NEWS

Ateneo de Zamboanga Junior and Senior High Students participates in the NCAF Leadership Summit

On October 20 to 22, 2018, the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation (NCAF) conducted a Leadership Journey Summit, based on Ninoy and Cory’s brand of spiritual-leadership, to sixty-six (66) Junior and Senior High Students from the Ateneo de Zamboanga Senior High School. The Summit was held at the new Senior High School building, inside the ADZU Campus.

In partnership with the ADZU Senior High teachers and staff, NCAF led the participants to three days of reflection, prayer, and rest. Day one of the Leadership Summit opened with the welcoming remarks of Senior High School principal, Mr. Rey Reyes, facilitated by NCAF Alumna, Anna Sarte. The first speaker, Henri Macatangay, opened the summit by talking about the different types of love and inviting the participants to remember the various moments where they, as a student and leader, have experienced love in their lives. Mr. Macatangay also encouraged the student-leaders to live out quiet holiness in their lives. Afterwards, NCAF Program Officer, Mike Shimamoto, discussed Gary Chapman’s Five Love Languages. He urged the participants to identify their personal love languages and pressed the importance of “speaking” to the people around them in their own unique and particular language of love.

Day two began with the talk of Ateneo de Manila Senior High Associate Principal for Formation, Mr. Noel Miranda. He spoke of the qualities of a true servant-leader and the importance of a leader with integrity. He urged the participants to, “walk the talk, always.” The next speaker for the day was Ateneo de Manila University’s Associate Dean for Formation and beloved Theology Professor, Roberto “Bobby” Guevara. He discussed with the students the Five Invitations, talking about how one can better see, know, and understand the poor and marginalized. Following this was a panel of speakers, namely, Ms. Sheida Idjilani, Mr. John Mayo Enriquez, and Ms. Meryl Resoor, all of whom are members of the Ateneo de Zamboanga Community. All three speakers talked about the different responsibilities they have as servant-leaders and their experiences working in their own spheres of influence. The participants also had the opportunity to ask the speakers questions on leadership like, “how do they handle stress”, “what motivates them to continue serving” and others. Afterwards, the participants wrote down their personal commitment as a leader to the Lord and offered it, in a ritual activity, at the end of the Eucharistic Celebration.

On the third day of the Leadership Summit, University President, Fr. Karel San Juan SJ, took time to speak to the student-leaders and spoke to them about responding to their calling as leaders and loving through service. The participants then proceeded to the community commitment activity, where students read out their commitments as a group in front of their peers and the Ateneo community. The Summit ended with the community singing of the song, Amare Et Servire – to love and serve the Lord.