Faith graduates from Prep School with Honors!

Faith and her batch mates prepare to march

My only daughter Faith’s graduation from preparatory schooling in Mater Carmeli School (MCS) – Novaliches last April 5, 2011 was extra special.

I mean it’s not every school year that you get the honor of walking across the school stage with your wife several times to give your daughter a medal or a ribbon for scholastic performance.

Last year, Faith as a kindergarten pupil was awarded an Academic Excellence medal as one of the brightest students of her batch. She was also awarded a Merit Ribbon for being judged “Best in Dance” among the prep pupils in her section, Kinder - Thriftiness.

This school year she bested herself by further improving her overall grades to be conferred a Medal for Outstanding Prep Pupils (9th Honors) and placing finalist to a number of Quiz Bee competitions held through the academic year.

The graduation ceremonies commence

The souvenir program declared that the graduation theme was “Carmelians: Partners towards Transformational Society, An Answer to Societal Change.”

Actually, I thought that theme was too deep even for a post grad student like me much less for a bunch of six year olds but I suppose you can never really go too young in inculcating our youth with values like patriotism and molding them to become agents of positive social change.

It was a wonderful warm weathered afternoon to graduate from prep school

The prep graduates walk on to their seats

The program started with an opening prayer which came in the form of singing a song by Fatima Soriano entitled “Believe Like a Child”. Ironically, Faith (whom we gave the formal name Maria Fatima) acted as conductress and led the assembly in singing the National Anthem.

My family is joined by Faith’s cousin Julia, Lola Charing and Sonny Boy’s special friend and MCS schoolmate Hannah

First time to go up the stage with Faith: Awarding of Medal for Outstanding Pupils
(9^th Honors)

Second time to up the stage with Faith: Awarding of Quiz Bee Winners

(Science – 3^rd Place)

The students sing their graduation theme song: “One Dream” by Lee Ann Womack

Our bright young graduate is warmly greeted by Cousin Julia….

...then joined by the other women in our lives

Group picture

The Mendoza family is proud of its youngest member

Just a thought… None of her older siblings will ever get the chance to be conferred a Loyalty Award by Mater Carmeli School. This is simply because of their strict definition that a loyalty awardee should be a student that studied there from kinder all the way up to fourth year high school. All her brothers started at MCS from prep. Only Faith started at MCS from Kinder.

But I do often tell Faith that only if she gets accepted in a school like Philippine Science High School or UP Integrated School should she consider transferring to another school. Otherwise, I personally would want to see her continue her studies at MCS. For all its shortcomings (what school doesn’t have at least one?) I have never regretted bringing our children to Mater Carmeli.

Faith is also congratulated by her nanny Ate Maymay and her sister along with her classroom adviser in Prep- Politeness, Teacher Marilyn O. Luteria

Dinner celebration at the new Hap Chan Restaurant along Pearl Drive in East Fairview, Quezon City

From the school, we celebrated Faith’s achievements at a new dining place called Pearl Drive not too far from our residence in West Fairview. There we went to this new branch of the locally popular Chinese restaurant – Hap Chan.

Sumptuous Chinese meal for this special occasion

Up close: Hap Chan’s delicious Yang Chow Fried Rice and Chicken

Congratulations, Faith…job well done!

We are all proud of Faith and what she has already achieved in her very young and clearly promising life.

I pray to God that she may have the grace to continue walking across this path of excellence not only in the field of her academics but also in the other equally important facets of her youthful existence.

Hurrah, Faith…and carry on!