My article that was published in st scho :)

Being someone for somebody voluntarily is a fulfilling action that can lift up your heart. “For the Kids (FTK) 2012” was really a nice whole day experience to boost our talents and skills in handling children of different disabilities. Being a L.O.V.E. volunteer has been such a great opportunity for many college students from La Salle and other different universities around Manila. SPED Olympics just happens once a year, a time when we share laughter, fun, games, food, and company with different children. I can say that being a volunteer is a very big responsibility. I was paired with another volunteer and we were assigned to supervise one special child. There was bonding established among the volunteers. We met new friends and new families. People from La Salle were very accommodating and they welcomed us with ease and comfort without any feeling of shyness. 

Handling children was one of the thrills of the FTK. It is not hard to handle a child, we all know that, especially if they have special needs, I told myself that if I were the only one who handled the child, I wouldn't survived it. He's too strong. At first, me and my partner Ked had no problem with the child. He was easy to handle but when the tantrums came, we couldn’t stop him! He didn't want to get off the microphone. He even peed in his pants. I didn't know what to do, but then, my partner was there to help me as well as the father of the child. My idea of getting the child off the stage and the microphone was not good. He was really unstoppable. Actually we were not able to finish all 3 games, just 1 game. 

But every FTK volunteer has the end goal of making their child happy. Making them enjoy basking and playing in the sun. I was really sun burned but then everytime I see my child smiling, my heart also smiles. My partner once asked me if I am tired and I told him "No" even though I had been standing with my child for an hour. I was just watching over him. My partner gave up, he rested for quite sometime for he has heart problems. My partner is not a SPED major, but then, his heart was really for the kids. During FTK, I saw the passion, the zeal that every teacher must have. For the Kids (FTK) 2012 was really a blast! It was a very successful event where everyone enjoyed, especially the kids. We learned a lot from them too!

Alexia Jewel Leonor, the author (2nd from left) with some SSC Educ students who volunteered for the FTK

FTK 2012 was really a day for the kids, when they smile and have a break from their usual routine activities. Our desire to make the kids happy really made them happy. We're all successful in painting smiles  in the kids’ faces that day. That Sunday was one of the most unforgettable Sundays that ever happened to me and I'm sure that it was also a memorable experience for the other volunteers. As Scholasticans, we are always very willing and motivated to lend a hand to every kid. Their love for kids was clearly seen as the Education majors of St. Scholastica's College gave a hand to every child at FTK 2012.