A school is a second home to all students. Southville International Schools and Colleges (SISC) is and has been a firm believer in the idea of “MY SCHOOL, MY HOME,” and thus strives to create a place where learners are safe, protected, cared for, and comfortable. SISC has turned to Generation Global, an international programme specializing in dialogue via videotelephony, as an upholder to these beliefs. It aims to develop the interpersonal skills of global students by providing a safe and open-minded environment for students to share their opinions, and strengthening students’ character through a deeper understanding of themselves and their community.
In line with the missions of the school and of GenG, SISC virtually participated in the 2022 SGENeration Global Dialogues (SGENG) — an exclusive inter-school conference for the Southville Global Education Network (SGEN) — last November 7 to 11 through Zoom. Students from SISC, South Mansfield College, Stonyhurst Southville International School-Batangas, Stonyhurst Southville International School-Malarayat, and Asian SEED Academy of Technology exchanged their opinions and views on societal and existential topics in the third SGENG.
The Mover has reached out to the teacher-moderators and four student-participants of SISC’s delegation for their thoughts and experiences throughout this year’s dialogues.
Student empowerment
Prior to SGENG, the Social Living and Global Education (SLGE) Department established the SISC GenG Club to train Monarchs for international dialogues while teaching them about societal issues. Due to the sudden shift in learning environment posed by COVID-19 restrictions, the club has since then helped participants prepare for SGENG. For its third iteration, the GenG Club's new pair of moderators made a milestone — the club was now student-led, with Monarchs taking the helm to train dialogue participants.
Sir Cedrick Velasco, one of the current club moderators, said that encouraging students to engage in topical discussions was breath of fresh air, emphasizing that student engagement leads to student empowerment. He added, “It encourages student leadership and high involvement of students in school clubs and institutional activities.”
His co-moderator, Ms Majah Montinola, recognized the strengths of her students as committed explorers willing to escape their comfort zones to unleash their fullest potentials as student leaders. She remarked, “I envision all of [SISC’s delegation] as future trainers and leaders of the next batches to come. [In] this club, every member is a leader.”
Ms. Majah also hoped that through the training of SISC’s delegation for SGENG, the GenG Club would gain exposure and be recognized as a life-changing experience.
‘An insightful experience’
Tenth-grader Liam Daniel Mead mentioned that through the communication opportunities provided by SGENG, he was able to network more with his peers. He remarked, “I've always wanted to branch out and meet as many people as possible, and this conference gave me the opportunity to do that!” His batchmate, Ryza Boco, commented that she approached the discussion prompt given to them by researching and surveying it first. She added that she “also interacted with the other schools by acknowledging their answers and expounding more on their ideas.” “I wanted to join Gen G because it involved discussions about societal issues, which is something I am greatly interested in,” said Grade 11 participant Nathan Dichupa. He added that he desired self-expression to promote his beliefs and healthy cooperation with his peers. Eighth-grader Alarice Laraño, when asked about the skills required for her role and which role she found most challenging, said she strived to be a keen speaker while sharing her thoughts and perspectives. She explained, “Making sure my voice was loud enough to be heard and being an excellent speaker that captured the attention of the audience was the most challenging part of my role.” She added, “It was an insightful experience and I enjoyed it very much. I found that listening to the many different perspectives made me understand the topic in a unique and different way.”
About the authors:
Charis Kim is a grade 10 student who loves to meet new people and learn more about them. She aims to raise the voices of people in need of help by writing and drawing. She also loves to write and draw about the events that happened in school and outside of school.
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