The vibrant halls of Antipolo City National Science and Technology High School (ACNSTHS) came alive this February 20 as students gathered for this year's Arts Fest, an annual event dedicated to celebrating National Arts Month and expressing students' creativity, showcasing their artistic passion, and fostering camaraderie. 

This year's Arts Fest featured a variety of arts competitions, including slogan making, poster making, painting, essay writing, and banner making, with each highlighting the diverse artistic skills of students.

Furthermore, this 3-hour-long event introduced a guest speaker, Noel Abad Quidlat, an online content creator known for his atypical art form, anamorphic line art, using masking tapes and hair to make portraits of famous individuals worldwide.

As the event's speaker, Quidlat emphasized the significance of expressing oneself through arts, embracing individuality, and how a simple hobby during events of boredom can evolve into a well-recognized craft.

Kenji Carigma, the president of the MAPEH club, highlights the importance of this event in allowing ACNSTHS students to participate in recreational activities and self-expression in showcasing their talents in sports, arts, and music.

Moreover, according to Carigma, aside from allowing students to exhibit their artistic skills, due to the assigned teams for all grade levels, this event allowed students to socialize with each other, teaching students leadership skills and providing a much-needed break from the rigors of academic life.

"The event's overall scope is also wider; its focus is not only on arts, because if the event is only about arts contests, not everyone would be able to participate, so that's the aim of this event, even if they're not artistic, they're at least able to participate in Arts Fest and celebrate the National Arts Month this February," Carigma added.

Additionally, Nathaniel Villanueva, a Grade 11 transferee student, expressed how amusing and refreshing Arts Fest had been to him and the rest of the participants. He found the event a welcoming and refreshing event, as it allowed them to do recreational activities, especially after a stressful periodical exam period.

"As a transferee, this kind of event is something completely new to me. Although the event was physically tiring due to the number of available stations, it was still enjoyable since I was able to meet new people and make new friends and truly feel like part of our school's community," Villanueva shared.

As the Arts Fest 2025 draws to a close, and with another successful year in the books, students and teachers alike look forward to what Arts Fest 2026 will bring. For the entire ACNSTHS, Arts Fest is more than a competition, it becomes more than a platform where students can unleash their creativity and passion, the event gives students a voice, a medium to express themselves, and a chance to have fun and to be celebrated for their talents.