Inspiring
Whiz Kid Wows Everyone after Graduating from College at 16 as Summa Cum Laude
With summa cum laude being the highest honor that anyone graduating from college could ever receive, everyone is surely impressed with anyone who receives that distinction. But one young lady topped everyone else when she graduated from college as summa cum laude at age 16!
In the Philippines where schools often refuse to accept you to a grade or year level if you don’t meet the age requirements, it is surprising that child prodigy Mikaela Irene Fudolig was allowed to enroll in college and finish her degree at such a young age.
Photo credit: Gineers Now
Allowed to enroll in BS Physics at the University of the Philippines – Diliman under an experimental program for gifted children called the Early College Placement Program (ECPP), Mikaela was actually just 11 years old when she started joining classes at the university. But it was only a year later that she was officially enrolled.
Enrolled at Quezon City Science High School but working on her college lessons at UP Diliman, Mikaela was a well-known but puzzling figure in campus. Many thought at first that she was a teacher’s daughter visiting the school, what with her girlish clothes and doll shoes, but it was soon clear to everyone that this small girl meant business.
Thankfully, her parents had an agreement with the university to keep the girl out of the media’s prying eyes to allow her to enjoy her college life like any other ordinary student. She isn’t an ordinary student, of course.
Photo credit: Gineers Now
Feeling intimidated on her first day of class, she failed in her first test. The young girl was shocked to receive a grade of 72 on her first test. But this challenged her to try harder – and by the time they got to the second test, she was acing the exams and getting the highest scores in class!
As an official BS Physics student at the UP National Institute of Physics, Mikaela graduated at the top of her class, completing the degree as summa cum laude. She also received the Best BS Physics Student award and the Dean’s Medallion for Excellence in Undergraduate Studies at the UP College of Science.
At just 16 years old, the age that kids graduate from junior high school, this was certainly a huge achievement in the academic community.
Photo credit: Gineers Now
But her education didn’t stop there. Mikaela would soon complete her master’s degree and Ph.D. shortly afterwards as she became a Fulbright scholar in Economics at the University of California-Irvine.
The young woman would also become a full-time faculty at the University of the Philippines Institute of Physics, a job that might be daunting considering she’s teaching students older than herself but Mikaela readily faced those challenges with ease.
“Many people think that a child, even if equipped with the mental abilities, is not emotionally prepared to enter college. I am glad to have proven them wrong,” Mikaela said.
Inspiring
SHS Student Brings Photos of Late Parents on Graduation Day
A senior high school (SHS) student brought framed photos of her late parents on her graduation day, touching many hearts and making netizens cry.
Her story has gone viral, with many netizens cheering her on and praying for her success in life…
SHS Student Brings Photos of Late Parents on Graduation Day
Graduation day is one of the best days in a student’s life, but it’s not always the happiest for all.
Some also experience a bittersweet moment because their loved ones aren’t with them. While many are due to having OFW parents who can’t be home for the special, others are because the parents have already passed on.
SHS student Juvelyn Dela Torre Eugenio, 18, of North Cotabato made netizens cry after she carried her parents’ framed photos as she marched and posed on stage to receive her diploma.
She explained that during recognition days and other special events when she was younger, it was always her mother who would accompany her on stage.
She wants to share her success and milestones with her parents, but they’re no longer around.
They lost their father to heart failure in July 2020.
In 2022, the siblings decided to let their mother enjoy a vacation with her older children in Manila, only to discover that she was sick and already in the terminal stages of a stage 4 battle with the Big C. They lost her shortly thereafter.
Juvelyn shared that losing their parents took a toll on her mental health, especially because she had to stand as a parent to her younger brother.
On graduation day, she vowed that she wouldn’t cry despite seeing all the other students with their parents.
But she broke down on stage when a concerned teacher asked her about her parents and offered words of consolation after she showed her their photos.
Despite the challenges, Juvelyn plans on continuing her journey as she dreams of becoming a lawyer someday.
How to Become a Lawyer in the Philippines
- Complete a 4-year Bachelor’s Degree in Arts or Sciences.
- Pass the PhiLSAT (Philippine Law School Admission Test)
- Complete law school.
- Complete the law internship.
- Pass the bar exams.
Did you know that lawyers in PAO (Public Attorney’s Office) with an entry-level position (Public Attorney I) earn a basic salary of Php95,000 (salary grade 25)?
Inspiring
Elementary Students Praised for Playing “One Day” Using Ukuleles
Elementary students at a school in Mindanao earned praise online after playing “One Day” using their ukuleles for a presentation.
Many netizens were impressed about their skills, with some commenting that it’s a difficult piece to play on a ukulele, yet most of them nailed it! Wow.
Elementary Students Play “One Day” Using Their Ukuleles
A lot of people these days have this mistaken notion that kids are only fond of using cellphones and no longer enjoy playing with traditional toys or learning how to use a traditional musical instrument – because you can find lots of options for those online or with their phones.
But a group of students from Dipolog Pilot Demonstration School impressed netizens with their skills in playing the ukulele as they presented “One Day” for the school’s 100-year celebration.
Seated on the steps of their school, the kids played the musical instruments seamlessly, except for a few issues.
And while some netizens pointed out that one of the kids appear to be struggling with the proper chords and kept shifting around during the entire performance, the overall presentation is still quite impressive!
Many netizens even commented on the post of the Facebook page “Kung Taga-Oroquieta City Ka” that they were deeply touched by the kids’ presentation and were crying while watching. Awww.
A lot also praised the coaches who made this possible – and others felt proud of the children even if they had no idea who these little ones are.
It’s also quite impressive to see that the class had so many ukuleles. It is unknown whether the kids own the musical instruments or if the school provided them, but what’s clear is that their presentation is truly admirable.
What’s a Ukulele?
A ukulele is a type of string musical instrument that’s smaller than a guitar. It usually has nylon strings as opposed to the metal used in standard guitars.
The instrument also has four strings but isn’t considered a “kid’s instrument” only. Instead, it can be played by kids and adults alike.
Inspiring
Proud Vendor Dad Offers Free Taho after Daughter Passes Board Exams for Teachers
One proud vendor dad offered free taho for everyone when his daughter passed the LET (Licensure Examination for Teachers).
Netizens were even more impressed to learn that the young lady passed after doing a self-review.
Truly amazing, right?
Vendor Offers Free Taho after Daughter Passes Teacher’s Board
Passing the board exams is truly a milestone that everyone can be proud of – and most of the time, the parents are their children’s proudest cheerleaders!
Of course, spouses and kids also feel the same thing. For example, a taxi driver offered free rides after his wife passed the LET.
The proud parents of a student who passed that same LET are also offering free taho to their customers.
Bobby and Rose Torallo happily got a tarpaulin up to celebrate the success of their daughter, Rosebel Cielo Torallo. The young woman had graduated cum laude from Baao Community College in Baao, Camarines Sur.
Apparently, based on her mom’s post on Facebook, she had also self-reviewed for the licensure exams – and this made her success even sweeter for the family.
In the post of her mom, Rose, it showed that the family’s main source of income is from selling taho. It was through this that the parents were able to send their kids to school.
Rose lamented that there were times when people looked down on their because they are “just” taho vendors.
Thankfully, the family didn’t mind what these people are saying. Instead, they persevered and put their faith in God.
She thanked all her kids for cooperating and striving hard to succeed in their studies even if their parents are only supporting them by selling taho.
How to Celebrate Passing the Board Exams
There are many ways to celebrate passing the board the exams. Some of these are:
- Throwing a party
- Buying cake
- Going on a trip
- Treating your family, friends, or even strangers to something (such as a free rides from taxi drivers or free taho from vendors)