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 By: Kathy Ursolino "The HEART Publication"
Have you ever been star struck? That’s definitely how we were with the special guest speaker on the last day of the Institutional Orientation-Seminar for SHC personnel held last June 1 to 3 at the Audio-Visual Room of SHC – a 13-year old fourth year high school student, Joannie Pauline Panganiban Mendoza.
Truly a gifted child, Joannie started her education at the age of four with the school offering her to enter as a Grade 4 student, but her mother opted to enroll her in Grade 1 instead. The young Joannie graduated Valedictorian of her Grade 6 class, garnering awards as the Best in all subjects. In high school, Joannie continuously receive Academic Performance Awards. She is also a member of the advance classes in Physics and Calculus.
Aside from academic studies, Joannie is also busy with other activities such as writing and editing articles for her school paper as the Literary and Feature Editor. She is also the Senior Artist of the said publication. With her skill in drawing, she makes greeting cards for sale and the proceeds from which is given to a seminary as her outreach program. For her most recent involvement in the arts, Joannie had her first voice recital just last May 29 at the UST Conservatory of Music for classical singing.
In addition to her being a young genius and an artist, Joannie is also being invited to hold lectures or seminars. At the age of 9, she had her very first lecture for college and high school students at the Santo Ni o Major Seminary in Aklan, with the title “Nano Technology: Is it Ready for Close UP?” On her first year in high school, she presented the website assessment she made of the 18 Recollect Schools during the strategic planning program of the presidents of the universities and schools at the Talavera House of Prayer in Cebu City.
The following year, she was tasked to make a website assessment again, but this time, it is of the 23 schools of the Daughters of Charity, including Sacred Heart College. After which, she was invited by the Aklan Catholic College and the three hospitals of the DCs for a lecture with medical doctors and hospital administrators. From her stint with the medical doctors and hospital administrators, the young Joannie was appointed as part time consultant at San Juan De Dios Hospital in Manila.
Before visiting SHC, Joannie gave a Leadership in My Ethics Seminar for 70 student leaders coming from the 5 schools of the Daughters of Charity-St. Louise de Marillac Educational System (DC-SLMES) Central Eastern Visayas last February 29.
Hearing all these when Mrs. Soledad V. Montero of the SHC Human Resource Department introduced the guest speaker, there is no doubt that everyone was in awe and all listened very intently as the teenager Joannie lectured on Inner Directedness as a Vicentian Leader. With her young age, it is truly amazing how she was able to present in great detail the ways on how the SHC personnel can realize the school’s vision of having audacious Christ-centered and inner directed Vincentian learners and leaders.
Heart-felt thanks to Joannie, whose little shining star enlightened and inspired the SHC personnel.
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