Showing posts with label upis week. Show all posts

UPIS students compete in SDG Quiz Bee



JUBILATION. Participants, Kamag-Aral (KA) officers, and K-Aid members smile with delight as the SDG Quiz Bee draws to a close. Photo credit: James Tolosa

Selected students from Grades 7 to 10 participated in the first Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Quiz Bee at the UPIS Auditorium last February 15.

The students were divided into nine teams with three to four students each. For four rounds, i.e. easy, average, difficult, and bonus, they answered questions about the SDGs and related concepts in Science and Social Studies.

Team 2 was declared champion with 170 points. Sean Cuevas (7-Venus), Isabel Biason (8-Ladybug), Emman Caasi (9-Gold), and Marius Barcenas (10-Lauan). Team 9, which comprised Freenzy Molina (7-Neptune), Adrian Mayo (8-Honeybee), Diana Romero (9-Silver), and Celina Morales (10-Yakal), won first runner-up with 160 points. Lastly, Mikaela Baylosis (7-Neptune), Eda White (9-Silver), and Jana Garcia (10-Yakal) of Team 3 took second runner-up with 125 points.

Prof. Sharon Aguila, KA Adviser, expressed the importance of the event to the students. According to her, "Sa pamamagitan ng pagsali nila sa patimpalak, makikita natin kung ano ang alam ng ating mga mag-aaral sa mga SDGs.... gusto natin makita kung gaano [sila] kahanda sa pagtugon ng mga suliraning pambansa at pandaigdig." (Through joining the competition, we can see the knowledge of our students about the SDGs... we want to see how [they] are ready to face national and international issues.)

The SDG Quiz Bee was a part of the celebration of UPIS Days with the theme SANDIGAN: Magkakasama. Magkaagapay. Magtatagumpay. It was coordinated by the KA 7–12, Science Society, and Kilusan ng Araling Panlipunan. Cy Licuanan (9-Gold) and Craig Aquino (12-Kalayaan) hosted the program, while Prof. Brenson Andrés served as the judge. //by James Tolosa  

ACLE 2019, idinaos



Nakikinig ang mga kalahok ng Ethnic Music and Dance session sa tagapagsalita mula sa Kontra-GaPi bago sila tumugtog ng mga katutubong instrumento. Photo credits: Erika Sasazawa

Lumahok ang mga mag-aaral ng UPIS sa Alternative Classroom Learning Experience (ACLE) noong Pebrero 14, pangalawang araw ng UPIS Days, mula ika-8 hangang ika-10 ng umaga. Isinagawa ang iba’t ibang sesyon sa mga silid sa Gusali 3-6 at Gusali 7-12.

Nilalayon ng ACLE na mabigyan ng ibang karanasan ang mga mag-aaral sa loob ng silid-aralan. Malayang pumili ang mga mag-aaral ng sesyon na kanilang dinaluhan ayon sa kanilang hilig, talento o interes.

Nang tanungin si Wilnor Papa, speaker ng Amnesty International, kung paano nakatutulong ang ACLE sa mga kalahok at tagapagsalita, sinabi niya, “It (ACLE) gives you opportunities to learn other things that you don’t normally learn in school. (Ang ACLE ay nagbibigay ng oportunidad para matunan mo ang ibang kaalaman na hindi mo kadalasan napag-aaralan sa loob ng paaralan.)”

Ayon naman kay Patricia Chua, grado 7, “ACLE is a chance for students to explore new hobbies and get to know other people. It opened my mind to new ideas so I think this year’s ACLE is a huge success. (Ang ACLE ay pagkakataon para sa mga mag-aaral na makatuklas ng mga bagong libangan at makakilala ng ibang tao. Binuksan nito ang aking isipan sa mga bagong ideya kaya sa tingin ko, ang ACLE ngayong taon ay malaking tagumpay.)”


Sinisimulang gawin ng mga mag-aaral ng grado 3-6 ang kanilang natutunan mula sa pagtalakay tungkol sa watercolor painting. Photo credits: Danie Cabrera

Ang mga sesyon na dinaluhan ng mga mag-aaral sa grado 7-12 ay ang sumusunod:
• 2030 Youth Force in the Philippines
• Amnesty International
• Baking Cookies
• Brushpen Calligraphy
• Digital Painting
• Ethnic Music and Dance
• French
• Guitar
• IBON Foundation
• Japanese
• Signing Exact English
• Silakbo
• Social Dance
• Taekwondo
• World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines
• Young Filipino Advocates of Critical Thinking

Ang sumusunod na listahan naman ang mga sesyon na dinaluhan ng grado 3-6.
• 2030 Youth Force in the Philippines
• Amnesty International
• Basic Watercolor
• Ethnic Music and Dance
• Guitar
• Hiphop
• Italian
• Mandarin Chinese
• Signing Exact English
• Taekwondo
• Teach Peace Build Peace Movement //nina Mariel Diesta at Erika Sasazawa

Feature: UPIS Week: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the (School) Year



The atmosphere in UPIS has become more vibrant these past few weeks as 2016 ends. This could only mean one thing... UPIS Week is coming.

Everyone’s busy getting ready for the UPIS Fair, but the aura around UPIS students is beaming with excitement. Kudos to the Pamunuan ng Kamag-aral (pKA) who has been working hard since the start of the school year to organize this year’s fair in hopes of igniting the UPIS spirit once again.

Along with the pKA, the Executive Committee, Grade Level Coordinators, advisers, and Year Level Organizations also play a big role in the organization of this event.

But aside from the fun the fair brings, it also aims to strengthen the relationships among the people in the UPIS Community and to give the students a chance to showcase their skills and talents. This event has been celebrated since 1976, which is when the UPIS Elementary and High School were joined together to form what we now know and love as the UP Integrated School.

As the closing of the UPIS’ Centennial Celebration, the fair circles around the theme of pursuing the promise of a brighter future. Entitled “Idealisko: Pangarap ng Isko, Tagumpay ng Siglo,” it is to be held on December 14 – 16.

Now that the air is brimming with anticipation for the 3-day event, here’s a short list to remind you of why the UPIS Fair is the best thing that has happened to this school:


1. The Powerdance Competition and Field Demonstration

GROOVIN’. 1st runner-up Batch 2019 delivers their outstanding performance during the Powerdance 2016.
Photo credit: Lyka Lubang. 


Each batch from Kindergarten to Grade 10 has been training their soldiers, assembling their formations, preparing their strategies, and finishing their routines weeks before the annual event. Students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 participate in the Field Demo which delights all the parents since they’ll have the chance to see and take pictures of their children in costume, grooving to the beat of the music.

But the thing that everyone’s been talking about is the much-awaited Powerdance. In this annual competition, the Grades 7-10 students compete against each other as they perform their own dance routine which was accompanied by an original mix. Simple tokens like certificates and jars of Stick-O are given to the winning batch, but the bragging rights and the batch unity it brings with it is the true prize. The themes over the years have ranged from festivals, the future, throwbacks, and dreams, but one thing remains the same: the powerdance brings batches together like no other activity can.

2. Thanksgiving Party

TRIP TO ENJOYMENT. Students from Batch 2018 enjoy each other’s company during their Thanksgiving Party last January 9. 
Photo Credit: Lyka Lubang 


It’s the time when every batch or class comes together to celebrate as the first half of the year you’ve spent together comes to a close. This is the closest you can get to a Christmas celebration spent with your second family and can be one of the most memorable moments you’ll treasure in your life. It usually comes with a program prepared by the batch’s year level organization, consisting of indoor games, exchanging of gifts and eating the food everyone selflessly brought. It’s one of the best ways to end a fun-filled week of festivities and a hectic 1st semester in school.


3. Sportsfest

CHASING THE WIN. Drew Magbag of Batch 2018 goes for the ball as they compete with Batch 2020 during the basketball event.
Photo credit: Hannah Manalo 


It’s time to show them who reigns! The Sportsfest brings the competition to a whole new level. Similar to the Powerdance, it engages each batch in a most physical and exhilarating way through group sports and games. Each batch has a chance to go against the other three grade levels in various sports with alternating schedules prepared by the pKA.

This event usually lasts up to two days, but with the adjustments that happened for the past two years it was squeezed into one. We’ll be expecting to see a lot more of action-packed sports such as Ultimate Frisbee, Relay, Dodgeball, and Filipino games like Tumbang Preso, Siato, and our very own Double Cell! We witness a lot of dramas and victories here but what always shines is the sportsmanship of UPIS students.


4. Battle of the Bands

PUT YOUR HANDS UP. Ryan Dimayuga of Kung Fu Banda hypes up the crowd during the Battle of the Bands 2016.
Photo credit: Clar Abac


Who doesn’t love this? You get to stay late in school with your friends while singing along to your favorite songs performed by your fellow students as they compete for the title. Fondly called by the students as BotB, the competition is open only to high school and occasionally Grade 6 students. It showcases how talented UPIS students are when it comes to singing and playing instruments. Songs from different genres are sung, and recently, a trend of playing original songs has started. But whether they perform classics or fresh tunes, what’s really special with this closing event is how it allows the UPIS community to just rock and spend a good time together regardless of their age.

5. Variety Show

SHOWTIME. Elkan Reyes serenades the crowd with his performance at the Variety Show 2016.
Photo credit: Hannah Manalo. 

This is the part of the fair where you see so much talent and passion from the people you never thought would show such potential. With audiences from all levels, the Variety Show is a contest open to all UPIS students. It serves as a stage for them to perform their techno dance moves, their lovely singing, and other astounding talents in front of the whole school.

6. Marriage Booth

I DO. GSP Cadets hold marriage rites for a paired couple in their marriage booth.
Photo credit: Lyka Lubang 


For generations, this has always been everyone’s favorite. Being married to your crush, even if it’s just in front of cadets and a makeshift altar, and exchanging vows with him or her is the real deal!

The GSP organizes the marriage booth every year. From the rings and documents to the actual wedding itself, they have always succeeded in spreading the kilig across the whole campus. They have different packages, too! You can choose from wearing paired rings, signing marriage certificates, spending some private time together and parading around the school. You can even opt for the full experience which includes everything that was mentioned! Whatever you choose won’t matter because it’s the moment that you will truly remember!

7. Jail Booth

Get wet or get broke! The jail booth tests how fast you can run and proves how sly each of you can be trying to hide from the BSP to avoid getting doused! The usual flow is as follows: they’ll call out things or names which you may or may not have at the moment and if you’re spotted, they’ll catch and put you inside their circle of chairs. While in their makeshift prison, you may choose whether to bail yourself out or get drenched! They’ll either hose you from head-to-toe or soak you with a bucketful of water. This is why you should always prepare extra money and clothes in case you get unlucky on that day.


8. Foods and Goodies

Every UPIS week, different concessionaires sell a variety of food and dry-goods to the various fair-goers. Although many come-and-go, a few of them always manage to get a spot on the UPIS grounds during the fair.

Plastic balloons
Little pieces of happiness you can get for just 5 pesos! We’ve seen friendships built because of this balloon-blowing trend every time it is being sold at the fair. And we hope that this simple delight would never come to an end.

El Bonito’s Pizza, Calamares, and Blue Lemonade
The El Bonito pizza concessionaire has already left a mark in the hearts and taste buds of all UPIS students. It gives us a glimpse of what heaven tastes like with its mouth-watering pizza flavors such as hawaiian, pepperoni, vegetarian, and bacon.

Along with the calamares and blue lemonade, which is such a good combination of salty and sweet, it’s a nice break from the food you usually eat at the canteen or bring from home.

The lemonade doesn’t just make your tongue blue, but it also makes your tummy smile. The calamares alone is already satisfying, but it’s so much more than that when you add a dip of spicy vinegar to it. The joy of eating these during the fair, coupled with the memories you have with the people or person you eat it with, makes that 45-peso combo so much more “sulit”.

Weeks from now, we will see what everyone’s been looking forward to. When the fair finally reaches our doorstep, we hope that you’ll be ready to relax and just have fun. //by Layla Wadi and Jo-ev Guevarra

Batch 2018



Batch 2019



Batch 2020



Batch 2021



19nite wins Powerdance 2014 crown



UPIS Batch 2019 (19nite) was named this year’s Powerdance champions in the competition held last December 11 at the UPIS Quad to kick off the UPIS Fair 2014.

The theme for this year is Globalisko: UPIS Isko bilang Superhero ng Mundo so each grade level was tasked to showcased the culture and heroes of the continent they picked via draw lots.

19nite’s African-themed routine bested the three other batches’ including that of 2x9 (Batch 2018), last year’s champions. They also took the Best Costume award. Intwensity (Batch 2020), this year’s freshmen, was named 1st runner up. Akinse (Batch 2015) won 2nd runner up honors and Best Cheer. Aldous dela Pena (Batch 2018) and Quiela Salazar (Batch 2015) were also chosen as this year’s Male and Female Stunner. respectively.

Aside from the Powerdance, Kamag-Aral (KA) 3-10 officers and advisers organized different activities that would showcase the talents of UPIS students.

Sections competed against each other in the Mural Making Contest with the theme Iskalikasan: Si Super Isko at si Super Iska, Kakampi ng Kalikasan. 7-Venus, 8-Butterfly, 9-Gold, and 10- Lauan were declared the winners.

The elementary students actively participated in Talentadong Iska at Iska. Cleo Ap-Apid’s (3-Batis) live musical performance of Train’s Hey Soul Sister captured the hearts of the crowd and was declared the champion. Yel Brusola of 6-Ruby who sang Celine Dion’s Alone won second place while F5’s (4-Labanos) One Direction-like performance landed in third.

The first ever UPIS Iskonational Pageant, which required two (2) representatives per batch to dress up like superheroes, was also held. Grade 10 students Rheyven Fernando (Hermione Granger) and Carlo Gaco (Harry Potter) were declared the first Iskonational champions and also took the Best Talent title as they pulled off funny magic tricks that had the audience and judges laughing so hard. The Grade 5 pair of CJ Madelo (Spiderman) and Paolo Doronila (Green Goblin) took the Best Costume title.

Students also watched and participated in the much-awaited Iskomusikal: A High School Music-Oriented Show on December 12.

The Looney Tunes (formerly Honeyboyz) were declared back to back Battle of the Bands champions Travis Argayosa won second place while the band AMAMIMAMOLS rocked their way to third. / by Camille Lita and Nicole Rabang

2015: It's time!




2018: 2x9 nagbabalik, 2x9 mas mabagsik!


2019: If we dance, you dance with us!


2020: We bring the intwensity.


Honeyboys wins Battle of the Bands

With their rendition of Winter Wonderland and Huling Sayaw, the Honeyboys from Batch 2018 won first place in Space Jam, the annual Battle of the Bands (BotB), held last December 17.

The Honeyboys, composed of Rene Rollon, Blade Saliva, David de Layola, Bjorn Amargo, Franz Candido, and lone female member Faith Austria, bested six other bands including Batch 2014 bands Budaga and Ganband which came in second and third respectively.

Each band was required to perform at least two songs, one of those being a Christmas song. Faculty members Ms. Shiela Pineda and Ms Justine Amonoy, and UPIS Batch 2013 alums and BotB veterans Jerem Esguerra and Vince Quejada were the judges in the event. / by Hannah Atela, Bernadette Bagnes, Claire Diaz, and Angelique Liwag

From fourth to first: 2x9 sweeps Power Dance 2013

UPIS Batch 2018, also known as 2x9, battled back from their fourth place finish last year to win Best Cheer and Best Costume, and the overall Power Dance Championship after wowing the crowd with a fun and creative street dance routine featuring the UPIS students of the future. (Watch their performance here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REs5c3gMo50)

Full Circle. One of the highlights of Batch 2018's Street Dance routine.
(c) Lyka Lubang
This year's field demonstration competition took on the futuristic street dance motif in line with the theme "FuturISKO: UPIS Isko sa Makabagong Panahon."

Batches from Grades 7 to 10 initially had a difficult time adjusting to their new surroundings, limited practice space, and tight schedule but still rehearsed and prepared well for the event.

2x9's victory marks the first time in more than ten years that a Grade 8 batch won the Power Dance plum.

This year's seniors (Batch 2014) claimed first runner-up honors with their "New Age" routine while Batch 2015's "Infected" performance finished third. / by Hannah Atela, Claire Diaz, and Angelique Liwag

Batch 2014


Batch 2015


Batch 2018


Batch 2019


13est defends Power Dance title

Bow down to the 13EST. Batch 2013 breezed through an exciting routine
during the annual Power Dance competition to get first place.
UPIS Batch 2013, popularly known as 13est, showcased a cool, colorful, and creative interpretation of Bacolod’s Masskara Festival to win their second straight title in the annual Power Dance competition last December 2012.

Drawing on the ISKULtura theme for UPIS Week 2012, the batch field demo competition, dubbed UPISAYAJUAN, was inspired by Philippines festivals.

Each batch rigorously prepared and rehearsed an 8-minute routine in 2-3 weeks. Driven by batch spirit and healthy competition, everyone worked their hardest in practices after classes and weekends.

Batch 2013 admitted to having trouble in getting the routine done properly and making it all go together. There were a lot of incidents of clashing ideas but despite these, the batch pulled it off during performance day where the strength of their camaraderie and unity set aside all their differences turning it into their most successful and fulfilling performance yet.

Batch 2015 also wowed the crowd with their Ati-atihan-inspired routine, coming in second, while Batch 2014 showed off their dancing skills for third.

Batch 2013 also won Best in Costume for their fiery garments and masks while Batch 2014 won Best Cheer for their catchy tune. ● Rya Ducusin, Bianca Pio

13EST


"Huling sayaw na namin 'to..."


Photo credit: Paolo Aljibe
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