Almost 14 years ago during a stormy weather in a humble school at the foot of Sierra Madre, I was given a golden ticket to the National Schools Press Conference. It wasn’t just a simple ticket but was a gold medal to the most coveted journalism competition for elementary and high school students.
The said award was a monumental moment for my home school as it was the first, and until now the only, time that our Elementary school was qualified to the national level. During that time, I was only 12 years old and a year old in the field of journalism.
Ever since my childhood, I have been enamored by the power of words. I could read for a whole day and a week long novels and long form stories without getting bored. The imageries of the wonderful stories are easily painted in my mind. It fascinated me as a child to see what the author wants to portray.
My beginning as a campus journalist was quite a roller coaster ride. My first try in the division level of news writing English was worth a sixth place, qualifying yet losing in the regional level. I was in grade 5 then.
The following year, I placed the same in the Division but was first in the regional. I was just so glad to even be part of the national level.
Since then, I have dedicated my time studying how professional journalists craft their articles. It took so many nights and so many scratch papers to finally improve my writing and develop my own style in writing. I’ve also learned to write other forms of journalistic articles.
This pushed me to take journalism as a degree in college. My parents, though quite reluctant to see me enroll in it because of the rampant killings of journalists few months prior to college enrollments, were so proud to see their child take an education in the field he loves most.
After four years and two newspaper companies, I have decided to try a career here in Makati Hope Christian School. Though I have some experience in handling college students who were interns in my previous work, teaching and training high school students was quite a challenge for me.
This is why Christmas came early for Candle Pen as its editor-in-chief Patrick Lo was able to take home second place in the same category I was able to win more than a decade ago.
It took me back to the time when I was the one training, competing, and writing. The lessons I’ve learned during those days are the very things I’ve shared to each campus journalist of MHCS.
The once student writing and winning is now a trainer for the new breed of campus journalists.
There is no such thing as a newbie writer in the world of campus journalism. With the right amount of dedication, passion, and drive, one can be successful in whatever field he chooses.
When I first trained Patrick, his writing was full of loopholes in terms of journalistic writing. He was a good writer but more of an academic writer. One by one, we turned his writing weaknesses into strengths in order to be ready for the school’s first try in DSPC.
His ninth place finish during that competition was never a block. In the weeks leading up to the RSPC, more rigorous trainings were undertaken.
And it paid off.
The recent victory not only of Patrick but of Kobe Andre Ho, Hannah Moriah Tayzon and Jose Mari Gabriel Tumanan in the field of journalism be an inspiration to other students and be a challenge to all writers to develop their talents, to face the competitions with a strong will and pave their own ways that the younger generations will look upon to.
Christmas is now just at the corner. As much as we want to receive gifts and surprises, one must always try his best and do what he can to receive the most unexpected gifts. More than the material things to have this Yuletide, may each reader be inspired to aim for things that last and leave a lasting legacy that others will look upon.
Story by John Laurence Guzman
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