FROM BUTING ELEMENTARY TO IVY LEAGUE
Dartmouth College scholar Ma. Janel Consuelo Morales Perez and Dartmouth senior assistant director of admissions Zholl Tablante share stories of struggle—as well as strong Filipino mothers who made the impossible possible
“My mother is the reason I got to where I am,” Ma. Janel Consuelo Morales Perez said of her mother, Cristina, a full-time homemaker who doted on h er three children and inspired their love for learning.
“She was our Teodora Alonso, our first teacher who drilled us on Math, vocabulary skills, essays. It was tough, but we had time to play too. It was a happy childhood,” Perez recounted.
Her mother’s efforts apparently paid off: All her children wound up as scholars, with Janel, an International School Manila (ISM) scholar, headed to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire on a full scholarship next school year.
Founded in 1769, Dartmouth College is one of the world’s best academic institutions and topped Forbes Magazine’s 25 Best-Loved Colleges list last year.
‘Paradoxical feeling ’
“We always look for academic excellence, potential, and what the student will bring to the community by how they tell their story,” said Zholl Tablante, senior assistant director on Dartmouth College’s admissions team, of the Ivy League school’s acceptance rate of just 8.7 percent.
Perez got other scholarship offers, but decided onDartmouth.
“When I went to Dartmouth, I had this very paradoxical feeling of being at homewhile also being way out of my comfort zone,” she said. “The sun was shining but the air was cold. It was a dichotomy and I loved that. I love that there is so much opportunity for students to take hold of the curriculum and make it their own. I knew I would be challenged to be so much more, to look beyond, to experience much more than I thought possible.”
Homework in jeepney
The girl, whostudied at Buting Elementary School in Pasig and used to do her math homework in the jeepney under the glow of strangers’ flashlights, said her ultimate goal was to make a difference in the Philippines. “And maybe the rest of the world, but the Philippines first,” Perez said, adding that she wants to focus on “poverty alleviation through human capital development.”
And already, she’s on her way to doing just that. In 2015, Perez cofounded Buting Educational Support and Training Project with her friend, Andrew Cabangon.
“Our team helps less privileged children have opportunities. Wetake them to ISM, where they can go swimming, wallclimbing. The main crux of our program, the math, science and English tutorial, has helped quite a number of kids get into science high schools,” Perez said.
The girl apparently impressed Tablante of the col- lege’s admissions team.
“I saw a lot of characteristics in Janel that I saw in myself. She’s like the annoying little sister who you can’t help but love because she’s so smart and so driven and she’s going to accomplish so much.”
Strong Pinay moms
Their similarities don’t end in their stories of struggle and perseverance, Tablante said. In fact, he added, they both have strong Filipino mothers who made the impossible possible.
Tablante, who was born in Angeles City, Pampanga, was hit by a tricycle when he was 6, with doctors saying that he had an 80-percent chance of walking properly again.
His mother, Lorna, had separated from his father by then and was in the United States, trying to get a better life for them. Tablante moved to California the following year and found that, on top of dealing with the pain in his legs, he had to face the difficulties of adjusting to life in a new country.
“I grew up speaking Kapampangan, and never felt like I belonged. I was the only Asian kid among my classmates,” he recalled.
Realizing that his single mom was struggling to support him, Tablante started working at an early age. “I was mowing lawns and washing cars when I was 10. At 13, I was selling newspapers. I worked for a clothing company, and at 18, started working as a personal trainer.”
He added: “One of the things I’d never forget was how my mom had to work at Burger King. Not having the money to eat healthy food, I got showered with food that had me getting bigger and bigger. People started treating meworse and worse.”
When he was 16, Tablante made a deal with his mom. “She used to smoke a lot so I said if she quit smoking, I would lose weight. I lost about 100 pounds in about a year and then kept it off.”
Determination
Tablante’s determination showed not just in his decision to get his health back on track but also in his passion for education. He taught himself Mandarin, became a Fulbright scholar, graduated with a degree in Social Ecology from the University of California, Irvine, and then went to Harvard to get his master’s in Language and Literacy.
Today, he dedicates his time helping young people achieve their dreams as a senior assistant director of admissions at Dartmouth.
“In the past two years, there has been a rising trend in the number of applicants from the Philippines. I’m here to make sure that trend grows. I think the best part of the Philippines is its people, their hospitality, their generosity and their undeniable work ethic. These are the personal qualities that we really value at Dartmouth,” Tablante said.
He is currently in the Philippines to hold information sessions.
“There are many ways that we have started to enhance the presence of Dartmouth in the Philippines,” Tablante said. “We have a guidance counselor program on Monday at the Manila Golf Club. We’ll educate counselors on what we’re looking for so they are better able to help guide their students. We also have an info session at ISM on Tuesday. Parents and students are highly encouraged to attend to learn more about what Dartmouth has to offer.”
‘Do what you love’
He added: “I think all Filipino scholars should know that, no matter how poor or rich they are, an Ivy League education is not that unattainable. If I were to give advice to a 14-yearold, I’d really encourage them to be a 14-year-old. Do the things that you love and want to do. Never lose that intellectual curiosity to learn things for fun. A trait that all Dartmouth students have is curiosity.”
Perez, who will start her life at Dartmouth in August, said she’s excited not just about studying but also about skiing. “It’s on my bucket list,” she said.
Her story, she said, is “just a testament to the fact that we Filipinos are capable.”
She added: “Believe in your own agency. Believe in the possible. It’s not just about working hard, it’s about working smart.”
For more information, check out https://apply.dartmouth. edu/register/Manila2018).