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Cradle Cup: A Swing for the Scholars

One thing’s for sure, you have to be a morning person to be a golfer.

Last May 25, forty-nine morning persons woke up not-so-bright-and-early for 18 holes of golf at the Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club for the very 1^st Cradle Cup, a fund-raising project of the school’s PTA.

It was very good day for a round of golf; overcast skies and even a brief rainstorm served as a respite from the summer’s heat.   The first flight teed off at 5:30 a.m. while most of the metro denizens were still in peaceful slumber.  Freddie Placino, COJ’s very first BOT President, and his daughter and COJ alumna, Selene, made the ceremonial tee-off.  Seven hours later (!), the tournament was all over except for the awarding.

Tourney golfers were treated to a much-deserved lunch where trophies and special prizes were awarded and raffle prizes were drawn.  (Everyone had their eye on the large LCD TV!)   General Larry Lapuz was declared the tournament’s over-all champion and took home a replica of the tournament’s glass perptual cup.   The biggest winners though were the school’s scholars, the tournament’s beneficiaries.

The event was such as a success that the PTA is already buzzing about the 2^nd Cradle Cup next year!   To the winners and the PTA, “Congratulations!”   To our generous sponsors, “Thank you for your support!”

** Cradle Cup will be featured on A Round of Golf on June 21, 8 p.m. on Channel 9 (Solar Sports).  Don’t miss it!

Sama-sama sa Cradle Camp

The furniture was cleared, leaving the classrooms empty.  That could only mean one thing... CRADLE CAMP!  After a long wait, the COJ Grade School had their much-anticipated annual Cradle Camp last April 12 and 13, 2010.

This year’s theme, Sama-Sama sa Summer Camp, aimed for the students to have, as a 3^rd grader put it, “positive relationships” with everyone in school.    The activities were less strenuous compared to previous years but equally fun nonetheless.

After settling in their assigned classrooms with their sleeping bags and mattresses, the students sought out their teammates and teacher facilitator through the Sardines Game.  The Shoe Factory had them all tangled up but had everyone supporting each other, a great way to physically reinforce the camp’s theme.  The customary Cheer and Banner Competition really had the kids’ creative juices flowing while the Group Juggling brought teams together for collaborative heave-ho’s.  Trust and cooperation were also emphasized in the Trust Walk and the Blindfold Rectangle games.

Night activities were devoted to honoring the 6^th graders (who had their last Cradle Camp) by preparing group presentations and greeting cards for them.  A time was also spent to intercede for all the concerns of the school.  Parents later joined the kids as they latter their prayers for the school.  The night activities ended with a movie (Percy Jackson) which the kids enjoyed.

By camp’s end, everyone was keyed up by the positive relationships.  What a great way to cap the year!

Aha!  Teacher Rane is found by her team members in the Sardines Game.

The United Green show off their banner and later, their Lady Gaga inspired cheer.

All Fired Up!

For the first time, Cradle of Joy has experienced a real fire-------drill.

Believe it or not, this fire drill was very different from the previous ones since it really involved authentic firefighters complete with uniforms and gadgets.  Plus, there were real fire trucks and an ambulance to complete the effect too! As soon as the clock struck 11:15 am on February 12, 2010, which was the synchronized time from the Quezon City Fire Department, the fire bell rang and everyone hurried out of their rooms, down to the open area and out of the school towards the safe zone, which was just across the street. The firefighters arrived a few minutes later complete with uniforms and equipment... and they looked serious too!

Everyone watched them disappear to and reappear from the building a few moments later and unexpectedly, they were carrying 2 unconscious bodies from the supposed “fire” incident. Unbeknownst to most, this was prearranged by the Fire Department to make the drill look more authentic, both for the school and their trainees. The supposed “victims” were a teacher and a grade 6 student, Teacher Joey Festejo and Alex Ruta respectively, who were carried out from the school and loaded inside the ambulance which really sped off as if their lives depended on it. Now what can you say to that?

So, how'd we do?  Total time for the whole drill: 5.25 minutes! 2.14 minutes for the evacuation and 3.25 minutes for the actual rescue! Not bad for a first time true-to life fire drill, exclusively at COJ.

Days prior to the drill, the Fire Department gave an orientation.

The fire truck arrives at the scene...

COJ Donates Turtles

Nobody knows how old they are nor what their names are; they change each year at the students' whim.  What we DO know is that the turtles, school pets for time immemorial, were getting too big for their homes.

So during a fieldtrip, the Kinder students of Teacher Noelle donated the two turtles together with a giant snapping turtle that was swept away and found at the Ligaya ng Panginoon's premises after Typhoon Ondoy.  The three turtles were received at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center by Dr. Popoy De Jesus.

Dr. Popoy explained that the Red-eared Slider Turtles (Trachemys Scripta), commonly sold as house pets,  were not endemic to the Philippines.  He further explained that they were actually threats to the country's local variety since they are more aggressive than the endemic species.

Sad as it was to part with our long-time pets, we know that they are in very good hands.  Kudos to the kids for being good stewards!

Kinder students turn over one of the turtles to Dr. Popoy.