Today we celebrate the 11th Foundation Day of South Mansfield College, our school and my second home. SMC has played a huge part in my life as a teen and as a student. I do not exaggerate when I say that SMC has really changed my life.
I first came to SMC in the 5th grade after it started offering Basic Education. I was just like any other student whose potentials were yet to be discovered. In my previous school, I did not necessarily have the support of my school in trying to become an achiever… I was a nobody. When I transferred to SMC, I was still a nobody but it made sure things would change for me.
When I reached 6th grade, my teachers helped me discover my talents and true potentials. I won my first pageant that year. When I reached High School, they started exposing me to various activities inside and outside of the school. I had my fair share of winnings and loses but the most important thing is that my school always believed that I could achieve more than what I thought I could. This school taught me to go beyond my comfort zone and go for the best life has to offer.
As years go by, the number of achievers SMC has produced increases. When I was in 1st year High School, the school rarely hanged tarpaulins of Basic Educations achievers. Now, we can see various tarpaulins of our achievers sent to various competitions who came home victorious. Just last week, my fellow Student Council member was named finalist in the JPL Cup 2015 oratorical contest. Out of 39 representatives from various schools, he made it to the top 10 showing how capable SMC students are competing with the big schools in Metro Manila.
The school does not only help its students but also the community. SMC has hosted and participated in various outreach programs. Just last month, it conducted a Christmas Outreach Program for the people of ERDA Foundation wherein each and every students of SMC helped by contributing gifts for the beneficiaries of the program.
South Mansfield College has surely gone a long way and made great progress. Its students have learned and experienced a lot of great things and wish that the school would provide even more opportunities for them to develop. I also wish that SMC would be able to host more “Lend a Hand Programs” so that the school would be able to help its students develop compassion while also helping the people outside the school. I wish the best for SMC. Thank you and Happy Foundation Day.