How a well-rounded student is made

source: mb.com.ph

MANILA, Philippines — At the Muntinlupa Science High School (MSHS), academics and extra-curricular activities are given equal importance.

Incredibly, its students are able to effectively juggle their time and constantly excel amid the pressures of a challenging academic environment.

For one, getting a high grade and winning in competitions are absolute requirements in MSHS, hence, a culture of excellence is deeply ingrained in its 867 students.

For another, students already work on their assignments while in school, during their vacant period. Classes are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., but students leave school at 7 p.m. After-class hours and Saturdays are usually spent on doing research for group or individual projects, as well as practices for extra-curricular activities. When they arrive home at around 9 p.m., many of them don’t go to bed yet. They still finish their assignments or review for a quiz or exam.

CHOOSING TO STUDY

MSHS principal Madeline Diaz says a parent even complained that her daughter no longer wanted to go malling with the family on weekends because she is too engrossed in schoolwork.

“I asked the parent, aren’t you happy that your child values her education and the school activities more than going to the malls? I think it is good that they have very busy schedules. In that way, they no longer have time to engage in bad activities,” points out Diaz.

Senior high school student Pauline Grace Palisoc revealed that her parents would sometimes feel bad about her absence in family get-togethers. But later on, they understood that that was what she wanted to do and that she was happy with it.

“Mas pinipili kong mag-aral kaysa mag malling kasi sayang lang yung oras ng pag gagala. Mas magiging productive pa ako kung mag-aaral na lang o magpra-practice sa chorale,” she adds.

YOUNG SCIENTISTS AND ACTIVE CITIZENS

The discipline and preference for schoolwork by these students, Diaz notes, can be attributed to the tasks and responsibilities that are expected of them. As students of a science school, they regularly come up with relevant researches and inventions that win in national and international competitions, and can generate positive impact in society.

For instance, all four researches of MSHS student teams won top awards in the 2010 International Exhibition for Young Inventors in Hanoi, Vietnam. They earned one gold and three silver awards in the different categories of the tilt.

Another team from MSHS who competed for the first time internationally in 2008 bagged the silver award in a similar competition in Taiwan.

The eco-bag made of chicken feathers won the gold award in the Vietnam tilt. Fourth year student Paolo De Silos explains that the chicken feathers they used were taken from raw waste materials available in the poultry and market. With the help of experts from the Philippine Textile Research Institute, they converted the chicken feathers into thread, processed it into a cloth and made into a bag.

The silver award went to an invention of an antidote for leukemia. The antidote was created through a computer which served as a virtual laboratory. Research adviser Clarissa Lacambra says the research study was undertaken two years ago by the first batch of MSHS students. She says the ambitious project was supposed to be done in a laboratory using living cells but they didn't have the money to implement the project.

"It would cost us less than a P100,000 for a single procedure only. That amount would be needed to transport the culture medium from the source to the actual laboratory. And we would have to do three trials. So we decided to use the computer instead and download the structure and virtual experiments. Then we compared the results from actual testing done by the first batch of students. Finally, we were able to prove that it indeed can be used to cure leukemia," she explains.

Despite their age, limited knowledge and capacities, the MSHS students are also active citizens of their communities. Aside from doing community work, the student government proposes policies and other ways on how city officials can address the needs and problems of the constituents.

A couple of years ago, one class sent poor children to school through the World Vision Sponsor-a-Child Program. After being inspired by the book "12 Little Things a Filipino can Do for the Country" by Alex Lacson which they tackled in Social Studies, the class voluntarily raised funds through their allowances and by selling sweets to their schoolmates to save money for the program.

NOT JUST A SCIENCE SCHOOL

Unlike other science schools, the Muntinlupa Science High School is also gearing itself to be a school for the performing arts.

"I want to break free from the perception that science schools should only concentrate on achieving academic excellence. I believe in multiple intelligences. Any individual can excel in everything, not only in academics. All students have potentials and talents that should be nurtured. They should be given opportunities to pursue their other interests. There should always be a balance. Education should be holistic," Diaz points out.

The MSHS Chorale, for instance, has been bringing honor to the school for winning in various national competitions. In February, it was named champion in the Outstanding Show Choir tilt in Muntinlupa. Last December, it ranked fourth place in the 2011 National Choral Competition of the Manila Broadcasting Company.

MSHS also won third place in the National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) for two consecutive times since it joined in 2009. In November, it will compete internationally for the first time at the Guangzhou International Choral Competition.

The MSHS Rondalla Ensemble, on the other hand, has also won in the regional contest of the NAMCYA in 2007 and represented the country last year in the International Children’s Arts and Culture Festival in Malaysia.

Remarkably, the students who belong to these groups, are also the ones excelling the most in academics and school projects.

Rondalla instructor Shellah Doniza says the class valedictorian of the past year used to be a member of her group. Student government officials, campus journalists, and Math wizards are likewise part of the team.

Chorale adviser Ivy Casiguran, meanwhile, says her singers are also the inventors who won in the Vietnam tilt; IT, programming, and robotics experts; varsity sports players; and club presidents who belong to the top ten of their class.

Many of the students attest that their participation in the Rondalla Ensemble and Chorale did not only allow them to discover and develop their skills in music, it also provided relief and relaxation to their stress-filled academics and co-curricular activities.

Sophomore student and Math whiz Ferdinand Undoc reveals that his memorization skills have further improved when he joined the Rondalla. Graduating student and young scientist Mary Shereen Guinto says after working on research studies like the eco-bag, she makes it a point to attend choral practices to fulfill her dream to be a singer.

“By joining the chorale, I gained more confidence. Natanggal yung stage fright ko. In the young inventors contest, I learned how to speak up and defend my work to people. I also learned how to mingle and interact with foreign students. Our school, indeed, prepared us well for the challenges of college life and the real world,” ends Guinto.

source: mb.com.ph