What was 2020 for you ?
I am sure most would agree that 2020 was as surreal as it gets . It was a year of surprises , a year of change , and a year of chaos . Coming into the year 2020 , I was filled with hope and aspirations ; yet just like a lot of people , 2020 ended up being one big plot twist for me . The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives for the years to come . And our school , La Salle Green Hills ( LSGH ), was not exempt from this year of change .
A major change our school experienced this year was the move towards becoming a coeducational institution . Although it invoked mixed emotions , I have only been hearing positive feedback about this decision almost eight months into the school year . The creation of the Flexible Lasallian Education Through Technology and Collaboration at Home ( FLETCH ) system also followed for ease of learning amidst the online modality . While for smaller changes , clubs have become optional and varsity exemptions for Physical Education ( PE ) has been removed . My favorite change , however , has been the decision of the school to allow long hair . Since its establishment , our institution has always been strict with the implementation of prim and proper hair . If your hair already made contact with your ears , eyebrows , or your collar , I can assure you that our prefects will give warnings without a moment ’ s notice , or even a sanction for repeat offenders .
I am all for the changes LSGH took this year . I believe the push for a coeducational system in LSGH will surely benefit the school , not just for the administration but for us , the students . We all know this has had mixed reactions but I personally have seen what effects this transition has done . I believe that because of this decision students have become both more gender-sensitive and mature . The creation of FLETCH has certainly helped me adapt , and I hope that it was as easy for everyone else as it was for me .
I still recall how inefficient it was to work from home . For those who can recall , we had to complete assignments from home a few years ago because of the Association of South-East Asian Nations ( ASEAN ) Summit . In that whole week , we had to submit assessments , and it was troubling for me to work from home because my WIFI was clearly unstable . I did not even have a computer to use so I had to make do with an iPad . It really is interesting to know how something that was stressful at the time can be something to look back on and laugh about , especially since I never expected to spend a whole school year on my laptop .
Digitalization is said to pave its way as a major platform for working and studying in these coming months and as a result , I believe education will evolve . As I write this sentence at this very moment , the technological resources necessary for the advancement of online learning are still being developed further by those seeking to change the future , and I can wholeheartedly say that I am optimistic about what this entails for the future . It is inevitable and a part of nature .
Becoming catalysts of change within our community can surely create a ripple effect that would influence more and more people to be deliverers of such change and fully embrace it wholeheartedly without any inhibitions . As the saying goes “ be the change you wish to see in the world ,” the sole underlying principle that the foundation of this world is built upon is that the change we seek will always start with ourselves .
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LSGH SHIFTS TO CO- ED