‘Carpe diem’ as mantra of our high school life

‘CArpe Diem” is a symbolic quote from the 1989 film “Dead Poets Society” that aptly captures memories of our high school life.

Carpe Diem is lifted from the Latin phrase “carpe diem quam minimum credula postero,” that can be translated as “pluck the day, trusting as little as possible in the next one.”

Literally meaning to seize the day, the Latin phrase is commonly interpreted to mean look for opportunities in life and make the most of them.

John Keating (Robin Williams) was hired as a new English teacher in an elite all-boys preparatory school that is known for its ancient traditions and high standards. He uses unorthodox methods to reach out to his students.

Keating’s “carpe diem” philosophy inspired many of his students to lead lives structured around their own unique passions, ignoring the dictums of their parents and the other school teachers.

The movie highlights the importance of the fact that you only live once and you should live on your own terms.

High school is that time when we are not extremely stressed with the harsh realities of life. There is no problematic work, no major duties or responsibilities, and the like.

At the same time, high school is the point where we are matured enough to remember essential experiences or mere encounters in life.

It is a period that paves the way for life-changing moments that can define a person, through the guidance of our teachers and shared experience with our classmates.

High school life is an important passage for a person to transition from childhood towards adulthood.

It is like a magnifying glass. It amplifies everything, heightening each feeling at an age when most of us lack the experience or self-control to be able to handle it. It is during this period of adolescence when we were at our most vulnerable state, and were still struggling to reconcile ourselves to the adult world.

As important part of our school life, teachers give students purpose, set them up for success as citizens of our world, and inspire in them a drive to do well and succeed in life.

The children of today are the leaders of tomorrow, and teachers are that critical point that makes a child ready for their future.

The number 60 appears numerous times in our everyday life: 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour.

For graduates of Sta. Clara Parish School (SCPS) in Pasay, this year marks the 60th (diamond) anniversary of our beloved alma mater.

In 1962, the school started as an extension to the Boys Department of St. Mary’s Academy.

In 1968, 21 high school seniors together with 72 elementary learners became its first graduates.

It was only a year later, in 1969, when it was given the government’s official recognition as an autonomous SCPS.

In 1980, SCPS became the only secondar y school exclusively for boys in Pasay City after it stopped accepting students at the elementary level.

In 1994, the school started accepting girls, making 1997 as the year with the last all-boys batch to graduate and 1998 as the first mixed gender batch.

The school was managed by the Religious of Virgin Mary (RVM) nuns from 1962 to 1967 and from 1981 to 2017. It is now administered by the Archbishop of Manila.

The school produced 52 batches, where 30 (1968 to 1997) are all

boys and 22 (1998 to 2022) are with mixed genders, while two years (20162017) are without graduates due to the K-12 basic education program.

As a catholic school, SCPS is committed to provide quality and relevant education that promotes discipline, human values, holistic development, service and excellence rooted in Christian faith.

I finished high school at SCPS in 1987 as the valedictorian and entered college life at the University of the Philippines where I finished BS Economics (1991) and Bachelor of Laws (1998).

We had some bad times in high school, but we also had so many amazing experiences.

High school years were indeed difficult moments, but the best and memorable times were spent with those who shared the experience.

Those years were full of vivid memories that still bring smiles and funny thoughts to each of us, many years hence.