Filipino Day

During the Filipino Day, I participated by playing the violin for the opening and closing songs in church. I always feel good whenever I play the violin, especially during the service because I feel privileged to use my God-given talent. This is my way of praising God and thanking him for giving me this talent that I can share to others. I feel that I am blessed and loved by God.

I saw teachers and students wearing their Filipino costumes on this day. There was also a presentation where teachers and parents and students performed on stage in the Griffiths Theater. It's always good to see that Brent School celebrates this special day!

The Filipino day is a good learning experience to me. Since I had to play at church, I did my best to practice the songs and worked collaboratively with other students in order to make good music. I did my best to persevere and commit myself to what was assigned to me so that everything went smoothly as planned and practiced.

Gawad Kalinga

I participated in the Gawad Kalinga, a community service activity of the school, where we were tasked to go to a particular area in the suburb. There, we had to transport and carry building materials for the renovation of some houses and structures which were affected by the recent typhoons.  It was a great challenge for all of us, especially for me, because it was really physically challenging. It was a very hot day, and the building materials were not that easy to carry. However, we all felt good at the end of the day, knowing that we were able to share our time and effort in rebuilding the structures in this community.

I learned many things from Gawad Kalinga. I was able to know how bad it is for some people to have nowhere to live, so it felt good to have participated in this service activity, with the hope that when their houses are done, they will have a place that will protect them from future calamities. I also learned that work can be easily accomplished when done cooperatively with my classmates and schoolmates. Passing the materials along made things a bit easier than carrying them alone. I have learned the importance of teamwork, perseverance, and commitment in this activity. I am happy to have met new faces there, but I am happier that I get to do this with my friends at Brent.

MENSA

I know I am not perfect, but I have always been trying my best at everything. Sometimes I think I am just an average student, but I try hard. I don't get enough sleep at night because of too much school work and tests to study. Recently, I was encouraged to take the Mensa test for me to know what my IQ really is. I was surprised when I received a letter telling me that I am qualified to join the Mensa Organization because of my test result. I am really very happy to find out that I am actually a good student! 

This had been a great challenge for me, and I am glad that I faced it and did not quit in the middle of the exam. I did my best to answer every question even it became too boring sometimes. I was tired from the long trip and Manila weather is not that great because it was too hot.  Anyway, taking this test made me realize many things. I became aware of my strengths and I have the chance to develop myself further by improving my weaknesses. I was able to face this new challenge in my life and I learned much about myself. I am really happy that I have made my parents proud of me! ^^

Golf Lesson

1. take back and stop means top of back needs get the timing a little stop
2. left arm turns 

These are just some of the things I learned today from my golf instructor. It's fun to get to play golf at the practice area. But playing on an actual golf course is more fun even if it needs much time for walking and following the ball to shoot it in the final tee.

Learning a new skill is important. Even if I don't plan to become a professional golf player, it's good to know more about this game. Not only do I develop my skills in this sport, but more importantly, I get to exercise and make myself healthy. In this activity, I learn to keep my determination in doing my best to keep myself fit for my own benefit. I also learn to know my strengths so that I can maintain them, and also my weaknesses so that I can improve on them.

There were times that I felt like giving up, especially when I couldn't cope with the stress of the practice, but I learned to persevere and be committed so that I can achieve my goals of being healthy.  I also realized that if I listened to my instructor well and be cooperative throughout the process, I can learn much faster.

Lessons and Carols 2015

I participated in the Lessons and Carols at the school chapel. This is done at Brent School every December, and I am very honored to have played in this orchestra. We played many different Christmas carols and  we accompanied songs sang by the choir. There were many people who attended, and I was happy that my parents were there, too. Joining the Lessons and Carols is a wonderful thing, because we don't only get to enjoy it, but we are also able to make many people happy on Christmas.

For me, this activity has teaching me many things. I have joined even in the previous years, so I am getting to develop my music skills whenever we learn new pieces. Practicing after school is very challenging, especially because there is a lot of homework to be done, but I am always glad to accept the challenge because of my love for music.  I grow more aware of my strengths and weaknesses in playing the violin, so I get to improve myself and be better at it. It is also important for me to not only be committed to this task, but also to work collaboratively with my group, because if I don't, then it is impossible for us to have great harmony.

Playing Golf

I played in the golf field at Camp John Hay today. I played with my classmate, Christy, and we had a great time. I applied the skills that I have been learning from my golf instructor, and he said I did very well with my moves. It is fun to get into sports like golf. This gives me the opportunity to exercise for my health while having fun.

I was able to initiate and plan this activity with my friend and neighbor, Christy, who was willing to spend time in the field with me. Playing golf and applying all the skills I have learned so far gives me the chance to be more and more aware of my strengths and weaknesses in this activity. It is challenging, especially when playing with a very good opponent. I learned that if I persevere and stay committed and not quit in the middle of the game, I can learn more and be better at this sport.  Playing with Christy has also given me the chance to develop my skills, because I can learn from her the things that I still don't know, and she can learn from me, too.

18th Philippine Mathematical Olympiad Participation

My classmates who attend High Math IB and I formed a math club and studied together. We discussed many things in the club, including how to solve difficult problems. We participated in the 18th Philippine Math Olympiad. I received a certificate for participating in this activity and for being able to reach the qualifying stage.

Math has always been my favorite subject. I think I am good in algorithms, problem solving, and the like. Joining the math club and participating in the Math Olympiad has increased my awareness of my strengths and weaknesses in this subject. I realized that there were many other students much better than me. This gave me the chance to reflect on myself and think that I can do better, so I have to learn more about Math.

Being a member of the math club is great. I get to learn from others and they learn from me, too when we have discussions. We learned how to plan for the things we needed to review before the Olympiad, so we worked well together.

Even if I didn't get the highest place in the Olympiad, I am still proud that I was able to join this activity!