Last January 18, some 796 junior students from all over the country, all among the top five of their respective schools, underwent a special Ateneo College Entrance Test (ACET), for a chance to qualify in the 47th Ateneo Junior Summer Seminar (AJSS). AJSS is a renowned summer program conducted by the Ateneo de Manila University Office of Admission and Aid for 3^rd year students, with the goal of introducing them to college campus life, particularly college-level courses, professors, facilities, and activities. 73 of the examinees were selected, with 48 students coming from Metro Manila. Chiang Kai Shek College, along with Ateneo de Manila High School and Saint Jude Catholic School, has the most number of participants in the program. Kristine Ang, Andrew Brandon Ong, and Jan Kendrick Ong were the chosen participants from CKSC high school department.

Courses offered to the talented students include English, Philosophy, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Psychology. Non-academic activities include Computer, Management and Environmental Science Camps, Sportsfest, and Play Presentations. The wide variety of selections ensures that the students are not only gifted in mind, but also in service to others and exposed to other  aspects in life.

Spanning from April 10 to May 24, it is true that the seminar made the summer of each of the 73 students fulfilling and memorable. They hope to maximize what they learned in six weeks, and to use their learnings for the good of others in the future.

To prepare its students for various upcoming college entrance tests, Chiang Kai Shek College, in partnership with ACTS Achi and Ahia Review Center, launched an in-campus College Entrance Test Review Program last April 2014. Chiang Kai Shek College recognizes the value of building its students' confidence early on as the students prepare for their college applications. As such, it has teamed up with one of the leading review centers in the Chinese-Filipino community to guide its students through their preparations. The fifteen enrollees underwent comprehensive lecture-based discussions and drills to enhance their knowledge, skills, and discipline. Furthermore, students attended career guidance sessions to enlighten them in the choices and careers they wish to take later on. With the support of the College and the knowledge and skills the students are equipped, they are more prepared and confident more than ever to make decisions and take the next level to their future!

Contributor: Robert Pangilinan

Back in March, Chiang Kai Shek College announced its courses for summer of 2014 to continue promoting productivity and wellness in body and mind to students and individuals willing to learn new character-building skills during the school break. Various departments contributing to the effort have achieved wonderful results to date.

Wong Chun Seng Memorial Preschool held its annual summer classes in dance, art, and Beginners' Language courses (English and Chinese) for very young students. The courses were designed to be both fun and educational, integrating play with modules intended to develop motor skills, eye and hand coordination, and proper communication and social skills. A special program highlighting these activities will be held on May 13, 2014 at the CKS College auditorium.

The CKS College Sports Clinic conducted successful classes in basketball, beginners' swimming, cheerleading, volleyball, badminton, and track and field. The classes spearheaded by the CKS College athletics are mostly free; fees for classes such as basketball and swimming were used for required equipment, rentals, or expenses needed for the activities.

Beginners and advanced baking classes designed by the CKS College Faculty of Business, Arts, & Sciences enjoyed the participation of students young and older.

The Language Center, also located at the College Campus, conducted classes to enrich Chinese language proficiency.

The English department offered speech, grammar, and drama classes for budding elocutionists, writers, and thespians.

CKS College's School of Music also managed individual classes tailored to each student's skills in piano, organ, voice, guitar, violin, and drums.

Most summer courses will conclude around the second week of May. The school thanks the students, their parents, our alumni, and course instructors for participating in and supporting these classes. We hope to see you again next summer.

Yearly, the Chiang Kai Shek College Scout Center conducts a youth leadership camp which aims to develop and hone the leadership ability, skills, and competitiveness of potential scouts. During the Adult Leader's Council meeting and deliberation last February 22, 2014, selected boy and girl scouts, who will become Scout Center officers for School Year 2014-2015, were chosen to join the training program. These scouts were given the chance to share their knowledge in Scouting by leading other fellow scouts. It was noted during the meeting that there would be no announcement of specific position to each scout until after the Youth Leaders’ Training Course (YLTC) was done. This means that the positions may vary based on the performances each scout will carry out while in the camp. After the second deliberation and evaluation of the Adult Leader's Council, the appropriate positions shall be assigned and announced.

And so, the YLTC was held at Mt. Makiling, Los Banos, Laguna last March 20 to 23, 2014. The adult leaders reminded the scouts that it was not a fun camp, but rather a more rigid and more intense kind of training. The camp was facilitated to reevaluate, review, and check once again all the skills that the scouts have learned in the past. Among the skills reviewed were lashing, first aid treatment, proper tent pitching and ditching, basic and advance knots, woogle-making made of nylon strings, and conducting flag-up ceremonies. The adult leaders also emphasized the importance of abiding by and valuing the Scout Law, which means not just memorizing everything written in the handbook but amore importantly, understanding them. Afterwards, a competition among patrols was conducted to assess the performances of each scout, as well as to determine the outcome of the camp.

Contributor: Janelle T. Dy

Dr. Kerry Kate Wang (王英俊) of CKS high school batch 2007 works as the Chief Resident at the Department of Internal Medicine of the Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center. Two months ago, she also hurdled the Philippine Specialty Board of Internal Medicine (PSBIM).

Doc Kerry laments that during this pandemic, medical staff live on a day-to-day basis. For one, no one knows when any colleague may become infected with the virus. Since everything now is quite delicate, everyone is treading on thin ice and no one can predict what might happen in the next few minutes, days, or even months. While social media shows frontliners wearing their personal protective equipment (PPE) like there are no difficulties, what most people don’t know is that these protective gears are very uncomfortable, especially during prolonged periods of time, with some of resident doctors and nurses having to wear them up to 8 hours straight, without even eating or drinking, due to the scarce supply of PPE.

With the current situation, doctors, like her, understandably always have a high index of suspicion in treating patients. There are patients who have no prior history of exposure and with no symptoms at all but eventually turn out to be COVID-19 positive. In addition, as reiterated by the Department of Health, they wear masks, practice good hand hygiene and social distancing at all times.

As a former CKSian student from preschool to high school, Doc Kerry learned to be compassionate and empathetic. As everyone is currently faced with different challenges, she tries her best to understand and help others, seeing things from the other person's perspective during such challenging times. She also attributes to CKS College the solid foundation for her work ethics and the dedication that helped her reach the current status in her career as a physician.

Speaking on behalf of fellows in the medical community, she said many of them are in constant fear and worry that they might contract the virus and bring it to their homes. However, she believes that this is not the time to be afraid, since this is their oath and responsibility as medical practitioners. She further quipped the saying, “Medicine is a calling, not a profession”, and this battle is a call for doctors and nurses to help those who are inflicted with the disease.

Doc Kerry reminded everyone that they, too, can be heroes in their own little ways. As such, she encourages everyone to stay calm and face everyday with a positive attitude, spread hope and love instead of fake news, stay inside their homes, follow rules and cooperate, and come up with ways to be productive and contribute to the society. She believes that together, Filipinos can hurdle this trial and emerge as better individuals.

On a personal note, Doc Kerry expresses her appreciation to CKS high school batches 1984, 1988, and section 5 of batch 1994 for donating PPE and masks, particularly to her department. She also extends her utmost gratitude to the people, pharmaceutical companies, food establishments, and foundations for their unrelenting support to medical frontliners.

Dr. Kerry Kate Wang, thank you for your service to the nation. Your CKS College family in proud of you!

Jenelyn K. Ong (蘇裳) of CKS high school batch 2004 has been working as a Radiology Nurse at the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital since 2018.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, Jenelyn mentioned that scheduling of patients and preparing them for any form of treatment has taken much longer time, since medical practitioners like her need to be more cautious and to ensure their safety, along with their patients.

She also noted the importance of perseverance and compassion as important values during these times of health crisis - values learned in her years as a CKSian student.

Always do your best, Jenelyn! CKS College is proud of you.