Ton: Moving On

It's a fire drill at the Children's Home. The alarm is sounded and children start pouring out of the home, out under the Tree of Life. Some of the older children grab the little ones and lead them out. It's all rehearsed, of course, but some children are teary eyed and panicky. Some make light of the drill, trying to cheer up the frightened kids. Six-year-old Ton scoops up J, a younger boy, in his arms and hurries to the exit. On the way, he trips and falls. J starts to wail, and Ton begins to comfort him, but soon follows suit. They carry on with the uproar until a houseparent leads them out into the afternoon sunshine.

Later, Ton sheepishly says that he tried to be brave but got scared when he fell down because he remembered being in a real fire, back before CCFT. Young as he is, Ton remembers plenty of things - several of them unpleasant. He acts like an old soul; a child who's gone through too much, so early.

During his first year in CCFT, Ton was unpredictable. Serious, neat, and rule-abiding, heaven help the sibling or house parent who crossed him. He would bide his time quietly, but lash out furiously when goaded to a fight. At school, he would keep to himself, staying near the bottom rung of the class because he wasn't able to keep up with some of his classmates who were already reading.

First grade was a change, though, when he began to open up to therapist Viviene Francisco, drawing pictures of his fears and worries and describing how he would come to blows with people because they reminded him of the fighting in his family before CCFT. He also began attending reading tutorials and discovered he loved books. His February house parent, Nanay Cel Salalima, said she was so proud of how Ton would now read aloud on his bunk bed and pester her about unfamiliar words and spellings.

By the Third Grading Period of CCFT Coron International School, Music teacher Jordan Ormido described Ton as "a revelation". Ton rose up to third from eighth in the class ranking and took home the Music Smart Award. At the Children's Home in January 2009, he became one of the Top Ten Children, and told his Nanay Cel: "Nanay, I didn't know it felt this good to behave well."

It all boils down to this: family love. Nanay Cel said the trick to it was loving her "sons" like they were her own blood. "You have to be consistent, fair, and kind. Shouting orders won't do anything; they will only be reminded of their former, harsh life. Words aren't the key; you have to show them that things are different now, that things are better here."

Love, incidentally, is also the name of Ton's CCFT family. Coincidence? We think not

CCFT-CIS Holds Third Recognition Rites

On March 27, 2009, CCFT Coron International School (CCFT-CIS) recognized students who excelled in the different aspects of Multiple Intelligence advocated by Harvard University Educator Dr. Howard Gardner.


The eight awards are: Word Smart (Linguistically Intelligent), Body Smart (Bodily-Kinesthetically Intelligent), Nature Smart (Naturalistically Intelligent), People Smart (Interpersonally Intelligent), Picture Smart (Spatially Intelligent), Music Smart (Musically Intelligent), Number Smart (Logically-Mathematically Intelligent), and Self Smart (Intrapersonally Intelligent). CCFT-CIS also honors students who excel in communicating in the national language, Filipino, with the Filipino Smart award.

These were the awardees per grade level during the Third Grading Period of School Year 2008-2009:

I. Nursery/Kinder
Number Smart — JIREH ELIZA RESCO
Word Smart— DIANA SHANE SALALIMA
Nature Smart— CHRISTIAN CALING
People Smart— JIREH ELIZA RESCO
Self Smart— DIANA SHANE SALALIMA
Music Smart— DIANA SHANE SALALIMA
Picture Smart— JIREH ELIZA RESCO
Body Smart— CHRISTIAN CALING

II. Preparatory
Number Smart — LIVINIA CALING
Word Smart— MARY ANGELI CALBENTOS
Nature Smart— EMILY SAMPAGUITA SCHULTE
People Smart— EMILY SAMPAGUITA SCHULTE
CLEMONT COLET
BAMBI MARTINEZ
Self Smart— MARY ANGELI CALBENTOS
JIEGO BICOL
Music Smart— JULY RUTH SMITH
OLIVER OROZCO
PRINCESS MIRANDA
Picture Smart— LIVINIA CALING
Body Smart— HAZEL BABES SUPAN
AIRA MAY DELA CRUZ

III. Grade 1
Number Smart — DAN REY ROBLES
Word Smart— DAN REY ROBLES
CLYDE LAGUNOY
Nature Smart— DAN REY ROBLES
People Smart— CLYDE LAGUNOY
Self Smart— DAN REY ROBLES
Music Smart— JONAS MONTE
Picture Smart— DAN REY ROBLES
Body Smart— CLYDE LAGUNOY
Smart Filipino— DAN REY ROBLES


IV. Grade 2
Number Smart — KRISTIANNE CLYDE LAGUNOY
Word Smart— KRISTIANNE CLYDE LAGUNOY
Nature Smart— KRISTIANNE CLYDE LAGUNOY
People Smart— KRISTIANNE CLYDE LAGUNOY
Self Smart— KRISTIANNE CLYDE LAGUNOY
Music Smart— KRISTIANNE CLYDE LAGUNOY
Picture Smart— KRISTIANNE CLYDE LAGUNOY
Body Smart— DHEN HAROLD CRISTOBAL
Smart Filipino— KRISTIANNE CLYDE LAGUNOY

V. Grade 3
Number Smart — LEAH MAE CABUG
Word Smart— LEAH MAE CABUG
Nature Smart— LEAH MAE CABUG
People Smart— LEAH MAE CABUG
Self Smart— MITCHIE ROBLES
Music Smart— LEAH MAE CABUG
Picture Smart— SARAH CRISTOBAL
Body Smart— LEAH MAE CABUG
Smart Filipino— LEAH MAE CABUG

VI. Grade 4
Nature Smart— NOAH LEVINE
People Smart— NOAH LEVINE
Self Smart— NOAH LEVINE
Music Smart— NOAH LEVINE
Picture Smart— NOAH LEVINE
Body Smart— NOAH LEVINE
Smart Filipino— HANNANEAH KIM TIANGA

VII. Grade 5
Number Smart — LAWRENCE OLIVER PE
Word Smart— LAWRENCE OLIVER PE
Nature Smart— LAWRENCE OLIVER PE
People Smart— NIKKA TRISHALEE LABANAN
Music Smart— CHRISTINE BUNAYOG
Picture Smart— NIKKA TRISHALEE LABANAN
Body Smart— NIKKA TRISHALEE LABANAN
Smart Filipino— NIKKA TRISHALEE LABANAN

VII. Grade 6
Number Smart— LEMUEL GREGG GONZALES
Nature Smart— NATANAEL MENDENILLA
People Smart— JOHN ELVIN RESCO
Self Smart— NATANAEL MENDENILLA
Music Smart— JOHN ELVIN RESCO
Picture Smart— SAMUEL NICKLAS
Body Smart— SAMUEL NICKLAS
NATANAEL MENDENILLA
Smart Filipino— THEREZA MAE GONZALES

Balanced Literacy with Nancy Turner

The first time Nancy Turner came to CCFT Coron International School in November 2008, she brought with her Robert Munchin's story Stephanie's Ponytail and taught the teachers fun learning activities to liven up the classroom. Nancy is a reading and comprehension specialist, and taught for several years in the United States Department of Defense Dependents School (DODDS) System. During the weeks following her mini-seminar, Stephanie's Ponytail, which she left with the school, was told and retold by the English teachers. Everyone looked forward to seeing her again.

On Nancy's second visit in February 19 and 20 this year, she came with a lovely surprise - two boxes of books donated to CCFT by her friends. Among these were brand-new animal encyclopedias, books for read-aloud sessions, non-fiction, and young adult literature for the intermediate readers and incoming high school students.

During these two days, Nancy shared more techniques on improving the students' reading comprehension, and the different components and levels of balanced literacy in the classroom. The levels progressed from teacher-controlled reading and writing, through a process of gradual release to student-controlled reading and writing.


On February 20, Nancy also demonstrated the basics of balanced literacy for the house parents and staff of the Home Life Services Office. Once again, Nancy demonstrated a read-aloud technique for children just beginning to learn the alphabet with the jazzy-rhythmic book, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. For intermediate-level students, reading should also encompass shared, guided, and independent reading.

With the new books and Nancy's shared skills, the teachers are sure to be empowered for the next school year, and new horizons and vaults of knowledge will be opened to the children of CCFT.

Valentines Birthday

Cupids and arrows and red hearts, oh my! When the monthly birthday falls on the fourteenth of February, well, never mind the rolled eyes and clichés - it has to be a Valentine party. The Children's Home lobby fairly blushed with hanging hearts and crimson-clad partygoers. Red shirts, red smocks, red socks, red everything. The cake, at least, was bright yellow and green.

This month, Nanay Jocelyn and turning-three Travis (on his high chair) from the Children's Home, Tata Mac from the Facilities Department, and Teacher Andrew are one year older.

The host, Teacher Jordan, and game master Tita Viviene, after a debate what sort of dating game to play, settle for heart-matching. The children swarmed the hall waving their red cardboard cut-outs and trying, failing, trying once more to see who got the other half of their hearts. When everyone got paired up, it was the unlikely couple Abi and Art -- Abi tall and gangly beside Art, small and shy. Adorable Nursery-age couple Sandy and Chester also matched their hearts right.

Afterwards, the children paired up once more to play Cheek-To-Cheek! Elbow-To-Elbow! (fill in the body parts), which had everyone giggling while trying very, very hard not to be ticklish and accidentally poke their partner in the eye.

The awarding of the Top Ten Children gave a scant ten minutes of solemn pomp and parading before everyone started going bonkers again, this time with break-dancing.

Art, Raf, and Kuya Dhen all gave demos on how-not-to-break-an-arm-while-spinning-wildly-on-the-dance-floor. To the girls' delight and Nurse Jennifer Chan's relief, not one needed first aid afterwards. Just cake and spaghetti and hotdog-marshmallow kebabs.

Dirty Jobs? Here's Arvin Vinluan

For a sprawling seven-hectare property with a school, a children's home, a staff house, and a small farm, being one of the two sole janitors in CCFT is no mean feat. Yet "Tito Arvin" Vinluan does it, and does it with a smile. Five days a week, he shows up at CCFT Coron International School before anyone else does (barring English teacher Fresca Estima, who is there at sunup - just because she can) and breezes through the hallways with a broom, a mop, and a whistled happy tune. Then it's the Children's Home, the staff house, and everywhere there's a mess to clean up. Tito Arvin is also around for odd jobs - like shimmying up the school flagpole when the flag gets stuck halfway or installing Christmas lanterns or lifting five-gallon water containers into the drink dispensers.

It's been three years and four months since Tito Arvin first came aboard CCFT as a construction worker when the warehouse and nipa huts were the only buildings standing. It was November of 2005, and he was working on his grandfather's fishing boat, trawling the coast of Coron. CCFT employed more than three hundred workers during the construction, and Tito Arvin was drafted to haul equipment and building materials, and dig channels for the underground electrical wires.

"So far it was the largest construction project in Coron. I wondered at the man they called 'Sir Pete'. Why, if he had that much money to build all this, why a foundation? Why not just start a business?" Tito Arvin recalls. "At least, that's what I would do. I wanted to see him in person. I wanted to know how real it all was."

And see the founder he did, in 2006. William "Sir Pete" Baldwin III came to visit the construction site, and the workers were rounded up for some pep talk by the man himself.

"He talked about how he was happy about the progress of the work, and how he wanted all of us to do our best because we were doing it for the children," says Tito Arvin. "I felt proud of Sir Pete, for choosing Coron for the children, for giving us all jobs. In a place where work was scarce, he built a blessing. I knew that in my own way, I also wanted to help the kids that he wanted to help."

Noble words, yes. But when the rubber hit the road in 2007 with the arrival of thirty-three children, Tito Arvin put on his janitor shoes and it was not pleasant at all - at first. He gives something halfway between a shudder and a laugh as he describes his daily ordeal at the boys' toddler room: "They weren't toilet-trained yet, and the walls and floor would be smeared with you-know-what. There would be soiled underwear in the trash bins. You could smell it from the hallway, and no matter how many times I scrubbed and mopped and disinfected, it would still stink the next time I came around."

"But you learn to help them help themselves. There was this one kid I was always chasing around because he was always forgetting his dirty clothes in the bathroom. One day I promised him he could wear my cap at lunchtime in school if he remembers to bring his clothes with him and put them in the laundry basket. And now" - Tito Arvin grins happily - "now everyday at lunchtime, you see him in my cap. He doesn't forget anymore. They've all grown up a lot, even if you do have to remind yourself that sometimes, kids are meant to be messy."

What with all the dirty jobs, Tito Arvin rarely has time to be with the children. So it is no wonder that he remembers with fondness one afternoon in the summer of 2007 when all the house parents had to attend a meeting, and he was put on temporary babysitting duty with Facility Engineer Joann Aday. "We stayed at the back porch of the Children's Home and spent the day drawing pictures and talking with the kids. Some of them were easy to talk to, some of them were quieter, but it was fun and something different for me, being dad for an afternoon."

Arvin also recalls clearly International Day 2008, where he assisted the intern students at the Philippine float along with their house parents and got to meet Miss Earth candidates at the end of the day. It was tiring, he says, but looking back it was a lot of fun and the children enjoyed being stars for a day.

"I'd like to see them grow up, and I'd like to be there for them, even if all I do is clean up after them. Oh, and yes," he chuckles, "of course I'd also like to see them learn to be self-reliant and clean up after themselves. I'd be the best teacher for that, wouldn't I?"

Definitely, and he'll be needing a few more caps for lunchtime.

Are You Smarter Than the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Graders? By Darlene Ramos

Do you know how many prime numbers there are between 40 and 60? How about the most commonly used word in the English language? What do you call the process by which plants manufacture their food?

If you don’t, you might want to watch the Quiz Bee Week that CCFT Coron International School (CCFT-CIS) holds each January among the higher grade levels. This 2009, Grades 4, 5, and 6 were pitted against each other in the school’s most anticipated game show of the season. The categories? Grade-school English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Filipino.

For two hours daily, ten to twelve contenders sat in the school pavilion with their pieces of chalk, illustration board, and furrowed brows, and stock knowledge from the first to third quarters of the school year. Students too daunted to join sat at the sidelines with their spare illustration boards bearing slogans egging on their contestant of choice. Up front stood the timer, scorer, and the host

Still, it pays to be smarter than a grade-schooler. Are you? (If you’re pitted against three-time Quiz Bee Week champion Natanael... not likely. He knows the answers to the questions above are five, the, and photosynthesis.)


of the day – Teacher Fresca Estima for English, Teacher Rey Belarmino for Math, Teacher Ryan Calupas for Science, Teacher Elvin Resco for Filipino, and Teacher Andrew Roxas for Social Studies.

One sixth-grader who sat calmly in the third row of contestants, Natanael Mendenilla, was the surprise winner for the first three days, in English, Mathematics, and Science, besting even the top rankers of his grade level. Lawrence Pe, a fifth grader, bagged the top prize for the Filipino Quiz Bee, and the Social Studies title was taken by another sixth-grader, Samuel Nicklas.
During the awarding ceremonies on the last Quiz Bee day, Principal Lilia Chavez congratulated all the winners, and said she couldn’t wait to see the students compete with other schools. Head Teacher Elvin Resco took up a different, interesting tack, congratulating all those who joined and lost consistently – saying he admired them for their persistence. In this life, he said, determination counts as well as brains

Beneath the Tree of Life: December Party By Darlene Ramos

There are plenty of mango trees in CCFT, but there is one just across the Children's Home, towering over the rest, thick with leaves - and in summer with fruit. After months of holding the monthly birthday party indoors, the party finally made its way outdoors under the clear blue afternoon sky, around this tree, what everyone in CCFT calls the Tree of Life.

CCFT Coron International School Principal, Mrs. Lilia Chavez, recalled that before the Children's Home had any children, the founder, Mr. William "Pete" Baldwin, III led the first employees of CCFT on a tour of the facility. Stopping before a proud, burly mango tree, he said, "This is the Tree of Life." And around this tree, the children gathered countless times - to play, to run around, to sing and dance, to hold parties, to escape from the heat of the day. It has become a symbol, according to Mrs. Chavez, of the love, compassion, and hope, a reflection of CCFT's mission of providing a happy, healthy environment for its children.

The past year, it was transformed into a gorgeous Christmas tree for the party, adorned with lanterns and vines of tiny Christmas lights, a successful fundraiser for the children. Each lantern represented a donation from various big-hearted families and individuals from Coron and from within CCFT.

The School hosted the party this year, and all the female teachers came out dolled up in red and wearing pigtails. This party, no one was excused from dancing. The Children's Home team had a grand dance showdown, followed by the Facility Department singing a solemn Christmas carol transforming into a combination of a Christmas nativity pageant and a Saturday Night Live skit. The teachers danced a lively "Ding, Dong, Ding" - with all the children jumping up to join in for the second chorus.

The game everybody will probably stick in everyone's memory would be the "Bring Me" - everything from a photo of the founder, William "Tatay Pete" Baldwin III, a Christmas ringtone, a Christmas ornament (which thankfully did not annihilate the tottering Christmas tree), a coin with a hole, and a kiss from the security guard down in Base 1.

And what would be a party without presents? Not just the birthday celebrants (pajamas and mugs of all colors and sizes abound), but the houseparents received gifts. To the delight of the Top Ten children, they were promised a night out in Coron town, to enjoy the sights and sounds of the festive booths, popcorn and ice cream and what every child thrills at: a late bedtime.

The party wasn't as grand as last year's, but the spirit of the Tree of Life filtered through the hearts of those who came to celebrate, like sunlight through its leaves. For this December, we had one whose birthday we celebrate among the rest of the birthdays, the One who died on a tree that we all may have Life.

The Constant Mother: Gledelyn "Nanay Dhen" Echague By Darlene Ramos

The Constant Mother: Gledelyn "Nanay Dhen" Echague
By Darlene Ramos

When you turn left coming through the lobby of the Children's Home, you might meet someone who nine out of ten times will be lighting up the corridor with her eternal grin: Nanay Dhen.

Barely two years ago, Nanay Dhen came to CCFT as a volunteer houseparent, months fresh from a caregiving exam as a nursing assistant and patient care technician.

"June 26, 2007. I remember it well because I was interviewed that Monday morning, then went on duty that very afternoon. I had no orientation whatsoever, and they brought me to the family of toddlers on the spot. I did not sleep a wink all night because I was quite scared, but also excited," Nanay Dhen recalled. She spent her first two months with the toddlers, and then by September she was assigned to the infants.

"I was impressed by CCFT when I first came on board, because it was a lovely, quiet place, and had everything the children needed," she added. There were already thirty-three children when she arrived, who were grouped into eight families - three of boys, three of girls, and the two she already handled, infants and toddlers. By the end of September, Nanay Dhen became "mother" to a family of three grade-school girls, Sarah, Jairah, and Abigail - appropriately (at the time) called Family Three.

At first it was difficult for her to handle the three, because they threw tantrums left and right, refused to follow her rules, and were generally naughty little girls. She wasn't the only one - some house parents were so overwhelmed by the hard-headed youngsters that they left after a few weeks. Nanay Dhen and Jonathan (Tatay Jong) Tamayo were the only houseparents left of the first batch in CCFT.

"I stayed because of the children. I felt that these children needed something - someone - constant in their lives to love them and care for them. These kids have been through so much sadness, trauma, and change at their young age, and I wanted to be one of those constants," she explained. "I want to see that vision come true, that the foundation will take care of the children till they can fend for themselves in the real world. They have nowhere else to go."
On a lighter note, Nanay Dhen talked about her favorite day-to-day routine with the children. "They are so fun to be with. I love playing with them, and I enjoy teaching them songs. When I was still handling a family, we would gather round and sing together. Sometimes when I would sing my family to sleep the children from the next room would call out and beg me to sing them to sleep, too. That's what I miss the most." For when Nanay Dhen was promoted to Head Houseparent-OIC in mid-2008 - the officer-in-charge when Head House Parent Tatay Jong is away - she spent less time with the children, and had to oversee the kitchen and the clinic

"These days, there is however one hour in the morning that I get to spend with the toddlers of Family Respect," she said. "I don't get to spend much time with anyone else, sometimes my own family. Sometimes, on my day off, my mind is still on the children. I worry about them. I wouldn't be able to bear it if anything happened to Sarah, or Jairah, or to any child."

Spoken like a true mother.

Joanna (Give Me Hope!) By Darlene Ramos

Joanna (Give Me Hope!)
By Darlene Ramos

Two girls giggle in a corner of the Golden Pirates headquarters. It is Education Week in CCFT Coron International School and everyone is donning their team colors - blue, red, yellow, and black. The girl in a blue "Ultra Glam Girl" t-shirt, Joanna, carefully picks out shiny letter stickers and spells out the team name of the girl in yellow, Mitchie, on her forehead: "Golden Pirates". She steps back and admires her work, and the two girls, grinning from ear to ear, walk arm-in-arm out into the warm sunshine.

This is a far cry from the Joanna of last year, who hung back from her classes and sometimes just stayed in the school corridors because she couldn't read and couldn't keep up with her classmates. Whenever she was provoked, she would throw a tantrum and had to be brought home from school. Her records showed that she was abused, and so found it hard to trust adults. During her first months in CCFT, she was often sad and aloof, withdrawing from the company of her classmates and siblings. She was very quiet during her first few trauma therapy sessions, and her reading tutor found teaching her to recognize words and read a tedious ordeal.

As the months passed, she began to open up. Whenever she felt low, she would go to therapist Viviene - her "Tita Ayen" - or to the head houseparent, Nanay Dhen, and pour out her feelings. She began to confide in the few people she learned to trust her life story and her dreams for the future - which includes becoming a nurse someday.

Joanna also began to read - slowly at first, but when she found she could, it was as if a new world opened up before her. Joanna began to look forward to going to school. If she hated joining classroom discussions before, she now volunteers to recite in class. What used to be a dull, complicated lesson now was an adventure in learning.

Joanna still has a long way to go, but luckily the journey won't be a gloomy one this time. And we all hope she'll walk this leg with a light heart, a skip to her step, and friends at her side.

Education Week: Learning Ahoy! By Teacher Fresca Estima

Education Week: Learning Ahoy!
By Teacher Fresca Estima

On December 8-13 CCFT Coron International School abandoned their books, pens and classrooms - not that they were tired of studying, but the week's goal was to acquire learning in a different way. Away from the four walls of the classroom, students from the different grade levels were divided into teams; each team had a teacher adviser assigned. Each team came up with a name, chose their team head quarters and chose their team color.

Mr. Rey Belarmino was the team adviser of the Black Flames, Mr. Ryan Calupas the Red Apples, Ms. Michelle Panganiban, the Golden Pirates and Ms. Fresca Estima, the Blue Sharks.

The Prefect for Extra-Curricular Activities, Mr. Jordan Ormido, together with the assistance of the other teachers, prepared a series of activities that tested the wits, creativity, strategies and alacrity of the different teams. Winning was crucial, the teams' unity will be tested to its frontier.

Monday, December 8, was the opening of the education week. After the flag ceremony, headed by each team’s muse and escort, the different teams were introduced. Black, red, yellow and blue were the colors of the day. Cheers and shouts filled the air. After the introduction, all teams started to design their booths. Snacks of all sorts, stickers, patches, hair ties, wrist bands and more were sold in the different booths. The days that followed were just as vigorous. Grades 4, 5 and 6 of each team attended a journalism workshop while Grades 3, 2, 1, preparatory, nursery, and kindergarten watched films. The Golden Pirates won the quiz bee while the Black Flames won the spelling bee.

The treasure hunt was one of the most awaited events. Every team aimed to be the first one to find the treasure. A close encounter between the Red Apples and Blue Sharks happened but the Sharks were more aggressive and succeeded in getting to the treasure first. Everyone was so happy and gay excitement filled the event.

Education Week was a great experience for everyone. The teachers' reward was the joyful smiles and enormous curiosity of all the students. Who knew learning could be this fun?

Christmas Around the World: CCFT Night By Darlene Ramos

Christmas Around the World: CCFT Night
By Darlene Ramos

December 18, 2008.

It's not everyday that children get to dress up and play a red-nosed reindeer or Joseph and Mary - or a Christmas tree, for that matter. So when Christmas pageant night comes around, once a year, everyone is in high spirits. Tonight, after all, is the first time that CCFT-Coron International School will be holding the Christmas performance in Coron's Pavilion Hall. The afternoon before the show, students and teachers all huddled in groups, singing a snatch or two of a carol, muttering memorized lines, and fussing over costumes. Here fingers are sticky with last-minute glue and glitters, there random spikes of hay poke out from the manger-makers' hair, and somewhere in the confusion, an angel's wing needs more cotton.

A higgledy-piggledy ride on the CCFT jeepney down to town - with wisps, then chunks of the Nativity hut tied to its roof falling prey to overhanging branches - brought the children to the Pavilion Hall. There were last minute touch-ups, a panicked hunt for Rudolf's red nose and fur coat, a vain patch-up of the wrecked hut, and the show began.

And as if angels were standing by, the children sang and danced through their numbers like a dream. The black-light mime of the "battle of good and evil", awkward in daylight rehearsals, was now ominous and striking on the darkened stage. The Grade 1 speech choir now featured Joseph and Mary in their journey through Bethlehem looking for a place for Mary to give birth to the Savior. The one-act play, "Christmas Around the World", with impishly comic Christmas decorations and a nose-less Rudolf surrounded by dancing preschoolers, drew laughs from the audience. A solemn "Silent Night" closed the performance, the sound of children's voices blending together, warm and sweet in the cold night air

Multiple Intelligence Awards at CCFT

Multiple Intelligence Awards at CCFT

Each quarter of the school year, CCFT Coron International School recognizes the students who performed well in their academics. CCFT-CIS ascribes to Dr. Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory, which is widely accepted and practiced in major private and international schools worldwide. The theory affirms that every individual is intelligent in his own right and IQ test scores aren’t the exclusive basis of measuring one’s mental abilities.

CCFT-CIS awards students for the eight basic kinds of Multiple Intelligence: Word Smart (Linguistically Intelligent), Body Smart (Bodily-Kinesthetically Intelligent), Nature Smart (Naturalistically Intelligent), People Smart (Interpersonally Intelligent), Picture Smart (Spatially Intelligent), Music Smart (Musically Intelligent), Number Smart (Logically-Mathematically Intelligent), and Self Smart (Intrapersonally Intelligent). A ninth and unique award, Filipino Smart, is also given for students gifted with communicating in the national language, Filipino.

The Second Quarter Recognition Rites were held at the CCFT-CIS Pavilion on November 28, 2008. For each grade level, students who were recommended by their teachers on the basis of their grades in different subjects were awarded certificates corresponding to their unique academic strength. It is interesting to note that no one student reaped all nine awards for his or her grade level. Different students took home different awards, a testament to Dr. Howard’s theory.

This quarter’s recognition was made all the more special because it was the first time students were also recognized for their extra-curricular achievements. CCFT-CIS won first place in two inter-school competitions in Coron within the quarter: the World Tourism Day slogan-making contest in September, and the 45th Fish Conservation Week on-the-spot drawing contest. This was a proud year for CCFT-CIS, a school barely past its second year, attesting to its commitment to excellence in a well-rounded education, both within and outside the school walls.

Birthday Bash of the Year

Birthday Bash of the Year

The biggest birthday party of the year has to be the November celebration – not just for the number of birthday celebrants, but for the celebrity status factor, at least within CCFT. This month, Executive Director Michelle Abayari, CCFT Coron International School Principal Lilia Chavez, Head Teacher Elvin Resco, and Teacher Ryan Calupas celebrated with four girls from the Children’s Home – Livinia, Ara, Joanna Marie, and Sandara, plus three Facility Department staff – Tito Ben, Tito Leo, and Tito Ernesto.

This second Saturday, November 15, the CCFT-CIS teachers decked the Children’s Home lobby with hanging paper clowns, colorful ribbons, and balloons. After a short prayer, all eleven birthday celebrants were called to sit up front to listen to a rendition of the traditional Happy Birthday song and receive a gift.

Coaxed by the children’s enthusiastic clapping, Tito Peter, Tito Arvin and Tito Marvin of the Facility Department serenaded the audience with Stephen Speaks’ Passenger Seat: Tito Arvin on guitar, Tito Marvin tapping on a hand drum, and a blushing Tito Peter on vocals. After overcoming the initial surprise – “He can really sing!” – The audience began cheering them on and teasing the blushing vocalist by coming up to with offerings of flowers, Christmas wreaths, and a hula hoop around his neck.

Tatay Jong and Tita Cora of the Children’s Home next stepped up with an on-the-spot swing number to the delight of everyone. Soon, half of the CCFT population was up dancing along with the pair and it was quite some time before the games could begin.

or the next hour everyone scrambled over who would get to join the games – balloon-blowing, hula hoop twirling, and pop-the-balloon relay (where some children refused to pop their balloons because they wanted to take them home)

Each CCFT department had a special number for the party, their token for the eleven special people turning a year older in November. The International School presentation had everyone all but rolling on the floor laughing. It was a spoof of the memorable International Day talent show: Teacher Andrew wiggling his hips out of time to Miss Guam’s Pearly Shells, Teacher Franz reciting a muddled version of Mr. Spain’s poem, La Cogida y La Muerte (more popularly known to the amused children as A Las Cinco de la Tarde), the stocky Teacher Rey swaying to a Colombian beat, and Teacher Miyet bouncing merrily to a traditional Finnish song.

The day ended with everyone dancing the Froggy Dance, a cute Japanese pop song with an instructional video – not once, but at least thrice, to repeated prodding of “Again! Again!” by the children. It was a birthday to be remembered and treasured by all who were present.

Arthur: Miracle in the Making

Arthur: Miracle in the Making

The conscientiously neat, quiet boy carefully prints out his name on a sheet of paper: Arthur. Unremarkable and ordinary at first, yes. But like his namesake storybook king, looks can be deceiving.
Arthur came to CCFT in 2007, a temperamental, distrustful child. Among the rest of the children, he was a puzzle – a stickler for rules and neatness and impatient with his siblings at the Children’s Home, yet

he would retort back at anyone who reprimanded him for a mistake. He would run away when angered, hiding inside cabinets or underneath the CCFT staff house. In addition to this, he was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), a condition that makes it difficult to him to concentrate in school, slowing down his academic development.

These, however, were challenges accepted by the Children’s Home. Recognizing his leadership potential, he was assigned assistant lead child in his family, and he has since learned responsibility, trust, and tolerance for his fellow children. Therapist Viviene Francisco, through several weeks of therapy, helped him to express his emotions and manage his anger.

Nowadays seven-year-old Arthur is improving in school, showing a keen interest in writing and drawing. He has a better sense of humor, takes teasing in stride, and bends a bit when things don’t turn out as planned. Instead of running away when annoyed, he asks to be taken to a quiet room, or walks about the Children’s Home to calm down.

During both the International Day and the December CCFT Christmas Night in Coron, he shone in his performance along with his fellow members of the Grade I speech choir.

Our Art hasn’t pulled out any swords from stones yet, but looking at the miracle of his life in CCFT, we wouldn’t be surprised if he did one day.

Kuya Dhen By Darlene Ramos

Kuya Dhen
By Darlene Ramos

Kuya. It’s a Filipino term, roughly translated as “older brother”. But there are things lost in translation, things like “protector”, “ally”, “confidante”. This is Kuya Dhen’s story.

Dhen Harold came to CCFT two years ago with his two sisters, Sarah and Jairah. Abandoned by their mother and father, the weight of responsibility was laid on Kuya Dhen as the eldest child. With the pressure of being accountable for his siblings, Dhen was at first a rigidly stubborn boy, silent and resentful of authority. There would be periodical bursts of anger that he would turn on his younger siblings – for he was with his fellow boys in one family at the Children’s Home while his sisters were in another in the girls’ wing. At playtimes, reunited, the three could be found together talking and bonding, as siblings will when they only have one another to cling to.

Over time, Dhen slowly learned to also be a Kuya to the siblings in his assigned family. Given the lead child role, he would call them to line up during mealtimes and going to school, and make sure that the family was on schedule. To cope with his bouts of impatience and occasional annoyance with his siblings, therapist Viviene Francisco helped him out by teaching him to use an anger dial to control his anger. The reward for all this – a spot at the Top Ten of the Children’s Home this January, along with his sister Sarah.

School was also an important outlet for Dhen, for he excelled in Mathematics and Physical Education and was awarded Number Smart and Body Smart during the second quarter of this school year. He has become fast friends with his fellow second-graders and the school band where he plays the snare drum, some of whom also call him “Kuya”.

Kuya is a term of endearment, and encompasses not only blood relations, but friendships built from common losses, shared joy, and challenges faced together. This is Kuya Dhen’s story, in words, but the child is far, far more.

Who’re You Gonna Call? Ma’am Jasmin! By Darlene Ramos

Who’re You Gonna Call? Ma’am Jasmin!
By Darlene Ramos

Cut-outs for a bulletin board? Lettering for a school recognition program? Paper flowers? Welcome banners? A singer for the Chapel Hour? Kindergartener throwing a tantrum? No worries, Jasmin Supan is here.

Ma’am Jasmin, as everyone in CCFT calls her, is the beloved and much sought-after Teacher Assistant at CCFT Coron International School (CCFT-CIS). A mainstay at the Nursery/Kindergarten classroom, she gamely juggles everything the teachers can’t when their hands are full teaching the boisterous schoolchildren.

Her arrival at CCFT couldn’t have been anything but the work of providence. Back when even the school was nothing more than a building of empty classrooms filled with carpenters and painters, Jasmin first set foot in CCFT accompanying her husband, Pastor Wilfredo “Jun” de Guia, who held services at the CCFT Chapel every third Sunday of the month. It was there that she met the Principal, Ms. Lilia Chavez, who encouraged her to send her daughter Hazel, then a shy little three-year-old, to the Nursery class at CCFT-CIS.

Because it was Hazel’s first time in school, she was terrified - and doting mother Jasmin stayed for the first few days in the Nursery class to boost Hazel’s morale. Now and again she would accompany a toddler to the toilet, striking up a friendly conversation with the timid newcomer kids. She caught the Principal’s eye one day when a preschooler threw a tantrum, and Jasmin took the child aside and calmed her, singing him a lullabye until the little boy fell asleep. Coincidence or not, the school was short one Teacher Assistant, and she was offered the job that very week.

From then on, Ma’am Jasmin did what she had been doing from the very first day in school: escorting children to the bathroom, or bringing them to the clinic for scrapes or headaches, real or imagined, dealing with tantrums, helping out at storytime and making sure the toddlers get their naptime. Her talent with scissors and colored paper make her a sort of celebrity among the teachers during the monthly stripping and redecorating of the bulletin boards, and because of her powerful soprano, rarely is there a Chapel Hour without her leading the children in praise and worship. During the CCFT Night last December Ma’am Jasmin belted out a memorable ringing National Anthem before all Coron. Her favorite projects? The 2007 Christmas where she and the teachers stayed till late night to finish making paper poinsettias for the Christmas tree and Linggo ng Wika where they spent hours making native food trays for the following day’s Filipino potluck fiesta.

When asked what experience will always stay in her memory about the school, Ma’am Jasmin described one schoolday afternoon after naptime: All the children had gone home except for Christian of the Children’s Home at Nursery, who was stilll fast asleep. His sister Livinia, then in Kindergarten, refused to leave with the other children, and watched over her little brother. When Christian finally awoke, crying, Livinia hugged him and helped him with his shoes. They left for the Children’s Home together, with Ma’am Jasmin looking on and fighting tears – “Everyday I see how, without their families, they look after each other and are fiercely protective of each other. They can get into all sorts of naughtiness at times, but you have to admire their loyalty to their siblings.”

What does it take to be a Teacher Assistant? Mostly heart, and Ma’am Jasmin wears hers on her sleeve.