The Bosch Class of 2010 Christmas Party

*By Alexis Balansag

It’s been 6 six years since Robert Bosch, Inc. and Springboard Foundation first sponsored 76 scholars in Night High School, with A Better Chance Foundation, and last December 19, the Class of 2010 held its first Christmas Party as college students.  It’s the first time we all got together since graduating from high school last March 2011, and though we haven’t seen each other since our post graduation party last summer, we still had great camaraderie with each other.

The Christmas party, hosted by A Better Chance Foundation, and sponsored by Springboard Foundation was attended by the Bosch Class of 2010, as well as Chairman Lew Edwards of A Better Chance Foundation, Ms. Annette Helbig, President of Springboard Foundation, and Ms. Kristina Reyes, PR and Corporate Communications Manager of Robert Bosch, and other special guests.

The program started with an invocation led by two Siena, Quezon City Night High alumni, Michelle Dimailig and Regidor Anchieta, followed by welcoming remarks from Rolan Candelario, a former Siena, Taytay, Night High scholar, and a 1^st year student of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, taking up BS Accountancy.   His speech was followed by inspirational messages from Chairman Lewis Edwards, Ms. Annette Helbig, and Ms. Kristina Reyes, who met the Bosch Class of 2010 scholars for the first time, since joining Bosch in October.

While everyone was enjoying the delicious and nutritious lunch buffet, we took the opportunity to give thanks to our sponsors for their unstinted support.  Our chosen class representative, Hannah U. Condevillamar, and Siena, Quezon City chosen representative, Loiza Fe Dailisan each presented a simple token to our sponsors, A Better Chance Foundation, Springboard Foundation, and Robert Bosch, Inc.

After lunch, we put on special song and dance performances to entertain our guests, and to our surprise, we were also treated to a special number performed by members of Springboard Foundation.

After the showcase of talents, the scholars participated in a few parlor games I had earlier prepared for them.  After the games and special performances, we exchanged gifts amongst ourselves, and were each given a special gift from Springboard Foundation.  In addition to the gift from Springboard, there was also a mini-raffle, sponsored by A Better Chance Foundation.

At the end of the day, despite coming from different Siena schools, and now attending different colleges and universities, I felt our bonds that tie us all together grow stronger, thanks to the efforts of our sponsors in organizing this wonderful event for us.

*Alexis Balansag is part of the Bosch Class of 2010 from Siena College, Taytay, Rizal.  He is now a 1^st year college student at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, studying Advertising and Public Relations.