Thursday, January 15, 2009 Pacete: SJA Alumni Homecoming By Ver F. Pacete As I See It
ST. JOSEPH Academy in E.B. Magalona will have its 40th Alumni Homecoming on Jan. 24, 2009. This event is hosted by Batch '84 under the leadership of Mary Jean Delgado Lapore, coordinator, and Arnaldo Banzanas, class president.
Mary Jean who was once featured by SJA's "the Torch and the Cross," official school magazine, is now on top of the fund raising campaign in the roofing of the multi-purpose court in front of the school stage. This infrastructure has been considered a vital project initiated by a group of alumni at St. Joseph Academy.
Even the association of schools under the Diocese of Bacolod has considered this undertaking a vital achievement, which has not been done in other parochial schools.
Anyway, the soft-spoken-still beautiful Mary Jean (now a wife and a mother of wonderful children) humbly admits that Batch '84 was able to make it because of the support of her classmates and other SJA Alumni.
SJA graduates from 1968 up to the present are invited to attend this homecoming based on the theme, "Sa SJA, Kay Sarap Balikan Ng Pinagsamahan." Of course, a Saraviahanon knows that St. Joseph Academy as a parochial school was established through the efforts of its founder Msgr. Isidro U. Dormido and the Dominican Sisters.
The pioneer graduates still remember Sr. Ma. Phelomina (the principal), Sr. Agustina, Sr. Ruth, Mr. Felipe Peñaranda, Miss Rosita guintapanan, Mr. Leonardo Victoriano, Fr. Benoni Patoza, Sr. Raymund, Miss Eden Ramos, Sr. Angelica, Fr. Rodolfo Pacheco, Miss Nelly Matulac and some teachers who stayed there for a year or two.
And the host class would also be honoring their teachers who made their four-year stay in the campus memorable or miserable. The darling of the group was Evalyn Rodriguez who contaminated her students with an 8-hour smile oozing from her dimples. Georgina Gulmatico was a wizard in Math and Science. She is now the principal. Carmenia Sermona was a wonder lady in Social Studies.
Worth mentioning are Nelieta Durana for Wikang Pambansa, Joyce Concel for Science, Enriqueta Alcallaga for English, Romela Manolo for Practical Arts and the ever-dashing Ramon Combite, the CAT 1 Commandant.
Batch '84 will never forget Sr. Ma. Asuncion (the principal), Sr. Ma. Estelita and Sr. Ma. Catherine. With my students, I also haven't forgotten what we did in Pop. Ed., English and Social Studies. I enjoyed our band and school publication. I loved weekend jam sessions, excursions and scolding by other people older than us.
Outlined activities for the day include a Holy Mass at 7:30 a.m. with alumni Fr. Bert Carillo and Fr. Belarmino Obordo to be followed by the blessing of the covered court. The parade will start at 8:30AM and a feeding program and gift-giving will be facilitated to the children.
Fun games will be at the court, picture galleries will be judged, outstanding alumni will receive certificates of recognition, raffle tickets will be drawn, symbolic keys turned over and food shared.
The fun-filled day will shower prizes to winners of "Beat-A-Batch, Win-A-Bunch" (award for over-all winners in parade, attendance, performances, ticket-selling, games, gallery and production number)... Ten thousand pesos is waiting to be shared.
Many are expected to receive citations and recognition awards - alumni who have rendered outstanding and meritorious service to SJA, those who served the alumni association, and those who have offered pioneering and innovative services and teachers who served the school creditably for 20 years or more.
Those who qualified for the awards have been nominated by their school or batch mates and screened by the Awards Committee.
Saint Joseph Academy 40th Alumni Homecoming is not just a gathering of classmates who made themselves grandparents and parents but also a showcase of how successful classmates care and help classmates who are still struggling to find their fortune in society.
Doctors, nurses, priests, teachers, businessmen, professionals, laborers, soldiers, policemen, politicians and the jobless will be there as one Jospehian community.
Congratulations, SJA alumni. We will show to the world that we have a purpose in coming. We are united. We care for each other. SJA is our house, our home, our sanctuary. In here, we have food for the body, fire for the heart and music for the soul.
