Xavier, HARI break ground for student center

MANILA, Philippines - Xavier School marked the official start of the construction of the Anthony and Justa Lee Student Center on June 6, 2011 in the Nuvali campus in Calamba, Laguna. School president Fr. Johnny Go, SJ, and Richard Lee, chairman emeritus of Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (HARI), led officials of both organizations in the groundbreaking rites.

The construction of the building, the third major facility to rise in the new campus of Xavier School Nuvali, is being supported by HARI. Lee, himself a student in the school’s original campus in Echague and father of two Xavier graduates, Anthony Bryan (’92) and Matthew Francis Richard (’06), was instrumental in making HARI one of the founding benefactors of the new school.

In his message, Lee underscored the company’s belief in education as a “strong force for creating capacities and transforming lives toward a better future.” He expressed the company’s vision “to anchor our future on a solid foundation of learning, knowledge transfer and competence-building,” with the end goal of “developing and nurturing a sustainable breed of leaders and nation-builders... to dream about new possibilities and forge new thinking on the destiny of our country and the Filipino people.” This is a vision shared by Xavier School and embodied in its motto, “luceat lux” (let your light shine).

For his part, Fr. Go expressed the gratitude of the school community for the generous support of HARI and Lee in the construction of the student center, which he described as “a womb for innovative student leaders.” He compared this generosity to the humble beginnings of Xavier School 55 years ago, “a foolish dream that was fulfilled not only because of the faith and determination of our founding Jesuit fathers, but also because of the support of Chinese-Filipino businessmen who would become lifelong partners in education.”

As a response to all the blessings received by the school, which will operate two campuses by 2012, Fr. Go reiterated the commitment of the Jesuits to make Xavier School Nuvali a more accessible and socially responsible school. Not only will it be co-educational, it will also share the Xavier education to more students in need of a better life. He said, “We have set ourselves an ambitious target, one we reaffirm today: that for Xavier School Nuvali, one out of every four students we educate will be provided with scholarship.”

The student center is a fitting and lasting tribute to the legacy of Lee’s parents, the late Anthony P. Lee and wife, Justa, for their high regard for education as a pillar of national strength. The library, one of the main facilities housed in the building, will be dedicated in memory of his late younger brother, Samuel Lee.

The other two major buildings to be completed before the school opens in June 2012 are the Henry Sy Sr. Primary School building and the Ramon Ang Gymnasium. The new school is situated in a 15-hectare property donated by Aurora Properties, Inc., a joint venture of Ayala Land and the Yulo family, which is developing the Nuvali eco-community.

Applications for Xavier School Nuvali (Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, and First Year High School) will be processed starting August 2011. For more information visit www.xs.edu.ph or email [email protected]