Photo by John Paul S. Juan

Welcoming the 1,038 students from different private and public junior high schools, University of Saint Louis (USL) ushered the pioneer students of the Senior High School (SHS) last August 8, 2016 in its newly built SHS Academic Building.

Thirty-five (35) teachers who underwent series of intensive training in Summer to August 2016 were made ready to educate students enrolled in the Academic Track that includes the following strands: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM); and Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS).

A total of 387 students enrolled for the STEM Engineering/ Technology, 223 for the STEM Health Science, 352 for ABM, and 76 for the HUMSS strand.

The SHS students, dubbed as the Louisian GEMS (Goal-oriented, Empowered, Mature Louisians), have access to “state-of-the-art” laboratories for Physics, Biology and Chemistry and audio-visual room. Learning resources are also accessible at the Second Floor of the University Libraries while 22 classrooms (17 from the SHS Academic Building and 5 from the CICM Building) are dedicated for SHS classes.

Mrs. Claire T. Gumarang, the SHS Assistant Principal, challenges the Louisian GEMS to “embrace the virtue of responsibility” for them to excel in school.

Meanwhile, the High School Principal, Ms. Mary Ann A. Baquiran, expresses her message to the Louisian GEMS: “To the pioneer batch of our Senior High School, feel inspired and challenged that you’re at USL, a school known for its excellence. I dare you to sustain the excellence that our school is known for, and we journey together realizing USL’s goal of building our Senior High School to be one of the best known Catholic Senior High Schools.”

Photo by John Paul S. Juan

With the opening of the Senior High School, Dr. Delailah B. Valencia, the University President, envisions that “The USL Senior High School shall vigorously support the University’s niche programs along various fields of endeavours and disciplines, attuned with USL’s vision-mission, goals and values. It shall provide a meaningful and purposeful transition from the young adolescent to the young adult who shall imbibe the Louisian spirituality, anchored on Christian Living, Excellence, Professional Responsibility, Social Awareness and Involvement, and Innovation, Creativity and Agility.”

The blessing of the SHS building was held on August 7, 2016 through Rev. Fr. Rex C. Salvilla, CICM, and Rev. Fr. Louis Vuadi, CICM.