SSAM's 60th Diamond Jubilee
… A celebration of what was then, what is now, and what will be!
By Amarise D. San Juan, 6-Just B
Adrianna Doutzen D. Peña, 5-Courageous B
Charlene Mangundayao, 5-Peaceful B
Princess Alana Aquino, 4-Compassionate A
Sixty years ago, St. Scholastica's Academy Marikina opened its doors for a Benedictine Education centered in Christ and committed to the virtue of ora et labora. What was then an empty ground, " grew trees that sheltered the nests of the doves" until they were ready to soar in the sky. From its humble beginnings as a small community of educators and students, SSAM has grown to what it is today.
It all started when the alumnae of St. Scholastica's College, Manila (who had resided in other provinces and cities near Marikina) had wanted a nearby SSAM, so that their children could have easier access to the school. The Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing, in response, founded the school in 1961, having bought a piece of land very generously offered at a low price by Mr. Jose Tuason, Sr. The opening of classes and blessing of the campus were held in 1961 … leading to where we are now.
SSAM's 60th Jubilee Celebration was held on February 5, 2021. It started with a Eucharistic celebration - a thanksgiving for the blessings our SSAM community has received despite the "paradigm shift" in our education system. The mass concluded with a video presentation of the interviews with former SSAM employees who had spent a good number of years with the institution. They shared unforgettable memories and the Benedictine values that have been imbibed in them and how these have changed their lives forever.
The whole SSAM community - the Benedictine sisters, teachers, parents, students, staff, and maintenance personnel - took pride in their showcase of God-given talents of singing and dancing through a virtual variety show organized by the faculty and staff entitled "Amor Vincit Omnia", meaning "Love conquers all". This virtual program was streamed through MS Stream after the holy mass. The current PTA board members also initiated an online raffle called "Sesenteng Saya" with three (3) major prizes and a number of minor prizes. The raffle draw was held at the school's lobby last February 10, 2021.
The celebration of SSAM's 60th was made more special with the song We Are Scholasticans, an original composition of Grade 9-St. Gertrude Batch 2020. This song has been sung by students since last year every morning as part of their morning praise routine. Moving forward, SSAM will continue to take on the challenges brought about by the current situation, still embodying the principles of Benedictine education. Today, after 60 years, we celebrate, again our resilience, not only as classmates nor co-workers, but as one Benedictine Family united in Christ.