By: Izza Belle Basubas, Reigh John Bench Almendras
The Senior High School Freshmen undergoing the much-awaited Ritual. Photo from Letran SHS Dept.
The Colegio’s Manila Campus graced the senior high school students through its historical Binyag Arriba virtually via Facebook livestream and onsite on Friday, August 12, 2022.
Binyag Arriba is an annual tradition of the Colegio to welcome fresh and new students to be full-blooded Letranite. Both grades 11 and 12 are encouraged to join this remarkable event to experience the Arriba spirit.
The Colegio de San Juan de Letrán – Senior High School Department prepared virtual activities while utilizing social media platforms to give the students a more enjoyable experience and for it to be one of the most significant journeys in the Colegio.
Vice President for Academic Affairs Cristina Castro-Cabral welcomed the students and encouraged them to showcase their acquired skills in the past two years. She also explained what it is to be experienced in Letran and encouraged the students to participate in extracurricular activities to have a remarkable adventure in the Colegio.
The Principal for Senior High School Eric Awi presented the faculty with their respective schedules and contact details. It is part of the department’s reflection of commitment to maintaining an open line policy for its students as they transition to a hybrid form of learning where there shall be onsite classes and synchronous classes simultaneously executed.
The Campus Minister Michael John Maglaque then presented the Colegio's Mission and Vision. He also compared them to a mantra that must always be applied in everyday life and serve as a reminder of the duties and responsibilities of a Letranite - must be for Deus, Patria, and Letran.
Director of the Community Extension Department, Asst. Prof. Leo Barnadas discussed the significance of community engagements of a Letranite. He urged the students to be Catholic in their ways (for Deus), who are willing to serve the community (for Patria), as Letranites (for Letran).
The Guidance, Counseling, and Testing Department then discussed their involvement in the students’ promotion of well-being. The department emphasized the confidentiality of counseling sessions and their determination to help senior high school students to navigate possible careers after graduation.
The Crisis Management Committee, headed by Asst. Prof. Catherine D. Sanchez, RChe, MEN, and the administrators of the Senior High School Department also discussed measures to be followed during onsite classes. The guidelines were modified based on the needs of the pandemic where minimum health standards are taken into consideration. Additionally, all senior high school teachers are trained to use the Google Suites through Letran Catalyst to ensure productive Let’s Flex Hyflex implementation in senior high school.
In between the activities, the respectful staff of the Colegio de San Juan de Letran Senior High School Department speaks about the various opportunities that the Colegio can provide to new Letranites.
Ms. Monique Molina introduces the clubs that will accept the freshies with open arms. Registrations of all clubs are available for the new students to enhance their passion with the help of those clubs.
Ms. Desiree Castillo discussed the disciplines and guidelines senior high school students must follow in the Colegio. She highlighted the Hyflex modalities applied in the SHS department, which require the student to attend on-site classes four times a month. Sanctions are given to students that will participate in on-site classes even if it's not in their schedule. The Colegio still uses synchronous and asynchronous modalities, and students may refer to the handbook and their respective advisers for the other rules and guidelines.
Games were held in between the sessions, and Impresarios Guild and other senior high school student groups performed to entertain the new set of senior high school students.