PATRICK Gabriel Lo is an alumnus who studied in Makati Hope Christian School for 13 years. Not only was he the editor-in-chief of the school’s official student publication, Candle Pen, but he was also the valedictorian of the 2020 Trojans batch. He is currently a first year student of Business Economics at UP Diliman.
Fruits of labor
Over his years of studying in Makati Hope, Patrick recalled some of his favorite school events. Some of which were the back-to-school parties, teachers’ day programs, and the overall hustle of performance task weeks.
“I guess, for the most part, I enjoyed those events because having been part of the Student Council, I was able to see the tangible fruits of my and orgmates’ hard work.”
He also mentioned that the fondest memory he had with the school’s teachers and personnel were the training sessions he had with the faculty.
“The rush that the contests and contest preps gave me was very memorable. It taught me to become resourceful and diligent.”
A year to remember
After spending most of his life as a part of the MHCS community, Patrick has certainly left the school with his share of unforgettable moments. But when asked about his most noteworthy one, he said that it would undeniably be his experiences during the senior year.
“Having led the Debate Society and Candle Pen taught me more about the world and the sport of writing, speaking, and persuading. It taught me that no matter the academic standing, there are still things that have yet to be explored in the world. It was a ride that opened my eyes and at the same time humbled and grounded me to the greater landscape of the academy. At the end of it, I learned that winning competitions were very fulfilling (I’m not even kidding). Winning pushed me to improve my craft as a writer and a public speaker. But the process of training also taught me several hard and soft skills that are helping me in university.”
Advice for graduating students
Senior life can often be filled with sleepless nights and never-ending tasks. As someone who has successfully walked that path and come out with several achievements, Patrick shared some advice to the current Grade 12 students.
“I advise the graduating students to make the most of the MHCS education. Being a small school, there might not be enough resources however, I reckon that your MHCS education is what you make out of it. Being in a very conducive and friendly community that leverages you to explore different possibilities to hone your skills and to push for a cause. You can look at every corner of the school and each person is just filled with so much talent and mastery of his/her craft. So, I challenge its members to tap into that and live out lifelong learning.”
“To the MHCS Community, I want to thank you for helping me become the person that I am today. From my primary years wherein my decisions can be swayed by adults, I thank you for swaying me to choose the right decisions. To always choose to do good. To always choose the path that glorifies God with excellence and stewardship. Thank you for showing me that my value system would help anchor me to what I want even in a bigger world."
Story by Eunso Im and Faith Ongaria
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