Eaglet 55#2 Official Publication Of Ateneo Grade School

Transcript

The Eaglet The Official SchOOl Organ Of The aTeneO grade SchOOl Volume 55 issue 2 SY 2008 - 2009 [email protected] Celebrating Excellence second Sesquicentennial Issue of EAGLET... ALL about magis! Fr. Norberto maria Luza bautista, SJ publisher Mr. Jose P. Salvador, Jr. Assistant headmaster .for student affairs My Dear Fellow Ateneans, I congratulate you on your second issue of the EAGLET. It is fitting for you to choose the theme of Celebrating Excellence, a special theme that the University embarked in last year as we celebrate the sesquicentennial foundation of our school. HONORARY MEMBERS: PHOTOGRAPHER: EVARISTO, RAYMOND EDITOR: JACINTO, JIGGY GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Ledesma, Anselmo Jose SEDIAREN, poCHOLO andrei Streeter, Oliver Kevin Tantan, DONDON TRINIDAD, JOHN KEVIN Let me remind you that the pursuit of excellence is not equated to the pursuit of winning worldly glories at all costs. The pursuit of excellence means trying our very best in all that we do – small and big things – whether we are affirmed or honored by people or not. Ultimately, the motivation to pursue excellence has to originate from our love for God in Jesus who has fully given Himself to us. The goal of this pursuit for excellence is for us to humbly build the Kingdom of Heaven on earth for the Greater Glory of God. Fr. Kit Bautista, SJ thank you po: Mrs. lucila orencio, AHsa secretary ms. anna maria noda, eaglet cartoon® artist Ms. Magic, ms. shiela, Ms. Marie, cover&pages corp. mr. marlon hondante, photos Mr. Gian Carlo P. Ludovice Ms. Mara Melanie D. Perez MODERATORS GRADE 5 ALONTE, ANTON ALPAñO, JONATHAN BONIFACIO, JON CABALZA, ANTON CASTILLO, CARL Cu, KRISTOPHER GABRIEL, JERIAH ORETA, MIGuEL RACELA, RYAN RAGOS, JOSHuA ROMERO, DAVID SANTIAGO, JOKO SANTOS, SEAN GRADE 4 DELA ROSA, MICKEY LIAMZON, RAFAEL ORPILLA, LEODEGARIO PAYAWAL, OSCAR ROASA, PATRICK grade 6 alvarado, dicot de leon, virgil estrella, jeremiaz montecillo, joseph orlina, gabriel panganiban, ricxel rebosa, jay reyes, aris sto. domingo, robbie grade 7 david, rainier de santos, marco domingo, ejay flor, jerome palisoc, franz The Eaglet Staff SY 2008-09 AM+DG Welcome back to the world of Eaglet and congrats on receiving this second issue! The theme of this issue is “Celebrating Excellence” which is also one of the themes of our sesquicentennial celebration. The Ateneo has always been striving for MAGIS, which, as we all know, means more. In this issue we included the winners of various academic contests and we asked students what “MAGIS is” for them. We also let them express what they felt when they manifested MAGIS. Jim Collins said that “Greatness is largely a matter of conscious choice. Few people attain great lives, in large part because it is just so easy to settle for a good life.” So, Mrs. Oracion, our Assistant to the President for Basic Education, recommended that we should not remain good forever. Good is the enemy of great. We shouldn’t just relax when we reach the level of goodness. She stressed that we should always seek greatness. We have the Learning Assistance Program (LEAP) to help the students who are not doing well academically and we have Multi-Dimensional Ateneo Gifted Intervention Scheme (MAGIS) to develop the prodigies in Math and Communication Arts. Fr. Nebres and Fr. Kit know that the school should also focus on the average students. Yes, they may be good, their grades may be average, but we must always seek greatness! Our cover story this time are the Small Basketeers of the Philippines because they brought honor and glory to our beloved school. We personally know most of them and amidst all the trophies or awards they received, even though people look up to them because of their dexterity on the courts, they remain humble and helpful. And at the end of the day, they thanked God for their achievements. That’s why we also included our favorite photo of SBP where they posed as angelic students in front of the Ateneo de Iloilo Chapel after thanking the Lord for their victory. Truly, the Ateneo has a culture of excellence. The “blue blooded beings” illuminate with MAGIS wherever t h e y go, be it representing the class or the school in a Math contest, making a goal in an international football competition or being what we are known for–men for others. Yes, that is the idea of MAGIS. It’s not just getting the highest grade or being the number one in a competition. MAGIS is about using our God-given talents and blessings to bless others. In the World University Rankings of 2008, Ateneo ranked as the 254th school, and the best school in our country. Then, we remembered that Fr. Nebres said in the latest Simbang Gabi homily that we couldn’t be a great school without helping others to be great as well. That’s the true spirit of MAGIS–seeking to make a contribution for the common good. And we also see that everywhere in Ateneo Grade School. Everytime we donate for Bigay Puso, when Isaias members go to Leodegario Elementary School to share what they learned from their teachers, when students in AP 6 design a project which can help their community... the list is endless... and we can keep on adding more... ü An Ateneo Sesquicentennial video which we downloaded from YouTube says, Excellence is a choice... ...to give more than what is needed; ...to risk more than what seems safe; ...to care more than what seems wise; ...to dream more than what seems possible; ...to be more than what is asked. We all travel together... Excellence has been our way and will always be our way. 150 years of excellence. We would like to end with an excerpt from the essay of Fr. Daniel Patrick L. Huang, S.J., “Ateneo continues to call out the best and truest selves of our students. That the Ateneo can touch more effectively, not just the minds, but the hearts and spirits of its students, in this new world of the early twenty first century, remains our challenge. That the vision, passion and caring spirit of Ignatius, Xavier and Faber, be formed in Ateneans, for the greater glory of God and for the sake of building up our nation, remains our dream.” So, that’s about it. We hope that you would enjoy this issue and together, let’s celebrate excellence!!!ü Best, Ms. Mara Melanie D. Perez (Moderator) & Jose Benedict Luis “Ed” C. Alvarado (Editor) 4 Students Patrick Ro asa | Joshua Payawa Vince Montero (Pho l | 4-Mangyan tographer) An Interview With a magis man by MAGIS Intro: Mr. Salvador: Jose P. Salvador was born on June 14, 1966. He finished AB Psychology in Ateneo College. Eaglet: Good morning, Mr. Salvador. What are the characteristics that you possess which helped you reach such a Eaglet:Thank you for your time. Mr. Salvador: No problem! Summary: Judging on the questions and answers, I must say that he is a very well-learned, mature but yet at times can be a very humorous guy. He started working and supporting Ateneo since 1988, But he did not start as the position of Assistant Headmaster of Student Affairs but started of as a Simple Class Adviser of 5-Pinaglabanan teaching the subjects of AP, Filipino and Reading. He also mentioned that some of the present teachers right now were his students then. He says that he supports the students by making sure that the school provides first-class education yet a fun time by letting us get out of the class room every now and then. He will make this (or next) year even more exciting by making more amazing Field Trips, Better Clubs and he will put more energetic athletic competitions and activities. But he expects us to be more mature, responsible, more sensitive to one another’s needs and for us to be engaged in more responsibilities and more initiative in developing the student activities program high position? Mr. Salvador: I know what it means to have fun while learning. Eaglet: How exactly do you help the students? Mr. Salvador: I help provide well-rounded education through many student activities like field trips, athletics and CLUBS Eaglet: What do you expect from the Ateneo students this year and the next? Mr. Salvador: I expect students to become mature individuals, strong in character, sensitive to other’s needs and them nurturing their God-given talents. Eaglet: Is your job difficult or easy? Mr. Salvador: It can be difficult but it can also be very fulfilling. Eaglet: What do you do during your free time? Mr. Salvador: I like playing the guitar, cooking and hanging out with my two kids. I really want to know how to cook Korean food/s. Eaglet: What sports do you like? Mr. Salvador: I like walking (not really a sport), swimming and watching Basketball. (I am not really much of a sports person) Eaglet: What will you do to make next year more exciting? Mr. Salvador: More clubs, more exciting field trips and activities. Eaglet: What change/s do you want to make in the Ateneo? Mr. Salvador: I want to see students engaged in more responsibilities and more initiative in developing the student activities program. eaglet 2008 - 2009 2nd issue lvador... and inspiring Mr. Sa The very energetic nce... Celebrating excelle be excellent!!! inspiring students to 5 Eloquentia et Sapienta Colin Salao | 6 – Jacinto Thursday, November 27th. WOW. That was a day I’ll never forget. What were the things that were unforgettable? This was the Grade 6 Elocution Contest. I got to school that day feeling actually pretty good, although my car came a little late so my alternate, JR Pineda, got pretty nervous. Getting in school was just the first part; it was a tough experience especially since Interpretative Reading came first. You could just feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. It was tough! Looking at the contestants while still seated was very interesting. You could see they were prepared, but very nervous. When the Interpretative Reading contest was finished, I felt a sudden burst of goose bumps. Everything felt like it was going as fast as my time to go on stage drew near. Being the first to perform, I had to step out early along with the second contestant, Benjo. Waiting outside was the worst part of it all. It was hard to wait for that moment until…it was game time. Entering the auditorium was tough. I almost burst out in laughter for some reason but at that moment I realized that I wasn’t nervous anymore. It felt lucky that once I got in there I didn’t seem to feel any tension or worry that I was going to fail. On stage, I felt good yet somewhat alone. I was happy that I was performing and sharing my abilities, and alone because it was like I was talking and I didn’t notice anyone answering. The second best part of the day was probably getting down from the stage. I felt a burst of excitement as I realized my best friend, Aaron, was sitting just a few rows from me now. He congratulated me for a good performance which I hoped would be true. As the contestants went by, I got more anxious for the results. After a somewhat laughable dance number by 6-Luna, it was time. I got on stage when my name was called. Realizing I felt good, I started acting a little weird on stage as the results came. The Second and Third placers went by and I thought I couldn’t win, until… Mr. Posadas, the head judge, said that the winner was the first person to perform. I just realized maybe five seconds later that it was me! As my parents, Class Adviser and Language teacher went on stage I just stood there with my hands on my head, surprised. I had always imagined that moment but never knew it would come. I had done my goal and that’s all I wanted to do. All the contestants had a tough time. We all practiced hard. The Alternates were also given important roles. An alternate can be needed any time and is important in helping the contestant. We participants definitely loved this competition. Win or Lose we did our best and that’s all you need to do when you join any contest or predicament in your life. Jose Roberto Sto. Domingo | 6-Luna Last November 2008, 26 Grade 6 students had to go up the stage to tell a story and recite a piece. They were specifically chosen by their teachers to represent their class. The story for the Reading Contest and the piece for the Elocution contest were about the children of today, and how they can make a difference. The story was about a man who had just received a car and saw a boy. This boy surprised the man because of all the things he said. The man thought that the boy was only thinking of himself, but in face he was thinking about his brother. The entire 13 contestants did a spectacular job, but in the end, only 3 got a medal. Joe Morabe from 6-Agoncillo came in 3rd, while Guigi Galace from 6-Aguinaldo won 2nd place. The 1st place winner was Miggy Macapagal. The piece for the Elocution contest was about the misconception of the youth today. It also tells us we NEED good leaders to lead us. The winners in this contest were: Robbie Sto. Domingo of 6-Luna in 3rd place, Paco Tantoco of 6-Bonifacio in 2nd place, and Colin Salao of 6-Jacinto in 1st place. Though not all of them won a medal, they are all still winners in their own right GRADE 7 6 1st place: Konstantin Mikhail C. Salao (6-Jacinto) 2nd place: Francesco Luis Tantoco (6-Bonifacio) 3rd place: Robbie Sto. Domingo (6-Luna Pagbigkas | Pagbasa | Biglaang Pagtatalumpati Elocution | Int. Reading Bonifacio, Jon Angelo 5 - Bagumbayan Some people were hyped during the gr.5 interpretative reading/ elocution contest, while most were not. Probably most thought that this contest was just an escape from some of the subjects. Well it was, but generally, it wasn’t just a break from the clutches of education. It was a remarkable day, probably marking the atenean timeline with the coffee stain of glory. during the interpretative reading (where contestants interpret the piece that they read) part of the program, all the contestants were good, but this is what they always say and more often than not a lie. But yes, they were good enough, but some were better than the rest. Somewhat like the Stone Age: survival of the fittest. If you weren’t good enough, go rot in the winter, but if you were, go live to see the day. There were three that survived the harsh winter of judgment: the first, second, and third placers. And I bet they would prefer if their names were not mentioned. i think. The next part of the program is the Elocution contest, where contestants deliver the piece ‘dirty hands’ while simultaneously acting it out. Here they were really all good, but not all of them won but different nonetheless. The two dances were generally the most interesting parts of the said program. They weren’t bad dancers, but the moves weren’t really choreographed properly. Well, at least they were able to portray the real mood of the entire song. If you didn’t enjoy this program, I wouldn’t blame you. But overall, this program stings with creativity. Pinakamahusay na Mambibigkas Janielle Koji Odal GRA DE 5 G DE4 RA My experience in the Pagbigkas contest was full of mixed emotions because it was my first time being a contestant. First, when my teacher, Mr. Quodala chose me as a contestant, I was shocked because I thought I will be a Pagbasa contestant. For me, Pagbigkas was harder because i didn’t have experience being a contestant before in Pagbigkas but i became an alternate in Pagbasa. During my first practice, I was taught on what my expressions will be in each stanza so there was not much tension going. But after a few more days, Mr. Quodala taught me the actions, where I need to go and the facial expressions I need to show. i am really lucky to have Mr. Quodala as my teacher because he was not like the other teachers who are strict so that you will not have a mistake. i do agree that he is serious but he made my practice fun and enjoyable and i thank him for his support and patience because without him, I cannot win. When Mr. Quodala told me that I was the second contestant, I didn’t know what to feel because being the second contestant means that the audience were still in the mood to listen but your performance will easily be forgotten and being one of the last means that the audience will get bored but you will have more time to practice but i still accepted being the second contestant. During the contest, I was so nervous because it was like performing to thousands of people so i just thought of my dad being proud of me and it helped me to relax and gave me confidence. When I was told that I won, my doubts were released. People asked me what was my secret in winning and my only answer was that i just leaned on my experience during practice where i learned more about patience and hardwork. Actually, I didn’t practice in my house only in school. There was no secret in winning but values like hardwork, perseverance and patience will take you to success. I really thank my teacher, Mr. Quodala, my mom and most especially god who helped me in winning the Pagbigkas contest. My experience was really memorable for it taught me a lot of things. i can’t wait for the next contest that i will join! eaglet 2008 - 2009 2nd issue 7 Magis in Academic Contests Spelling Contest: Individual: 1st Place: Lance Vincent M. Cecilia 4-Bagobo 2nd Place: Louis Renz G. Español 4-Kalinga 3rd Place: Ivan Rolando L. Cruz 4-Ati Class Competition: 1st: Yakan | 2nd Mangyan | 3rd: Bagobo Math Contest | Team: 1st Place: Subanon: Kristian Paul Q. Estioko Luis Ignacio C. Jose Nicanor Emilio W. Montoya 2nd Place: Manobo: Enrico R. Fernando Jr. Kahane Z. Pe Patrick Theodore P. Ramos 3rd Place: Kalinga: Joachin Antonio J. Jayme Joshua John B. Patajo Kristen Magnus T. Untal Class Competition: 1st: Tausug | 2nd: Bagobo | 3rd: Mangyan GRADE4 GRADE 5 by Jeriah Kyle Gabriel | 5 - EDSA Last year, (2008) the GRADE 5 students had their Spelling and Math Contest which was held in the Covered Courts. Winners in Spelling (Individual) 1st Jand Frowee D. Magpantay (Corregidor) 2nd Mark Nathaniel Cruz (Kawit) 3rd Simon C. Domingo (Bagumbayan) Winners in Spelling (Class) 1st: Malacañang | 2nd: Biak-na-Bato | 3rd: Edsa Winners in Math (Team) 1st Corregidor | 2nd Pugad Lawin | 3rd Bagumbayan Winners in Math (Class) 1st Corregidor | 2nd Bagumbayan | 3rd Edsa I asked Jand Magpantay, the best speller, “How does it feel like winning the Spelling Contest?” He answered, “It feels like I’m on cloud nine.” GRADE Spelling Contest: Individual: 1st: Carlo Locsin (Burgos) 2nd: CJ Manlapaz (Jacinto) 3rd: Kyle De Dios (Abad Santos) Math Contest | Team: 6 Spelling Contest: GRADE 7 Individual: 1st - Edward Joseph C. Ofilada |7-Claver 2nd - Luis Alfredo T. Reyes | 7-Bellarmine 3rd - John Gabriel Robert R. Quintos 7-Regis Class Competition: 1st – Claver | 2nd – Brebeuf | 3rd – Canisius Math Contest: Team: 1st - 7-Claver Don Christian A. Cornel Angelico G. De los Reyes Mark Lawrence Z. Gamboa 2nd - 7-Gonzaga June Aldrin D. Chico Renz Caesar A. Constantino Daniel Angelo C. Salita 3rd - 7-Canisius Andre Gutierrez Miguel Luis L. Nitorreda J. Immanuel F. Yap Class Competition: 1st - Pignatelli | 2nd - Brebeuf | 3rd - Canisius Class Competition: 1st: Del Pilar| 2nd: Jacinto| 3rd: Malvar 1st Place: Mabini: Enzo Miranda Ralph Martin Fernandez John Faustino 2nd Place: Lopez-Jaena: Glad Danguilan Anton Escueta Carlos Roman Ozaeta 3rd Place (Burgos): Ian Babst Ernst Jeng Andre Sanchez Class Competition: 1st: Jacinto | 2nd: Rizal| 3rd: Del Pilar 8 The ISAIAS Quiz-Bee & Christmas Party By: Apa Mendoza On December-4 the Isaias club had its annual Quiz-Bee. After being dismissed, I went to the Auditorium where the Quiz-Bee was held. Once there, I saw Mrs. Jose teaching the Leodegario Victorino Elementary School Students some catchy folk songs. After a while, the program began. Mr. Salvador our assistant headmaster gave the opening remarks. The Quiz-Bee began with the guidance of our club moderators Mrs. Gargaritano, Mr.Boquiron and Mrs. Jose. The Quiz-bee is a contest where 4 groups compete with each other. There are 3 rounds in the Quiz-Bee – Easy, Average and Difficult. The Quiz-bee was very fun and I bet the Leodegario Students had a great time competing with their friends and classmates. After competing in a fun fight, Group-B won 1st place with 215 points, Group-D won 2nd place with 195 points, Group-C won 3rd place with 170 points and Group-A acquired 155 points. Provided with food by the Blue Chefs Club and food from the Cafeteria, the Isaias club satisfied their empty bellies with delicious food. After eating we watched an entertaining PowerPoint Presentation about the Isaias club. The Isaias members performed the song ‘’Arirang’’ using their recorders. Next, some of the Leodegario students danced to the tune of the song ‘’Sway with me’’. After that spectacular performance, the rest of the Leodegario tutees joined the dancers in singing the song ‘’Christmas in our hearts’’. One of our Leodegario tutees, Alondra Nuza a very talented singer sang the song ‘’How could you say you love me’’. The crowd cheered for her with great enthusiasm. The Quiz-Bee program ended with the closing prayer. After the prayer, The Isaias tutees and the Isaias members exchanged gifts celebrating the season of Christmas. Truly an experience like this which shows the true meaning of generosity, love and learning will be always remembered throughout the years. United Nations Celebration ld. One Event. One Wor eaglet 2008 - 2009 2nd issue 9 David, Rainier | 7 – Brebeuf Last November 28, 2008, as many know, the Grade 7 community had our field trip at Sta. Rosa, Laguna. To start things off, of course, the students assembled at their respective buses which boarded at 6 am. All 12 buses geared up through the South Luzon Expressway on its way to the Toyota Car Plant. The tour was educational as the students learned how each and every Toyota car was built and assembled until the product is finished. After the tour, the buses moved to the next stop: Enchanted Kingdom! Before the students went inside the theme park, they, including me, stayed inside their buses watching DVD and mingling with each other. The buses emptied up soon as they prepared to go inside the amusement park. Once inside, it was as if chaos spread out. Students went to the rides of their choice while some ate their food yet some also spent their time in the arcade. By 4: 00, it was time to leave for the return ride to Ateneo. As the field trip ended, it could be considered as fun yet educational and also, a bonding experience for friends. FIE !!!TRIP!!! IP D TR L FIELD FIELD 10 Santiago, Joko | 5 – EDSA For our field trip, we went to the Science Discovery Center in the Mall of Asia. We went there early so we could avoid traffic going to the mall. When we got there, our teachers told us to line up in front of the Science Discovery Center. We waited for a short while, and then we got in the building. Inside, we got to see the “Transportation D Nation”, which showcases the different ways to go around the world. This showed the cars from the olden times and the solar-powered L to car, which uses solar energyD move. We then saw many other parts of the Science Discovery Center like the part entirely about gross facts about our body, it even has a test to test our knowledge about the grossness of our body. There is also a part where they explained that they need to use a “Green Screen” to merge two pictures into one. They used this to merge a picture of us and a background of our choice. There was also a part where we played directly in the game, as in we were the characters in the games like basketball and volleyball. There were a lot of places we went to but I liked the mini video presentation that showed us what was happening to Mother Earth. Overall, the visit to Science Discovery Center taught me a lot of things about technology and the world. Castillo, Carl Vincent | 5-Pasong Tirad What do I think about the Grade 5 Field Trip? Well, I think it is a great time to get together with your classmates. It is also when you get to learn more while at theTRIP!!! time, have fun. This same I E LD is whatFhappened during the Field Trip LD last September 15. First, we all went to the SM Mall of Asia “Science Discovery Center”. There, we watched a movie and played interactive video games. Afterwards, we got a tour of the National Museum. There, we saw Juan Luna’s world famous “Spolarium” which was humongous and beautiful. It made me even prouder to be a Filipino. Time flew so fast we didn’t realize it was already time to go home. I just can’t wait for next year’s field trip. RIP!!! D T FIE ! TRIP!! !!! EL TRIP FI P!!! IE TRI F eaglet 2008 - 2009 2nd issue 11 Grade 6 Field trip! graphic design by: Carlo Ozaeta Montecillo, Joseph 6 - Lopez-Jaena A few months ago, Grade 6 had their field trip. All 13 sections came to school early in the morning (earlier than usual) to board their buses and leave the school for an educational field trip. The first destination was the Leisure Farm in Batangas. The ride to Batangas was long. A lot of us brought snacks to eat as we waited. But the only true way for us to pass time was to talk to whoever was next to us. And with the help of long conversations and salty snacks, we all got through the trip just fine. When we finally came to the Leisure Farm, the heat was a strange contrast to the cool aircon in the bus so we quickly found ourselves sweating immediately. We went through a tour, desperately trying to absorb what the tour guide was telling us. But our foolish minds wandered despite that fact that we knew we would have a quiz on this. So after the tour, we went into the gift shop (all rides end at the gift shop). We bought our souvenirs and we got back on the bus. After a short snack, the bus started again and it started heading for the Gardenia Bread Factory. Once we were there, we were shown a short movie on how the bread is made. And then we were shown the actual machines inside the factory. It was hot. That’s pretty much all I can say about that factory. I was sweating like a pig in there. But after that, we stopped at the shop (see, it always ends at the shop) and we bought our bread. Then we got into our buses and went back to Ateneo. It was a fun trip especially when we were with our friends. Panganiban Ricxel 6-Luna Grade 6 Field Trip Last October 22 all grade 6 students had their Most anticipated Field Trip. As early as 5:30 am almost all the grade 6 students were in the Ateneo Grade School campus. At 6:00 am all the buses left for their long trip. The first destination our group went to was the Leisure Farm in Lemery Batangas. When we went down from the buses everyone experienced the very cold weather in the Leisure Farm. There were many interesting sights in there but we had to take each one by one. First we went to the Ultimate Mango tree which had different varieties of mangoes. Next was the Herb Garden which obviously had herbs. We really learned many things here in Leisure Farm. So after going to all the beautiful sights we headed to the fishing area and ate our lunch. After eating our mouth watering lunch the students played like fishing and riding horses. Then we went back to our buses for the next destination which was the Gardenia Factory. When we arrived the factory we all smelled the delicious scent of bread. We went to their some like a auditorium to watch a film on how they make their yummy products. Right after we went to their working stations and saw how millions and millions of bread are made. Then we got to go to their store to buy bread. Right after a long day we eventually had to go back to the AGS. That was truly a educational and interesting trip that we will TREASURE! Orlina, Juan Gabriel B. 6- Tandang Sora Grade 6 Field Trip The Grade 6 students had their field trip in two places, the Leisure Farms in Batangas, and in the Gardenia Factory in Laguna last October 22, 2008. The thirteen sections were divided into two groups: the sections of Abad Santos until Jacinto will be Group A while the sections of Lopez Jaena until Tandang Sora will be Group B. The students had a three(3) hour waiting time after the departure from Ateneo. The students used this time to either watch DVDs or play games. The sections of Abad Santos until Jacinto were assigned to go to the Gardenia Factory first while the sections of Lopez Jaena until Tandang Sora were assigned to go to the Leisure Farms first. In the Leisure Farms, the tour guides will tell you a brief guide about what you are going to expect and all the activities in the Leisure Farms. As you go through the Leisure Farms, the tour guides will give you information about the plants, and species of animals that live there. In the Gardenia Factory, a presentation was made for the students to know how the people in Gardenia work and how their production of bread make Gardenia the most used bread around Metro Manila. After the presentation, the tour guides took the students inside the factory for a closer look of the bread that are being bought by the people of Metro Manila. After the tour, the students were given free breadby the clerks in the Mini Store within the Gardenia Factory compound. 6- Lopez-Jaena 12 Orpilla, Leo | 4 – Tausug Last October, we had our yearly Rosary Rally. We had our class Presidents in the middle of the covered courts to recite the rosary. The students were around them praying. all of us prayed the rosary heartily. The class Presidents and the grade 3 representatives prayed each of the prayers one by one. Rosary Rally Rebosa, Jude Francis | 6 – Tandang Sora Last October 2008, a rosary rally was held for our Blessed Virgin Mary, and the month of the Holy Rosary. The students and teachers were asked to wear blue and white as a sign of their respect for the Virgin Mary. The whole grade school, lead by the class presidents and other representatives, recited the whole rosary and other prayers devoted to Mother Mary and to Jesus. The closing prayer was lead by Father Unson, and the students were asked to continue their devotion. In CLE classes, the students were also taught the meaning and the origin of the holy rosary. Even though, the month of the rosary ended, it is never too late to pray the rosary again. It is better to pray the Rosary together with your family, because, “The family that prays together, stays together” Peace oncert C Quarterly Exams!!! Ragos, Mikael Joshua | 5 – Pinaglabanan What every student fears of in school is the Quarterly Exams. During the 1st day of the exams everyone was really scared because they don’t know what will come up in the exams. Class Advisers will show you the “DO and NOT TO DO” list for the exams. The 2nd day of the exams wasn’t that frightening as the 1st day. The 3rd day of the exams was pretty scary because most of the students’ weak subjects come in this day (AP and Filipino). The 4th day is one of the students’ easiest subjects to ace: MATH. Most of the students’ grades in this subject are mostly high; when we are dismissed all the students are happy and celebrate because the Quarter ly Exams are done. The 5th day of the exam week is the most exciting day for students for the quarter when they can finally see the scores they worked so hard on. To me, the Quarterly Exams are very scary and exciting at the same time. It is exciting because the quarter will be over in a week and scary because we will have to study all the subjects we learnt from the quarter. But in everything we do, let us remember that sign above every page of our exam sheet... AM+DG. eaglet 2008 - 2009 2nd issue 13 SBP ‘08: UP Close & Personal Mrs. ems Bolaños What could the best formula to a great team? The secret behind it? is to have a good leader and a good follower “Before one could actually lead, one should first learn how to serve”, then everything else there is for a team to know will simply follow. This cliché we all know emanates to every part of the world, likewise on and off the court. i guess this is what every atenista retained through out their learning years as they foster the norm of being the “Man for Others” as they are. This speaks by itself, even with the basketball squad such as the ateneo SBP Team. among them are Grade 4 Jolo Mendoza #19, Justin Eustaquio #11, Rafa Racela #17; Grade 5 Enzo Joson #9, Kevin Peig #16, Matthew Nieto #12, Michael Nieto #7, Martin Mendoza #10; grade 6 aaron Black #8, Jacob Magpoc #4, Drigs Zaldivar #18, Jeff Bolaños #15, Sandro Puno #14, Sheik Cariño 5 (MVP), Thirdy Ravena #6. My encounter with these youngsters i would say was no mere coincidence. I believe I was appointed, for my experience as a teacher, a parent, and a God fearing person, also with a few pointers in mind about basketball summoned me to stand with the entire team. i met everyone, along with the two coaches last February of this year when they all had their initial trainings and basketball leagues. At that time, the coaches were still establishing working as a team. head coach PJ navarro & assistant coach homer Bautista may have had a longer time appointing their final rosters, but it was worth the wait. it was up until sometime the first quarter of the school year 2008-09, when finally he already got himself “A Team”, I was then appointed to facilitate their team building. having a very young line up of players’ ages from 9-12years old was somewhat a challenge, but I wouldn’t also say that it was that of a perplexed atmosphere. They were just being themselves as kids who never really knew what it meant to be in a real “team building” sphere, and somehow, it took a while before each member realized that this required him more work. Yet without muttering, they all spared me their time to learn and discover. everything fell into place when each player started to speak words such as 1 Team, Play Hard, Team Work, Win, and Believe. i eventually asked them to put the words together and i was astounded with what these youngsters came up with as the team’s thrust, “We Believe We Can Win as 1 Team With Teamwork If We Play Hard”. Being in a Basketball team such as ateneo SBP really takes so much passion & perseverance from each player. despite of various age and grade level, Coach PJ Navarro promotes brotherhood in his team. He is not just the coach, but he seems to be the father of these 15 boys. he attends to the team and uses a formula that’s very unique, w h i c h ironically not every c o a c h could easily display. The Headmaster, parents and teachers watched the games and 14 Ceremonial toss by Mr. Dong Puno All Ateneo de Manila and Ateneo de Davao’s players Being a father of a 7 year old, who’s also presently in the Ateneo Prep School, he stretches his flexibility to diversify his ways to discipline his players. he’s being looked up to as the Team’s mentor whom does not just train hard but play hard on and off the basketball court. He finds time to kid around with his players, which boys find so amusing. Like any team, there is an assistant coach who plays a big role. Being the next big man after the head coach, assistant homer Bautista is a person who’s always been the big brother of the team. Someone who bridges every gap and covers every loophole that needs to work on in a player. With the Team relatively as his younger brothers, they listen to what ‘Kuya’ says, and they’re assured by it. A Team that signifies family orientation, working hard together to achieve one common goal, contributing something exemplary that equals the essence of 1 great Team. This is what lead this team as the de- fending champion sweep the same title, winning The Championship finals at the rafael cortina Sports center in Xavier School last September 28, 2008 and eventually stirred them another win in The national Finals last November 23, 2008 at the San Agustin Gym, in Iloilo City. For Coach PJ, he may have won other championships and as important, but this experience with SBP was the most memorable and the sweetest. i share the same wonderful experience with the whole team. The journey i would say was very humbling, even myself as Team Parent Representative. Witnessing the hard work, the perseverance and determination every player and coach expressed was an inspiration i can’t measure. no amount of money can suffice the team’s effort to be The Best and i am so privileged i had a chance to experience this intimately with them. i take pride to what my son, Jersey 15 always believed in – “Work Hard Honor God”, and that humbles me. as we support The ateneo SBP Team, we follow what our son’s have greatly developed and achieved from their coaches- that winners come from a great Team who follow a Good Leader, Who Serves… and i’m proud to follow the same scheme. go ateneo! Justin Eustaquio | 4 - Kalinga Game time, thrilling, pride for our school! These are the words that described the SBP NCR tournament. It was hard for us to win the championship trophy because each team in that tournament were strong teams. But because of our trust to each other, as a team we focused each and every game. We treated each and everyone of us as if we are ‘brothers’–as adidas say, basketball is a brotherhood! The National Finals was even harder becase every team we battled there were champions, and our trust as a team was tested.We know that in each tournament like in basketball, the team that has a good chemistry will win no mayter who your opponent is!!!!!! A true measure of a champion team in basketball is they have trust to each other and a good team chemistry!!! cheered for their beloved players! One Big Fight! Eaglet 2008 - 2009 2nd Issue 15 being a national champion Sandro Puno | 6 - Aguinaldo I really wasn’t planning to try-out for the SBP team because I knew that every basketball player in the Grade School would be trying out. And I wasn’t sure if I was good enough to go against all these players. That week, one of the coaches in the Grade School really convinced me to try-out. I showed up in the try-outs and met the Coach of the SBP, Coach PJ Navarro and the veterans of the SBP. That day, I played my game, and that day I made the first cut and left the covered courts with a smile on my face. I was confident for the next try-outs for I had an idea of what Coach PJ’s style of coaching was. I just focused on playing harder, and I made it all the way thru 2nd cut. After all that hard work, I finally made the SBP team. Through out the summer, we were in practice everyday. Each of us was able to develop our skills and bring it to a new level. Not only that, we also got to know each other better. In order to get closer as a team, and to learn to play as one team, before the season started, we had our Team Building Activity in Antipolo. We had a lot of fun in the activities we had. And at the end of the event, we became closer as teammates and friends. We also became the SBP Team of 2008. Our first game in the elimination round was against Xavier, who was one of our most feared teams. It was a tough game but we ended up the winners. During practices, we used that first game as a learning experience, and that helped us improve our defensive plays in the game. Always looking to defend our crown, we played hard through out the season feeling confident and playing as the number 1 ranked team in the league would play. We were giving our all so that we could make it to our end goal, going to the finals. As we were approaching our goal, we still had one more challenge in the semi-finals, La Salle Greenhills. After hard practices, we played La Salle with all we had and defeated them by 8 points. As we left the gym that day, we had mixed emotions. Both excited yet nervous, knowing that 1 more game could give us the back to back NCR championship; and could bring us to the Nationals to also defend our National title. We had 2 weeks to prepare for the finals. We practiced and practiced even with the AGS fair the weekend of the finals. The day finally came, and as we entered the Xavier gym, all our family, friends, teachers, the former SBP players and also our Headmaster Fr. Kit Bautista was present. Even the Blue Babble Batallion was there to support us. But just as our coach told us, we cleared our heads of all the noise and just focused on our game. We were up by 1 point with 1 minute and 45 seconds left in the game. Neither of the teams scored. With 3 seconds left, and Xavier looking for a winning shot, one great steal ended it all. We reached our goal of giving the Ateneo the back –to- back NCR Title. That day, none of our smiles could be wiped-off our faces. But our Coach reminded us that our journey wasn’t over yet. We still had the Nationals ahead of us. After a week of the happiness in our system, it was back to serious training. Now we were going for the even bigger prize. So after weeks of tedious practices, we left for Iloilo. We knew it was going to be hard because we were going against the other champions from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. But after all the hardwork, focus, and just playing as one team for God and our dearest school, we were crowned the National Champions. We won over our brother school, Ateneo de Davao (52-45). We put on our championship shirts and caps, and huddled as a team for the last time since we started ten months ago. During the huddle, tears of joy ran down our faces. After several months of hard training, we were proud to say that we ended it all with 13 wins and 0 losses; 2 medals and 2 trophies. When we got back to our hotel that day, we put the basketball aside and got to know the players of the different teams we played against. I’m glad I got into the team. I hope to win more championships for Ateneo in the future but I’ll never forget the guys who helped me win my first…. Sheik Cariño, Aaron Black, Thirdy Ravena, Michael and Matthew Nieto, Enzo Joson, Jeff Bolaños, Jacob Magpoc, Drigs Zaldivar, Martin Mendoza , Kevin Peig, Jolo Mendoza, Justin Eustaquio, Rafa Racela, Coach PJ Navarro, Coach Homer Bautista and Coach Bong Mojas. Special thanks to Mrs. Bolaños for some of the photos for the cover story. 16 MIDYEAR CAMP IN PARADISE Generoso Ignacio S. Jacinto | 6-Bonifacio I have been a scout since Grade 2. On my 5th year as a Scout, I reached Paradise. Paradise Ranch Nature and Wildlife Sanctuary, that is. The Ateneo Boy Scouts held their Midyear Camp last Oct 17-19 at Paradise. DAY 1 We left the Grade School Campus at around 1:00 pm for Paradise Ranch at Clark, Pampanga beyond the Sacobia Valley. We passed by the Aeta communities, entered a dirt road, seemingly going up a mountain lush with trees and all kinds of plant life. We immediately pitched our tents upon reaching the campsite. Each troop had an assigned area, and it was up to the patrol to make their area their very own territory. This brought out the creativity of the scouts by way of roping the area, or carrying stones to add a “touch of home”, troop flag hoisted at the front of the “territory”. The Grade 6 Scouts led the opening ceremonies of the Camp. A Sensory Test led by the Grade 7 Scouts followed. Senses were heightened either through identification of tastes and smells, or following a particular sound, or identifying an object by touch alone. Praying the rosary , also led by the Grade 7 Scouts, ended Day 1. It was a starry night. Fireflies came out to welcome the scouts. DAY 2 At 6:00 a.m., two International Taekwondo Federation Jins, Sir Robert and Sir Dan were ready to take us through our morning exercises. After the morning exercises, we hiked up the mountain under the morning sun, making us hungrier and darker than we wanted! Opening ceremonies led again by t h e Grade 7 followed breakfast. Soldiers from the Philippine Air Force officers arrived to teach us First Aid and Jungle Survival. After lunch, we “applied the skills we learned” from the Air Force. After a tiring but fun game of transferring patrol members to other end using make-shift stretchers we ate merienda of boiled bananas – the very bananas brought down the mountains by the Aetas in the community. As the sun began to set, Holy Mass was offered by Rev. Fr. Cirilo Catabay. Scouter Renzo Silva and I served as sacristans. Fr. Catabay emphasized that to love God is to love nature. This day gave a more personal joy for me because my lolo, Judge Ignacio L. Salvador, the first Boy Scout Governor of Ilocos Norte heard Mass with us–it was his birthday, and he was 82 years old! Dinner was on him – pancit, chicken afritada and jasmine rice. After dinner, the much awaited Campfire started with the presentation from the different troops. The Aetas joined us at the bonfire, and they had their own presentation of native songs and dances. At exactly 12:00 midnight, our respective troop leaders shared ghost stories with us. DAY 3 Our last day at camp. We started the day with the opening ceremonies and morning exercises. The much-awaited obstacle course had all of us – Scouts and Scoutmasters alike going through the wringer. It was fun, it was tiring, it was challenging. Rafting followed – where each one had a turn at tugging the rope to navigate around the lagoon. It was a fun to ride with the ducks and geese. The three activities made us very hungry for breakfast. Breaking camp followed – and then the Awarding Ceremonies. As in every camp, particular awards were given, to the troops, and to individual scouts. This camp-ender makes everyone happy and proud of the many activities achieved in the three days at camp. As we crossed the Sacobia River, I turned to look back at the mountain from where we camped for three days…the mountain stood proud with its trees and vegetations…Paradise however was hidden from view, waiting to be discovered again. eaglet 2008 - 2009 2nd issue 17 Gr. 4 Students talk about Excellence BEING THE NuMBER 1 STuDENT oF THE BATCH | Tranquil Salvador During the first day of class, I can clearly recall that my teacher told us the importance of striving for excdellence in everything we do. That stuck into my head and served as my guiding principle in my studies. With that in mind, I’ve been trying to give my best effort in everything I do, which kept me excelling in class. I’ve been first honor since the first quarter… and now, first in the entire batch! At first, my goal is to be number 1 in our class, but beng on top of the entire batch is a big blessing that I am very thankful of. I guess excellence really pays off. And of course, good stud habits, setting of priorities, discipline and the suppport and love of my family are of equal impotance, too. Now, my goal is to be a better student sa I can hopefully keep my number 1 spot! MATH CoNTEST, JANuARY 20, 2009 | Wachi Jayme When I was chosen by Mr. Quodala to be a contestant for the Math Contest I was surprised and shocked since I was not the First Honor of our class. Mr. Quodala said to do my best and to have fun. The days before the contest, I studied and reviewed my LAS and previous quizzes. I even practiced with some problems from the internet which were like our PoWs. In the morning before the contest, I was so nervous that we will not win. But during the contest, my nervousness disappeared. Instead, me and my teammates worked together in solving the problems and actually had fun. After the contest, I felt relieved and happy that it was all over. It was a thrilling experience for me. We won third place but it seemed like first. WHAT INSPIRES ME | Rolec Matutina I am a grade 4 student like you that belongs to the Magis Class of Kalinga. I belong to a sibling of 4 and I'm the only boy. Being an only son has its perks. I like being the lone buddy of my father and get to spend lots of quality time doing stuff with him that only we men get to enjoy. We have been playing golf since I was three. My father even got me a pro to train me. He took a backseat on his training himself and took mine ahead. I learned to swim like a pro at four through his teachings, and even trained me himself in badminton at age six. And since I started showing interest in basketball, he didn't even think twice and got me trained in that sport too. And it paid off. I could still remember the pride I saw in his face when I won my very first Class B golf trophy last summer at Baguio Country Club. Boy, was he proud when my name was called. He was almost in tears. And I made him doubly proud again when my badminton partner Jaco Abat of 4-ati and myself became champions of the Grade 4 and 5 levels at the recently concluded Badminton doubles tournament held at Moro Lorenzo. We had a grand slam by winning 3 games without losing any all throughout the tournament. And for two years now, I have been a Basketball Varsity player for our school and played for FBL and PSBL. What i enjoy most though is when I have a game of Basketball and my whole family is there to watch. You should see my father's intent face, and my mom's energy and cheering. Gosh! I thought she would have a heart attack. She was all energized. And my sisters camera just won't stop clicking trying to capture every moment of the game. I feel like a celebrity! Just playing and having my family around, makes me a winner already. With this training and support that I have, I get to thrive for success in everything I do. I don't just do things to accomplish them but want to actually excel in them as well. And my FAMILY inspires me the most in working for excellence. I have a loving, hardworking and persevering parents while my siblings are supportive and enthusiastic. Their energy will just keep you going. They've always taught me to give not just a hundred percent of myself but go the distance of doing them a hundred and ten percent. They were always there to support me in any activity I undertake, to cheer me on when I'm tired, to prod me when I slack, and of course to share the joys of success with their hugs and kisses. For them, winning is not important. What's important is that you get to enjoy what you do and know that you have given your heart and soul into it. My family is simply the best! And when you have the best, you can't help but continue to bring out the best in yourself and make them proud of you. And with a family such as mine, I know I'll be able to achieve my dreams. And if at times I won't, I know I'll still have my family to lean on and they'll still be mighty proud of me. WHAT IT MEANS To ME To WIN THE SINING GALING | Jake Advincula Winning the Sining Galing went with many wonderful things. The topic was “How We Celebrate the Feast of the Guardian Angels”. Before the contest, I can honestly say I was a little bit nervous competing with Grade 5 class representatives who had more experience in art than I did. But, I kept my cool and did my best. Like what my Mom used to say, effort always produces results. Also, I wanted to make my classmates and teacher proud. This inspired me to do the best I can and luckily, I won First Place. Most of all, I value the contest very much because I got to express myself, which is the real purpose of art. My art work reflected how I felt and believed. The feeling when I won First Place was very overwhelming. The fact that I made my classmates and teacher proud added to that fantastic feeling. I still remember that great feeling even up to now. 18 MY CoEVER TouRNAMENT ExPERIENCE IN SINGAPoRE | Carlo Alivia Playing soccer has never been fun and fulfulling as with my Coerver Tournament in Singapore. I have joined numerous tournaments in my 5 years of playing in the varsity team of our school. In some games, we lost, some games we won but none of them would compare to the joy and pride we experienced on winning on our first international tournament. Last December 18-22, I, together with my teamates, went to Sinapre to join the prestigious international soccer tournament. Months before the event, we had a tryout. Luckily, I was included in the 7 available slots in the under 10 Category. Then, we undertook an intensive training which lasted for almost 4x a week, rain or shine. We learned Coerver Rules which are different from our regular tournament rules. My whole family went with me to give me support. My team took the plane together in the eve of Dec. 18. We stayed at Costa Sands Hotel and Resort. It was a very nice resort with theme parks where we swam in the big pool, played bowling and tried out the rides on site in between our matches. We had a practice game against the Australian team on out first day, which ended in a draw. on the tournament day, we met our opponents from different countries; from China, Hongkong, Malaysia, Indonesia and of course, Singapore and Australia. We won all our games that day. on the second day, we went through the quarter finals, semi-finals and finally the championship game, uNDEFEATED. My teammeates and our families were all very happy and proud after winning the championship match. We were also able to visit the famous Night Safari as well as the Sentosa Park in Singapore. It was truly a memorable event, all entertaining, educational and exhausting. I’m looking forward for more international games to participate in. To my teammates and to our everpaitient coach, Coach Gerwin, thank you for the friendship, the joy, the wisdom of playing soccer that has been brought into my life. I know all these will help me shapte the person that I want to be. BRoNzE MEDAL MATH CoNTEST | Joshua John Bautista Patajo I remember the 1st day of school Mr. Quodala said that”just give your best to the upcoming contestants”. That really made an impact on what i acommpliched.And besides that I also had expierence in a math contest when I was younger on went my high math grades 96 and 94 and all exams 95 but I never got the highest score in the math exam so that gave me motivation to show Im capable of doing harder things. And Mr.Quodala even gave are class an I.D strap that says “4-KALINGA ALWAYS AIMING To BE THE BEST “. And even though I had a lot of obstacles in my way I just kept fighting my way through to prove I will not give up. And right before the contest Mr.Quodala said “Just have fun and give your best”. And after the contest I felt like Ive won the biggest contest Ive ever won and it is true it is the biggest . But to sum every things up Ifelt like Ive made the Philippines win the olympics. So this is all i have to say about my experience. Hello fellow Ateneans! My name is Luis Angelo M. Chavez, you could call me Porong (if you ask why, loooong story). I was asked to do this because I won at the Interpretative Contest. I was shocked and a bit happy about this. Anyway, I wrote this for you to read this and this is about determination and how to practice on how to read properly, in shorter terms, what I did to win. So chillax (relax and chill) as you read this… I discovered my talents when I was in prep, I was in a play in prep, in an Elocution when I was in Grade 1, got to be an alternate in Elocution/ Pagbasa when I was Grade 2, got to be a contestant when I was Grade 3 and won and finally Grade4 pagbasa, oh happy days. You know what determined me? It is the medal, to share my skills and when I get older, I will cherish the moments that I won something. There is a mystery on what winning does to you, you feel like shouting, jumping and being ecstatic (a fancy word to say happy). This is how you practice, look yourself at the mirror to practice your facial expression or hire an audience but if you’re too shy then you are dead. If you are on stage do not panic, imagine that you are a story teller reading a book to toddlers and eventually you will be calmer and if you will win it is your happy day and say hooray for that day is a very special day (Pardon the rhyming) but if you did not win (Do not blame me) your teacher will be happy that you tried your best (Did you?) and you are still the best in your class. Some of you might think “This is hard; I would not do this” or “Are you serious? or “Do you know how hard it is?” well you lose lads. Who is your idol? Write it here. How do you think got his/her skills? Is it bypracticing, if yes, do it! Bye bye now folks! I REALLY hoped that it would help. Remember… donut quit! oK? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! (Pardon the joke) eaglet 2008 - 2009 2nd issue 19 CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR! Alpaño, Jonathan 5 - Kawit The upcoming Christmas break is truly something to look forward to. But of course, we have to study hard enough to have a great Christmas. Christmas won’t be too fun for your parents knowing that you failed an exam or got low grades in one certain subject. We must also remember that as Ateneans, it is our duty to strive and do more for the greater glory of God. Don’t worry, because in just a few days of hard work, you will be rewarded with a great, fulfilling meal that contains the famous “keso de bola”. A Noche Buena would never be complete without this. Most people have plans to go abroad or go to expensive resorts to spend the holiday, but we must remember that a simple Christmas is much better than an expensive one. You could use the money you are planning to go on a trip practically. You could use it to buy gifts and presents for your loved ones. And if you want to save money, with enough creativity, you could make a present with originality and maybe this would please and impress your loved ones more knowing that you made it yourself and with no one else. But as much as we want to go on expensive trips, we must remember that we are celebrating Christ’s birth and not celebrating for our own. Alonte, Anton | 5-Pasong Tirad Sometimes people think of Christmas about Santa Claus, others about the gifts and some about what it really is about: Jesus. But what do I think about it? It is about the break itself! We normally like it because it is 2 weeks and our time to relax and rest from school for a while. Some people spend it by going to other countries and visiting friends and family while others just slack at home and do nothing but watch the TV and play video games. But what we should really do is celebrate whole-heartedly and prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ. It is neither about the gifts nor Santa Claus but about Jesus’ Birthday. Cabalza, Anton Raphael 5-Bagumbayan Although the sometimes dreaded Third Quarter Exams is just around the corner, most students are looking beyond that and towards an enormously anticipated event. Yes, that awaited time has come for our Christmas Break. Obviously, most, if not all, are greatly looking forward to a well-deserved break from school work, not to mention the tons of brightly-wrapped presents soon to be in their hands. It had seemed like a long time since Semestral Break slipped through our fingers, most probably because of the compacted lessons and quizzes due to the small number of days within the Third Quarter. But, a question seems to pop into my mind: “What is Christmas Break truly for?” Of course, everyone enjoys the chance to get away from work and have fun, but is that what our break truly is about? We all know that Christmas marks the time when our Lord Jesus was born, so the obvious answer would be that Christmas Break is to give us the opportunity to worship Him and celebrate his coming some 2000 years ago. But what if there was another side to the story? Family moments are cherished and our sumptuous Noche Buena is eaten with smiles on our faces, but what do those have to do with being off school for a few weeks? Sure, it’s part of the celebration of Christmas, but what about the hours we spend playing on our consoles and on our laptops? What do those have to do with the birth of our Lord? But reality is what it is, and no average kid would miss out on a chance to play on a break. Nevertheless, breaks should also be spent at least partially with our loved ones, and no, not the ones which run on batteries. I guess it’s safe to say that our beloved Christmas Break should be spent wisely, balancing our time between honoring our Lord, spending family time with our relatives, and whatever the heck we want in between. Too confusing? Just remember to have fun, while still keeping the spirit of Christmas in our hearts. Bonifacio, Jon Angelo 5- Bagumbayan So the school-famous Christmas break is coming up and everyone’s obviously anticipating the long break from school. But even if everyone’s hyped up about it, no one’s really sure on what to do with it when the time really comes. Maybe everyone’s just going to spend hours in front of the PC, or going on vacation to some town in Russia. But no one can really be sure until they get there. The problem with Christmas break is that time goes by at the speed of light, traveling a chronic universe one parsec at a time. Even if we do things really slowly, none of us can stop the constant motion of time. Yes, no matter how slowly you play a game, no matter how slowly you do anything fun, time would speed by like a sports car on a wet street. And no one can really do anything about it. So what’s the point of this so-called break from school if school’s just a second away? Then again, it’s just us humans. If we were some mysterious alien race with advanced technology, maybe this break would actually mean something. But no, we’re not. Maybe we could just stick to doing stuff so we could savor the break. But we don’t, and none of us ever will. So go and be liberated by this break and make the most out of it. 20 Alvarado, Dicot | 6-Del Pilar It’s December again, and everyone knows what that means: Yup, it Christmas! December means it’s the end of the year, and yes, after that, it’s a brand new year! As you all know, the next year is going to be the year of 2009. New Year is a time for festivity and happiness, welcoming the New Year. What does New Year mean? Well, it’s the time when we kiss the current year 2008 goodbye. We start looking forward to what the next year holds. I know that you guys get it. So how do we greet the New Year? Fireworks? Parties? Food? Drinks? Celebration? Yes, it’s party time! New Year also signifies the time for change, through our resolutions. These are promises that you make to yourself that you will do throughout the year. Isn’t that fun. Let’s welcome it and prepare for the great New Year! Buy fireworks, prepare food, get stuff and let’s party! Montecillo, Joseph | 6-Lopez-Jaena 2009 The clock is ticking and the New Year approaches. We all grow one step closer to our inevitable deaths. But, let’s celebrate! New Year is known for its spectacular fireworks and huge parties and celebrations. All around the world, people gather to celebrate the coming of the New Year. The Philippines is no exception. All over the country, huge fireworks shows are planned. One of the most anticipated fireworks shows is the annual New Year’s party in Makati. Fireworks shoot out into the sky and people all over Manila try to get a good seat to see the show. The fireworks are so bright that they can be seen from The Fort. But if you’re too far from Makati, you can go to Eastwood City. Loud music blares all night and fireworks shoot up. The party continues and people circle the city, looking at the bright fireworks.So this New Year, meet up with your family and friends and get drunk and watch the fireworks. After all, that’s what New Year’s is about. CELEBRA TIONS ! ! ! De Santos, Marco | 7 – Bellarmine We are halfway through the school year and that only means one thing: the 2nd Quarter exams are here! I bet everybody is hitting the library this week. The exams are like a double-edged sword; they can pull your grades up or drag them down into the dirt. I myself have been studying very well for this quarter’s exams because I wanted to pull my grades up. As we all know, 2nd Quarter has harder lessons compared to the 1st quarter so we all study hard to achieve honors. Exams really put the pressure on us students. Even though we get home at around 12 o’ clock, we barely get any time to rest because we still have to study for tomorrow’s exam. The only time this pressure would be removed is when the final day of the exam week ends. Students from most grade levels especially Grade 7 rush to the internet cafes to play and celebrate their accomplishment of getting through this “hell week”. On the other hand, others like me stay at home and sleep. We should all get ourselves prepared for the 3rd quarter and the even harder 3rd quarter exams! Tranquil Salvador | 4- Kalinga | # 1 student in Gr. 4 First, enjoy the process of learning. If you enjoy learning you will develop study habits. This will also give you a positive outlook towards assignments even if it is difficult. Second, identify your goals. By knowing your goals you can prepare and plan on how to achieve it. You can also better handle problems and challenges along the way. Third, have discipline in pursuing your goals. There will be distractions and challenges but if you are determined you can overcome it. Fourth, set your priorrities. My father taught me that even as a young boy I should know my priorities. For example, if there is an examination, I should study instead of play. S ecrets of a uccessful agacious tudent eaglet 2008 - 2009 2nd issue 21 Play Review Dicot “Ed” Alvarado | 6-Del Pilar So, we all know the story of Ibong Adarna. The one where a king falls ill and the only way to save him is to capture the Ibong Adarna. And yes, we all know what happens until the end of that. But what happened after? What happened to Don Juan? What happened to the Ibong Adarna? What happened? What, what, what? Well, this year, these questions were answered through the Ateneo Grade School’s 77th ACT production entitled Adarna at ang Alaala ng Kristal. The play is about the continuing adventures of Don Juan and the Ibong Adarna. This time, Ibong Adarna senses the true love of Don Juan who chases after Dona Maria Blanca. But to get to her heart, Don Juan has to prove his worthiness to her father, Haring Salermo, and if he fails, the king would be very glad to take away his life. You will definitely fall in love when you watch this. CAST SCoRING okay, I have watched this play for a few times, both casts, and also went behind the scenes. This meant that I know a good amount of stuff in the play. Let’s start with the acting. I thoroughly enjoyed the portrayal of the actors of the different characters in the play. For the young students of the various schools, they were pretty good. The only problem was that sometimes they talked too fast. Now, the singing. They students really sang beautifully. Sure, sometimes they were off-tune but most of the times, they really sang greatly! ü PLAY ELEMENTS SCoRING Let’s begin with the Set and Props. I could really state that they were awesome. They were utterly appealing, just like all the previous plays. A very great work was created here. Next is the Lighting. The lights were very amazing and really worked with the scenes and moods. No other comments needed here. The costumes were very colourful and were sparkling with beauty. Sure, up close they may look like clichés and are a bit outrageous, but on stage they sure looked amazing. Next are Music and Sounds. The songs used in the play were great and sounded good. The sound effects used were pretty good and realistic and they were played exactly on cue. Now, the last, but most important element of the play is the plot. The story of Adarna at Ang Alaala ng Kristal was an interesting one. It showed the audience a new tale instead of one that everyone already heard. The plot was good and captivating. BoTToMLINE My bottom line: Sure, Adarna at Ang Alaala ng Kristal has some flaws, but all shows have their downsides, and there are plays out there that are better and far worse than this one. But, because of hard work and determination, the ACT was able to put on a rather satisfying production this year. SCoRE BREAKDoWN (5 = highest, 1 = lowest) Acting: 4 ½ Singing: 4 ½ Set and Props: 5 Lighting: 5 Costumes: 5 Plot: 3 ½ Music and Sounds: 3 ½ FINAL SCoRE: 4.43 22 CoNGRATS To THE ACT members, to Mrs. Elgar, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Ignacio and Mrs. Bayani!!! ü Movie review Quantum Of Solace Quantum Leap for James Bond Bond 22 has kicked off last November 5 here in the Philippines, with its title, “Quantum of Solace”. Daniel Craig stars back as James Bond in his dark rendition of the lead role and Marc Forster will be the director for this take on Bond. The story focuses on Bond’s vendetta as he wants to seek revenge for Vesper Lynd’s death from the previous Bond installment, Casino Royale while he also tries to win the trust of his boss, M (Judi Dench). As the story goes on, he meets his new arch nemesis, the environmentalist entrepreneur Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) as well as his new point of interest, Camille Montes (Olga Kurylenko), who also seeks for revenge. Here, he also discovers the secret organization named Quantum and trying to stop Greene’s diabolical plans. This dominated box office sale all over the world especially in Great Britain. Once again, Daniel Craig never ceases to amaze the loyal Bond fans as he continues to show the unique attitude of the character: cunning, sleek and ever dangerous. This promises to have the same action sequences just like the previous ones and also, the return of the traditional gun barrel sequence (with a twist). However, Quantum of Solace, with a direct meaning as measure of content which Agent 007 seeks, has a set of flaws. First of all, the action too much occupied the story with chases (any kind of chase ranging from car to plane) all around. Also, the main villain is not patterned after those previous grotesque villains with no distinguishing marks and his fighting skill nowhere near boxer status. Also, this film is the first ever direct Bond sequel leading to a short movie of 104 minutes. Overall, this film might have been flawed but of course, this follows the true blue Bond tradition. This shows the Bond that creator Ian Fleming once wanted: dark, vulnerable, not giving a damn about shaken martinis and not having an affair with women for no reason at all. Also, this film will continue separating your father’s favorite spy to the modern day spy the youth will remember. This movie is no cliché of action films and is mixed with drama, suspense and even a pinch of humor. With that being said, this is a highly recommendable movie as of course, Bond will always be Bond. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Rainier David | 7-Brebeuf Game Reviews World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Jerome Flor | 7-Brebeuf World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King has been released. Blizzard has given the ultimate counterattack to all its competitors. The turned pop culture icon has released another big hit, opening with a new continent that is Northrend. WoW enthusiasts have a new place to roam and own on. They also released a new class, a hero class to be precise - the death knight. The Death Knight gives the opportunity to players to become a tanker, a heavy hitter and a supporter. You are also given the challenge to defeat/own Arthas, the Lich King. Single Playability - 10/10 you can play this alone and still be happy about it. Multiplayer Playability - 10/10 with over 40 allies with you, you could own just about anything. Sound - 9/10 Great voicing, realistic monster and background sounds. Graphics - 9/10 Amazingly detailed graphics, greatly drawn characters, what could we ask for? Play-Life - 10/10 You will never get tired of this game. Once you play it, you could get hooked on to it. Verdict- 10/10 A legendary game made by a legendary developer, Great Graphics. eaglet 2008 - 2009 2nd issue 23 peoples’ suffering at the hand of the Knights. With his eyes opened, Nowe embarks on an adventure to free his country from the tyranny of the Knights. Game-Play: 10/10 The main reason why I love Drakengard 2 is that its game play is very unique. Believe it or not, there are two forms of game-play in Drakengard 2: ground missions and air missions. First of all, ground missions usually have you slashing your way through enemies ala Dynasty Warriors. One notable difference is the select button. By pressing this button Nowe will be able to ride upon his dragon father, Legna. Drakengard 2 Marco De Santos | 7-Bellarmine Awesome symbol, right? Cavia is back with the sequel to its legendary game: Drakengard. Drakengard 2 brings us all that Drakengard did and more. There is more action, more romance, more drama and, of course, more dragons! Graphics: 8/10 Drakengard 2’s graphics are not very different from Drakengard’s. In fact, there is no difference at all! The game developers (Cavia) seem to have thought that Drakengard’s graphics were good enough and they’re right! The graphics during missions are good. They look like something you’ll see on the PS3 but Drakengard 2’s graphics really show their prowess in the game’s cut scenes. The graphics can only be explained in one word: stunning. Story: 10/10 The game’s story can get really confusing especially if you didn’t play the first game but it can still be understood if you think about it for a few seconds. The story revolves around a young man named Nowe who was raised by a dragon named Legna. Nowe known to others as “the dragon child” or “the savior” joins a group called the Knights of The Seal in order to serve his birth land. Little does Nowe know that the Knights of The Seal or the Knights for short are actually the ones causing all the problems in his country. He then meets a woman named Mannah who shows him the 24 Once on Legna, you will be able to incinerate your foes with Legna’s fire. Pressing select again will let you go back to the ground to fight enemies with your sword. A new feature in Drakengard 2 is the ability to switch characters. To do this, you simply have to equip that specific character’s weapon at the grand wheel screen or the equipment screen to change into that character. For example, equipping an axe will change your character to the powerful Urik while equipping a staff will change your character to the magic dependent Mannah. Each character has his/her strengths and weaknesses. For example, Nowe can kill an entire troop of soldiers in a matter of seconds but don’t expect Nowe to get you through a room of mages, leave that to Mannah. Air missions are the second form of play in Drakengard 2. They are basically missions wherein you have to ride Legna in order to get to a faraway place. Usually you are attacked by groups of air planes, hot air balloons and monsters which you have to burn to ashes. Killing a foe with one of your fireballs may make him drop a breath sphere. Flying into this sphere will give Legna various special attacks based on the sphere’s color. Some of these attacks include shooting 50 laser beams in all directions ala Gundam and shooting a giant fireball that will explode upon impact. Overall, the gameplay is very nice and when you think the ground missions are staring to get boring, the game gives you an air mission so game-play stays fresh and never gets repetitive. Sounds: 9/10 The music suits the game’s setting and theme very well. Most of the music sounds like something orchestras play but it’s very nice to listen to while you shred your enemies into pieces. Life Span: 10/10 Drakengard 2 has a huge life span as finishing the story without doing the extra stuff will take you around 20 hours. After finishing the game, you can load you clear save data and play New Game+. Starting New Game+ means that you shall begin a new game at a harder difficulty but with all your items, money and levels from your previous save. Playing New Game+ will reward you with more weapons, more items and a different ending! After finishing New Game+, you can start another one again to acquire another ending plus Nowe’s “true human” form which supercharges Nowe’s moves. Overall: 9/10 Drakengard 2 is a really good game with a solid story and hardcore game-play. If you don’t have this game then buy it now or I’ll have Legna burn down your house! Book Review The Little Prince What would you do if you get stuck in the middle of a nowhere (namely the Sahara nowhere) with no food, little water and a broken airplane? What would you do if, then, a boy appears to you in that godforsaken desert, asking you to draw a sheep (especially when the only thing you’ve ever learned to draw is a boa constrictor)? These dilemmas are what troubled a beleaguered pilot in The Little Prince, by Antoine De SaintExupery. The story mainly revolves around the escapades of this little boy that the pilot eventually comes to know a n d love. We all watch as the little prince narrates how he got to Earth in the first place. We see him realizing, in his skirmishes with a king with no kingdom to rule, a vain man with a hat, Ejay Domingo | 7-De Britto drunkard drinking to forget that he’s drinking, a business man counting the stars, a lamplighter whose planet has days that last a minute, and a geographer who knows nothing about his own planet. The little prince finally reaches our planet, and gets himself involved with the Earthly beings (us). As he traverses Earth, he realizes the mistakes he had done in the past, especially about taking care of a vain rose just newly grown in Asteroid B-612, his home planet. By the end of the little prince’s tale, the pilot ran out of water, and they set off to find a well. The story reaches its crescendo as the pilot realizes that the prince is tired of the world, that he misses his rose “somewhere up there”, and wants to go back. In the end, no one can be really sure of what happened; one can only guess if he died, or went back to his home, or something else. The pilot never saw the body again, and he grows miserable as days pass without the little prince. Though, when he looks at the stars, he remembers the laughter, and is sure the prince is up there somewhere, laughing along with him. eaglet 2008 - 2009 2nd issue 25 Eaglet asks... Middle School students to complete this sentence: Raymond Evaristo | 7 - De Britto “MAGIS is...” fellow countrymen - Scout Ogena (Gr. 5) 26 in serving our being an angel for others! - Grade 4 Scouts in a true friend who’s always there for you - Grade 7 Bestfriends Avie Alcantara & Aga Bakunawa eaglet 2008 - 2009 2nd issue 27 MAGIS.. Commemorating a passion for excellence and challenging students to develop their gifts & to be the best that they can be. St. Ignatius used the word magis to talk about a quest for the greater good, always striving for the greater glory of God. Excellence is a tradition & a legacy - Fr. Ben Nebres, SJ Do you want your own articles to be posted on the Eaglet? Do you want your photos to be seen in the next issue? Do you want to comment or suggest on the Eaglet? Upload it at eagletrocks.multiply.com or send them to--> The eaglet copyright 2009 [email protected]