Candle Pen has earned its ticket for the first time to the National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) which will be held on February 2020 at Tuguegarao City in Cagayan.
Patrick Gabriel U. Lo, the school paper’s editor-in-chief, took home second place for the news writing English category where he battled out with 180 contestants from 18 city divisions of the National Capital Region during the Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) last October 8-11, 2019.
Previously, Lo bagged 9th place during the division level of the competition in Makati City. He qualified to the RSPC as the top 10 of each category are permitted to join.
Before the contest, Lo underwent writing trainings organized by the Schools Division Office of Makati City, together with other RSPC qualifiers, in order to develop their writing skills.
“The recognition came as a surprise,” Lo shared. “The data sheet was three pages long, more than the usual trainings I have with Sir Laurence or with the other RSPC qualifiers of Makati.”
He also described himself as a dark horse, as he unexpectedly ranked higher in the RSPC compared to other co-contestants for the said category from Makati City.
Lo is currently training for the highest journalism competition in the Philippines together with his trainer Mr. John Laurence Guzman.
Guzman, who serves as the Publications and Communications Officer of the school and the club moderator of Candle Pen, was once a qualifier to the NSPC in 2006 for the news writing English category.
Aside from Lo, two other Candle Pen members joined the RSPC.
Kobe Andre Ho and Hannah Moriah Tayzon, managing editor and chief photographer respectively, battled in Editorial Writing (English) and Photojournalism (English), after winning second and first place in the division level.
Candle Pen’s victory in the division and regional levels of the press conference is a blessing to Makati Hope Christian School on its first time in the contest.
Story by Jasmine Kimberly Ngo
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