Loyalty Day Celebration of my Alma Mater

As you may know, I attended Saint Joseph College (SJC) and graduated in practical nursing in 2010. Despite its name, SJC is not only college but also high school, serving the full range of education in Maasin. Every first week of September, Saint Joseph College celebrates its Loyalty Day. It is part of every school to have Intramurals or so called Loyalty Day. It is when students show their talents and skills in literary and sports. It helps also to develop God given gifts of students, and also sportsmanship since in every competition, there's always a winner and a loser. Beauty is also shown through having muses in every year level of each team. It is one of the school events that students had most awaited.

Three weeks before this event, the college students start having sleepless nights. Not enough to be in school every day, every student went back to school during night, after dinner, to practice the activity they have joined since all students are required to participate and join even just one activity of the event. Some are into sports while others are into other activities like street yelling, parlor games, games of law and literary.

September 2-4 of this year, SJC had its Loyalty Day with the theme: "Loving each other as children of God". The event started with a Holy Mass at 2pm and a parade was followed afterward. Years ago, students were divided into two teams for high school and elementary department and four teams for college in every department. But this year it was different: the college was divided into four teams by merging course departments. Each year, factions were named with terms from the Catholic Religion. This year, teams were named after saints since SJC is a catholic school. The teams of the elementary department were St. Dominic Savio and St. Tarcisius; the high school teams St. Sebastian and St. Aloysius; and  lastly, for the college department, the teams were St. Pillagius (Criminolgy, Practical Nursing, Diploma in Information Technology, and Office Administration Department), St. Achilleus (Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Department), St. Agapitus (Civil Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Accounting Technology and Bachelor of Science in Accountancy), St. Joan of Arch (Bachelor of Science in Education, Computer Science and Bachelor of Science in Information Technology).

Knowing that its Loyalty Day, people were waiting at the side of the street to witness the parade and watch students wearing their colorful team tshirts together with their muses. People were entertained by the street yellings. Really fun to watch for!

After the parade, students were gathered at Maasin City Gym to open the event in a form of a short program. There was a firework outside the gym before the program was finally started. Lighting of the torch by Bishop Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, DD, SJC school president, was followed. A short speech by him was delivered afterward to officially and formally open the event. Dance presentation from college, high school, and elementary school were shown. Muses with their different muse attires were presented as well. They ramp around the ground showing their beauties. After this, winners for the street yelling, parade and muses were proclaimed.

The second day, September 3, was dominated by sports events. Students woke up early for the attendance quick count and for the mass afterward. Ballgames and athletic games followed afterwards. Under the heat of the sun, students were striving and trying their best just to win for their teams.

On the third but last day, September 4, games of law were held and after it has been done, all students and teachers gathered at SJC covered court for the proclamation of winners. Excitement and happiness were seen in every students face while waiting for the proclamation. Okay, here is the proclamation: For the college, the champion is the St. Pillagius team, for the high school, the St. Aloysius team was best, and lastly for the elementary department, the winner is St. Tarcisius. Yahooo!

Whatever the result, sportsmanship wins and seen among student's faces and this is the most important to accept the result heartedly. Students were satisfied with what they have heard during the proclamation. Friendships are still there since for them that was just a Game. Congratulations to all the winners and for the losers, better luck next time. God Bless!