AJHS Sanggu launches 'Kuya Atenista' mentorship program

On Monday, 3 March 2025, the Ateneo de Manila Junior High School (AJHS) Sanggunian held the launch event for the "Kuya Atenista" program in the ITC from 3:45 to 5:00 pm. Spearheaded by AJHS Sanggunian Secretary General Thade Go (9-Garnet), “Kuya Atenista” aims to smoothen the transition from Grade School to High School for the younger students, to promote camaraderie across batches, and to develop leadership skills in the older Ateneans. In essence, the Kuya Atenista Program is a mentorship project where a student from Grade 9 or 10 (the "kuya") is assigned to look after one to three younger students from Grades 7 and 8 (the "bunsos"). The launch was hosted by Thade Go and Assembly of Class Officers (ACO) Vice Chairman Amiel Baquir (10-Pongracz). During the program, kuyas and their respective bunsos met face-to-face for the first time and got to know one another.

Because “Kuya Atenista” is a voluntary program, only the grades 7 and 8 students who signed up (via a Google form sent through batch representatives in January) for it were assigned a mentor. For the bunso signups, there were no requirements. 

The kuyas, however, had requirements to fulfill to ensure that they could be proper role models for the bunsos. They had to have a QPI no lower than 3 in the past school year, and not have any formative interventions above the first level (FI 2 or FI 3). 

Prior to the program launch, the "kuyas" were also required to attend a training program/ workshop led by Guidance faculty Ms. Karen Guevarra, who is also the moderator of the Peer Facilitators Organization. Held on 18 February 2025 in the Office of Student Activities (OSA) conference room, the training session was held to properly equip the kuyas to be effective role models for their bunsos. During the workshop, the kuyas learned how to properly communicate and to determine if the person they are talking to is simply opening up or needs help. 

During the Kuya Atenista launch on March 5, the 29 kuyas and 51 bunsos spent close to an hour getting to know one another, learning each other’s nicknames, sharing contact details and other meaningful information. It is hoped that the program will allow these young Ateneans to develop close relationships that will last throughout their high school lives and perhaps even beyond.