On February 8, 2025, student leaders gathered for an important session dedicated to assessing their first-semester performance. The session aimed to foster growth, drive excellence, and ensure that student governance remains both effective and active. The orientation began with an invocation, setting a serious yet encouraging tone for the event. It was followed by a fun and interactive icebreaker: a competition to build a tower using straws. Divided into random groups, everyone collaborated to design the sturdiest structure, which promoted teamwork and critical thinking in a lighthearted manner. Amid the fun, the leaders expressed their camaraderie and support as they cheered each other on.
James Joshua Yang-ed, the new SAS officer, welcomed the guest speaker, Miss Krisha Mae W. Bugaling. He gave a warm and insightful introduction, emphasizing Ms. Bugaling’s expertise in leadership and student engagement. The various school organizations eagerly awaited the valuable lessons she would share. Throughout her presentation, Ms. Bugaling stressed the importance of accountability, flexibility, and teamwork in student leadership. She presented key guiding principles to help student leaders become more effective in balancing tasks and addressing challenges faced by students. Her session was not theoretical but pragmatic, featuring real-life situations and solutions applicable to student governance. She also shared her own definition of leadership:
Pamumuno as a Seedling to a Tree – This leadership trait emphasizes that a leader is someone who is self-aware, which enables them to effectively guide and influence others. As she quoted from 1 Peter 4:10, when one receives a gift, they are to minister it to others. This is to “bear fruit” (John 15:16). From a tiny seed, a true leader grows into a mature tree capable of bearing fruit.
Pamumuno as a Servant Leader – A true leader is someone who lives to serve others, as she quoted from John 15:13, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
Pamumuno as Filling – This leadership trait highlights that a leader is someone who allows themselves to be filled, whether it’s with knowledge, direction, or motivation. A leader is a vessel that empowers others by being filled with such things. As she quoted from Proverbs 11:25, “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.” We all know that one cannot pour from an empty cup.
After the speaker’s session, student leaders participated in an in-depth performance review. This segment offered time for self-reflection and positive feedback, focusing on successes, areas for improvement, and planning for future projects. Through formal evaluations and discussions, student leaders reflected on their contributions to ensure their efforts aligned with the organizations and institution’s objectives.
The conference concluded with a collective commitment to ongoing improvement and leadership excellence. With renewed inspiration and clearer direction, student leaders left with a stronger sense of purpose, ready to face the challenges of the upcoming semester with resilience and creativity. #Jam Barredo
