When culture meets heritage at my workplace!

The end of the school year may be the busiest for me but it is so fulfilling to accomplish a lot of things while keeping things in balance between my personal and professional life.

From the stage decoration during the Graduation ceremony, Completion rites, and Recognition Day, to the presentations during the awarding of achievers in school, I made sure that everything else would be accomplished well.

Recognition Day was one of the important events for our curriculum as we had organized the presentations and all of the Grade 9 students danced with the folk dances and ethnic dances in the Philippines.

And I was so happy to have a lot of candid shots with my colleagues as well. Perhaps the end-of-school year rites decoration and the program was sponsored by the Grade 9 Curriculum not to mention that I am the Curriculum Head.

Walking down memory lane, as the school year ended, my workplace celebrated all the successes within the school year among students and teachers along with the celebration of culture and heritage through the different dance presentations collaborated by two sections.

Every presentation during the Recognition Day highlighted the rich tapestry of Filipino traditions. For the Recognition Day of School Year 2023-2024, the Grade 9 Curriculum led in organizing and sponsoring the end-of-school-year rites. And as the Curriculum Head, I had the privilege of overseeing this grand event.

After every awarding of each Curriculum for Grade 7 to Grade 12 Curriculum, a series of intermission numbers were showcased not to mention the folk dances and ethnic dances. I was so happy to witness how our students enthusiastically participated in the dances that had been passed down through generations with the joy of presenting them, which made the audience even happier for the cultural roots in a meaningful experience.

Next to the opening remarks was a presentation of my dear students along with the Grade 9 Curriculum advisers with a lively dance for the Opening Salvo. The intermission of the Grade 9 Isaac Newton students was a cultural dance presentation of the song "Kanta Pilipinas".

The students beautifully showcased the rich tapestry of the Philippines, as they presented the value of always choosing the Philippines. After they performed, another Folk dance was presented by Grade 9 Chromite and Grade 9 Copper with the Waray-Waray folk dance.

Another dance that captured my attention was the dynamic collaboration of Grade 9 Ruby and Grade 9 Quartz as the students captivated the audience with their amazing performance at the school. The dance had brought a vibrant street dancing vibes to the stage.

Moreover, the energetic moves and coordination of the two sections left the crowd with an incredible experience as the students showcased their remarkable talents and the spirit of the Grade 9 curriculum Eagles.

The next presentation was an amazing performance of Singkil by the Grade 9 Coral and Grade 9 Opal learners. Their dance surprised the audience with their graceful steps and movements.

The dance had a rich cultural significance as it originated from the Maranao people of the Philippines. Singkil is a traditional dance that depicts the epic poem of the Maranao people which entertains the audience with a sense of pride and appreciation.

Then another dance presentation mesmerized the audience with the graceful dance performances of the Grade 9 Bronze and Grade 9 Nebula students.

The traditional Philippine Dance, which is the Cariñosa truly displayed talents and cultural heritage. It also brought smiles with the elegant costumes of the folk dancers.

The final presentation was a dance among the Grade 9 Citrine and Grace 9 Silver students who enjoyed the audience with their lively rendition of the traditional Filipino dance, which is the Subli.

A little backstory of the dance, it originated in the province of Batangas, and it is a ceremonial dance that pays homage to the holy cross through the deep faith of many Filipinos back then.

I must say that the culmination of our plans, sacrifices, and efforts ended with a series of ceremonies that not only marked academic achievements but as well as self-fulfillment for each one of us. As to the stage decoration, it was a Medal-inspired output of the team, and the presentations gave a sense of pride to always choose the Philippines despite the influence of other countries.

And I was so delighted as well as I shared memorable moments with my colleagues. We had several candid moments and cherished times with hard work and dedication to organizing the end-of-school-year rites.

Not only the joyful times but as well as the teamwork and camaraderie that defined our Curriculum with the mantra, “One team, One Heart”. Indeed, it was a joyous event that made us closer and everything that we prepared was a collective effort among my colleagues and students for their enthusiasm and support.

As the Curriculum Head, I am truly honored and humbled to play a part in one of the memorable events in the institution. And that, I am looking forward to experiencing many more chances to celebrate the Philippine heritage in the future through other styles and forms.

Disclaimer: All texts and pictures are my own unless otherwise stated.