An experience I will never forget.

International Schools CyberFair, now in its 15th year, is an award-winning, authentic learning program used by schools and youth organizations around the world. Students conduct research about their local communities and then publish their findings on the World Wide Web. Recognition is given to schools for the best projects in each of eight categories: local leaders, businesses, community organizations, historical landmarks, environment, music, art, and local specialties.

[source: http://www.globalschoolnet.org/gsncf/aglance.cfm#OverView]

CATEGORY 2: Community Groups and Special Populations
Design a website that showcases unique, interesting or specific community populations.

[source: http://www.globalschoolnet.org/gsncf/categories/]

This competition became a way to bridge the gap between us and the regular section, namely, 3 Mapagmalasakit. Erika and I became friends with our groupmates Bingbong Olowan, Jim Bugtong, Ronald Camut, Rico Lagazo, Denmark delos Santos and Kenneth Joaquin through all the time we spent together gathering data for our project. This competition was a great experience for me, because I found friends in my 3A groupmates. I don’t normally ride in the same circles as Bingbong or Kenneth, and this competition became a way for us to become friends. Although we had quite a hard time communicating with them mainly because of our different schedules, we made sure to talk to them during recess and lunch breaks, also chat with them whenever they were online.

Through this competition, we also had the chance to get to know people and organizations that we had no previous idea about, such as the director of the organization, Mrs. Marlene De Castro, and the organization itself, the Baguio Center for Young Adults.

On the day of our interview, the BCYA volunteers let us inside their office, which was decorated with posters and fliers, pictures and slogans of different things related to their cause – to spread awareness and change within the youth of Baguio. They were very helpful, giving a detailed explanation of their history, their programs, and a lot more. They even lent us their CDs with images and videos of their programs and recent events. They are really supportive of our efforts, and of us.

The days that followed became days that were filled with collaboration among us members, and we soon started to spend more time together as we worked on our project. As tiring as it was, I wouldn’t want this CyberFair experience to be forgotten.