AGS lights up Advent Season by being persons-for-others

This Advent Season, the Ateneo de Manila Grade School has been filled with more than just festive cheer. It has been buzzing with the spirit of giving, thanks to a vibrant array of outreach programs that have transformed parents, students, and teachers into beacons of service for our community.

Our youngest learners, the kinder boys, provided Noche Buena packs and 5-kilo packs of rice for our Ateneo Risk Management Unit (ARMU) personnel and e-jeep drivers. The boys consider these members of the school as important community helpers.

Holiday cheer reached Tangos Mission Station as the Grade 1 delivered Noche Buena packs to our partner families. Smiles lit up the faces of the residents as they received the packages.

Grades 2 and 3 boys, brimming with enthusiasm, organized toy drives and collected hundreds of toys. These were delivered to Raymundo Punongbayan Elementary School in Payatas, Quezon City and Felix Elementary School in Cainta, Rizal.

Compassion bloomed in the hearts of our Grade 4 families as they embarked on a heartwarming outreach program in the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). Armed with cartons of milk and boxes of fast-food meals, they spread cheer and nourishment to patients in need.

This season, the spirit of friendship and cultural understanding also took center stage in our AGS community. Grade 5 families, guided by the values of inclusivity, have pledged to engage in a heartwarming initiative to spread cheers to our Muslim friends at Bae Inomba Blo Bacarat Central Elementary School. Goods will be sent to students of our partner school soon.

Our Grade 6 students embraced a unique opportunity to connect with Philippine Jesuit Prison Service (PJPS) scholars – sons and daughters of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) by inviting them to the Panunuluyan mass. The boys ate Christmas snacks with the scholars and gifted them with Noche Buena packages as well.  

But the extent of Ateneo’s outreach efforts went far beyond material donations. Some Grade 6 officers volunteered their time to sort out donations to families in need. Our students also made Christmas cards for all the recipients of their Christmas gifts.

Our class parent representatives also played a crucial role in this endeavor. They partnered with teachers and the Social Involvement Office (SIO) office to organize the various gift giving projects and visited many of our partner communities. 

Our dedicated teachers were the driving force behind these initiatives. They guided students in raising the funds needed for these projects to ensure that the school fosters empathy and compassion.

The outreach programs weren't just about fulfilling seasonal duties. They were about fostering a culture of service and lifelong commitment to help others. They provided students with invaluable lessons in teamwork and social responsibility, and reminded parents of the power they have to make a difference. They also allowed teachers to witness the transformative impact their guidance can have on young hearts and minds.

With these endeavors, we have ignited the fire that will continue to burn brightly long after the festive lights have dimmed, reminding us that we are all capable of being persons for others this Season and beyond.