‘Dream weaver’ principal gets top award

For encouraging students, some as young as five years old, to "think big" and imagine what they want to be when they grow up, Dr. Anicia Alvarez has been recognized as one of the top 10 outstanding principals in the country.

Alvarez established "dream weaver" activities, in which students learn to apply critical thinking, creative skills and interpersonal relationships to a variety of occupations in various industries.

"We ask our pupils to dream, think of the future. As early as five years old (those in kindergarten) may want to become nurses. Some want to become mayors, others want to enter the Navy. To further encourage them in pursuing their dreams, we arrange visits to hospitals, to the office of the mayor," she said.

Alvarez has a reputation for spearheading educational reforms. She adopted Howard Gardener’s Multiple Intelligence theory and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 21st century education principles as the cornerstones of Hansel and Gretel Early Childhood Education Center.

Alvarez and nine other principals from different regions were honored as exemplary educators with the "Gintong Ilawan," or the Teodora Alonzo Educator’s Award, during simple ceremonies at EDSA Shangri-La Plaza Hotel in Mandaluyong City yesterday afternoon.

Gintong Ilawan is an annual nationwide search for the country’s most outstanding female principals.

For the past 17 years, the Department of Education (DepEd) and Avon Philippines has been honoring 10 outstanding female principals from the private elementary schools.

Apart from receiving accolades, each Gintong Ilawan awardee also receives a prize package that includes undergoing a special management course called Principal School Management Program (PRISM) at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), a cash prize of P50,000, a medallion of excellence and a study grant courtesy of the Department of Education and a sculpture by renowned artist Dr. Ton Raymundo.

Louie Migne, Avon’s corporate communication head, said this year’s winners share the common goal of modernizing the country’s educational system "while instilling the joy of learning and the passion for excellence in every graduate."

"And with the rapid changes and increasing competitiveness brought about by globalization, today’s younger generations are truly fortunate to be mentored by such innovative, idealistic and inspiring educators," Migne added.

Along with Alvarez, other outstanding principals are Georgina Alipio of the Cordillera Autonomous Region; Mildred Ancheta of Central Luzon; Loreta Cepriaso of the Ilocos Region; Sr. Miluna Cielo of Cagayan Valley; Maria Bella Hernandez of National Capital Region; Perla Kwan of Southern Mindanao; Sr. Zenaida Mofada of Region 12; and Linda Orduña of CAR.

Moving to La Trinidad as a young wife and teacher, Alipio personally witnessed the town develop from a small farming community to a fast-growing urban center as she headed the Little Flower Children’s Home Foundation.

Alipio has made it her mission to help the children of La Trinidad adjust to a new way of life, while imparting the importance of traditional values and culture.

One of Alipio’s noteworthy projects is the Global Family Ties, which fosters a sense of security and understanding for children of overseas Filipino workers, in which children of OFWs were made to understand why their parents had to leave and work abroad.

Alipio said maps are set up and children asked to put dots to indicate where their parents work and where they themselves are.

"Through regular updates and sharing sessions, the Little Flower community learns about life abroad, while giving OFW parents the opportunity to participate in their children’s school activities," she said.

Under Ancheta, Wesleyan University-Philippines holds the distinction of being the first school in Central Luzon to integrate hearing-impaired students into mainstream classes.

Pioneered by Ancheta, Support for the Handicapped and their Rehabilitation through Education (SHARE) is unique in that it provides basic education and complementary job skills training such as silkscreen printing, candy making, and most recently, practical dental technology. The 22-year-old program has successfully produced graduates who have gone on to tertiary education, some of whom have even ventured into the teaching profession.

Because the primary school campus is located within a low-cost resettlement area for migrants, Ancheta was aware of the need to provide these special classes at no cost, and is constantly lobbying for funds to support SHARE scholarships. The program has also expanded its operations beyond the university’s Cabanatuan City campus to a community-based center in Talavera, Nueva Ecija.

‘Hands-on principal’

Few schools can boast of the personalized attention that Cepriaso gives to the students of BHC Educational Institution — all 990 of them. A hands-on principal, she makes it a point to talk to parents during the enrollment period and monitors students’ academic and behavioral performance by making regular classroom visits throughout the schoolyear.

Cepriaso also involves herself with various civic organizations in San Fernando City, La Union. This involvement has been crucial to the success of BHC’s outreach activities. The school has effectively organized feeding programs, consistently supported the local government’s educational thrusts through teacher-training seminars and literacy programs, and was instrumental in making San Fernando the "Most Child-Friendly City" in the Philippines for the past two years.

As the head of a small, private missionary school in Sta. Teresita, the youngest municipality of Cagayan Province, Cielo understands that her students’ future is equally dependent on the quality of the education they receive and the development of the community.

St. Francis Academy, where Cielo works, is known for initiating literacy programs and income-generating projects in its adopted barangay of Caniuagan, as well as organizing charitable missions to a nearby Aeta community.

To make sure that qualified children from low-income families get the education they deserve, Cielo tirelessly sought out scholarship funds from non-government organizations, most notably the Enfants Du Mekong, a French non-government organization that has since supported 53 scholars, and assisted an additional 20 students of St. Francis Academy.

Foremost among Hernandez’s achievements in her 15-year stint as principal of Las Piñas City’s Mary Immaculate Parish Special School is the restructuring of its curriculum, making it the first parochial school in Metro Manila to accommodate children with special needs and learning disabilities.

She has also initiated an educational outreach program benefiting almost 200 pre-school pupils and 50 adult high school students.

Kwan is living proof that great teachers make a lasting impression on their students. A preschool teacher and administrator at the Ateneo de Davao University for 27 years before establishing Precious International School of Davao, Kwan has gained the lifelong respect and regard of her former students, whose own children now make up 80 percent of PISD’s total student population.

Barely seven years old, the school has become one of the most successful learning institutions in Davao City, producing very proficient English speakers and Mindanao’s top math and science scholars. The PISD community nurtures more than just students — it also has skills training and livelihood opportunities for nannies and non-working mothers.

Kwan also established the Davao Precious Faculty and Staff Association (DPFSA), a financial "support group" offering micro-loans and affordable interest rates to its members. Her pioneering efforts have not gone unnoticed. In 2005, PISD was named the Most Effective Private Elementary School in Region 11.

The dedication and vision shown by Mofada, the youngest among this year’s batch of outstanding principals, far outweighs the number of years she has been in the education profession.

Very tech-savvy, Mofada has modernized Notre Dame-Siena School of Marbel, upgrading the school’s computer laboratories and integrating information technology in all aspects of learning — from instructional preparation and data processing for faculty members, to research resources for its students.

Nadera has spearheaded educational reforms at the Dole Philippines School in Polomolok, South Cotabato. With a population consisting of the children of Dole Philippines’ middle- and upper-management executives — and a distinguished history as one of the country’s premier educational institutions — DPS offers a specialized curriculum, and has a high level of expectation for its students.

As headmistress of Baguio Achievers Academy, Orduña aims to create and foster an environment for work and learning, in which a student can achieve a level of comfort with themselves, other people, and the environment and culture to which they belong. As such, BAA’s approach to learning emphasizes holistic development in which the school, family and community contribute to the children’s education.