Since I attended the Leadership Training Seminar (LTS) last year, I have been looking forward to be able to attend another camp. If PSYSC were Catholicism, then camp would be the Holy Week (and both are incidentally observed close to each other). This has been a retreat, a recollection, which has helped me regain focus of my chosen vacation.

Though a computer scientist by profession, ever since I entered high school, I have been fascinated by the world of science, and even more so with PSYSC at that time. Coupled with having great teachers who nurtured my enthusiasm and interest, I was able to develop this zeal of letting people in my circles know about the wonders of science, the benefits of technology, and importance of the environment. The culture of science and its propagation has become my vocation. Being with PSYSC, I can do my job at DOST better. And being with DOST, I can help PSYSC and my goal achievement would be easier.

On attending my second LTS, there was a lot of new stuff compared to the previous one. For me, there were a lot more participants, which really made me pleased as more students and advisers responded to the call.

By participating in the activities, I did have a few realizations. Personally, I never knew I already lost my idealistic self way back in college. In reflection, I have been recently taking the more practical approach to things. I guess this is how environment affects us.

By working with the advisers and teachers, I became aware of one of the causes of having the so-called generation gap. A common mistake of elder people, though not only limited to them, is when they fail to see that they can learn much, if not a lot more, from the younger generation. It is when they become stubborn that their minds become closed to other opinions and suggestions. It is time that the tables are turned, that the elders may know what is timely and current from the youth.

A few times it became competitive. Not between kids, but between advisers. It is important that we understand that by making our kids make mistakes, they grow and learn the best way possible: through experience. By letting them find out they are imperfect, they can hope for perfection.

Last night, I saw the difference on how PSYSC holds and organizes activities as compared to other organizations. The bond that the kids make with each other, and more importantly with the facilitators, has become strong in a very short period of time. They affect, if not change, each other’s lives like they have known each other for years. One cannot help but become emotional as the facilitators gave advices and thanks to all their adopted sons and daughters. To an extent, they were the ones that had the need to be rescued.

The LTS was a big success, as I can see growth in my kid. I can also see growth in me. Next year is another year, another camp. I’m looking forward to what’s in store for PSYSC in its 40^th year.

                Every beginning has an ending. I’ve been writing about my experiences for the past two days but today was especially tiring, maybe because it’s the Field Trip day. I wouldn’t start on that fact though. The activities the night before were the reason.

                We have gone through a lot of activities – the Monk’s Meal, the Entertainment Night and the Pinning Rites. The last activity was the most exciting and the longest as it lasted for three hours. It was in that activity that I first gave my hundred percent trust even when the circumstances were difficult. At the end of the night, we officially became part of the family.

I slept with a smile on my face with my heart pumping the blood of the family – PSYSC.

The Field trip day was fun also tiring but nothing beats the days of my LTS experience. Tomorrow and the days to come will be just more days of training, in real life this time.

My personal reflections were asked to be shared for the second time as the 2^nd day was filled with activities that will always be treasured.

Project Proposal was the highlight of the day because it consumed most of our time. I was grouped with my co-LTS delegates, namely Kris, Jill and Prei. Though we were not able to talk in the first day, it was friendship that overpowered us to work well together.

For the activity, we planned to propose CURE in Region IX. It will take more than 3 pages to write everything about it. When the presentation and evaluation came, I realized I haven’t thought of any of our faults. It was through our mistakes that we learned most.

Team building was the hardest for me since strategizing is not my game and hence, we were crowned last among the 4 groups. After all the proposals and games, we proceeded to the MM or Monk’s Meal wherein we were given food to enjoy and again, a lot of values were taught.

There really is a time for everything; the ticking clock tells us more experiences are yet to come.

First times are always along the way. One came along mine. They call it Leadership Training Seminar. This activity was introduced to me only during the celebration of the National Science Club Month last September 2009.

It was an opportunity I can’t have any hesitations to grab. Of course, I want to be a leader, though I am already one in my own ways.

Last times, along with the first ones, also came along. Sometimes, they come together. More like partners, more like father and bride walking down the aisle. To me, they came as conjoined twins.

Royale Tagaytay Country Club is the place. It was a very nice venue for the camp and for the LTS. I went there with twenty other schoolmates and two teachers. We enjoyed before everything started.

One sunny afternoon of April 7, 2010, I met others who, like me, wanted to become an efficient leader.

The activity started immediately. As expected, the traditional “Meet and Greet” sessions were first. Then, kuya RJ, the National Executive Council President talked about the organization where he belongs and where we belong.

It was called, as written on our schedule, “Ang PISOYSI.” In that lecture, I have learned more what really the Philippine Society of Youth Science Clubs is: its past, the stories behind it, and even the stories of the people behind it.  It includes everything about the family of many other science enthusiasts all over the archipelago; everything about my family.

The organizational behavior was the second topic on the list explained by Kuya Ryan. It was very well explained by Kuya Ryan. That was when I’ve learned about the organization’s organizational chart. I call it my family tree.

Too much I’ve learned, too much to write. Maybe I’d just write a little in every topic.

Next was about a word found in the acronym LTS: Leadership. Kuya Ryan explained it. Like the first, it was undeniably clear, crystal clear. I’ve learned what a leader truly is. Lipinan and Hakala, if I am not mistaken, expanded the ten traits a true leader should possess.

After that, Ate Tin explained how the PSYSC committees work. Specifically, the committees for the camp they were handling. It’s a good thing they taught us that. It is because my schoolmates really wanted to have a school camp, the PSYSC way.

There were so many things to talk about in the first day. There were so many experiences to treasure. I didn’t even feel tired. I felt lucky, though these two feelings don’t connect. I was blessed to have an opportunity to become a leader in every sense.

Trust. When you are part of a group, trust is a must. To learn to trust in your teammates or other people for that matter is indeed a hard feat but one thing I learned from this camp is TRUST. I learned how to trust in my group mates and in our Ate’s and Kuya’s as well. Of course, when you give your trust to someone, there will be forces who will want to break the bond. In this case or activity, our Ate’s and Kuya’s just wanted to test that bond. That particular activity was called the Pinning Rite.

The Pinning Rite is actually the most memorable part of the camp for me. It helped us to be closer with each other and to trust and depend on each other’s capabilities. The tasks were quite challenging and there’s so much pressure especially from Kuya Rex who became the “Big Brother” with his really big and booming voice. Every second he would be shouting “Sundan ang boses ko!,” everytime he yells that, I get jumpy. Then, the Ate’s and Kuya’s aso imparted to us some values of the PSYSC organization. It was really memorable for me and for the other participants as well.

Trust was also seen and portrayed in the movie “Freedom Writers.” This film was all about the students who were juvenile and the teacher who wanted to change them. It wasn’t easy at first as the time goes by they started to put their trust in their teacher and so they were changed.

I guess this was the message of this essay. Trust.

Another day has come. Again, it was full of activities and lectures. Thanks to our Almighty God for our fun Ate’s and Kuya’. They really made the boring topics fun and humorous. I would really prefer Kuya Ryan than my Math teacher when it comes to lectures.

The topic the whole day was project proposals – about how it was done and such. They explained the different parts of the project proposal thoroughly. Some of the parts of the project proposal that was explained were the project title, date, venue, theme, participants or the target audience, implementing agencies, the Line Item Budget and the Gantt chart. They explained that every part of the proposal is unique and important. I know it is not easy to make a good project proposal.

Our next topic or activity is doing exactly that – making a good project proposal. So we each saw what our common ground was. Like what’s the problem that is similar in the three regions. At first, I really thought that this activity will be done individually but I was wrong. I had 2 group mates and together we thought of a suitable project. I could say that we really did our very best. We had a lot of help from our advisers.

Then, we had an evaluation. I was nervous because I would be explaining our proposal. Thanks to my teammates, it turned out quite well. Actually, the project proposal that I made here was better than the one I made back home. I was really happy that the advisers and Kuya Ryan liked the AYWAC project. But then, they liked all the proposals.

This day was filled with lesson that I would be able to bring back to Davao and even use it in my studies. Now, I even find the project proposal quite interesting. Is it weird? :p