10 Outstanding Public School Students awarded

MANILA, Philippines - Ten Outstanding Public School students (TOPS) were awarded certificates of distinction and gold medals of excellence during ceremonies held at Center State in MOA. The Kabayan TOPS award is given to public high school students who have achieved academic excellence, exemplary leadership excellence and special achievements. The awardees also received a cash prize of P20,000. each.

Four high school student awardees for academic excellence are: Fredie More Pablo of Sablayan National Comprehensive High School in Occ. Mindoro, Roma Jane Hechanova of Bacolod City National High School, Geila Mae delos Angeles of Gusa Regional High School in Cagayan de Oro City and Ella May Maano of Muntinlupa High School.

The exemplary leadership awardees are: ZyJazz de Guzman of La Union High School, Fritzie Mae Faller of Talisay City Science High School, Janica Liz de Guzman of Davao City National High School and Dailyne Macasaet of Tala High School in Caloocan.

Charlie del Rosario of Pulong Buhangin High School in Bulacan & Kristin Hernan of Rosario National High School in La Union both garnered the Kabayan Special Achievement awards.

The TOPS award which started in 2006 was spearheaded by former Vice President Noli de Castro with the participation of the DepEd and the Rotary Clubs of Makati West and Midtown Quezon City and Jobs DB.Com. In 2011, Kabayan Foundation invited SM Foundation to partner with them in the search for TOPS. SM Foundation readily accepted the invitation by managing the program for Kabayan Noli de Castro Foundation starting schoolyear 2011-2012. This second batch of TOPS awardees being managed by SM Foundation will receive full scholarships in various courses in partner schools of the SM Foundation. They will now form part of the 1,200 college scholars that SM Foundation maintains every year. Aside from free tuition, the scholars get a monthly allowance and a chance to work in any SM office during summer, Christmas and semestral breaks to augment their allowance.

The presentation of the awardees had Noli “Kabayan” de Castro as keynote speaker with sponsors Carmen Linda Atayde, executive director for Education of SM Foundation, Inc.; Joey Pelaez, executive director of DepEd Center for Students & Co-Curricular Affairs; Atty. Mon Guerrero, president of Rotary Club Makati West; Gigi Alcala, president of Rotary Club Midtown Quezon City and Atty. Jesse Andres, chairman of the Kabayan Noli de Castro Foundation, Inc. in attendance to give full support not only to the awardees but to the parents and teachers as well.