Beyond the School Lab
Beyond the School Lab
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The Link, May 8, 2025
By Abraham G. Binwag, Carlo S. Lim, & Eduardo Mackenzie M. Villarta
Graduates of Lourdes School of Mandaluyong (LSM) who have worked hard to achieve their goals and aspirations will eventually become successful members of society in the future. LSM is known to offer the best quality education and integration of values for its students, for them to grow not only to be intelligent and capable but also to be men of excellence and character.
The school offers four strands for the Senior High School division, namely STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) strand, ABM (Accountancy, Business, and Management) strand, HUMMS (Humanities and Social Sciences) strand, and GA (General Academic) strand. The STEM strand is offered to schools that follow the K to 12 program, and its purpose is to provide a great foundation for future college programs and careers such as engineering, architecture, medicine, programming, IT, and research. Due to the importance of these careers in the sustainability and development of society, these are in high demand and are highly sought after by graduates.
There was an aspiring Lourdesian named Gerrard Raymund R. Castilla who wanted to become a doctor in the future. He embodies being a community builder and a Filipino by having the passion to be of service to others all while being proactive and responsive to the needs of the country. Because of his aspiration to become a doctor, he worked hard in his studies and made sure to make the best of the education provided to him. He eventually chose the STEM strand once he entered senior High School, as the subjects offered in the strand best align with his desired college program: pre-med. He eventually graduated from LSM and became a member of the “Sons of Lourdes” (SOL) batch 2018. In his time in LSM, he was capable of exemplifying the benefits of the STEM strand.
Master Castilla had the advantage from his chosen pre-med course: BS BioChemistry. Compared to his other classmates who did not take the STEM strand, subjects such as Chemistry and Calculus were significantly easier for him to understand. This is due to the subjects he had already taken in advance, giving him the upper edge. This advantage shows the importance of being able to choose the right strand once you enter Senior High School, as the lessons and experiences gained will carry on to college. One of his notable successes in his college journey is the completion of his thesis. He was initially challenged by transitioning from research by groups to research by pairs. Due to having fewer people to work with, he would have a larger workload, which proved challenging at times, and yet through the hard work of him and his partner, he was able to successfully present and defend his thesis for both his college and at a science convention at a different university.
Currently, Master Castilla is taking his postgraduate studies at the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center (UERMMMC) College of Medicine. Him becoming a doctor allows him to better understand how the human body works and the various conditions and diseases that can affect it. This will allow him to be able to directly help and assist those who experience medical conditions. This profession embodies the Lourdesian Creed, especially in the tenets “I am a Community Builder” and “I am a Filipino.”
Master Castilla is an example of someone who worked hard to reach their dreams to overall give service and benefit the people around him. It shows not just the excellent education LSM provides, but also the capabilities that its students have not just in terms of academics or grades, but also the service they can provide to others.
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