Divine Word Academy of Dagupan
Divine Word Academy of Dagupan | |
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Motto | Love, Wisdom and Courage, Live in Christ! |
Established | 1957 |
Type | Private, Roman Catholic |
Affiliations | DWEA, CEAP, APSCU, CEM |
President | Rev. Fr. Edgar L. Calunod, SVD, Ph.D |
Principal | Alicia J. Ferrer, MA Ed, MDM |
Founder | Bishop Therode Schu, SVD |
Location |
Rizal Ext. Dagupan City, Dagupan City, Pangasinan, Philippines |
Campus | 1 |
Colours | Green and white |
Yearbook | (varies every year) |
Newspaper | Glimpse-HS, D'Elems Insight-Elem. |
Hymn | DWAD Hymn |
Patron Saint | St. Joseph Freinademetz (Feast Day: Jan. 29) |
Website | http://dwad.dagupan.com |
The Divine Word Academy of Dagupan (DWAD) is a Catholic, private, secondary school run by the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) in Dagupan City, Pangasinan in the Philippines. It is one of the few schools that offer an education in Chinese culture in addition to the regular curricula required by Department of Education Culture and Sports and by private schools, in combination with the ideals of a Catholic education.
The academy is under the direction of the Divine Word Missionaries and is primarily established for the benefit of the Catholics of Chinese descent, residing in Dagupan City and around the country. However, the school equally welcomes all children regardless of race, color and religious creed.
Its director is Rev. Fr. Edsel Ricafort Demillo, SVD. Its campus minister is Frats. Mark Angelo Ramos, SVD.
History
Bishop Therode Schu, SVD, expelled from China by the Communists because he preached the Word, found himself in the Philippines in 1953. Still driven to serve the Chinese, his vision was to keep the Word alive by establishing a parish and a school to take care of the apostolic needs of the Chinese. Eduardo Kang Tan, Sr., a prominent Chinese in Dagupan convinced Bishop Schu to establish the parish and school in Dagupan City. In 1955, the Parish of Saint Therese was officially established with Father Joseph Kwo as the first parish priest. At the same time, plans for the school were made with the assistance of concerned citizens led by Eduardo Kang Tan, Sr.
In 1957, the school opened its doors to students from kindergarten to first year high school. It was then known as St. Therese Chinese Academy with 130 enrollees and eight teachers. The first director was Fr. Richard Hartwich, SVD. The other administrative officials were Fr. Peter Joseph Kwo, school treasurer, and Fr. Matthias Ning, school disciplinarian. In 1958, Fr. Aloysius Yang, SVD became the acting school director but was replaced after a while by Fr. Hubert Lohrbach, SVD. In 1960, the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) took over the ownership and administration of the school. Henceforth, the school was known as the Divine Word Academy of Dagupan (DWAD). In 1961, Fr. Henry Schmitz, SVD became the school director, a position he was to hold for 15 years. The year also saw the High School Department holding its first Commencement exercise with eight graduates.
In 1976, Fr. Matthias Ning, SVD became the school director, a position he held for 11 years. In 1988, Fr. Jess P. del Rosario, SVD was at the helm as the director of the school. In 1995, Fr. Ambrose L. Ponce, SVD became the campus minster, and then in 1996, he became the school director. Years later he was assigned to Cagayan and Rev. Fr. Crisogono Cancino, SVD, more commonly known as "Fr. Cris", took over while he was the parish priest of St. Therese. In 2009, Fr. Cris was assigned to Naguillan, a town in the province of La Union, north of Dagupan. The principal and assistant parish priest Rev. Fr. Edsel R. Demillo, SVD succeeded as school director.
School directors
- Rev. Fr. Edgar Calunod, SVD (2014 to Present)
- Rev. Fr. Edsel R. Demillo, SVD (2009 to 2014)
- Rev. Fr. Crisogono Cancino, SVD (2005 to 2009)
- Rev. Fr. Ambrose Ponce, SVD (1996 to 2005)
- Rev. Fr. Winston Cabahug, SVD (1992 to 1996)
- Rev. Fr. Jess Del Rosario, SVD (1987 to 1992)
- Rev. Fr. Matthias Ning, SVD (1975 to 1987)
- Rev. Fr. Henry Schmitz, SVD (1962 to 1975)
- Rev. Fr. Hubert Lorbach, SVD (1958 to 1962)
- Rev. Fr. Richard Hartwich, SVD (1957 to 1958)
- Bishop Teodore Schu, SVD (1957)
School administrators
- Rev. Fr. Edgar L. Calunod, SVD, Ph.D (Director)
- Rev. Fr. Joaquin Ferrer, SVD (Campus Minister)
- Mrs. Alicia J. Ferrer, MA Ed, MDM (School Principal)
- Mr. Artemio M. Cheng, Jr. (School Asst. Principal)
- Miss Merly De Guzman (Academic Supervisor)
- Mrs. Imelda Sta. Maria (coordinator, Kinder)
- Mr. Heng Wue Co (Coordinator, Chinese Dept.)
- Mrs. Jocelyn Palad (School Disciplinarian)
- Mrs. Alicia Lioanag (Guidance Consultant)
Awards and recognitions
Divine Word Academy is known for top-caliber students and faculty in the Division of Schools in Dagupan City. Its latest achievements were as follows:
- 2008 DBL champion- Dagupan City Division
- Division Schools Press Conference (Dagupan City): garnered 5 medals
- Regional Schools Press Conference (Region I, Ilocandia): First Place, Best in Layout (English)
- Division English Olympics 2010: First Runner-Up (highest among private schools in Dagupan City)
- Reader's Theater (3rd Place)
- Essay Writing (2nd place)
- Smart Talk (Champion: Division wide/ 5th Place: Region-wide)
- Champion, Passarelle and SBP in Milo Pangasinan
- First Runner Up, Luzon wide
- Barkada Contra Droga CSI Dance Battle Champions
- Dance Battle League 2011 (DBL) 3rd Runner up
The school is known not only in academics, but in sports as well. It has won numerous titles in the divisions basketball league. It is known in the field of cheerdancing. The Vipers(DDC), its official pep squad and dance troupe, won straight wins for several years. Its official basketball varsity team is the Janssenites.
Amenities, functions and celebrations
The school has annual celebrations:
- Nutrition Month Culmunating Activity: usually held in July. It is hosted by the makabayan club.
- Buwan Ng Wika: Held every August. Usually last week.
- Birthday of Mother Mary and Foundation day of the Society of the Divine Word: Held every September 8.
- Intramurals: One of the most anticipated events in the school. In 2006, the traditional Love, Wisdom and Courage were the names of the teams. The following year, since it was its 50th year anniversary, the administration decided to make the team basis with the core values of the school: Discipline, Excellence, Social Responsibility, Integrity, Respect and Evangelization (DISIRE). In 2008 it was batch vs batch. The seniors won the overall championship, as well as the cheerdance competition. Last year, the juniors were hailed as overall champions. But the freshmen won the cheerdance tilt.
- Living Rosary: is a tribute to mother mary held in October.
- Academic Olympics: Academic intramurals. It is when the school celebrates the United Nations Day.
- Christmas Party: starts with a school program followed by the room by room celebration.
- National Bible Week culmunating activity: Held during the last week of January.
- Chinese New year celebration: it starts with a eucharistic celebration followed by a Chinese celebration with children's lion and dragon dance.
- 5 and 6 day and JS promenade: a party celebrated by the Grades 5 and 6 and the 3rd and 4th year.
- Cultural show
Organizations and clubs
- SGO (Student Government Organization - High School)
- PGO (Pupil Government Organization - Elementary)
- D'Elems Insight-Elem (Elementary - School Paper)
- Glimpse (High School - School Paper)
- CPC (Campus Pastoral Council)
- MAKABAYAN Club
- English Club
- Math Club
- Filipino Club
- Science Club
- Chinese Club
- Janssenites (DWAD Basketball Team - Elementary and High School)
- DWAD Musical Ensemble
- DDC (Divinian Dance Crew)
- DRC (DWAD Robotics Club)
- DTKDC (DWAD Taekwondo Club)
Facilities
- Kinder Department Building
- Elementary Department Building
- High School Department Building
- Schmitz Hall (Gymnasium)
- School Eco Garden
- Quadrangle
- Dance Studio
- Guidance Center
- Student Center
- AVR (Audio Visual) Room
- Campus Minister Office
- Library
- Internet Room
- Computer Room
- Computer Technical Room
- Speech Laboratory
- Science Laboratory
- Robotics Laboratory
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Facade of the Divine Word Academy of Dagupan (DWAD)
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Left facade
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The classrooms and offices
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Frontage
References
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