By Matthew Reysio- Cruz, 6-Almaciga

  On August 24 the Upper Graders went to the Philippine Educational Theatre Association (PETA) to watch the play “Ang Batang Rizal.” Before the play, we did exciting acting workshops like theatre artists.

The first place we went to was the backstage of the PETA stadium. It was a small room, but it was filled with all kinds of stuff especially many different kinds of costumes. Our “host” told us we were going to play a game which of course got everyone excited. She told us to pick any of the many costumes lying around and to put it on, once no costumes remained everyone with a costume on gathered together for “picture taking.” During each picture she told us to make specific poses which set us all in a vibrant mood.

When we where finished backstage we set off to the PETA library where 2 people were waiting for us to explain to us how the PETA library worked and some of the types of books in it, after that we moved on to the roof deck. The Roof Deck, as explained by our host, was where the cast of a particular play would have parties after performing. We all learned a ‘Martial Arts Dance’ which was often used as a warm-up before the cast of a play would perform. The dance wasn’t easy to learn but it set all of us into an energetic mood as we went to our final stop in the acting workshop.

We went into a small room where, first, we sang Leron Leron Sinta after which we were separated into groups and acted out a legend after which we were tasked to make our own legends, songs or stories (depending on what grade you were).

After that we performed our presentation to the school. The first group was 4th graders, which tried to resemble a forest using their bodies and movement. The next group of 4th graders acted out the story, “The 3 little Pigs.” The next group to perform was 5th graders which did a song/dance followed by the next batch of 5th graders who acted out the story of “Pilandok.” The last groups to perform were the 6th graders. The first group performed their made up legend “Ang Alamat ng Buko” which made everyone burst into laughs just like the 2nd group from the 6th graders which did their version of “Ang Alamat ng Gagamba.” The last group of 6th graders to perform did another made-up legend entitled “Ang Alamat ng Pinya.”

Then came the best part of the field trip: The play. The play was about a boy in the “Rizal Elementary School” named Pepito who accidentally goes back into time to the time of Rizal (Or Pepe’s) childhood years. He brings Pepe back into his own time to review for a test on him the next day. They set into many comical adventures together with other students from the Rizal Elementary.

Not a single person was disappointed with the workshops and the play. It was truly a field trip that, even when I graduate Learning Tree this year, I will never forget.

By Julianne Ruz, 4-Anislag

Batad, a multi-awarded Cinemalaya Film by Benji Garcia is a story about a young Batad boy called Ag-ap. He sells vegetables in the market. One day, he sees a beautiful and magnificent pair of rubber shoes. He fell in love with it. That night, he tries to make a pair of shoes with abaca fiber. He shows them off to Lab-an and a group of ladies. Big mistake. He tries various odd jobs to earn money for his shoes. He asks the village shaman if he could pray to the gods for a pair of shoes. Nothing works. His mother keeps asking money for the family’s food. He asks his father if he can go to the city and travel abroad. His father disagrees and orders him to throw away his shoes. But he clings to his treasure and believes they will take him places that he has never seen. Later on, his sister Ima nearly falls off a cliff as he runs to rescue her, he leaves behind his rubber shoes. When he comes back, he finds that the shoes are gone without a trace.

Rather than be sad, he shakes it off, as if he doesn’t care about it.  Later his mother tells him that his father would never leave the rice terraces because he wants to preserve it. In the end, he finally has the beautiful Lab-an just by being himself.

Ag-ap helped me learn that if you want something, think twice if it will help you or not. Think before you act. Put everything you love most before material things.  If you really, really want something, don’t get addicted to it (I should learn that when playing on the computer). I also learned to appreciate the value of our Ifugao tribes and the rice terraces. I know now why Ifugaos walk barefoot. They trod the ground without any footwear to feel and connect with the earth with their feet. The shots in the rice terraces looked real to me. This wonder of the world makes me proud to be a Filipino.

As retold by Trixie Miraflores, 6- Almaciga

We all know that God has many plans for us. That includes challenges. Some may easily give up. Some try but also give up at the end. Yet, some succeed. Have you ever felt like giving up right now? Then, this is a story for you.

You must have heard of Kyle Maynard, an award-winning wrestler. Kyle Maynard was born on March 24, 1986. Kyle was born with a rare disorder called “Congenital Amputation”. That disease left him with three joints only, leaving him with a neck and two shoulders only. Kyle's story begins as a 12-year old boy who wanted to have a coach who will teach him how to wrestle. He had a coach who gave him an opportunity to try. After losing every match during his first year and almost everything on his second, Kyle, who was really willing to become a wrestler became a very good varsity wrestler with his kind-hearted coach.

Kyle, despite his physical difference, also succeeded in many other sports like swimming, baseball, street hockey, football, and wrestling. All without the help of prosthetics. This man had a very unique style in wrestling. He used his head like a bat and his limbs like clubs. He and his coach invented wrestling moves like the “jawbreaker” and “buzz saw” that involved Kyle's superior strength and his center of gravity. Besides sports, this strong man in both physical and spiritual aspects, is also very good in academics. Kyle believes that all of the awards and popularity he has received are the results of his perseverance. He thinks that life is the result of all our failures, the perseverance to overcome his limitations, and the love and strict care of his parents.

When the wrestler was an infant, his dad wanted him to be more self-reliant while his mom was more sympathetic. His dad often said, ”If he doesn't know how to eat, he will starve”. Then, after a few tries, Kyle knew how to eat with a fork and spoon despite his disability. Kyle also knew how to write. When you see his handwriting, you will not know that he is disabled. He can type 50 words per minute too.

Kyle Maynard became the 2004 E.S.P.Y. (what does this stand for, trixie?) Award Winner (Best Athlete with a Disability). He also received the 2004 President’s Award for the Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame. Here is a quote found from the Hall of Fame website: “This year's winner is Kyle Maynard, a champion wrestler who is physically challenged with loss of limbs. His is an incredible story of triumph!”

Kyle can also lift an object that weights nearly 400 pounds! In November 2003, he had the unofficial title of the World's Strongest Teen at the GNC (again, trixie) Show-of- Strength by lifting 230 pounds in 23 rounds. Recently, he set the World Record in the Arnold Fitness Classic with the bench of 360 pounds!

Kyle is very efficient. He can do many incredible things that we think a man like him can’t do. But, despite his disability, Kyle learned the right and proper things done by a common man. He is worth to be looked up to. He truly is a very special man.

I hope you learned a lot from Kyle Maynard. When at times you feel like giving up, remember Kyle Maynard. For example you wanted to have a new pair of Crocs. You complain to your parents who can't afford to buy you new shoes. Remember Kyle Maynard. And you might even be sorry for complaining. Kyle, who doesn't have legs didn't even complain. How about you? You have a pair of legs. Why don't you just thank God for the things we didn't even realize that we have it? Just like what Kyle's coach often says, ”Kyle has taken away the right for us to complain.” Kyle often says, too, “It's not what I can do; it's what I will do.”
“Everyone is going to have a point in their life when they can't see the brightness at the end of the tunnel...but there always is...you just have to keep on fighting”-Kyle Maynard

References: Planet Infinity(from Crossroad 77), www.kmaynard.com, www.ctforum.com

By Angela N. Rivera, 4-Kamagong

The cock crows in the morn’.
To tell us to rise.
And he who rises late,
will never be wise.
So “early to bed and early to rise,
is the way to be healthy and wealthy and wise.”

By Angela N. Rivera, 4-Kamagong

This is the farmer sowing the corn
that kept the cock that crowed in the morn’
that waked the priest all shattered and shorn
that married the man all tattered and torn
that kissed the maiden all forlorn
that milked the cow with the crumpled horn
that tossed the dog, that worried the cat
that killed the rat, that lay in the house built by Jack.