A Ragtag Collection of Champions
Emilio Diego A. Antonio
Have you ever seen a group of different people work so perfectly together?
What do you call people from different places who have different tastes,
accents, strengths and weaknesses, all working together in harmony? A
concoction of different chemicals miraculously creating a pure mixture of
openness, happiness, effort and love?
This GEMS-fest 2024 featured an incredibly tough competition between the
1st years, 2nd years, 3rd years and 4th years in 3 different categories; team-building,
cultural, and academics.
This has been a year-in-the-making, and all have
dedicated weeks for the preparation.
The 2nd years won the previous year, through the sheer effort and strength
of their leaders. This year, everyone is gunning for their position, but the now-3rd
years were willing to take anyone on to defend the title.
This group of 3rd years were a ragtag group of different people from
different places with different wants and needs. Day 1 showed how different
each and every person was, with their different preferences for games and
different abilities posing a problem at the start.
Day 2 also featured countless possible problems. Weldylyn Mayo was
inexperienced in pageants, and she was struck with nervousness and pressure like
never before. The Speech Choir Team has been tired for weeks of travelling and
practicing in different places, while also facing numerous revisions in terms of their
clashing interpretations of the piece. The song writing team also had little to no
practice for the piece they themselves created.
Day 2 also showed how defiantly unprepared the academics team was,
with the debate team being filled with inexperienced first-timers, the impromptu
speaker having no practice at all, and the essay writer being unable to properly
focus on writing.
This ragtag group was beginning to show the cracks in the seams of their
abilities. It was as if they were going to war with no weapons at all. However, you
can never belittle the heart of champions, and you can never underestimate the
3 years they’ve spent all this time together.
Day 1 was a success. Different people opted to join only the games that
they knew they would excel at. Like vultures preying on weak prey, they waited
for their opportunities to strike. Every game was a nail-biter, but like the wind during
a storm, the 3rd years pulled through every time, winning 2 out of the 4 games,
essentially securing the win for the day.
The academics team showed endless potential and growth even during
the match itself. Janna Bondoc, despite having very little practice, won
everything in the Essay Writing Competition, besting experienced 4th years and
experienced article-writers. Mayne Limosinero shocked the crowd by suddenly
appearing and disappearing, like a mushroom, all the while leaving the 2nd place
award for the 3rd years. The debate team then evolved during the match, and
with Claries Canindo and Ron De Jesus spearheading the attack, they pulled
through with Kyla Diaz and Diego Antonio improving as they swept the floor with
their opponents.
Weldylyn Mayo, despite her reluctance, showed everyone the true Shokoy
Queen. Oozing with confidence, she roared her heart out to strike fear in the
hearts of every contestant. Jonaliza Mamon broke hearts as she beat out every
other competitor in the Declamation. Talent oozed the stage when the song
writing team pulled out all the stops to sing a symphony to the crowd, winning it
all.
Meanwhile, the Speech Choir Team, was scared and nervous after
watching each and every performance of their rival teams. Yet, when it was their
turn, they were unfazed and confident. All the bickering, all the tiring weeks and
the sore throats, all the stress and fights birthed two things for the 3 rd years; a
stronger companionship, and a trophy for the speech choir competition.
The now-3rd years were named as back-to-back champions of the GEMS
Fest. Even if they were at least one person short, they would have never won, that
was how integral each and every person was to catching that trophy.
Now, have you ever seen a group of different people work so perfectly
together?
I am lucky to say that I have. For the past 3 years, I have.
What do you call people from different places who have different tastes,
accents, strengths and weaknesses, all working together in harmony? A
concoction of different chemicals miraculously creating a pure mixture of
openness, happiness, effort and love?
You call them a ragtag group of champions.
You call them the GEMS 3rd years.
You call them the PUPSPC BSED English Batch 2021.
You call them a FAMILY.