Challenge ( The-Article-With-No-Title 2)

The Noli de Castro Academic Excellence and Exemplary Leadership Awards did not last without a surprise. I was gradually getting uninterested with the show until Sheryl Cosim, the event’s emcee, introduced this particular awardee. “ Karen Leslie Dematera…”—hmm...what a familiar name, something I’ve heard before but I'm not sure.Then these words struck me, “…From the Marikina Science High School.” – now that’s familiar.

At that point I finally realized that the name I just heard belonged to the current valedictorian of the school mentioned, the school where I came from.

Astig!

Speaking inside the Palace in front of the Vice President and other esteemed individuals? That ought to count for something.

Still, I am not totally impressed. For the achievements of one do not reflect the capabilities of all.

I have firmly believed that, not that I’m bragging about it (konti lang), my batch (batch ’06, by the way), so far is the best batch that the school has ever had all throughout its existence. Bagging numerous awards and recognitions inside and even outside the country, breaking records in terms of the number of students who qualified for the country’s top universities, in short producing the most talented and the most competent students to beat.

I’m not totally taking it away from our descendants, though. Success and achievements still continue to pour, but not as “glorious” as the ones we’ve had under our belt. You guys have a lot of catching up to do.

So to our successors, it is now your duty to prove that I am wrong. Prove it.