St. Scholastica’s shifting image: From pretty girls to sports champs

St. Scholastica’s College is famous for two things: academic excellence and pretty girls.

Since it was founded in 1906, St. Scho’s thrust has been anchored on education for justice, social transformation and a commitment to be sensitive to and aware of issues that impact on everyone’s life.

Last year, the school was champion in the Interschool Interior Designer Competition and in the Culinary Grand Prix, first place in the National Capital Region level and runner-up in the national level.

The Benedictine school for women is, however, excelling not just in "feminine" events.

It is also becoming popular in the sporting world, amassing victories in almost all tournaments it has joined in, both in and out of the country.

The pretty young things of St. Scho soaked in sweat and sporting disheveled hair.

"Why not?" says Ma. Vivian P. Manila, dean for Student Affairs and six-time president of the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA), the country’s first and only tri-level league for women where St. Scho is one of the founding members. "We encourage our students to pursue non-academic activities as well to develop them into well-rounded individuals."

School president Sr. Josefina Nepomuceno, OSB, is the St. Scho athletes’ staunchest supporter.

"Despite my busy schedule, I make it a point to be present during important games," Sr. Nepomuceno said. "I’m very proud of them, win or lose."

It is this kind of support that has made the St. Scho Doves stand out in their recent ventures into the athletic field.

During the ASEAN age group swimming championship last June, St. Scho won seven gold medals and a silver, mainly through the efforts of Luica Dacanay, Most Valuable Player in the 15-17 division.

Dacanay also took a bronze during the Vietnam Southeast Asian Games last December on top of several other medal-winning efforts in Manila and regional meets.

In gymnastics, Tina Ferrer has been making waves in such events as the Palarong Pambansa, Milo Little Olympics and National Capital Region meet; Jolina Hernandez in volleyball; Pao Angeles in taekwondo and Bea Atienza in track and field.

All of them are high school students.

The collegiate team, meanwhile, was recently declared second runner-up overall in the 34th WNCAA-adidas, highlighted by a third straight cheerleading title.

In the third Women’s Colleges Sports Association (WCSA), a consortium of women colleges, the Doves plucked the cheerleading (second in a row), volleyball and swimming crowns.

They were also overall champs in the second WCSA tourney.

The 34th WNCAA-adidas also gave the grade school squad the second runner-up title in the overall standing after finishing first runner-up in athletics, second runner-up in swimming and third runner-up in volleyball.

On the other hand, the high school team bagged the championship in swimming (Dacanay was most outstanding swimmer with six gold medals), second runner-up in basketball and third runner-up in the cheerleading contest.

St. Scho teams are also making waves outside the WNCAA.

The grade school athletes produced the Most Outstanding Athlete of the Milo Little Olympics–swimmer Carmina Marie Quilala, who won five gold medals.

Quilala was also 34th WNCAA-adidas’ best athlete for her 4-1-1 gold-silver-bronze effort.

Teammate Emrin Hamsain had two bronze medals.

In the Palarong Maynila, Quilala pocketed a gold, four-silver and one bronze medal.

In the NCR Palaro, she had three gold medals, one-silver and one bronze.

Fille Saint Cainglet, meanwhile, shone in the WNCAA track and field event with three gold medals and a bronze while Angeline Gervacio had a lone gold.

Manila said the entire St. Scho community is swollen with pride over their athletes’ achievements and would go to great lengths to support them the best way they can.

For school year 2004-2005, St. Scho has new program offering–B. S. in Information Technology major in Interactive Multimedia Design and

Animation; Certificate in Multimedia and Web Design; and Bachelor of Fine Arts major in Visual Arts and Design, which would also be open to male students.

There are also summer training programs that offer alternative and innovative educational approaches for teachers and administrators of the grade school and high school levels.

Truly, St. Scho’s brilliance is no longer confined to the classroom and to pretty young girls. With a broader program aimed at developing the complete woman, it is building an image that gives the school a new look.