Dreaming STREAMS
Children who finish elementary schooling seldom get to first year high school. Fewer of them graduate and land up in college. Even less college students accomplish and receive diplomas. Another sad fact is that college graduates always have big tendencies of bolstering the statistics of either the unemployed and underemployed sector. We can blame the government, poverty, economics or the educational system itself for these unfortunate events. Yet, there are other small units that bring opportunities and hope for the hopeless.
The term STREAMS stands for Supplementary Training to Reinforce Education of the Academically-Gifted but Marginalized Students. It is a Mindanao youth group that is part of the Pathways for Higher Education program. This organization caters to graduating high school students from public schools in Cagayan de Oro City as well as the greater Misamis Oriental area. It helps them to pass scholarship exams in various colleges and universities through enrichment classes and enhancement workshops. Composed of Xavier University students, this program is funded from the rummage sales, donations, sponsorships, solicitations and other fundraisers. Most members, (we fondly call ourselves as Rowers) are scholars of the University who pay forward their blessings to other aspiring students as well.
I have been privileged to be granted academic scholarship in an institution such as Xavier University, where a lot of people also dream of entering or having been able to finish college. In this university, I have not been only confined to the four walls of the classroom but have also been exposed to realities which have developed me to become a better person embodying the three C’s: competence, conscience and commitment. I feel very fortunate to be an Atenean. This is where I owe what I have right now. It is through STREAMS that I am able to share my achievement not just to a few but to many longing hearts.
