(11/09/18 – 11/15/18) Head of Academics Interviews

As my term as Head of Academic came to a close, I, along with my co-heads of Academic, were tasked with spearheading the interview processes for the next prospective Heads of Academic. It was my first time to interview applicants.

We had to screen through each candidate’s application letter, prepare around 8 interview questions tailored to each applicant, personally interview them for around 15-20 minutes, and come to a decision later on. All Heads of Academic were involved and thorough with the selection process, which required us to skip all breaks during the interview period to personally be in attendance.

Overall, the process was fruitful and we’re very happy with our choices.

LO2: Is willing to become involved in unfamiliar environments and situations

LO3: Is able to articulate the CAS stages including investigation,  preparation, action, reflection (ongoing) and demonstration, moving from conceiving an idea to carrying out a plan for a CAS experience or series of CAS experiences

LO5: Makes valuable contributions

LO7: Shows awareness of the potential and varied consequences of choices and actions in planning and carrying out CAS experiences; Integrates the process of reflection when facing an ethical decision; Identifies what is needed to know in order to make
an ethical decision

(10/14/18) Speaking at the Cavite Medical Society Third Postgrad Course

To raise funds for the laboratory equipment that I was donating to the GreenEarth Heritage Foundation, I sold GreenEarth’s moringa products at the annual Cavite Medical Society Third Postgrad Course and made a short speech about the benefits of moringa. Speaking in front of doctors was definitely a daunting task since it was a new experience, and I was the only teenager in the room. However, many doctors proceeded to purchase the moringa products after the speech, as they were intrigued with its ‘miracle properties’. In the end, I was able to raise enough funds to buy all the laboratory apparatus and leave extra for the foundation.

LO2: Participates in an experience that demands an appropriate personal challenge; this could be with new or familiar experiences

LO3:Is able to develop a coherent action plan taking into account the aim or purpose, activities and resources

LO4: Demonstrates regular involvement and active engagement with CAS experiences and CAS project

 

 

 

(09/28/18 – 9/29/18) MUN Locals

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During the MUN Locals 2018 Conference, I was chair for the first time. I chaired GA4, Political and Decolonization, along with HaLim Kim. The whole experience was unfamiliar to me–from writing research reports, to knowing the exact protocol during debate, to being adaptable to unforseen events throughout discussion. I was nervous at first, but thanks to the support of my fellow MUN team members (specifically HaLim), I later on became more comfortable with chairing and grew to enjoy it.

Overall, my first time chairing was a success, and I would love to do it again given the opportunity.

LO2: Participates in an experience that demands an appropriate personal challenge; this could be with new or familiar experiences; Shows newly acquired or developed skills or
increased expertise in an established area

LO4: Demonstrates adaptability to uncertainties and changes

LO5: Shows respect for different points of view and ideas

LO6: Shows awareness of issues of global importance and takes concrete and appropriate actions in response to them either locally, nationally or internationally; Gets involved in CAS projects addressing global issues in a local, national or international context

LO7: Takes into account cultural context when making a plan or ethical decision; Recognizes ethical issues

 

 

(07/25/18 – 07/26/18) Green Earth Science Activities

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Over the summer, I made an overnight visit to the GreenEarth Heritage Foundation to investigate the type of laboratory apparatus appropriate to the children. In doing so, I planned a few science activities and games with the kids, such as baking soda experiments, ‘invisible ink’ games, and arts and crafts.

During this time, the rain was pouring in the area of the foundation, so it was difficult to plan and communicate with the organization. There were many things to plan–logistics, program, food were just some of them. Nonetheless, I persevered through the obstacles of planning, and the visit ended successfully.

I also engaged in a tree planting activity.

LO1: Able to propose activities according to own interests and talents

LO2: Participates in an experience that demands an appropriate personal challenge; this could be with new or familiar experiences

LO3: Is able to develop a coherent action plan taking into account the aim or purpose, activities and resources

LO4: Gets involved in long-term CAS experiences and CAS project

LO6: Gets involved in CAS projects addressing global issues in a local, national or international context

 

(07/02/2018 – 07/13/2018) Internship

To gain more exposure to the stock market, I worked as an intern for HDI Securities, one of the Philippines’s leading brokerages. I worked under the research and finance department and accomplished a plethora of tasks–from writing a blog to completing IPO and company news reports to helping make an actual company screening–and took up one-on-one lessons with my boss about finance and accounting. I am thankful for this experience, as it allowed me to learn holistically about finance, economics, and accounting and to be immersed in a workplace environment.

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LO1: Open to improvement and growth opportunities

Although I had a basic sense of financial knowledge, I was willing to further this knowledge and thus became an intern at a brokerage.

LO2: Is willing to become involved in unfamiliar environments and situations; Acquires new skills and abilities

I had never been completely immersed in the brokerage environment but took on the challenge in order to learn more about the stock market. I was able to gain new skills such as developing company reports and using financial ratios to assess companies.

LO3: Suggests creative ideas, proposals or solutions

I suggested several ideas regarding the social media presence of HDI during our meetings.

LO5: Readily assists others

As an intern, I helped my boss in his job whenever necessary, even if he had assigned me a different task.

LO6: Shows awareness of issues of global importance and takes concrete and appropriate actions in response to them either locally, nationally or internationally.

The Philippine Stock Exchange has recently allowed short selling in the Philippines, which impacts the stock market significantly, so I wrote a blog post about it on HDI Securities’s website.

LO7: Shows accountability for choices and actions

Because of the short length of my summer break, I could only intern for two weeks, as I had other requirements to fulfill. As a result, I had to work double time in learning and absorbing information, as well as accomplishing my tasks.

 

 

(05/09/18 – 05/11/18) CAS Week (Bayanihan)

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During CAS week, my CAS group and I finally carried out our service project for bayanihan in White Cross Orphanage. Here, we had the fans we had raised money for installed, donated cabinets to organize the kids’ clothing, and held a hygiene drive with basic sanitary products like shampoos, conditioners, soaps, toothbrushes, and toothpastes. To conclude our bayanihan project, we threw a party for the kids with activities like patintero and tons of food.

Seeing the fruit of my labor–countless fundraisers, planning sessions, and shopping times–in the satisfaction of the kids and the facilitators of White Cross was definitely a rewarding feeling. Hopefully, the bayanihan project of my CAS group truly made a lasting impact in alleviating the lives of the orphans.

Link to reflection: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qxn856_8GSuHCe5pbcFOGzGTVwhkfWqmPaThju_WuK8/edit?usp=sharing

 

BSM Head of Academic

As BSM’s Head of Academic, I facilitate the senior school tutoring groups, primarily by recruiting both tutors and tutees, as well as making sure that the program runs successfully.

I evaluated the needs of BSM with regards to the academic team and took action. Coming into the position, I was oriented by the former heads regarding the struggle of marketing the tutoring groups. In response to this, I created a blog to better expose the student community to the tutoring groups and am running new marketing methods like offering house points and food to make the program more alluring to tutees.

Marketing the tutoring groups was definitely more difficult than I had expected, though. Along with my fellow Heads of Academic, I had to speak at various assemblies and even skip break times just to personally speak to the Year 11 students to advertise the tutoring programs and the master classes. Fortunately, my efforts were not in vain, as the tutoring program does have a regular number of tutees and has held a successful master class.

Overall, the challenges that I’ve faced so far taught me the value of flexibility and perseverance.

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LO2: Participates in an experience that demands an appropriate personal challenge; this could be with new or familiar experiences; Is willing to become involved in unfamiliar environments and situations

LO3: Shows initiative by launching a new idea or process; Suggests creative ideas, proposals or solutions; Integrates reflective thoughts in planning or taking initiative

LO4: Demonstrates regular involvement and active engagement with CAS experiences and CAS project; Is able to foresee potential challenges to the initial plan and consider valid alternatives and contingencies

LO5: Makes valuable contributions

TEDxBritish School Manila 2018

After months of hard work and preparation, the TEDxBSM 2018 conference finally occurred on April 16, 2018. As the sponsorship manager, I was tasked with finding sponsorships to raise funds for the said event. However, on the day of the conference itself, the work I was tasked to do extended beyond the realmof the finance committee–I was given jobs such as manning registration and helping the experience committee. TEDxBSM was all in all a successful event, and I am looking forward to seeing how it has yet to blossom over the years.

LO2: Participates in an experience that demands an appropriate personal challenge; this could be with new or familiar experiences; Increases expertise in an established area

Having already been a sponsorship manager in my previous school, I was able to use this experience in the TEDxBSM committee to develop my expertise in collecting sponsorships. However, this experience was still challenging in that I was a new student and thus had to build my connections with potential sponsors from scratch.

LO3: Is aware of roles and responsibilities when designing an individual or collective CAS experience; Shows responsible attitude to CAS project planning

As a sponsorship manager, I was aware of the various responsibilities that I had such as contacting and finding sponsors as well as being the primary drafter of the sponsorship letter, and I made sure to fulfill these responsibilities promptly and efficiently.

LO5: Readily assists others; Shows respect for different points of view and ideas; Is able to identify, demonstrate and discuss critically the benefits and challenges of collaboration gained through CAS experiences

I took the initiative to help others whenever I was free in jobs that ranged from heavy lifting to assembling. TEDxBSM was definitely a collaborative effort, as even when drafting the sponsorship letter, I incorporated different points of view and ideas to produce the final letter. The benefits of collaboration were endless–I don’t think the TEDxBSM committee would have been able to raise as much funds as it did if not for help that the other members of the committee lended to me.

LO6: Develops awareness and responsibility towards a shared humanity

While listening to the talks that occurred in the conference, I developed a deeper awareness of the issues that the Philippines and the world were facing such as gender inequality and poverty.

LO7: Is aware of the consequences of choices and actions regarding self, others involved and the community; Integrates the process of reflection when facing an ethical decision

Being in the TEDxBSM committee pushed me to further develop my time management skills–I was often faced with decisions as to whether I should be working on my tasks for TEDxBSM or for my academics, as whichever decision that I made would have an impact on myself and on my fellow committee members. I would continually have to reflect on these decisions.

 

 

(03/22/18) Singing in “A Sky Full of Stars”

I concluded my first Term 2 in BSM by performing a rendition of Ed Sheeran and Beyonce’s duet of “Perfect” with Francine Yu, Isaac Lim, and Lance Sy Lato. Though we had a limited time to prepare, we were still able to pull through with a successful performance, which I am very proud of. It was all in all a good end to a hectic term!

LO3: Shows responsible attitude to CAS project planning

Isaac, Francine, Lance, and I coordinated our practices, even making one of them begin 40 minutes before class, and I arrived prepared and on time to each of them.

LO5: Shows respect for different points of view and ideas

I accepted the ideas of my fellow band mates and collaboratively worked with them to ensure the quality of our performance.

LO6: Gets involved in CAS projects addressing global issues in a local, national or international context

The charity concert that I participated in was done to raise funds for Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, an NGO that helps disabled people in the Philippines find work.

LO7: Articulates ethical principles and approaches to ethical decisions

After the deadline for signing up had passed, my bandmates and I found out that another band was set to perform the same song. Given the limited time we had to practice and prepare due to our hectic schedules as IB students, we realized that we would find changing our song difficult but did not want to strike a heated argument with the other band. Because of this, we calmly had a discussion with this band and eventually reached an agreement.

Link to performance video: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-XHTMaEiH_1el9zcDh0MEQwYlZSdmR1OGU2SkFKQnRkUUI4

 

(03/09/18 – 03/10/18) MIDYMUN Admin

On March 9-10, I became an admin for the first time, as I was requested to fill in for an initial lack of admins. The whole experience was definitely physically tiring–I spent most of the time standing up and running around to pass notes. However, it was definitely fulfilling, as I formed bonds with people from my school also volunteering at the event and even with some of the MIDYMUN participants (shoutout to Uno!).

LO2: Participates in an experience that demands an appropriate personal challenge; this could be with new or familiar experiences

Being an admin challenged me physically, as I was not given much rest throughout the entirety of the conference. Moreover, volunteering at this conference significantly reduced my time for my academics, forcing me to study faster and more efficiently to make up for lost time.

LO4: Demonstrates adaptability to uncertainties and changes; LO5: Readily assists others

Over the course of the conference, I was asked to fill in for admins from other committees who were needed elsewhere. I did this, however, with willingness as I knew that I needed to be of help in any way that I can.

LO7: Is able to explain the social influences on one’s ethical identity

While observing the debate in HRC, the committee that I was assigned to, I realized that most delegates offered to take gentle approaches on the issue at hand, which could be partially influenced by their relationship with others and their perception of the government.