“A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning.” This perfectly describes the service rendered by Mrs. Valentina Castro as an English teacher at Magsaysay National High school. Devotion and passion fuel her desire in helping and molding students into future journalists. This teacher continues to pour her efforts for the welfare of students by training them to write for publications.
She had been the adviser of their school publication since 2010, and since then, her students had been trained to compete in national school publication contests. Mrs. Castro started advising school publications as a requirement, but she soon developed the love of sharing knowledge with her students.
Learning how to properly deal with people and a lot of patience are some qualities she developed throughout her teaching career making her an effective mentor.
Mrs. Castro’s most satisfying achievement is becoming the president of the Division School Paper Advisers Association (SPAA). As the president, she helps in planning the division press conferences, but she is also active in regional press cons where she works as part of a technical working group.
Campus journalism, writing professionally, changed Mrs. Castro, and she admits that there are plenty more to learn in the field of journalism. Her ultimate goal is for her students to reach the national press con, and in her career, she learned to share knowledge and in order to achieve, sacrifices must be made.
Writing is a great way to express ideas and emotions. Writing for the school paper teaches an individual to be resourceful and creative. It is essential for the youth to indulge in these activities to deter themselves unfavorable influences.
By Stephen Tenedero