You Are a Triumph

It took nine years. The Ateneo Junior Summer Seminar (AJSS), now on its 49th year, is an annual summer program hosted by Ateneo de Manila University. It is offered to the top ten students of each school nationwide. The seminar exposes academically excellent students in junior year gearing towards college. Since the bright minds of Gemmo Fernandez (Batch Eccezionale, 2007) and Javelin Karl Magtalas (Batch Freyr, 2008), the last Claretian representatives for the seminar, Claret was unable to produce another passer for nearly a decade. The opportunity to mold a Claretian representative would not be within reach again if it were not for the brilliance of Isaac Joshua Ramos.

Isaac is an artist. He is creative and has a passion for calligraphy and lettering. The love he exerts in art definitely makes him a special and talented person. His patience contributes to his academic excellence. He is also a studious person; he loves to read books and write poems, which he describes as means to search inspiration and to pour out his thoughts. Despite living a peaceful and pleasant life, he still encounters problems from time to time. To ease the stress, he talks to God in prayer and asks for guidance for him to become better each day.

Isaac, along with the other applicants, took the entrance test on January 16, 2016. With them was the ambition to be considered as one of the best students across the nation. “I felt pressured throughout the test, it was difficult, and it was time-bound. I started to feel the odds fade,” he told Tanglaw ng Claret. This is why, on a busy afternoon of the 15th of February, 2016, he found himself completely surprised and in disbelief when his friends suddenly congratulated him. “It was SciMaTech week and a lot of things were in my head because of the amount of work that had to be done. I didn’t think about the results; it was just in my daydreams. We were going down to the Bulwagang Claret for a seminar when suddenly, one of my friends congratulated me. ‘Totoo ba?’ and ’Seryoso ba kayo?’ I kept asking them. Even Mrs. Manalang, my Chemistry teacher, went to congratulate me, but still it wasn’t enough to convince me.” As he got home, he opened Ateneo’s website and as it turned out, Isaac really did pass.

From then on, it was a mix of pressure and anxiety for him up until the first day. “It was difficult, especially on the forthcoming days. I had to leave in the middle of the year, when there were many things to do, it didn’t have a proper closure. I wasn’t even able to properly say farewell to my section-turned-family, 11-BAS.” The seminar began on April 4 with the usual first-day activities. “I entered the room, feeling nervous and everything around me just aggravated the situation. Everything was on a higher class and a higher level, I was not used to such atmosphere. Even talking in a conversation was a burden for me. I kept repeating to myself over and over again, “Sana kayanin ko ‘to”.

He attended several classes in Philosophy, Mathematics, Biology, and Chemistry, some of which were unfamiliar and challenging to Isaac. The seminar also conducted various activities such as a musical play, a Sports fest, an educational trip and even a camp week. The two-month event ended with the final examination, a simple retreat, and a graduation ceremony. When questioned which among these activities he found the most memorable, he eagerly replied, “Everything was memorable, even if some were difficult. But I still distinctly remember our musical play, ‘Into the Woods’ by Stephen Sondheim, where I had a role of being the Stage Manager. I found it similar to Claret’s own Shakespeare Festival. I remember using the same concept for the play’s backdrop, which I used with my section back then. At that moment, I was able to fully use my vast artistic talent. The simple fact that I enjoyed being the Stage Manager just signifies my undying passion for arts and crafts.”

After the two-month long program, his development as a student and his improvement with regard to his student ethics became evident especially to his classmates. Aldrin Sulit, his classmate for two consecutive years, met a better and different Isaac when they met again in July. “After the summer, he seemed to be more mature and intelligent-thinking compared to last year.” From Isaac’s own point of view, on the other hand, he felt that he had become more confident when it came to writing and that he had developed a new line of thinking or reasoning.

Life can always give us the worst outcome possible. Each day, we will experience problems and decisions that will affect our future. If there will be a moment when you’ll find yourself surrounded by despondence and heartache, remember this quote by Isaac: "You are a triumph. In everything that you do, there is always some obstacle that you will win over and in the process, there is something that you’ll lose, and this is the balance that keeps life going." These words from Isaac remind us that life will be meaningless if we do not encounter obstacles because these make us realize the importance of this wonderful blessing.

Since the birth of Claretians, we always strive to become great students spiritually and academically. Life is short, so if you experience failure again just remember this quote from Isaac: "If you ever fall down, stand up, for you are a triumph." As Claretians, it is our own duty and to keep this honorable legacy alive. Let us continue to prove that Claretians are able and triumphant students who can show to the whole nation that Claret School is one of the best institutions in this country.

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