EHIME DELEGATION VISITS

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The day started with a warm welcome from the school administration, during which the Ehime students and professors had the opportunity to sit in on various classes from Grades 9-10, observing the teaching methods and student-teacher dynamics.

According to Sugaya Nariko, a professor of Ehime University, the main purpose of visiting BSHS was to experience educational diversity. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for academic exchange programs as part of the agreement signed between University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS), College of Education and Ehime University was implemented.

“Our main program is based on the memorandum of understanding for the

BSHS Celebrates 51st Founding Anniversary

Marianne Silla

Celebration with a bang!

Bagong Silangan High School (BSHS) celebrated its 51st founding anniversary on April 14, 2023, with a range of performances that aimed to strengthen the sense of community among students, teachers, and other members of the BSHS family.

The celebration showcased the students’ talents not only in academics but also in dancing as every grade level performed different dance presentation, from folk dance to tango and hip-hop.

The highlight of the celebration was the search for Mr. and Ms. Bagong Silangan 2023 teacher and student edition.

The pageant’s winners were Rani Eliah Doll Oscaris and Deniel Mapa, both Grade 10 students who bested their fellow candidates with their wit, charm, and grace.

Ms. Madz Escala and Mr. Ryan Dequina, teachers from the MAPEH department, were hailed as Mr. and Ms. Bagong Silangan 2023 in the teachers’ category.

Alyssa Tesado academic exchange program with the UPIS. However, to learn about the diversity of Philippine society, culture, and educational environment, we also included a visit to a public school,” said Nariko.

Expressing hope to send students again starting in April next year, Sugaya Nariko explained that the students who visited BSHS were actually part of last year’s program, which was temporarily halted for three years due to the pandemic.

“We are planning to have another batch of students visit the Philippines for further experience but we don’t know how many of them will join due to various reasons such as graduation and different curriculum,” she said.

During the visit, 20 students and two professors from Ehime University took part in conducting the program, along with one of their own English teachers, Toshiko Ando.

Ando expressed her excitement in observing the lesson in the Philippines, especially in seeing how English and other subjects are taught to students.

“I wanted to enjoy visiting the Philippines to get to know the exchange program better, how Ehime University continued to collaborate with the University of the Philippines Integrated School and the school from the Philippines,” Ando said in an interview.

This program has been conducted since 2007, with more than 400 students having visited the Philippines in the past 15 years.

One of the Japanese students, Nishikado Haruna, shared that she enjoyed observing the classes and learned how the teacher and students collaborated. She said that she wanted to be a teacher in the future, so her experience in this visit meant a lot.

“I joined this program because I want to be a teacher in the future and I wanted to understand the differences between Philippine and Japanese classes,” said Haruna. “I enjoyed observing the class in the Philippines and have gained a lot of knowledge.”

BSHS Principal Maria Gina Rocena expressed her gratitude for the hospitality and generous welcome extended to Sugaya Nariko and Ehime students despite the challenges brought by the pandemic.

“We are honored to have the delegation from Ehime University visit our school and share their experience with us Silanganians,” Ms. Rocena, BSHS principal said.

In the past, the club has organized workshops and seminars that have helped students develop coping skills and strategies to manage stress and anxiety, which have become more prevalent since the pandemic began.

The LINK Club hopes that the event will continue to inspire and encourage students to prioritize their mental health and well-being, both during and beyond the pandemic.

Deniel Mapa, who was named Mr. Bagong Silangan 2023, shared his joy and gratitude for winning the title.

“The experience was overwhelming, and it was all worth it. I never expected to win, but I was grateful for the opportunity to represent my section and showcase my skills and talent,” he said.

“Masaya at grateful at the same time kasi bago ‘yun sa ‘kin and syempre marami akong naging bagong kaibigan halos lahat ng candidates naging kaibigan ko, super friendly rin kasi nila.

He admitted that the impromptu Q&A was the most challenging part of the pageant, but he was able to handle it with grace and confidence.

On the other hand, students could not help but scream as they witnessed their teachers performed in an event that of a beauty pageant. All teacher participants in the pageant showcased their talents.

The celebration aimed to promote a sense of camaraderie among students and teachers, especially in these challenging times when the pandemic has affected the mental health and well-being of many for three years.

BSHS spearheads free haircut

BSHS spearheads free haircut Bagong Silangan High School (BSHS) took a remarkable step towards inspiring its students with a groundbreaking initiative that gives students a free hair trimming service held at BSHS Open Area on October 12, 2022, from 9 a.m, to 12 p.m.

Spearheaded by the school principal, Ms. Maria Gina M. Rocena, the free trimming service (“Binata si Kuya Project”) aims to boost confidence and provide inspiration to the students, with Grade 7 students sponsored by the Rotary Club and Grade 8 and 9 students receiving assistance from Police Station 13 and the Joint Task Force.

Rotary Club’s (RC) president Luther Punzalan emphasized the RC’s commitment to empowering the youth by saying that RC focuses on children being the country’s future, especially to help the less fortunate ones.

The goal was to make students feel good about themselves and recognize the impact their appearance has on their self-esteem and performance.

The transformative experience of a haircut left students like Sherwin Libando with a mix of emotions. “Nahihiya, tsaka masaya na kinakabahan kasi hindi ko alam kung anong magiging tingin sakin ng iba.” Libando shared.

As BSHS continues to prioritize the holistic development of its students, projects like these pave the way for a brighter future, empowering young minds to strive for excellence in all their endeavors.