life that will create a path to our future. Some say that on this period, you will experience new things. You will be driven to try unfamiliar activities to satisfy your curiosity, being adventurous without caring to know what results and consequences you have to face. You will meet lots of people and make new friends on the road and even fall in love.
High school stage, for others, is just a period where they can enjoy their lives, satisfying their wants and needs and having friends or “barkada” who will accept them. A number of events happen during this time, meeting your “bestfriend” or “partner in crime” and finding your “first love” are some. But sometimes, those who are nearest and dearest to them, those whom they trust their happiness with, may become traitors to their faith. Because at this point of time, everyone wants to be good in the eyes of the majority, even it prompts to ruin a friendship.
High school students are prone to be attracted to different vices such as computer addiction, some of the students skip their classes just to go to computer cafes to waste the money being earned by their hard-working parents. Alcohol and smoking are also two of the major vices that should be observed by high school students. Although these two substances give them extra ordinary feeling, it can be so dangerous to their health and of course, to those who are close to them. Research shows that one of the major causes of violence and crimes is due to alcohol intoxication not only to adults but teenagers as well. Another research showed increasing number of teenage pregnancy. It is believed that their curiosity and unguided relationship brought them in such situation wherein they are facing early parenting although they are not mature enough to face such an event.
There are parties and lots of activities in the school, why do the high school students enter a world full of crap just to be someone? Others are committed to their studies, another way to compensate for other’s respect, attention and to be able to socialize with their peers. Not only studies but also through sports, it can enhance their confidence without sacrificing their health. High school life is full of life-changing events. It doesn’t mean that you need to be a bookworm, but you must consider a lot of things before doing something. Your decisions can cause permanent marks in your life which cannot be fixed. Faulty parenting is viewed as precipitating factor that leads high school students to poor decision making and how to face various hindrances in their development.
Children undergoing this kind of development should be guided by their guardians. Guardians should not act as commander who orders around and must be obeyed. Instead, they should be like a friend who’s always there to listen to their experiences and what’s inside their mind. Children should trust them to a free flowing communication. Also, professors, whom students consider as their second parents, should be aware that even those children have a mind of their own they are still kid who is vulnerable to commit mistakes and should be guided and corrected to become a better person in the future. High school life, a road where most of our dreams are made, has lots of up and downs but keeping on the right track makes us a mature and well-respected individual.
High school stage, for others, is just a period where they can enjoy their lives, satisfying their wants and needs and having friends or “barkada” who will accept them. A number of events happen during this time, meeting your “bestfriend” or “partner in crime” and finding your “first love” are some. But sometimes, those who are nearest and dearest to them, those whom they trust their happiness with, may become traitors to their faith. Because at this point of time, everyone wants to be good in the eyes of the majority, even it prompts to ruin a friendship.
High school students are prone to be attracted to different vices such as computer addiction, some of the students skip their classes just to go to computer cafes to waste the money being earned by their hard-working parents. Alcohol and smoking are also two of the major vices that should be observed by high school students. Although these two substances give them extra ordinary feeling, it can be so dangerous to their health and of course, to those who are close to them. Research shows that one of the major causes of violence and crimes is due to alcohol intoxication not only to adults but teenagers as well. Another research showed increasing number of teenage pregnancy. It is believed that their curiosity and unguided relationship brought them in such situation wherein they are facing early parenting although they are not mature enough to face such an event.
There are parties and lots of activities in the school, why do the high school students enter a world full of crap just to be someone? Others are committed to their studies, another way to compensate for other’s respect, attention and to be able to socialize with their peers. Not only studies but also through sports, it can enhance their confidence without sacrificing their health. High school life is full of life-changing events. It doesn’t mean that you need to be a bookworm, but you must consider a lot of things before doing something. Your decisions can cause permanent marks in your life which cannot be fixed. Faulty parenting is viewed as precipitating factor that leads high school students to poor decision making and how to face various hindrances in their development.
Children undergoing this kind of development should be guided by their guardians. Guardians should not act as commander who orders around and must be obeyed. Instead, they should be like a friend who’s always there to listen to their experiences and what’s inside their mind. Children should trust them to a free flowing communication. Also, professors, whom students consider as their second parents, should be aware that even those children have a mind of their own they are still kid who is vulnerable to commit mistakes and should be guided and corrected to become a better person in the future. High school life, a road where most of our dreams are made, has lots of up and downs but keeping on the right track makes us a mature and well-respected individual.
HIGH SCHOOL: Memories of a Lifetime
Every day a new memory is being made. As time passes, we will make a million that we will never forget. Throughout our lives, we constantly meet new people and hope to leave a positive impact on their lives. While in high school we make memories that can be a lesson learned, a picture that makes us smile, a scar our arm, or something we will cherish for the rest of our lives.
As we look at old pictures in a photo album, on Facebook, or on a cell phone, we realize each person has a story to be told. The stories they tell depend upon the person and their past. The stories from the student body at any high school could be made into a novel.
The classic storybook romance of two high school sweethearts who have found true love earlier than most people can become a memory which is cherished for the rest of their lives. If these two love birds were asked about each memory they have shared together, it could take many pages to tell each one, but they will keep the stories forever in their hearts.
As we look at old pictures in a photo album, on Facebook, or on a cell phone, we realize each person has a story to be told. The stories they tell depend upon the person and their past. The stories from the student body at any high school could be made into a novel.
The classic storybook romance of two high school sweethearts who have found true love earlier than most people can become a memory which is cherished for the rest of their lives. If these two love birds were asked about each memory they have shared together, it could take many pages to tell each one, but they will keep the stories forever in their hearts.