It’s Been Twenty-Five Years, and We’re Coming Home

We will never forget those four years. 

1990. The year you first stepped inside the high school building, and it all felt so new. That time you heard the morning bell for the first time, and it was like music to your ears. That day you had a taste of the subjects you were taking up; why, they were oddly thrilling and scary at the same time. That week you made new friends, and a fun new group together with your old ones was born.

1994. The year you couldn’t believe it all flew by so fast; you were now heading on to college. That time you heard the school hymn for the last time, and you really wanted to cry. That day you knew you had earned and deserved the grades you ever got in all your subjects. That last week of graduation practice, and you were trying to memorize everything there—the way that piece of sky was framed in the field, those trees over there, those tables, that door—everything.  

In 2019, it is going to be our twenty-fifth year after graduating high school from our alma mater, St. Scholastica’s College Manila. As tradition dictates, as silver jubilarians it is our duty to host that year’s Grand Alumnae Homecoming. We consider it an honor and a privilege to be given the opportunity to celebrate Scholasticans’ jubilarian milestones—starting with 25 years all the way up to 75. 

A magnificent reunion unlike any other, we come together with friends and other jubilarians SSC has molded into the fine, upstanding women of our society today. Proud kulasas are we, and it is no exaggeration to say that the values we uphold to this day are in large part owed to those three words our blessed nuns inscripted into our hearts—Ora et Labora. It is the Scholastican way not just of studying, but of conducting ourselves in all respects, each and every day of our lives. 

As the host of this momentous occasion, our batch is in charge of raising funds for both organizing and executing the homecoming event itself at St. Cecilia’s Hall and the dinner party at the school field. To accomplish this task, we are launching a fundraising campaign consisting of small- and large-scale activities to generate the needed capital for the Homecoming. We are also conducting a series of outreach projects for the benefit of our chosen charities. But our most precious gift will be an endowment to the St. Scholastica’s Alumnae Foundation Inc. (SSAFI) to support its own charity and outreach programs in various communities.

 
No time is more appropriate than now to start preparing for our Homecoming. So we call out to you, our dear batchmates, to be involved and united in one cause: to come home and give back. We will never forget those four years, and now it’s our chance to leave a legacy that we will be forever remembered for. Our Alma Mater sounds the clarion call for our batch to take the lead in 2019.  We, the graduates of Batch 1994, will rise to this challenge united. An unstoppable force: NinetyFource ~ Women Rising!

By Rose Galvez
SSCHS1994 Copywriters Team

  

Meet The Ladies Behind SSCHS1994 Core Group

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! These are the ladies who have answered to the call to take active roles in St. Scholastica’s College (Manila) High School Alumnae matters.  They have willingly vowed to share their time, effort and commitment in spearheading the organization of SSC HS 1994’s participation in Grand Alumnae Homecoming celebrations, starting with the preparation for its Jubilee Year in 2019 and all events thereafter.

The Core Group is composed of the OFFICERS and the COMMITTEE HEADS who will represent the graduates of St. Scholastica’s College High School Batch 1994.  Their main responsibility is to voluntarily perform each specific function defined by St. Scholastica’s Alumnae Foundation, Inc. (SSAFI).  The Core Group will also function as the decision-making body in behalf of the whole batch 1994 pertaining to batch fund management.

OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

Maria Monica Hipolito–Aguilar   “Monette”

- manages all committee heads

- facilitates all alumnae relation requirements

- officially registered as SSAFI batch representative 

- signatory to Batch Bank Account

- registered as chairman/president in SEC registration

VP INTERNAL

Angelica Marie Hernandez   “Chicky”

- assists the President with all her responsibilities and assumes her post in her absence

- coordinates with Creatives-Related and Homecoming-Related Committees

- back-up signatory to Batch Bank Account in the absence of either the President or Treasurer

- officially registered as SSAFI batch representative 

- registered as Vice President-Internal in SEC registration

VP EXTERNAL

Juniper Ryanne Buencamino-Yan   “Pepper”

- assists the President with all her responsibilities

- coordinates with Ways & Means, Merchandise, Special Events, Marketing/Publicity, and Foreign Council Teams

- officially registered as SSAFI batch representative

- registered as Vice President-External in SEC registration

SECRETARY

Joanna Rose Crisologo-Belgica   “Joanna”

- stores and updates master copy of batch database

- updates batchmates on each meeting's progress

- coordinates with Membership/Secretariat and IT Teams

- back-up signatory to Batch Bank Account in the absence of either the President or Treasurer

- officially registered as SSAFI batch representative

- registered as Corporate Secretary in SEC registration

ASSISTANT SECRETARY

Maria Rita Raquel Barredo   “Rita”

- keeps record of minutes of core group meetings

- assists the Secretary with all her responsibilities and assumes her post in her absence

- officially registered as SSAFI batch representative

- registered as a member/incorporator in SEC registration

TREASURER

Hazel Zaide-Delos Santos    “Hazel”

- heads Finance Team

- keeps and updates financial records of the batch

- prepares monthly Treasurer’s Report and presents it at Core Group meetings

- signatory to Batch Bank Account

- officially registered as SSAFI batch representative

- registered as treasurer in SEC registration

ASSISTANT TREASURER

Elaine Seno    “Elaine”

- assists the Treasurer in all her responsibilities and assumes her post in her absence
- audits Treasurer's Report

- back-up signatory to Batch Bank Account

- officially registered as SSAFI batch representative

- registered as a member/incorporator in SEC registration

COMMITTEE HEADS

WAYS & MEANS TEAM

- plans, conceptualizes, executes fund-raising projects: events and merchandise

MERCHANDISE TEAM
Claire Ann Maspinas-Zapico

- plans, conceptualizes and facilitates selling of merchandise products as means to generate funds

SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM

Patricia Jean Rodriguez-Briones    “Trish”

- conceptualizes and coordinates batch recreational activities and gatherings for the purpose of: maintaining constant connection; fostering fun and excitement; encouraging rapport and camaraderie; and widening networks

FOREIGN COUNCIL

Nina Bella   “Nina”

- coordinates with International Representatives/ Ambassadress

HOMECOMING TEAMS

PRODUCTION TEAM

Minerva Pelayo-De Jesus   “Mane”

- plans and runs the entire program of the show; coordinates with the stage director, choreographer, musical director, lights and sounds director, production designer, floor manager, hosts, performers and other technical crew; coordinates schedule and venue of rehearsals

LOGISTICS TEAM

France Jopillo-Sumang   “France”

- coordinates peripheral requirements needed by the Production, Liturgy and Food Teams, such as Security, Medic, Sponsors, Layout, Traffic, Gate Pass, Signages, Ushers, etc.

FOOD TEAM
Kathrina Victoria Esta - Trina

- facilitates bidding of Catering suppliers; plans and coordinates with food caterer; facilitates food stub distribution and collection system; coordinates crew meal; coordinates special meal service for VIPs, etc.; plans and coordinates layout of dinner venue; coordinates with Events Stylist on venue decorations

LITURGY TEAM

- plans, coordinates and acquires requirements needed for the Liturgical Celebration during the Homecoming

MEMBERSHIP / SECRETARIAT

Agatha Kristianne Bermejo    “Aggie”

- helps the Secretaries keep and update batch information database

- mans registration area and monitors attendance records for every activity/event

- archives past and present photos, video files and other souvenirs/mementos of batch 1994

IT TEAM
Jocelyn Sales   “Joie”

- provides necessary IT requirements

- maintains, encodes and updates batch website and online payment facilities

- coordinates with Membership/Secretariat 

MARKETING / PUBLICITY TEAM

Janine Lara   “Janine”

- facilitates and links the batch to all Tri-Media and Social Media to promote all batch activities and projects (as deemed necessary)

- designs sponsorship mileage and ensures implementation and compliance of sponsorship agreements

- coordinates requests with the Graphic Design Team for Promotional Materials

CREATIVES / MEDIA TEAM

Lynette Buenafe     “Net”

- heads and coordinates with the following subcommittees:  Copywriters, Graphic Designers and Photographers

- conceptualizes Audio-Visual Presentation for the  Homecoming Event

- plans and renders design for Production Storyboard, Flow, Logistics and other requirement
 

PUBLICATIONS TEAM

Kathryn Villanueva-Lopez   “Kat”

- coordinates all publication requirements (souvenir programs, newsletter, etc.) 

- maintains layout and content requirements for batch Social Media (Facebook, Email, Blog, etc.)

- facilitates printing and mass production of all media requirements (tickets, posters, souvenir programs, invitations, CDs, etc)

COPYWRITERS TEAM

Mari-An Santos   “Mari-An”
 
- creates verbal or textual contents and proofreads for business and marketing communication (i.e., taglines, scripts, articles, press releases, social media content, blogs etc.)
- conceptualizes Audio-Visual Presentation for the 
Homecoming Event

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS TEAM

- facilitates all graphic design requirements for promotions, i.e. Official Logo, Letterhead, Promotional Posters, Ads
- facilitates design of homecoming souvenir program/yearbook

PHOTOGRAPHERS TEAM

- documents batch activities by taking photos/videos

FINANCE TEAM

Hazel Zaide-Delos Santos    “Hazel”

- manages batch bank account

- keeps a record of financial reports

- collection of fees and payments

- designs means of remittances and payment collections

- creates solicitation system for the Homecoming Event

- manages batch fund disbursements

- keeps a record of batch solicitations out of fund-raising projects

Those who are interested to take the available core committee head positions, kindly inform any of the core group member of your interest.

We highly encourage everyone to support our batch advocacy by signing up as members in any of the committees above. 

Welcome SSC Manila HS Batch 1994

Dear Batchmates,

Three years from now, in February 2019, Batch 1994 returns to St. Scholastica’s College Manila as the Silver Jubilarian host of the Grand Alumnae Homecoming.  25 years since graduating from High School and it seems like only yesterday that we were all nervous timid little first years trying to find our own place under the sun. 

We all have our own stories of our years in SSC, so many things impossible to forget.  Memories forever etched in our hearts – the morning when we became little sisters to our Senior big sisters, maneuvering the busy hallways to get to our next class careful not to bump into students with higher-ranked badges, our excitement in choosing our clubs and electives, claiming territories with our barkadas under the Higad Tree during recess and lunch, the terror of lining up outside Ms. Salazar’s office for being late; and of course, forging friendships that would stand the test of time.  Those years were some of the best years of my life – for better or for worse, SSC has been instrumental in molding us in to the amazing women we are today – proud independent women making a mark in the world.

I am very honored and privileged to have been given the task to represent our batch, SSC HS 1994, as President.  I am also very thankful that others have stepped up to lead and be part of various committees to ensure that our 2019 Grand Homecoming is a success.  A Core Group has recently been formed and Committee Heads have been identified to begin the preparations for this mammoth task.  We insist on transparency and open communication with the whole batch, so expect to receive a lot of updates from us.  We have set up communication and feedback channels through Facebook, FB Messenger, personal emails and Blogspot to ensure that everyone is included in discussions and decisions.  We are excited to roll out our proposed fundraising and homecoming plans in the coming weeks and hope that you share in our optimism.  In the next articles on this blog, breakdown of our cost projection and detailed explanation for each items will be discussed.  As the hosting batch, we will be in charge of the organizing and expenditure for the staging of the Grand Alumnae Homecoming Jubilarian show at St. Cecilia’s Hall as well as the Dinner Party at the school field.  We are also expected to make a voluntary donation to the St. Scholastica’s Alumnae Foundation Inc. (SSAFI), which will be used in the various charities of the school.

We have three years to prepare and I am positive that together, NinetyFource can reach our target fundraising goal and the successful execution of the Homecoming event.  I encourage everyone to become part of this worthwhile endeavor, reignite our Scholastican spirit and reconnect with old friends.

Warm Regards,

Monica Hipolito-Aguilar

SSCHS1994 Alumni Association