Student Leaders Attend NLTSGO

by Lea Niña C. Roma

The 6th National Leadership Training for Student Government Officers (NLTSGO) was held at the Teacher’s Camp, Baguio City on September 5–10, 2008. With the theme "Responding To The Needs of the 21st Century Leadership: Equipping Student – Leaders in Reaching Out to Peers". According to Joey G. Pelaez, Executive Director, DepEd Center for Students and Co-curricular Affairs (CSCA), the training "aimed to focus on enabling student leaders to implement a school-based peer counseling program as a way to address both the needs of guidance counselors in public schools and the need of our students to be guided on wide ranging adolescent issues and concerns".
"To be sure, there are other juvenile cases that we need to address. This move to institutionalize a peer counseling program in the public schools should be the start. We urge everybody to support this initiative", Dir. Pelaez stressed.
Speakers all over the country with different personalities made their way to Baguio City to share their knowledge, experiences and skills with the student–leaders whom they presumed to be future leaders. They are Ardy S. Abello, Jeric Soriano, Emily Abrera, and Henry Tenedoro. Some celebrities were requested to speak to share in cooperation with the Master’s Lighthouse Foundation.
NLTSGO was not pure seminars, conventions and listening to different speakers. It entertained student–leaders with surprise guest celebrities and performers like Jimmy Bondoc, Miguel Agila, Nanette Inventor, Ava Jugueta and others.
Ateneo Student Trainers (STRAINS) was acknowledged for their help in motivating the personality of every student leaders. This year, they aim to develop respect and trust among them; how to deal with failure and peer counseling in every student in their daily two-hours sessions.
The NLTSGO nominated and elected the new set of National Federation of Supreme Student Government Officers for the year 2008.
Awardees of the 2008 Vice President Noli de Castro Academic Excellence and Exemplary Leadership Awards were presented. These students who came from all over the country received their awards in the office of the Vice President, Malacañang, Manila.
The training was supported by STRAINS; the Master’s Lighthouse Foundation; the Philippine Star; and Rex Book Store, Inc.
Kuya PJ and Kuya Ian hosted the affair that added taste and savor to the convention, making it fun and entertaining from sunrise to sunset.
This biggest gathering of young student-leaders of the country, despite of lining up for meals, waking up early; sleeping late at night; the over crowding of Benitez Hall; yet the knowledge and skills of being a leader are inculcated from this rare and irreplaceable experience. Student-leaders went home equipped with knowledge and skills from the convention. The participants gathered experiences one can learn outside the four corners of the classroom. Their participation in the leadership training are things to remember and cherished. /MP