The Culminating Program

On May 18, 2024, the Saint Madeleine Sophie Foundation (SMSF) had its Culminating Program. The children were joined by the parents, the volunteers,  RSCJs, and other visitors. The SMSF staff were very excited and busy helping the children prepare for the presentations for that day. The program featured the  learning experiences and the confidence gained by the children during their stay at the SMSF in the school year 2023-2024.

The day was meaningful and emotional, especially for those who finished the program because they wanted to continue staying at SMSF. There were inspiring messages of gratitude from the staff, parents, and most importantly, from the students. Truly, any small act of kindness and generosity that an SMSF member receives from the staff, the volunteers, the donors, and from everyone else is very meaningful and has a significant impact on the learning of every child. The culminating program was a simple yet very meaningful activity to conclude the school year 2023-2024.

 

From being out-of-school to being Top 1 of the class

May is graduation season, and for every student, it is truly very exciting. As a teacher for two decades now, I always share this excitement whenever our students graduate. This academic year 2023-2024 graduation season is extra special for us at SMSF, because we have a student named Juan Miguel who was out-of-school when he started in the Literacy Program in 2022 at the age of 9. Thankfully, we were able to convince him and his mother to enroll him back to school – he was in kindergarten then. However, due to various family challenges, he had to stop schooling again.

Thankfully, he did not lose his interest in learning, and this year he graduated. He did not simply finish kindergarten, but even graduated at the top of his class. He was awarded a certificate and medal to acknowledge his achievement. This coming school year, he will be in first grade. SMSF is so proud of his perseverance and success, showing the transformative impact of dedication and support given to a student by educators and adults during the learner’s educational journey. SMSF is indeed very happy for him.

 

Shifting from Tutorial Program to Literacy Program

The story of Juan Miguel is one of the fruits and realizations we gained during the pandemic. While for many, the pandemic brought devastating experiences, for SMSF it was an eye-opener for reflection and action. It helped us see the many weaknesses of the educational system of the country, and it opened our eyes to many challenging realities concerning education. The reality that many children struggle to read and comprehend age-appropriate texts became more evident.

In the case of Juan Miguel, this was one of the reasons he had to stop during the pandemic and remain in Kindergarten even though, at 9 years old, he was already supposed to be in 3rd or 4th grade. He couldn’t read and understand the modules his teachers were giving to  be answered at home as part of distance learning. Unfortunately, his mom herself was unable to finish her studies and therefore couldn’t assist her son.

This specific SMSF pandemic experience, along with other stories related to children's learning, has motivated SMSF to transition from a Tutorial Program to a more focused Literacy Program. The goal is to empower children to read and comprehend age appropriate texts, worksheets and stories, among other resources. SMSF aims to assist children have a strong foundation in reading and comprehension. By enhancing these skills, children will gain the confidence to stay in school, complete their education, pursue higher studies, secure stable employment, contribute to their families’ welfare, and have happier and more fulfilling lives, far different from the life that they now have.

 

Lizette Santillan-Paas
Program Coordinator
St. Madeleine Sophie Foundation