Ateneo de Iloilo to launch 'Tree of Hope'
This Friday would be a celebration of many sorts for the students, parents, teachers, and alumni of Ateneo de Iloilo – Santa Maria Catholic School for as it unveils its yearlong Golden Jubilee, it will also launch its "Tree of Hope" project.
To note, the "Tree of Hope" initiative is a yearly Christmas joint venture of AdI-SMCS and ABS-CBN Iloilo. Here, Christmas tree stars will be sold out to students and other interested parties in voluntary basis for P10 each. Personal prayers will be written by the purchaser in the said stars that will be hanged on a Christmas Three (the "Tree of Hope"). Proceeds of which will go to the ABS-CBN-selected indigents in the metropolis in the form of basic goods, among others.
"This is one of our many ways of celebrating generosity in school," Community Outreach Coordinator Primo Escobanez said, adding, "there is always this great joy in putting into flesh one of Ateneo's mottos, that is being 'Persons for Others;' helping and serving the least fortunate without asking for any reward makes Christmas more meaningful to the life of an Atenean learner."
"Last Christmas, we have collected PhP25,000 from this venture and it was so nice to see students, teachers, and parents taking turns, in their own freewill, making this a reality," Escobanez said. "We wish to gather more blessings this year for we know that there are many poverty-stricken people out there who need our humble but straight-from-the-heart help."
It is worthy to note that aside from the "Tree of Hope" project, the Ateneo de Iloilo Grade School Department has also launched its "White Elephant" project yesterday, Wednesday, November 28. This yearly initiative is done for the benefit of select public school students in the city in the form of school supplies, among others. Last year's beneficiaries are pupils from Brgy. Lanit, Jaro.
With strong support from the parents, the four-year-old project has collected enough school supplies from the "White Elephant" rummage and market sales that were initiated by students and teachers last year alone.
Meanwhile, all are now set for the launching of the 50th anniversary of the Ateneo de Iloilo – Santa Maria Catholic School, this Friday afternoon of November 30.
With the theme, "Celebrating the Ignatian tradition of love, service, and excellence," the debut with be highlighted by a foot parade at 3:30 p.m. Students, alumni, and parents are to converge at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol and at the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand, and will then march to the old AdI-SMCS old site at 139 Gen. Blanco St., Iloilo City where the grand launching program and fiesta-like social gathering await.
"Celebrating the Golden Jubilee of our beloved alma mater is primarily a celebration of God's overflowing goodness," AdI-SMCS president Fr. Manny Uy, SJ, said, adding, "we recall the past with profound gratitude, and we look forward with unwavering faith as we build our school and strive to soar higher in love, service, and excellence."
Some of the things in store during the debut rites are the school's Golden Jubilee (GJ) video presentation, unveiling of the GJ theme, fireworks display, raffle draw with five tuition AdI-SMCS scholarships as prizes, GJ trivia challenge, fun games, and food fair blended with the live concert of the region's best, Crossover band.
Also to give more meaning to the debut celebration are the messages coming from AdI-SMCS high school principal Aurora de la Cruz, alumna of Ateneo de Davao University and Ateneo de Cagayan University (Xavier University); city mayor Jerry Trenas, alumnus of Ateneo de Manila University; lawyer, ABS-CBN broadcaster, and AdI-SMCS Alumni Association president Joebert Peñaflorida; and Fr. Uy, SJ, alumnus of Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Ateneo de Manila University.
The launching marks the start of a yearlong fete of GJ celebrations, one of which is the groundbreaking of the new site (December 8), GJ Cup (January-February, 2008), GJ Summer Camp and Educational Tour, GJ Outreach Programs (2008), GJ 'Blue Nites' (2008), GJ Fiesta (September, 2008), and the GJ Grand Alumni Homecoming (December, 2008), among many others.
To note, the school is presently investing in the construction of its 7.5-hectare, P200-million worth new site at Brgy. San Rafael, Mandurriao, Iloilo City. Total completion of the whole Ateneo de Iloilo complex is estimated to happen in two to three year time. It targets to transfer its grade school department from the old to the new site in the middle of the next school year./Ripples