AFI for Public Schools Excellence (APEX)

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DALCUIS (Don Antonio Lee Chi Uan Integrated School)

     It is a first of its kind in the country. The only public school that was built and equipped through the joint efforts of a single business organization and a private NGO . From the land, to the 2-storey building , to first class chairs, and an impressive multi-media room complete with computers, a large screen TV and an educational video library, the DON ANTONIO LEE CHI UAN Integrated School (D.A.L.C.U.I.S) in Bacolor, Pampanga is a result of the partnership between Globe Asiatique and the ABS-CBN Foundation (AFI). The school is the realization of AFI’s vision of bringing together different sectors of society to produce a public school that is “a cut above the rest” through its APEX ( A.F.I. FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL EXCELLENCE) Project. As for Globe Asiatique (G.A), it is its way of providing world-class education to the children of low to middle- income families. The school stands at the heart of its multi-hectare low-cost housing project.

     Beyond the amazing facilities, what makes D.A.L.C.U.I.S. special is that it has earned the distinction of being among Pampanga’s best public schools in just its first year of operation. Not only have all students maintained an average to above average rating but a number of them have been major winners in inter-division academic and non-academic competitions. According to its faculty members, the notable performance of the students is partly due to the school’s application of a teaching method called Inquiry, an approach that is student-centered, meaning pupils are encouraged to express their thoughts freely , discovering and learning new concepts through inquisitive interaction between teacher and students . Traditionally, the interaction in other schools is uni-dimensional. The Beacon School inTaguig provides D.A.L.C.U.I.S year-round training in the applications of the Inquiry method .

     Unlike in most public schools where teachers teach a variety of subjects in different grade levels, D.A.L.C.U.I.S teachers teach only the subjects of their specialization. They also adapt a modified class schedule to provide more time for enrichment and development of higher order skills. Four days is solely for academic instruction and one day is devoted to mentorship, apprenticeship and research. Students are also immersed in sports, culture and arts as the school considers the inclination of pupils in both academics and the arts.

     The overwhelming performance of the students have prompted G.A. to accommodate an additional 300 students for school year 2009-2010. New classrooms are being built in preparation for the new enrollees. So inspired by the success of D.A.L.C.U.I.S. , G.A. is opening a sister school - Dona Asuncion Lee Integrated School (D.A.L.I.S.) in Mabalacat in June. The school is bigger and will be able to accommodate close to a thousand students. Its partnership with AFI continues as the foundation relentlessly solicits donations of books, computers, sports equipments, sewing machines, office equipment and tools for the new school. The items will be turned over to the Department of Education Division of Pampanga for its proper assignment to D.A.L.I.S. before the new school year begins.

     Dubbed as a school of the future, D.A.L.C.U.I.S represents many things. For one, it clearly shows how a conducive learning environment can do wonders to the performance of students. It is also a shining example of how elite educational institutions like the Beacon School can reach out to public schools and share teaching methods that have been proven effective to their own students. Likewise the school stands testament to the fact that the private sector has become more involved in CSR (corporate social responsibility) efforts specially if these can advance their business interests in the community. GA is nothing but wise for putting education at the center of its community development projects because nothing motivates a Filipino family more than access to quality education. It will not come as a surprise if other community developers will follow the same formula in the future. It has worked and D.A.L.C.U.I.S is proof that it can be done At the end of the day, what really matters is that better looking and better equipped public schools will soon mushroom all across the regions and that millions of students will enjoy the best of what partnering private institutions can offer. The Department of Education can only be but grateful for the outpouring of support .

     Until then, the ABS-CBN Foundation looks forward to more partnerships. Motivated by the success of its first APEX school, it will continue to bring together people and organizations to support the public education system, one school at a time.

SENTINEL : The Intelligent Chair

     A 400-pounder is no problem , because a Sentinel Intellect Tablet Arm Chair is built to withstand this much weight. But the heavy load capacity is not  its  only remarkable feature but so are its design and quality . Sentinel Chairs are made from high quality polypropylene material and are sturdy .They are ergonomically designed with generous backrest for lumbar support so children will not be prone to having back aches and posture problems due to hours of sitting in class.   As for school owners and administrators, Sentinel Chairs are a good investment because they are easy to maintain, light weight and stackable and will last longer than most school chairs.

     The students and faculty of  Dona Asuncion Lee Integrated School are lucky as they will enjoy the comfort of Sentinel Chairs the whole school year. Globe Asiatique invested more than a million worth of Sentinel Chairs and Tables  for all D.A.L.I.S.’ classrooms, library, laboratory and faculty room , In support of  the APEX project of ABS-CBN –CBN Foundation, Sentinel is donating a total of 200 of Aries chairs for the school’s cafeteria.  It is reassuring for parents that their children will be studying and having their snacks and lunches on good quality school furniture inside the whole campus year after year.

 

SPORTS MAKE BRIGHTER KIDS

            It is always good to introduce children to sports.  Aside from promoting physical fitness and being an excellent outlet of all the young one’s energy and enthusiasm, sports teaches a myriad of good habits and values that children will benefit from as they go through life. It is a great  way of learning  discipline, teamwork, perseverance and excellence.   Chris Sports,  a  distributor of quality sports equipment in the country  knows this by  this by heart and thus teamed up with ABS-CBN Foundation to help promote sports in several public elementary schools.

            Chris Sports recently equipped Doña Asuncion Lee Integrated School in Mabalacat, Pampanga , Don Antonio Lee Chi Uan Integrated School in Bacolor, Pampanga, Ambasing Elementary School in Sagada, Mountain Province and Betty Go Belmonte Elementary School in Quezon City with sports equipment for basketball, volleyball, table tennis and badminton. The schools are part of ABS-CBN Foundation’s  APEX ( AFI For Public School Excellence ) Project.  “We really want kids to start early in sports and if they are given good equipment, we know that Filipino children can excel”, Chris Sports Marketing Manager Arleen Lindo said in a casual interview. With the donation, Chris Sports hopes to strengthen sports education in public schools and produce world-class Filipino athletes.

          As part of its CSR efforts, Chris Sports is also into organizing tennis tournaments in key cities and municipalities and replacing old and tattered tennis nets through its Net-Working Campaign.   For more information about their products and projects  you can visit any of their 24 branches nationwide.