Krystelle Luken Pangpangdeo, OJT/PNA
BAGUIO CITY — Three outstanding Grade 10 students received scholarships from a non-government organization in recognition of their academic achievements and good leadership qualities.
“The SOCO (Search for Outstanding Class/Club Officer) program aims to recognize not only the academic excellence but also the leadership qualities of our students and to encourage them to continue being a role model,” Raymund de Vera, president of the Baguio Pines City Lions Club (BPCLC) said on Monday.
The students were given certificate, medal, and scholarships from BPCLC. They are Coleen Evangelista of Pines City National High School, Michaela Jane Rojo of Magsaysay National High School, and Angela Tibay of Baguio City National High School.
The BPCLC conducted the search in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd). The names of the six finalists were submitted to the club, which conducted the final screening based on a set of criteria that shows their academic performance and leadership qualities.
“The project is aimed to acknowledge the youth’s commitment and to recognize the exemplary performance of student beneficiaries. It is a call to action by the officers and members of the BPCLC to organize service projects and activities that underscore the importance of leadership and address specific needs related to governance within their own community,” de Vera said.
“The students were awarded because of their excellence in academics and their ability to lead their groups in school,” de Vera added.
The three are just the initial grantees and more would be added to the list of scholars every year, he said. The students were the first three scholars of the SOCO program which started this semester.
Evangelista said she worked hard to get a scholarship and was granted the same after the screening.
“We worked hard for this, and I think we deserve this because we did our best to be part of this program,” said Evangelista who takes interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) track when she enters Senior High School in June this year.
Evangelista is the vice president of the Supreme Student Council and chairman of the internal and student affairs organization of their school.
Rojo said becoming a scholar would be a big help to the family since it would cut down education expenses. She intends to take up Humanities and Social Sciences when she enters Grade 11. Rojo is the vice president of the Supreme Student Government and secretary of their church youth ministry.
Tibay, an awardee and medalist in various categories of press conferences sponsored by the DepEd, is planning to take Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM) in senior high school.
The students also received cash assistance of PHP5,000 each which would be given every semester for two years, until they finish senior high school.
Meanwhile, DepEd Baguio Youth Formation Coordinator Jimmy Santos said there are certain attributes a student must possess to be qualified for the scholarship.
“A student should be a member of an organization within the school and must have a personal advocacy that could help improve not only the academy, but also the whole community,” he said.
The students must also excel in academics.
