Friday, July 2, 2010
WHAT YMA HAS MADE ME
Although sessions are only held every Saturday and sometimes on Sundays, it feels like the months have passed suddenly. I tend to forget that it wasn’t that too long ago that I first began my journey as a YMAer. I entered YMA thinking that I was already equipped with my academic mind. Well, I thought wrong. There were still a lot of things that I never knew. I realized that all along I had been living inside a boxed world and, despite my thinking that I knew a lot, I had never been into the real world. Most importantly, as my birth certificate states, I am not a Filipino.
Young Minds Academy is a youth development and citizenship program. It is similar to a school setting — there are tests, homework and discussions. Not only that, I get to travel around Cebu, face challenges, see the different faces of the community, feel the needs of my countrymen and awaken the Filipino inside of me. YMA has changed me. Just as how my alma mater has molded me into who I am today, YMA helps in sculpting my being.
Of the many lessons I have been given, let me emphasize the top 5 and what effect these lessons have on me.
1. Think outside the box.
I always hear this statement that I thought it was already cliché, but I never learned how to apply this proverb until my team and I had a serious brainstorming session on what our project proposal should be. We thought long and hard until we exhausted ourselves. Why were we stressed? It was because our thinking were too boxed in. After almost giving up, I had a strange and unconventional idea that was inspired by a recent TV series I finished watching. My concept seemed too far-fetched to pass as a project concept but my teammates, instead of shunning this weird idea right away, listened to me and from there we helped formulate the idea into a more feasible one.
2. Put God as the center of your life.
Just recently, I have been having difficulties coping up with pressure and fears as a college freshmen. I was apprehensive because I knew very well that college was going to be different. I may have been outstanding in high school but the thought of not excelling in college terrified me.
Then, I remembered one of our YMA sessions.
Have you heard of the joke that states, “When you talk to God you are praying, but when God talks back you are schizophrenic?” I laughed at this joke before, but now I figured that there’s actually no humor behind it. God does talk back, and even though he may not speak to you conversationally, he does talk to you. The speaker for the S-Leadership module, Ms. Celine Yu, taught me that prayer is a form of communicating with God. We all know that communication is a two-way process. I speak to God, He listens to me. In like manner, if God speaks to me then I should listen too. How is listening to God done? Simple. Open the Bible, read it and internalize God’s word. Back to my dilemma, I decided to do what Ms. Celine suggested. I picked up the Bible and it led me to this passage: ‘Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.’ (Mt. 11:29) This verse now serves as one of my daily reminders that if I have any problems, I should submit them to God.
3. Positivity.
YMA has also inspired me to shun the negativity with positive thoughts. Before I was a scholar, I was a pessimist. Even before an event happens, the first thing I considered are its negative implications. I usually let my fear get to me, as a result of which taking challenges incapacitated me to maximize my potentials. Things have changed though. From a pessimist, I initiated a campaign on positivity, inspiring my fellow YMAers, my friends and classmates to always think positively and believe in one’s capacity.
4. Love Your Country.
I was never a patriot person and I never had interest or love for my country and my countrymen. YMA changed all that. I became more nationalistic. I was drawn in having an interest to the current affairs of the country and I made an extensive research to update myself with the current status of the Philippines. The conversations I initiated with my friends was all about the Philippines. During that time, the issue was the upcoming elections and as a concern citizen I did my part to know the candidates well. I wasn’t capable yet of voting, but that didn’t mean I should not be involved. During the elections, I became a volunteer for C-CIMPEL to help tabulate the votes. In my own way, I was able to serve my country and my countrymen.
5. The Nine Pillars of Character and Leadership
Respect, Responsibility, Citizenship, Caring Leadership,God-centeredness,
Trustworthiness, Humility, Fairness and Integrity are the nine pillars of the Young Minds Academy. These values are integrated well in the series of programs, sessions and activities such as exposures, immersions, forums and opportunities YMA has provided. The Nine Pillars of Character and Leadership served now as my guideline in living my life as a student, a daughter and a Filipino citizen.
Trustworthiness, Humility, Fairness and Integrity are the nine pillars of the Young Minds Academy. These values are integrated well in the series of programs, sessions and activities such as exposures, immersions, forums and opportunities YMA has provided. The Nine Pillars of Character and Leadership served now as my guideline in living my life as a student, a daughter and a Filipino citizen.
Janelle Moran (YMA 4 – Generation III)
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