St. Theresa's College of Quezon City

St. Theresa's College, Quezon City
Motto Let your light shine and be a blessing.
Established 7 January 1947
Type Private exclusive all girls Catholic school
Location Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Campus Urban, 5 blocks in Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon City
Colors Gold and Blue         
Nickname STC
Website www.stcqc.edu.ph

St. Theresa's College, (also called STC), Philippines, is a Catholic private school for girls run by the Missionary Sisters of the "Immaculati Cordis Mariae" or Immaculate Heart of Mary (ICM).

STC offers programs from the kindergarten through the elementary and secondary levels. As an ICM school, its educational program draws inspiration from Mother Marie Louise De Meester, Foundress of ICM.

Its students are called “Theresians”, from the name of its patroness St. Teresa of Avila.

Heading the school for the ICM sisters is Sr. Josefina Nebres, the school directress.

Contents

History

Mother Marie Louise De Meester (born on April 8, 1857 in Roesalare, West Flanders, Belgium) and her novices arrived on the shores of Tagudin, Ilocos Sur on June 21, 1910. Tagudin became the foundation of the ICM missionary work throughout the Philippines which gave birth to institutions of learning in the country including the different campuses of St. Theresa's College. Mother Marie Louise De Meester founded St. Theresa's College, Manila (STCM) in 1915 at the invitation of the Most Reverend Jeremiah James Harty, the first American Archbishop of Manila. When World War II wrought havoc on the St. Theresa's College in San Marcelino, Manila, leaving it in ruins, little hope was left for the rebuilding of its physical structure. While St. Theresa's College Manila was re-built, re-opened and continued to be run by the Belgian Sisters until 1980 (over a three-year phase out; STCM property was sold to Adamson University), steps were taken after WWII to look for a property which would be larger than the San Marcelino Compound.

In January 1946, a contract was signed for the purchase of a property consisting of five blocks, in Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon City. The US Army, which previously occupied the place, left the building in poor condition, later to be utilized temporarily for the classrooms of St. Theresa's College, Quezon City, and for the quarters of the Sisters.

January 7, 1947, marked the establishment of STCQC. The school was officially opened only in June 1947.

St. Theresa's College, Quezon City is a member of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), and the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) and avails itself of the services of the institutions and groups working for the reorientation of education in the Philippines. It is the only all-girls school that was issued a clean seven-year accreditation.

The original certificate of St. Theresa's College, Q.C. was issued on February 19, 1947.

STC campuses

School traditions

Institution

Grade School Department

The STCQC Grade School is an elementary school for girls. It has facilities and classrooms for students from the kindergarten level to the sixth grade.

Student Council

The Grade School Student Organization (GSSO) is the official student council of the Grade School department. The Student Council has positions like Grade School President, Vice president, Secretary of Grades 4 and 6, and Treasurer.

Practicum

The practicum emphasizes experience-based learning. Theories are learned and applied to practical situations or vice-versa, through observation, practice, workshops, team research, media demonstrations and educational trips.

The practicum is called SAMAHAN, meaning "organization." It stands for the spirit of belongingness, guided by the theme “Sa Diyos at sa kapwa, maglingkod ay handa” (In God and to others, always ready to serve). Students from the fourth to sixth grade experience interaction with the sectors, while students from first to third grade stay in campus doing dynamic games, interview-research, film viewing and live interviews. Every December, students from First to Sixth grade interact with a specific visitor or visitors each level.

Co-curricular activities

Students interested in Sciences, Arts and Writing are invited to join an organization for enthusiasts, called SINAG. In this organization, the students' talents and skills in a particular field are cultivated and developed. SINAG or Socialized Instructional Activities for the Advanced Group in Science, Mathematics, Art, and Creative-Writing helps students enhance their potentials in various subjects.

These are the SINAG categories:

Other:

High School Department

The High School Department is a Catholic college-preparatory school for female students. The campus features a library, the Instructional Media Center, Biology laboratory, Chemistry laboratory, Physics laboratory, computer laboratories, High School Chapel, cooking rooms, canteen and cafeteria, clinic and the covered court.

Clubs

In the High School Department, the clubs are called KASAMAHAN. KASAMAHAN is the combination of SEG and PALIHAN. There are two levels of KASAMAHAN, which is the junior and the senior cluster.

Theresian Student Council (TSC)

The Theresian Student Council is the official student council and representative of the students of the High School department. They are ones who usually handles the projects of the school and the traditional ceremonies. It is composed of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Public Relations Officer (PRO) and a Year Level Representative for each year. They are also called as TSC officers.

Practicum

Practicum provides students interaction with the poor through immersion of students in depressed communities, followed by social analysis, reflection, awareness-raising on current situations, etc.

The High School practicum is named KASAMAHAN (Creative Workshop).

The Theresian

The official school publication is The Theresian. It serves as a training ground for writers and journalists.

The Theresian is in two parts: The Grade School and The High School. Students need to pass two screenings before being an official Theresian Staffer. The students are divided into four parts namely writers, photographers, artists and lay-out artists. Writers write the news and features, photographers take the pictures, artists draw the pictures and lay-out artists are in charge of the backgrounds, fonts and the cover page. The picture/s in the cover page are done by the artists.

School traditions

Seal

On a field of gold and blue are imposed the cross and three stars. The blue stands for faithful courage, and the gold proclaims jubilant victory - always - through love. The Latin cross within the seal stands for the victory with Christ over evil. The gold of the cross stands for the love for Christ who died on it and rose from the dead. The three stars stand for the three theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity.

The inscription around the seal reads Virtute, Scientia, Artibus Floreat - which is Latin for "education in and through virtue, science, and the arts."

The seal is a badge showing the mountain peak of Carmel, linked with the school's patron saint, St. Teresa of Avila, the first woman doctor of the Church.

Motto

The school's rallying cry is "Let your light shine and be a blessing."

Colors

Blue and Gold, which stands for courage and love respectively.

College Hymn

The lyrics of the College Hymn was written by Aurea Carballo-Gonzalez (STCM HS '31, COL '34) while music was composed by Angeles Rodriguez (STCM HS '26, COL '33).

Family Council

The Family Council is the official organization of the parents of the students of St. Theresa’s College.The Family council celebrated their Golden Jubilee in 2011

Sambayan Educational Foundation, Inc.

The Sambayan Educational Foundation, Inc. or SEFI was organized in 1972 by the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (ICM) and a group of STCQC parents and alumnae which called forth the school to make available the educational program to deserving families from the lower-middle-income group by way of socialized tuition fee. Its main objective is to make available quality education for less privileged but deserving students.

The SEFI program is not a scholarship program. It is a reduced tuition fee scheme for eleven years of schooling from Grade 1 until High School for qualified lower-middle-income groups. It is perhaps the only such program in existence in the Philippines today. Applicants have to pass a rigorous set of criteria as well as entrance exams to qualify. Once a student has been accepted into the program, a social worker regularly monitors her progress and checks on the family environment.

The initial seed money was provided by the ICM congregation. STCQC parents, alumnae and friends have made substantial contributions to the fund through the years.

Notable alumnae

Sources

See also

External links