School Year 2010 is Over

Today is the last day of the final exams of my kids. I am very happy simply knowing that summer vacation is here. I can watch TV late at night during weekends especially on Sundays without having to worry of waking up early the next day. This also means a little savings because my list of grocery items will be lessened.

However, after a month, I have to think of the enrollment of my kids. My hubby and I have equal share in the school expenses of our kids. In as much as I want to make full payment of their tuition fees, the budget is not enough, unless the loanable amount I get from Home Mutual Development Fund (HDMF) is bigger this time. Yes, I do avail of the multi purpose loan every year from the said entity to accommodate my kids' school expenses such as tuition fees, school supplies etc.

I will head to HDMF office second week of April to file my loan application. It is such a hassle to go to their office but I don’t have any choice. How I wish the loan application can be done online, afterall, HDMF has a website where answer to basic inquiries about their services can be found, might as well use that website when filing for loan application. This is one ultimate improvement HDMF should take into consideration…enabling their members file loan application or loan mortgage refinance in just one click.

eBook Search Engine

I'm not a bookworm but I read a few number of books in the past and there are still other books I want to read like Tuesdays with Morrie, Men are from Mars : Women are fom Venus, however, due to busy schedules and budget, I can not afford to buy those books and finish reading them. But the good news is, there is now such a thing called electronic books or ebook for short, and if you happen to forget the title of the book you want to read, simply use Search for any book on eBook Search Engine. This search engine may find the book even if you don't remember the exact title because it uses the text of the book too. Most of the books are in pdf format.

Summer Enrichment Program

I decided to transfer back CJ in Achievers School so that he and Acey will be in the same school. CJ took the entrance exam and was required to attend a one month summer program based on the result of the exam. Achievers School is more advance in terms of academics compared to CJ's former school which is Mary Immaculate School.

After one month of schooling, they had the Summer Enrichment program held last May 22 in SM Clark.




Today is back to regular schooling. My eldest CJ is in grade 4 while my youngest Acey is now a prep student. I made sure they have the same schedule which is 10am so that after my shift at night, I have enough time to prepare their school stuff including their assignments.

Small Business Loans

One of my teammates have informed me that our government established an entity named TESDA to provide scholarships to people within a certain community such as commercial cooking, baking & pastry, dress making and a lot of others intended for male scholars. Baking & pastry is the up coming course in our place and I really wanted to take advantage of this rare opportunity, however, my work schedule would not permit me to enrol in the said course, especially that kid's schooling will start second week of June. I suddenly envisioned myself that after taking a 7 week baking & pastry course, I'll start baking for sale and eventually put up my own bakeshop business. I will also seek the help of Small Business Loans for financial assistance. If you are looking for fast approval loans, Small Business Loans is the answer.

Be an IT Professional

Eversince our company's management changed, a lot of employees have resigned and planning to resign as well. This is because they feel unsecured with their employment and worried about their career growth. Some of my fellow Analysts decided to take up traditional classroom classes while others resorted to taking up online courses like IT. They are actually technically knowledgeable but still, they want to enhance their computer & internet skills to increase their market value especially when applying in other big and reputable companies. I heard one of them mentioned about Cisco.

Cisco certification is a community and learning network of IT professionals. It is a virtual library of information to increase and enhance your technical know how. You become subject matter expert. The widely respected IT certification programs available through Cisco Career Certifications bring valuable, measurable rewards to networking professionals, their managers, and the organizations that employ them.

The following are some of the General Cisco certification you can avail of:

Routing and Switching

Design

Security

Service Provider

Storage Networking

Voice

Wireless

Further, some life changing stories are featured in the Cisco website to inspire at the same time enlighten everyone that it’s never too late to turn yourself to an IT professional. This is a solid proof that dreasm do come true.

In this age of computer & internet, the demand for IT course is continuously growing. If you are Cisco certified, you make your curriculum vitae impressive giving you a great chance to land the best job you can ever imagine in the best company you can think of.

Recognition Day!

I was supposed to go to Acey's school last Friday to check on the deliberation result and find out what her rank is but because I took a double shift to be able to attend a conference call at 1:30 am and finish some work, I got exhausted. I slept when I got home. My sister in law went to Achiever's school to check the details of the recognition since her daughter (my niece) is also an awardee. She told to me that Acey will get "with high honor" award since her average is between 91 to 91.99. Of course, I felt proud of my little girl. In the afternoon of the same day, My kids and I went to Robinson mall. They played in the amusement center. CJ won a snoopy stuff toy from one of the games and he excitedly gave it to me. Afterwards, we went to the department store to buy make up and some accessories to match Acey's gown on their recognition day. I received a text message from Acey's teacher to confirm that my daughter is "with high honor awardee" AND a model pupil at the same time. I was ecstatic.

On Saturday, we went to SM mall in Clark to buy gift for a nephew who was scheduled for baptism on Sunday, the same day the recognition will be held. I took my kids to the toy section so I'll have an idea what toy they like including CJ. Acey is eyeing for a Barbie stuffs like Barbie casual wear, sandals & dolls while CJ kept on going to the far corner where Zoids and Battle Bida Man toys are displayed. I also recall they're requesting for new DVDs for their PS2.

The most exciting event happened on Sunday. My father together with my mom fetched us in our apartment and dropped us in Achievers School. We immediately went to the assembly area and the program started past 8am. Acey & I were on the second line. She got the first award for model pupil, we were called again for the second award. Going up on stage to pin the medal to your child and receive the certificate is truly fulfilling and heartwarming, exactly the same emotion I felt when CJ was proclaimed as Mr. Nursery in the same school. Acey's focus and passion for studies paid off. She doesn't really have an idea what those awards mean but all she understood is, she got two medals. I emailed my hubby everything that transpired on that day and I suggested to schedule his next vacation every March so he can attend event like this, the kids will certainly be happier and delighted if he's around.

The Power of Education

March and April are months of graduation.

Wikipedia define graduation as the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the associated ceremony. The date of event is often called degree day. The event itself is also called commencement, convocation or invocation.

Last night, my kids and I attended graduation celebration of their cousin Lerem who graduated from highschool (his brother Ashley will be graduating today from elementary), afterwards, I approached her mom to congratulate her as well.

I believe that not only the graduating kids should be commended, we should also acknowledge the parents for their efforts, support and patience in providing the best education possible for their kids.

The importance and advantages of having an education is known to everyone. The job or work you will have in the future depends on the level and quality of education you had. Education is one of the most powerful instruments for reducing poverty and inequality and for laying the basis for sustained economic growth.

Many of our parents or elders especially those who belong to lower class were not given the same opportunity in terms of gaining an education that we enjoyed or are now enjoying. This is the main reason why they have worked so hard to finance our schooling, so seeing us march on the stage to get hold of the rolled paper known as diploma is their biggest accomplishment.

I can vividly remember a story narrated by my father to me & my siblings. It’s something that happened back when he was still working as mechanic operator in Saudi Arabia. His bosses appreciated his excellent performance and they wanted to promote him, however, when they reviewed his record, his educational background did not suit the position. He finished a vocational course in auto mechanics. They just gave him a pat on the back for his performance but not the promotion. He told us this story to motivate us to value education and finish a college degree and we did not fail him. My brother, our eldest, is a registered Mechanical Engineering and is currently managing a machine shop business actually owned by my father. I finished Business Management and Entrepreneurial course and working as a QA Analysts in a BPO center here in Pampanga. Our youngest graduated from a 4 year secretarial course and is now presently working as secretary in Qatar and happily married to a civil engineer who is a native of Cebu.

I commend individuals who strive so hard to finish school not only for the sake of their parents but mainly to become better persons/citizens and have decent job in the future.

I admire the well off people who extend financial assistance to organizations providing scholarship to deserving kids.

I have high respect to our teachers for unselfishly sharing their knowledge and committed to their career as educators even if they are receiving low compensation.

My hope is that everyone regardless of financial status and gender will believe in the power of education.

My heartfelt congratulations to the graduates of school year 2007-2008.