'Light it up,' road to confidence
Being the best version of one’s self requires confidence. With it, a lot of opportunities come along.
Cebu-based institution Self-Esteem Learning Foundation Institute (SELFi) aims to develop one’s confidence and personality through a series of workshops designed to help individuals discover their passions, hone their talents and come out of their shell brimming with excellence.
It offers modeling, dancing, acting, hosting and makeup application workshops as well as team building, personality development and leadership training.
The aspirants are guided by mentors who are notable figures in the industry: main host of “Kapamilya Mas Winner Ka!” Roy Empleo as hosting mentor; model, endorser, host of “MAG TV Na” and founder of SELFi Blinky de Leon as modeling mentor; dancing mentors Kinesyx known for their choreography; and celebrity endorser, television host, Miss World Philippines 2014 titleholder Valerie Weigmann as guest mentor.
This year, students ranging from age six years old and up joined SELFi’s weekend workshop which started last September. This was in collaboration with SM Seaside City and it offered lessons from dancing, hosting and acting and makeup application together with modeling lessons.
Fast forward to November, its students showed the audience all the things they’d learned during its culminating show held last Nov. 19 at SM Seaside City’s Mountain Wing Atrium bearing the theme “Light it up.”
Conceptualized by Blinky, the show presented four thematic segments using the four elements (water, air, earth, fire) highlighting the talents of the students from dancing to modeling as well as known brands like Plains & Prints, Mags, The SM Store Collection, Penshoppe, Surplus and Guess worn by the students as well as the collection of notable fashion designer Philip Rodriguez.
By the end of the show, select SELFi students were given awards from different fields like Jose Bryle Rodil for hosting and Veda Tabura for dancing. As for modeling, Angel Stillbauer was awarded Most Photogenic for the kids category; Redgel Kent Guarin as Most Photogenic for the male and teens category and best in runway for the male category; Leila Satine Villacora was awarded Most Photogenic for female and teens category; Carren Eistrup for the kids category as Best in Runway; and lastly, Isabella Lobitaña as Best in Runway for teens and female category.
“I felt very proud and happy to see them grow and carry themselves the way they did. They have completely transformed from the time we met and they have proven to me and to everyone that they have indeed learned something from us. Seeing them excited to do more is my ultimate goal. That it shouldn’t end there, that they continue to cultivate and acquire skills on their own,” Blinky said about seeing the students perform.
SELFi is geared for the next season as it aims to do more workshops especially during the summer. “We will continue to help more students conquer their fears and become better,” she added.