With generous support from our new partner, the Phoenix Foundation, Stairway has expanded its scholarship program to reach more children in the local community. Out of the 175 applications received this summer, 115 were accepted, which brings our current number of scholars up to 350.
Last June 10, a record breaking 700 scholars and parents attended the General Assembly. This school year, scholars were delighted to have received not-so-ordinary school materials, such as Break The Silence notebooks, bookmarks with “Touching Rules,” along with pens, folders, envelopes, bond papers, ruler, glue, all placed inside a specially-made eco bag with “The Lorax” logo and the famous line: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not.”–Dr. Seuss
Aside from monthly stipends and school supplies, Stairway scholars participate in a range of extra-curricular activities: like workshops in Adolescent Reproductive Health, Online Safety Orientation, Children’s Rights and Child Sexual Abuse Prevention. Scholars’ parents also attend sessions on Child Sex Trafficking and Child Protection. In addition, all Stairway scholars take part in Stairway’s environmental program called, Environmental Awareness for Children and Youth (EACY) as a way to foster new values and sincere appreciation for the environment.
Since the inception of Stairway’s scholarship program in 1994, thousands of students from the locality of Puerto Galera have benefited, one such young scholar who stands out is Aina Corina B. Dimasacat. She recently graduated cum laude from the University of the Philippines in Diliman with a bachelors degree in creative writing. Read her story.
Contributed by Jason Abarquez