HI-LITES h
FOR THE STUDENTS. BY THE STUDENTS.
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news\
ashs sanggu launches sandigan
features\ meet the strand vice chairs
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OUTRAGE OVER DELOS SANTOS DEATH
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EDITORIAL\ EMBRACING AFFECTION IN THE SHS
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PROBE\
SEPTEMBER 2017 - Vol 69, No.2
Ateneans express indignation over war on drugs Sino ang lalaban? Tayo ang lalaban! On August 23, the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) community held protests to express indignation over the recent extrajudicial killings in continuation of the bloody War on Drugs. “Sino ang lalaban? Tayo ang lalaban! Ang tao, ang bayan, ngayon ay lumalaban! Tama na, sobra na, stop the killings!” shouted the Ateneo Senior High School (ASHS) students at the Indignation Rally held during recess. Led by the President of the Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral ng Nakatatandang Mataas na Paaralang Ateneo de Manila (Sanggu-SHS), the SHS community flocked to the foyer and chanted protests denouncing the killing of Kian delos Santos. Kian delos Santos was a 17 year old grade 11 student who was believed to be a drug courier for his father and uncle. He was killed by three gunshots fired by policemen and a victim of a drug operation in Caloocan City. Official statements from police reports say that Kian fought back and fired the first shot despite footage from the CCTV cameras in the area showing otherwise. The Vice President of the Assembly of Class Officers (ACO),
gave a speech during the recess assembly, expressing her thoughts regarding the recent killings. “I’m shaking right now as I say this,” she says with a measured tone. “7,080 is the total number of people killed in the War on Drugs since July 1, 2016. 2,555 suspected drug personalities [have been] killed in police operations as of January 31. Maybe the reason why we’re here now in solidarity is for us to reflect on these numbers,” she said. “As I’m speaking now, we do not know how many people are being killed on the streets.”
She was followed by the Executive Secretary of the Sanggu, who led a prayer. After which, a spoken word artist from Pugad Literary Folio performed a piece taken from their issue. The rally at the SHS ended with the singing of “Bayan Ko,” which the community sung while clenching their right fists up in the air.
“Karapatan ng mamamayan, ipaglaban!”
A similar mobilization also took place at the Loyola Schools during
STUDENTS ATTENDING THE SANGGU MOBILIZATION IN THE SHS LOBBY Photo by Shawnn Nadurata
the afternoon of that same day. Organized by the members of the Ateneo de Manila University Sanggunian (ADMU Sanggu), several Loyola Schools (LS) and SHS students gathered in front of the Manny V. Pangilinan Center. “Kailangan natin galangin ang buhay ng ating kapwa,” (We have to respect the life of others.) said LS Sanggu Vice President in his speech before the mobilization proceeded to Gate 2.5. Students, clad in black, bore black flags while marching within the LS campus before heading outside the gate. “Busina! Busina! Para sa hustisya!” the mob chanted on the Katipunan sidewalk and encouraged drivers to honk their horns in solidarity. Speeches and words of encouragement were given by the different members of the ADMU Sanggu. Sanggu-SHS President, was also given a chance to give a statement at the LS Rally. “Hindi ito ang kultura na gusto nating ipairal.” (This is not the kind of culture we want to encourage.) The mobilization concluded at UP Diliman where supporters lit candles along the UP Oval.
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ASHS Sanggu launches Sandigan
Sports
by Justin Jimenez Ateneo Senior High School Sanggunian President Jb Bejarin launched Sandigan last August 15, Tuesday, following the Mass of the Assumption. Sandigan is a culture building program in line with the Ignatian Core Values of Magis (more), Cura Personalis (care for the whole person), and Mens Sana in Corpore Sano (a sound mind in a sound body). This program aims to allow students to help in various specific causes that the Sandigan vies for. In addition, Sandigan aims to uphold the Atenean Core Values of being men and women of the 5Cs and being persons for others. In line with this, the students were invited to join one of the four committees. Sign-ups were made available both manually in the ASHS Foyer and online last August 16 to August 25. The following are the committees and their primary objectives respectively:
Eagles bow
down to Archers in
PRADA
Basketball by Dom Aumentado and Vito Martin, 11-Nakaura
Kanlaon
(Committee on Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction): to cultivate a culture of preparedness and resiliency by propagating critical information about the natural and manmade events that disrupt the life of a community.
Lakambini
(Committee on Gender Sensitivity): to perpetuate the value of equality amongst genders, through student engagement in relation to pressing social issues.
Matanglawin
(Committee on Environment Sustainability): to respond to the ever-growing issues concerned with the state of our environment, and erase the culture of environmental neglect amongst students.
Mapulon
(Committee on Physical and Mental Health): to promote mental and physical health through advocacies that raise awareness and instill the value of optimal well-being in all aspects.
These committees are all expected to uphold their objectives through various projects and programs that the ASHS Community can look forward to in the upcoming months.
#SeniorHighStrong #SANGGUTayo
Ateneo Debaters score 3-peat in IDeA Lite
by Liana Apostol, Ryan Oquiza and Matthew Varona The Ateneo Senior High School (ASHS) Debate Varsity were crowned champion at the Interscholastic Debaters Association (IDeA) Lite Invitation Tournament last September 2-3, 2017 at the AJHS Instructional Technology Center and ASHS Building. This marks ASHS Debate’s third consecutive championship and sixth overall championship in seven years of competing in IDeA Lite. This is also the first time ASHS has won Lite with a co-ed pair. ASHS Debate’s team of Niña Diño (11-Owen, STEM) and Pep Danguilan (12-Walpole, STEM) also known as ASHS A, were hailed as the champions. In addition to winning the tournament, Danguilan was also awarded Best Speaker of the final round. In the finals, ASHS A successfully defended the
motion, This house believes that progressive liberals in the Philippines should ally with the Catholic Church in the campaign against Duterte. ASHS B, Miguel Sulit (12Kibe, HumSS) and Patrick Javier (12-Denn, GA), also reached the finals of the tournament. The other two teams in the finals were from Xavier School and DLSU-SHS. The rest of the contingent put in a strong performance as well. ASHS D, composed of Alaine Gosyco (11-Angelis, ABM) and Tim Gamez (12-Navarro, HumSS), bowed out in the semifinals to the two other ASHS teams on the motion, This house would ban religious leaders from endorsing candidates during elections. Miguel Yulo (12-Walpole, STEM) and Lyrah Lapid (11-Hurtado, HumSS) of ASHS C ranked 25th in the tournament, ending as reserve
breaks just one rank away from competing in prequarterfinals. The debaters also bagged several individual awards. Danguilan secured the 3rd Best Speaker award, while Gosyco and Yulo tied as 7th Best Speakers of the competition. IDeA Lite is an annual debate tournament where debate novices from junior and senior high schools from all over Metro Manila compete against each other in the British Parliamentary format. On the first day of IDeA Lite, three preliminary rounds were held, pitting teams against each other in a round robin format. The top 24 teams from these rounds advanced to break rounds, beginning with pre-quarterfinals. Teams were eliminated every round until the grand final, where one team was named the winner by a panel of judges. The ASHS Debaters are moderated by Ms. Amyrrha Estolloso and coached by Miguel Ventura, Mahar Mangahas, Isaac Lee, Drico Ramiro, Red Nadela, and various other AHS alumni.
Last August 19, the Ateneo Juniors Basketball Team failed to catch up with a dominant La Salle Green Hills side in their PRADA fixture at the latter’s St. Benilde Gymnasium, falling 6760 at the final buzzer. The Archers got off to an early lead in the first quarter trudging on to an eight-point advantage inspired by the stellar attacking display of La Salle’s Lennox Valenzuela. The Archers maintained their edge throughout the second quarter, finishing the first half with a confident 41-34 lead. Center Shaq Babilonia of 11-Perez described the first half as a game of momenta. “There were times na nasa amin yung momentum and we had good runs due to us applying pressure and forcing turnovers, pero they [La Salle] hogged the momentum because of our own numerous turnovers and them taking advantage [sic] immediately,” the big man said. Going into halftime, the Eagles were determined to get back on track as the said team made slight changes to its game plan. “Our offense wasn’t clicking,” said shooting-guard Joaquin Cortes of 11-Borgia, “so we aimed for defense, [and] set our traps well.” The halftime changes proved to be effective as the Ateneans got back into fighting form, cutting La Salle’s lead to a single point by the end of the third quarter. Refusing to give up their dominance, however, the unwavering Archers regained their advantage and proceeded to dismantle Ateneo’s resurgence during the final minutes, outscoring the Ateneans 13-7 in the fourth quarter and ultimately winning the game for La Salle, 67-60.
BUWAN NG WIKA AGOSTO 2017 nina Angelo Naorbe, Nicole Tong, at Carl Chan Itinampok ng pagdiriwang ng Nakatatandang Mataas na Paaralang Ateneo (ASHS) ng Buwan ng Wika, na pinamagatang Padayon: Buwan ng mga Wikang Katutubo, ang malawak na kulturang Pilipino sa pamamagitan ng iba’t ibang mga gawain at paligsahan.
ang mga nanalo
sa paligsahan PISTAMBAYAN Grade 11 1st - Tsuji (STEM) 2nd - De Brito (GA) 3rd - Wright (STEM) Grade 12 1st - Pro (STEM) 2nd - Xavier (STEM) 3rd: Walpole (STEM) KATUTUBO LIVE Grade 11 1st - Mayer (HUMSS) 2nd - Owen (STEM) 3rd - Gonzaga (GA) ORIGS GYUD Grade 12 1st - Gonzalez (GA) 2nd - Evans (GA) 3rd - Sullivan (STEM) HUGOT KATUTUBO Grade 11 1st - Tsuji (STEM) 2nd - Realino (STEM) 3rd - Owen (STEM) Grade 12 1st - Kibe (HUMSS) 2nd - Navaro (HUMSS) 3rd - Gonzalez (GA) BIHIS PINOY Grade 11 1st - Perez (STEM) 2nd - Owen (STEM) 3rd - Mayer (HUMSS)
Sinimulan ito sa Pistambayan, kung saan dinesenyuhan ng mga estudyante ang labas ng kanilang silid-aralan ng iba’t ibang dekorasyon at niresaykel o gamit na mga materyales. Ipinakita ng mga disenyo ang mga tampok at mahahalagang pook, pagkain, at piyesta sa iba’t ibang probinsya sa bansa. Pinaganda naman ng mga mag-aaral ang loob ng kanilang mga silid-aralan sa Hugot Katutubo gamit ang mga hugot at salawikain sa mga wikang katutubo tulad ng Chavacano, Ilokano, Bisaya, at marami pang iba. Nagtagisan din ang mga magaaral sa pagkanta ng mga awitin sa Awit Katutubo para ika-11 na baitang at Origs Gyud! para sa ika-12 na baitang kung saan mga kilala at orihinal na kantang may mga lirikong nasa wikang Tagalog at ibang mga wikang katutubo ang itinanghal ng mga mag-aaral. Bukod sa mga nasabing paligsahan, nagkaroon din sa unang palapag ng gusali ng ASHS ng pagkanta ng karaoke kung saan ang mag-aaral at mga guro ay umawit ng mga sikat na kanta bilang pagtangkilik sa OPM. Ang nasabing selebrasyon ay nagtapos sa Pinoytuntunan 2017 na ginanap sa binubungang palaruan noong ika-31 ng Agosto, 2017. Ang nasabing programa ay nagsimula sa isang pambungad na panalangin na pinamunuan ni G. Mark Joseph F. Purugganan ng
Grade 12 1st - Oldcorne (STEM) 2nd - Pantalia (STEM) 3rd - Gonzales (GA) MGA GURO
G. Danny Nacionales G. Barth Mariquit Gng. RJ del Campos Bb. Irish Digo SAYAW KATUTUBO HUMSS
Av Adriano, Aurora Tinio, Cla Ocampo, Dani Cabrera, Diego Redoblado, Gaby Marcial, Giland Lim, Jaz Gallos, Kyra San Juan, Patrick Ong, Monj Abuel, Sabrina Gosiengfiao, Teddy Perez, Theresa Largo, Tristan Lim, at Von Carolino
PAGHAHANDA SA PISTAMBAYAN Larawan ni Jim Dasal
MGA GURO SA KARAOKE Larawan ni Jim Dasal
Campus Ministry Office. Sinundan naman ito ng mga pambungad na salita ni Dra. Carmela C. Oracion kung saan ibinahagi niya ang ideya ng pagsulong paharap at pag-alis sa nakasanyan. Ibinahagi rin niya ang kahalagahan ng pagiging malay sa mga nangyayari sa bansa, tulad ng mga pagpatay sa ilalim ng kampanya kontra-droga. Nagkaroon din ng iba’t ibang aktibidad at patimpalak sa nasabing programa. Sa Sayaw Katutubo, nagtagisan ang mga strand sa pagsayaw ng mga katutubong kanta. Ipinamalas din sa nasabing programa ang kagandahan ng mga kasuotang Pilipino sa pamamagitan ng Bihis Pinoy kung saan pumarada ang mga estudyanteng suot ang katutubong kasuotan ng mga pangkat-etniko ng ating bansa.
Nagkaroon din ng pagparada ang mga guro mula sa Senior High School na nakasuot din ng mga sari-saring katutubong damit. Dagdag pa sa mga aktibidad na ginanap ay isang pagtatanghal mula sa Indak at sa UP Tugma na ibinida ang iba’t ibang instrumento at musikang Pilipino. Nagkaroon din ng malawakang pagsayaw ang buong Senior High School sa aktibidad na Hataw. Hindi nasayang ang paghihirap at pagsisikap ng mga mag-aaral sa panahon at pag-eensayo na kanilang ibinigay. Lalo pang naramdaman ng mga estudyante ang tuwa sa kanilang mga ginawa nang malaman nilang sila ay nanalo sa mga paligsahang naganap.
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ASHS welcomes newly elected
STRAND VICE CHAIRS
by Jacob Ugsimar
The Grade 11 students of the Ateneo de Manila Senior High School (ASHS) exercised their electoral rights as they took part in the Strand Vice Chairperson Elections held last August 7, 2017. The ASHS Commission on Elections (COMELEC) spearheaded in organizing all the activities and procedures under the said election. Weeks before the election, strand vice chairperson applications were officially opened to Grade 11 students who met the requirements set by the ASHS COMELEC. Approval letters were given out which eventually narrowed down the field into 11 aspiring candidates: 2 from the Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM) strand, 2 from the General Academic (GA) strand, 4 from the Humanities and Social Sciences (HumSS) strand, and 3 from the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strand. All were vying for the four posts representing each of the aforementioned strands. The allotted campaign period for the strand vicechairperson candidates
L-R: MRS. CZEL LACSON (ACO MODERATOR), ZARZA (HUMSS), GABATON (STEM), JULIA OCOMA (ACO VICE PRESIDENT), GOSYCO (ABM) AND LEGASPI (GA) by Mrs. Czel Lacson
was from July 27, 2017 until August 6, 2017. Candidates were allowed to produce campaign materials through print or digital media, subject to the approval of the COMELEC and the APSAF. The ASHS COMELEC, in coordination with the ASHS Debate Varsity Team and Hi-Lites+, also hosted the Town Hall Debates which occurred at
the ASHS Foyer last August 3 to 4, 2017 . The program provided an opportunity for Grade 11 students to know all of the candidates and their platforms better as they answered a wide range of questions from categories such as general issues within their respective strands, principles of leadership in the context of the Ateneo’s 5C’s, and candidate portfolio
focusing on specific fieldskills exhibited by students of their strand. The debates also served as an avenue for the candidates to reiterate their pledges and willingness to serve. Grade 11 students voted for their strand vice chairperson during the Moderator’s Inspection Period on August 7, 2017, Monday. The winners of the elections were announced the following day through the PA system. After garnering the most number of votes from their respective strands, Alaine Gosyco (55.35%) of the ABM strand, Bea Legaspi (53%) of the GA strand, Lea Zarza (39.02%) of the HumSS strand, and Mary Gabaton (37.10%) of the STEM strand were declared as the four strand vice chairpersons who will serve for this academic year. All of the elected strand vice chairpersons also happened to be female students, which signifies something historic for the ASHS in its relatively young coeducational status.
want to get to know your strand vice chairs? TURN TO FEATURES PAGE 5
HI-LITES+ garners highest points in dspc 2017 by Jacinta Pascual and Ryan Oquiza
From September 4 to 7, Hi Lites+ and new recruits, competed in the Division Level of the Secondary Schools Press Conference held at San Francisco High School, Quezon City.
This marks ASHS’s first time to compete in both the District and Division tournaments in Hi Lites+ history ever. In addition to this, it is the very first city-wide achievement for the school paper.
66 private and public schools from the 6 districts in Quezon City attended The other members of the contingent this event. who came from district also put in a strong fight as well. All the The press conference included contributions and awards garnered by keynote speeches from Vice Mayor the contingent led to our school paper Joy Belmonte, Mayor Herbert Bautista getting the most points overall. (in absentia, a proxy took his place), and a special video message from The winners will compete in the Vice President Leni Robredo. They all Regional level which would be held talked about being agents of positive later this month. change as journalists in the ever growing context of the Philippines. Photo by Ryan Oquiza
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS AND WINNERS Angelo Naorbe, 11-Hurtado 3rd Place (News, Filipino)
Keziah Pasion, 12-Carvalho 2nd Place (Features, English)
Jeanill Migraso, 12-Sullivan
3rd Place (Copyreading and Headlining, Filipino)
Florydayne Capio, 12-Sullivan 2nd Place (Science, English)
Jean Romano, 12-Sullivan 6th place (Science, English)
Franchesca Regala, 12-Kibe 2nd Place (Science, Filipino)
Ateneo de Manila Senior High School 1st Best Overall School
Getting to Know the Strand
Vice Chairs
by Camyl Fernandez and Denise So
her to run. She eventually applied after receiving motivation from her friends and family, particularly their class president, who backed her up during the entire campaign.
ABM
Alaine Milka C. Gosyco "ALaine" Tacloban, Leyte Aside from being an only child, an interesting fact about Gosyco is that her second name, Milka, comes from her dad’s nickname for her mom, Emily. She spends most of her time training with the debate team, but during her free time, she likes to surf the net and check social media. From homesickness to hectic schedules, Gosyco braves through
Most people do not know that Legaspi was a part of the Philippine Robotics Team. In addition to this, she was a national delegate for the International Robotics Olympiad in Beijing, China last 2016. During her spare time, she usually figure skates or does matter loading for debate.
believes that she is the polar opposite. Skeptical at first, Legaspi prayed to God for a sign to run, and in the morning of the deadline of submissions of application forms, Legapsi’s spirits were lifted by the three people she draws her inspiration from: Julia Ocoma, JB Bejarin, and Nicole Masagca. A series of fortunate events, hard work, and support from friends and family led her to earn her position. She admitted the event that all four girls would be elected seemed like an unreachable dream, but now she is amazed at the victory and calls it the “start of a new generation” and an empowerment for women in SHS. Although
Gosyco is overjoyed to see a representation of girls in an environment where boys are a majority. “I don’t think that our identities should hinder us from achieving our success as Atenean, because I think Ateneo is a community where people view us all to be equal,” she commented. Although the Vice Chair experience so far has been demanding and physically tiring, she says it has emotionally, mentally, and spiritually strengthened her. Gosyco’s
STEM
When asked about the origins of #MaryForYou, she said that two friends, a classmate and a dorm
the job of a Vice Chair tends to become overwhelming,Legaspi commented saying: “It’s hard but [it] also pushed me to be more conscious of my time management. I feel like the responsibilities of the Strand Vice Chairperson ironically taught me to become more responsible and conscious of my time.”
belonging and acceptance in the GA strand, embracing diversity and inclusivity. Legaspi thanks all her strand-mates for exercising their right to vote. As she says: “We’re in this together. Tayo na, we’re gonna prove that GA ay maGAling. Laban GA!”
TangGAp is the underlying principle of Bea Legaspi’s platforms, as she aims to create a culture of
#BeACHANGE
and new students. Reputably known with a heavy academic workload in the STEM strand, she visions to improve study halls to improve the standing of STEM mate, mentioned it on two separate students. occasions. Both encouraged her to use it as her campaign tagline. Furthermore, learnings are not only confined in the Senior Just as it says, Gabaton aims to High School. “I want STEM to use her position as Vice Chair go outside,” she says, as she to serve her fellow strandmates. also aims to give her fellow “STEM has the most number of strandmates an opportunity transferees,” Gabaton said, as to step out of the classroom she expressed her reason for through “field trips and career running and her desire to establish seminars.” unity towards removing barriers between homegrown Ateneans
strengthen bonds between her strandmates. Aside from that, she also explained the idea behind her outreach programs for women’s shelters and orphanages. “As a humanities strand, we have to see and experience what we’re studying about,” she says, and stresses the importance of education followed through with action.
LEA JULIANNE B. ZARZA "LEA" cainta, rizal
These guided her throughout her journey to becoming Vice Chair. Initially, she was skeptical about running, but she ultimately saw the deadline extension as a sign from God. She also thanks her class and classmates from her old school for supporting and As a student, she values time encouraging her throughout her management and asking for help. campaign.
Gabaton expressed happiness about the all-girl strand Vice Chairs. However, she also stressed the fact that gender does not matter--that the winners are all qualified in their own rights. “We are a team, we are one,” she said. She emphasizes the need for STEM to pull each other up instead of letting each other down. “As your team leader, I am here to serve you, so trust me, and I promise to do my best.”
Photo by Julien Natividad
Zarza wants to tell HUMSS that she is very impressed and proud because “the environment is really accepting.” Here, she never felt that her gender mattered or hindered. “I just hope it continues throughout the school year,” she says.
#ZarzaForHumSS ViceChair
Humss
“Apparently, in the first week of school, I gave off a vibe that I’m really organized, which I’m not.” Zarza laughs as she recounts her classmates’ surprise upon finding her awake at 2 a.m. finishing requirements. She says she often procrastinates because she helps her mom cook dinner and de-stresses by watching the Les Miserables movie. “You can’t work with people who you don’t know,” Zarza says, as she explains her goal to form and
#ABMFIGHT #GoSeeGOSYCO
BEA ALLISON B. LEGASPI "BEA" QUEZON CITY, ncr
MARY BEATRICE U. gaBaton "mary" Taytay, rizal #MaryForYou Gabaton has been a scholar for almost her entire life. A fun fact about her is that she no longer eats burgers due to a certain “troubling experience” that occurred. During her spare time, she likes to read or to check her social media accounts.
Gosyco’s movement is one that envisions the ABM strand to be gritty and resilient enough by teaching the students to have the strength, wisdom, and attitude to pursue a goal in times of difficulties and hindrances. To her strand mates, she wishes to remind ABM: “Before you give up, remember why you started.”
GA
“GA is a strand that chooses you,” Legaspi answered, when asked about her reasons for choosing GA. She says people often misconceive her as uptight and intimidating, but she
the storm in order to pursue the big dreams she has in store for ABM. When offered the position of class president, Gosyco declined, because she had a gut feeling that it was not for her. During the week of the submission of applications for Strand Vice Chair, she prayed for a sign that she was meant to run. On the morning of the deadline, she left her ID at home and decided that it was not meant to be. However, the APSAF announced the extension of deadlines, and she felt God urged
burning passion for student leadership is enough to start forest fires as she calls the Vice Chair position as “God’s calling.”
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A Scientific Guide to
Acing CETs
by Florydayne Capio, Carl Chan, and Justin Chua
If you’re going to take a college entrance test (CET), the first thing you should do is to stop studying hard. What you need to do is to study smart. With the annual Philippine college entrance exams looming over the calendar, students from every nook and cranny of the country are scrambling to get their hands on the best review materials and are looking into studying at the best review centers. Some of them are even planning to cram four to five years of their education in one week, or worse, one night of studying before the entrance exam testing dates. While all these measures might help them pass their tests, these won’t help them ace it. Thus, in order to ace your college entrance tests, here are certain things that will help you, which are all backed by science. If you’re planning on actually acing the test, the most crucial thing to do is to actually believe that you can and will ace the test. In New Thought Philosophy, the Law of Attraction means that if you believe in a positive thought, positive things will happen to you, and if you believe in negative thoughts, negative things will happen to you. However, you can’t just go about thinking that you’ll ace every CET. According to John Hargrave, author of the book Mind Hacking: How to Change your Mind for Good in 21 Days, while it is possible to achieve anything through thinking positively, you must imagine not only yourself achieving what you want, but also doing what you have to do in order to achieve what you want, because imagining the result immediately can possibly lead to complacency. For example, if you want to get into the Top 15 of the Ateneo College Entrance Exam, then you should visualize not only getting into the Top 15, but also imagining planning and studying for several weeks prior to it.
Digest what you’re reviewing-by digesting these You should not only believe in yourself that you can ace the tests; you should also ensure that you are well-nourished to properly begin studying. The food you eat while reviewing notes and while taking the test itself is helpful. A study conducted by Coreyann Poly, Joseph M. Massaro, Sudha Seshadri, et al. shows choline as a factor in the performance of a group of adults in varying memory tests. Thanks to its association with better memory, it’s a good option to consume food with choline. These include peanuts, dairy, greens, and seafood, among others listed by Oregon State University. Other helpful food include fruits, meat, and grains, which help provide energy to continue studying. These should be consumed in regular meals, with enough fluids to keep going. Also, give importance to breakfast; this will help not just in reviewing, but also on the day of the exam itself.
How to Hit the Books After building up enough self-confidence and getting enough nourishment, it’s time to actually start studying. In entrance exams, the questions are usually more about the understanding of the lessons rather than memorization. Thus, in order to be sure that you actually understand a subject, there is a technique called the Feynmann technique, popularized by reknowned physicist Richard Feynmann. First, you need to know what you want to learn. Write it down on a sheet of paper, and write down your previous knowledge about the subject as if you were teaching it to a child. If you struggle to explain some terms, then that means you have difficulty in those areas and those are the areas you need to improve on. Continue simplifying the subject until you can explain it to a child. In order to test whether you really have mastered the subject, then you should be able to teach it to someone.
Mental Sparring Just studying for everything, however, isn’t enough to ace the CETs: being aware of the structure of the test is just as vital to acing them. Each school has its own unique testing methods, and having knowledge of these methods will help make exam-taking a little more bearable. The best way to imbibe this knowledge of test structure is to take mock exams. Mock exams provide a form of mental training that takes into account the structure of the testing method, including the number of questions, time allotted, and the coverage of a particular exam. Researchers from Washington University have found that students who take mock exams after revising what they’ve learned perform significantly better than those who merely review what they’ve learned. This is most likely due to how mock exams induce a sort of “exam-mentality”; that is, more than testing your knowledge on the subject, they test how you are able to progress through different exam types and your ability to work under pressure. Doing your research on the exams of a particular school then creating and taking a mock exam patterned after it will help you get a feel of what you are about to take.
are in prime condition to take the test. To such a state, you need to get enough hours of sleep. The average adolescent aged 13 to 18 should get nine to 9 ½ hours of sleep. This, of course, is easier said than done as one of the most deciding moments of your life approaches closer day by day; with test anxiety having nagged at you for months, how do you make sure you get the right amount of sleep? Dr. Clifford B. Saper from the Harvard Medical School suggests getting into biorhythm a week before the test, with waking times being just around the same time you will be waking up for the big exam day to optimize academic performance. Your study schedule should match this, and it is advisable to study during peak hours when you feel the most energized, unless absolutely needed to catch up on sleep. Naps are not advisable, as they tend to meddle with your biological clock; Dr. Saper suggests using the bed for nothing more than a good night’s rest. So aside from naps, doing anything else like studying, watching movies, or browsing through social media while in bed is not recommended. To ease anxiety, warm baths and deep breathing help calm the nerves. If you’ve done all of these, you’re most probably more than prepared for the CETs. Indeed, CETs have been regarded
Recharge After studying for the CETs, it’s important to allow your mind to digest all of the information you put into it. This is the time when you should allow your mind to rest by meditating. According to a study in the University of California, just a few weeks of meditation training helped increase people’s focus and memory in the verbal reasoning section of their Graduate Reasoning Examination. Their score increased by 16 percentile points - which says a lot about the helpfulness of meditation. When you’re sure that all that you’ve studied has sunk into your mind, the last thing you should do is to ensure that you
as
difficult by several st udent s. However, with all of these preparations made, you’re prepared not just to pass, but to actually ace it.
THE OBLATION Photo by Benedicto de Jesus (taken from Flickr - all rights reserved)
How to
Train your Mind to Achieve Anything
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by Florydayne Capio
If you want to achieve anything, starting on it immediately may not be the best plan to go about it.
Photo by Jim Dasal
Blindly running into your life goals might render you unprepared for the hurdles that come your way. Those hurdles include external factors such as the environment, and internal factors such as your mindset, attitudes, and mental strength. However, the internal factors are the hurdles nearest your reach, thus it is vital to conquer them first. In order to conquer these internal hurdles, you must build a strong mind. But what exactly does it mean to have a strong mind? People with strong minds are those who do not easily give up despite the internal and external struggles they face. They do not easily fall prey to the temptations of fear, laziness, and procrastination. However, these temptations can be curbed by changing the way you do things. For example, you might be faced with the students’ usual problem: laziness. Students who are lazy often say that they do not have the motivation to finish their tasks and would rather finish it later, leading to cramming at the last minute. There are certain tasks that you may find too complex or difficult to even start doing, which you most likely would put off until later. One of the reasons as to why people procrastinate is because they want to do the task perfectly. Don’t get stuck thinking that you need to do the task perfectly; it just needs to be started. This boils down to the Zeigarnik effect, a psychological phenomenon where you are more likely to remember things that you have started on, even if you were interrupted while doing so. This means that, if you started on your homework, even if you get interrupted later on, it’s more likely that you’ll continue it because you keep remembering it. However, even after getting started with the task, it may still be difficult to keep motivated. This lack of motivation can be fixed by having a reward system for yourself as if you are in a game, rather than punishing yourself by regretting that you didn’t work so hard earlier. This is called gamification – the process of applying common game elements such as competition, scores, and
rewards to an activity to encourage people to engage in the activity. Gamification has been applied in certain studies to prove its effectiveness. In 2010, an experiment was conducted in Sweden, called the “Speed Camera Lottery,” where the researchers tried to alleviate the problem of overspeeding. In this experiment, the speed camera photographs speeders gives them a fine, and stores the money. Those who do not go over the speed limit, however, are entered into a lottery to win some of the money from the speeding drivers. The average speed before the experiment was 32 km/h, which reduced to 25 km/h after the experiment. This only proves how reward, rather than punishment, has greater influence on shaping human behavior. There are times, however, that you might find yourself very motivated to complete a certain task, but you are afraid to do it. For example, you are anxious because you have a public speaking contest which you have been preparing for over a course of five months. According to John Hargrave, author of the book Mind Hacking: How to Change Your Mind for Good in 21 Days, our minds are like computers, and we can reprogram our minds to erase our fears. Hargrave said that our fears stem from irrational beliefs about ourselves, and we should question these fears by asking ourselves why we are afraid of something. For example, if you are afraid of your public speaking contest, you ask yourself why you are scared. “I am afraid of public speaking
even after preparing for months – why?” “I am afraid because I am scared of being in front of people – why?” “I am afraid of people laughing at me – why?” “I am afraid of people laughing at me because I feel that I am not good enough.” The root of the problem usually has an “I feel” statement. In this case, you may not feel good enough – which is an irrational belief because there is no concrete and tangible proof that you are not good enough. Hargrave said that this can be compared to a defective loop within computer programming – this loop keeps repeating itself in your mind, which is why you feel fear, and thus, you should change this loop by affirming yourself. Hargrave suggests that every day, you should repeat to yourself the opposite of the defective loop. For example, if you feel that you aren’t good enough, you should say to yourself that you are good enough and can do better in everything that you do. Hargrave said he used to have problems with his relationships due to his “defective mind loops” and almost divorced with his wife because of his drug addiction. His defective mind loop was that he could not go on with life without drugs. He changed this loop by reaffirming himself. Now, he is a book author who continues to help people cope with their life problems. After conquering your mind, the next thing you should do is to conquer goals. You now have a mind fit to complete your tasks. This time, it’s actually the right time to start your tasks and achieve anything.
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PROTESTERS DEMAND JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS OF EJKS Photo by Jay Ganzon for the Manila Bulletin
PUBLIC OUTRAGE OVER DEATH OF KIAN DELOS SANTOS: FOR HOW LONG? by Niña Diño It was easy to shade the oval preceding candidate Rodrigo Duterte’s name in the May 9 presidential elections last year. It was easy to resent the cycle of poverty that had trapped so many Filipinos in, to abhor the crimes that had robbed families of the justice they deserved. It was easy to believe in a better system of governance, one that would finally speak for the poor and for those who had always been left behind. But when a 17-year-old boy earns a bullet to the head, it becomes difficult to continue believing in the promises made by the administration. On the evening of August 16, Kian Loyd Delos Santos was shot three times at the back of his head by police officials in an anti-drug operation in Caloocan City. According to PO3 Arnel Oares, he was forced to shoot the boy only because Delos Santos had shot first. It was unfortunate, though necessary as they claimed, to have taken the life of the young boy. A few days after on August 20, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald dela Rosa expressed his disappointment at the outcome of the anti-drug
operation, yet retained his stance that the operation was lawful and legitimate. Although he stated that Kian Delos Santos fell prey to his drug-using father and uncles by serving as their drug courier, the PNP Chief claimed there was still strong evidence that Delos Santos was a direct source of drugs. When the death of a high school student is condoned and dismissed as “isolated” by the very people who have sworn to protect the dignity and security of the country, it will become easy to do the same for the next person shot in cold blood. It is only during times as alarming and as bloodcurdling as these have we begun to question if the horrors that the administration has painted are as black and white as they initially seemed to be. While it is true that drug-related crimes have stolen the peace from so many homes and have created an environment that the ordinary Filipino is afraid of, where do we draw the line for knowing when enough is enough? Is giving police officers ammunition to consider the life of a 17-year-old boy as dispensable still a sacrifice
we are willing to make for the supposed peace that we will gain in return? Once this national headline passes, it will become easy to forget about Kian Delos Santos. It will become easy to stay silent, because the rage has cooled and settled. But the death toll will continue to rise, and it will include those who do not have CCTV cameras to prove their innocence, who do not have money for even a simple burial, and whose names will never
be brought to light. Kian Delos Santos was one of the thirtytwo minors killed in the war on drugs, and it is unlikely that he will be the last. For as long as we are silent, it will always be easy to dismiss the killings as an imperative tool in advocating for change. It will take more than a short-lived anger to recognize that perhaps it is still necessary to be vigilant of the system in place, no matter how much we had trusted it to begin with. When justice has
SOURCES Gavilan, J. (2017, Aug 20). CHR conducts own probe into Kian delos Santos' death. Retrieved from https://www. rappler.com/nation/179370-chr-investigation-kian-delossantos-death-drug-war Macapagal, M. (2017, Aug 20). Kian was 'drug courier' for dad, uncles: Dela Rosa. Retrieved from http://news.abs-cbn. com/news/08/20/17/kian-was-drug-courier-for-dad-unclesdela-rosa Talabong, R. (2017, Aug 20). How Kian delos Santos was killed, according to police. Retrieved from https://www. rappler.com/nation/179400-how-kian-delos-santos-waskilled-according-to-police Tupas, T. (2017, Aug 21). Autopsy shows Kian died of 3 gunshot wounds. Retrieved from http://newsinfo.inquirer. net/924361/breaking-kian-delos-santos-autopsy-reportgunshot-wound-killing-drug-war-head#ixzz4qOjvFhF5
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The Charlottesville Protests: Why, What Happened, and What Now by Rafael Ostrea Last August 11-12, a “Unite the Right” rally occurred in Charlottesville, Virginia that quickly turned controversial, in no small part due to not only the violence that occurred, but also the political message the protesters espoused. In the span of a single day, what was originally meant to protest against something relatively less innocuous turned violent and tragic. The protest started as one against the removal of a statue of the Confederate general Robert E. Lee (NYT 2017). On its own, this sounds like nothing ground-breaking. After all, it’s just a statue, isn’t it? What difference could it make whether it’s left there or not? After considering, however, what the statue celebrates and commemorates, this issue takes on a far deeper meaning. Robert E. Lee was a general in the United States Civil War on the side of the Confederacy, becoming famous for commanding the Confederate Army during the war. During the Civil War, the United States split into two factions over certain issues one of the most important being slavery - with the Confederate states being for the most part pro-slavery; their economy was reliant on the labour provided by slaves (History 2009). It is in this that the statue, for some, becomes problematic. Robert E. Lee became famous primarily for serving an institution that wished to retain slavery, as opposed to other prominent figures in US history such as George Washington who, while owning slaves, became famous for their other achievements. The argument in favour of removing the statue is that celebrating a man who became famous in history for his support of slavery was dangerously close to celebrating white supremacy. The “Unite the Right” protest that occurred became infamous as well due to the inclusion of notable white supremacist figures within its ranks, including members of the Ku Klux Klan and Neo Nazis, as well as its use
of racist and anti-Semitist learn from this incident and slogans. Protesters chanted prevent a similar tragedy from slogans such as “Jews will occurring in the future. not replace us” and called “UNITE THE out racial slurs at counterRIGHT” RALLY protesters. Certain rally-goers Photo by Evelyn Hockstein for also hailed notable violent The Washington Post white supremacists as heroes in their chants, particularly Dylann Roof, known for killing nine African Americans in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015 (Washington Post 2017). Unfortunately, it only gets worse from here. Violence broke out on both days of the protest, with projectiles and chemical sprays flying out from both sides. It is unknown which side instigated the violence, BLACK LIVES however, and police attempts MATTER to disperse the violence COUNTERPROTEST proved ineffective. The most Photo by Evelyn Hockstein egregious case of violence that for The Washington Post occurred was a car crash that, according to witness accounts, was deliberate. An alleged Nazi sympathizer drove his car into a group of counter-protesters, leading to nineteen injured and one fatality, a 32 year-old woman name Heather Heyer (Washington Post 2017). Even if this incident did not directly affect the Philippines, there are some valuable insights that can be taken from COUNTERthe protest and its fallout. First PROTESTERS of all, discrimination, racial or SLAMMED Photo by Ryan M. Kelly for otherwise, is still present in The New York TImes modern societies, and as such, one must be careful to maintain a basic level of respect for people from different cultures and societies. In addition to this, it is also notable how once violence was instigated, even with unknown perpetrators, the violence quickly spread and led to disastrous consequences. Violence from either involved party in a protest, and in other SOURCES situations as well, will lead History.com Staff. “American Civil War History.” History. to retaliation, thus the cycle com, A&E Television Networks, 2009, www.history. of violence continues until com/topics/american-civil-war/american-civil-war-history. a greater tragedy occurs, Accessed 23 Aug. 2017. therefore one should try to seek “How a rally of white nationalists and supremacists at the non-violent solutions whenever University of Virginia turned into a.” The Washington Post, possible to avoid this scenario. WP Company, www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/ Issues like these are not to local/charlottesville-timeline/?utm_term=.f9254aac4142. be brushed off as “someone Accessed 23 Aug. 2017. else’s problem”, as there are “The Statue at the Center of Charlottesville’s Storm.” always insights and lessons The New York Times, The New York Times, 13 Aug. 2017, that are applicable as well to www.nytimes.com/2017/08/13/us/charlottesville-rally-proPhilippine society. Hopefully, test-statue.html?mcubz=3. Accessed 23 Aug. 2017. the Philippines will be able to
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Embracing Affection
by Liana Apostol and Matthew Varona Carry an injured friend of the opposite sex to the infirmary? Scolded. Comfort a friend of the opposite sex by hugging? Sanctioned. Care about a friend of the opposite sex and show it through physical touch? Stigmatized.
Editorial Board
EDITORIAL Editor in Chief BGamby O ABautista R D co-editor in Chief JeanModerator Romano Mr. Enzo Pisig
Editor in Chief Gamby Bautista co-editor in Chief Jean Romano Associate editor Hanns Cruz Art by Lilac Fameronag
Time and time again, students have been reprimanded for apparent public display of affection (PDA), with blatant disregard for the context of the act. No matter the situation, one thing is certain: boys and girls shouldn’t touch each other. PDA is a vague, pointless, and poorly enforced policy in the senior high, with an unclear definition of what acts are considered PDA and what are not. But the issue here goes beyond the rule. At the end of the day, this is rooted in a problem of culture . After all, people aren’t born making malicious assumptions about male-female physical interaction. That sort of reaction is ingrained into people over time. It’s a habit learned through observation and influence from institutions. This promotes the notion that men and women can’t be friends and nothing more. The school’s PDA policy is partly to blame for this. All this talk about loving your neighbors and yet people still stigmatize caring for the opposite sex. Ascribing meaning to physical contact between the opposite sexes is unhealthy because it assumes that male-female relationships are always romantic in nature. How can you expect students to have platonic male-female relationships if you promote the idea that physical contact between the opposite sexes is always malicious? If anything, these backward policies further reinforce negative stereotypes about male-female friendships. It shouldn’t matter what your sexual orientation or gender is. Human relationships are diverse, and this means that people express affection, appreciation, and support in different ways. Some friends may feel more comfortable articulating these feelings through physical contact, in the form of hugs or other acts of endearment. But the meanings behind these acts will always vary from person to person. No single person or institution should have the right to determine an absolute standard for such a complex form of expression. It’s high time we acknowledged the different ways people express friendship. The Ateneo community should actively work together to destroy what mars the intimate act of physical contact between the opposite sex. We should aim to live in an environment where people are free to show affection and support for their friends, regardless of gender and sexual orientation, without assumptions being made about them. It’s time for us to break the stigma, one friend at a time.
Managing editor Jamila Domingo NEWS Department Jacinta Pascual Frans Regala FEATURES Department Keziah Pasion Beatriz Reyes Probe Department Migs Casanova Rafael Ostrea Art Department Raymart Santamaria Documentation Jim Dasal
CONTRIBUTORS Jimenez, Martin, Aumentado, Apostol, Naorbe, Chan, C. , Tong, Ugsimar, Fernandez, So, Oquiza, Chua, Chan, B. , Chan, CJ. , Tan, Alcantara, Tapia, Ostrea, Dino, Varona, Dasal, Nadurata
LAYOUT EDITORS Dane de Mata, Theresa Largo, Jean Romano, Raymart Santamaria, Nicole Yao
ARTISTS Lilac Fameronag, Tiffany Ng
GUNSLINGER It’s that time of the year again. You’ve got a whole bunch of Long Tests next week. You know what that means, don’t you? Studying, studying, studying, the bane of your existence. Why would you want to spend time actually *gasp* going over your notes, if you have them in the first place, or, God forbid, actually reading your textbooks? Who does that, right? There’s a movie you really want to watch instead this weekend, and a party you want to go to and get drunk at even if you’re underage. Worse than missing these, studying means you actually have to exert effort! Too much hassle for you to go through, am I right? But, what luck you have! Your friends are taking the Long Test before you! They’ll have your back. So you spend your week goofing off, watching that movie and getting hammered at that party. And when the next week comes, you pester your friends from other classes, bugging them about what the answers were to the Long Test, and have the gall to call them bad friends when they don’t give you what you want. How entitled of you. Who are you to just mooch off of these friends of yours? They actually had to study for the test simply because their class happened to be the first to take it. You’re just like a parasite, clinging on to people and profiting from their efforts without any effort on your own part. You’re not only a parasite, you’re an ingrate as well. Your parents paid hundreds of thousands of pesos for you to learn and study in the Ateneo, and what do you do with that? Instead of studying and trying to actually learn, you just get other people to feed you answers that, chances are, you won’t remember after the test. Who cares if you don’t actually learn anything in school? You don’t. After all, it’s not your money. To those who give the answers out freely, don’t think you’re getting off scot free either. If not for you, they wouldn’t be able to cheat this way in the first place. YOU enable this behaviour. YOU are responsible for this dishonesty. You go out of your way to remember the test questions or even steal extra copies to give out, which takes far more effort than just saying “no”. You’re no better than those who get the answers from you. Both of you disgust me. Neither of you even consider that your actions harm the entire student body, and those students who are honest, who work hard to learn, and who are far more deserving of their place here. When you get caught (yes, that’s when, not if), the teachers double down and make the next tests harder. It’s not all about you, you know. There are other people who suffer because of your actions. They don’t deserve to pay for your selfishness and laziness, not in the slightest! But they do. No matter how good you think you are at sneaking around, stealing questionnaires and sharing answers, justice will come back in the end. After all, all your cheating means you didn’t actually learn the material, and when exams come, you’re stuck staying up trying to understand what you should have mastered so many weeks ago. Your time will come, my friends, and it might come sooner than you think.
THE GUNSLINGER Art by Tiffany Ng
The views of the Buhay Atenista artist - who wishes to stay anonymous - does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Hi-lites+ and the Ateneo Senior High School.