The Students' Peer Assistance Club or SPAC is a group of Peer Counselor Students of Jacinto P. Elpa National High School under the advisory of the School Guidance Counselor, Mr. Marieto Cleben V. Lozada as supervised by the School Principal Mrs. Imelda C. Falcon, SSP IV.

Noticeably, the logo simply exhibits a lighthouse emitting light and serving as guide to the travelers at sea. The lighthouse represents SPAC as a club and it is emitting light serving as guide to other students in JPENHS. Beneath the logo is our official motto, “Unleash the Christian Within”. Just like Efren Penaflorida who believes that in each one of us there is a hero within waiting to be unleashed. It is our belief that it isn’t just a hero innate within each one of us but a heroic Christian ready to let loose and be of service to others.

SPAC RATIONALE

Every school year, the Guidance In-Charge continually mediates among students brought by teachers from different year levels with problems varying from cutting classes, non-attendance, computer games addiction, gambling, vandalism, intoxicant drinking sessions within or near the campus, stealing, minor disputes and violent fist fighting, early intimate relationships and other disruptive behaviors that affect their academic performances.

During the school year 2009-2010, we had three thousand four hundred eighty six (3,486) enrollees in Jacinto P. Elpa National High School. The Guidance In-Charge as always, had done all that he can to be efficient in the job entrusted to him but there were times when the load of work is heavier than what his shoulders could carry for obvious reasons of imbalance between the number of his clients and his own limited capabilities.

For this reason, in coordination with the supportive and efficient leadership of the

Principal, Madam Imelda C. Falcon, SSP IV, the School Guidance In-Charge has organized the SPAC or STUDENTS PEER ASSISTANCE CLUB. The first batch of active members in this club belongs to the graduating students of S.Y. 2010-2011 from the first section in RBEC (Revised Basic Education Curriculum) and SSC (Special Science Curriculum). Yearly, we hope to improve the performance of this club by accepting and training sensible members as well as amending some practices for the better and adopting suggested measures for a more efficient maneuver in our services.

The SPAC members help the School Guidance Counselor in the following activities:

1. After having undergone Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) training, a basic counseling technique, SPAC members will use this knowledge during symposiums (as scheduled) or whenever a student is referred by a teacher to the guidance office for having displayed some sort of detrimental behavior either toward himself or toward others. This student (upon the discretion of the School Guidance Counselor) will undergo a stress debriefing session to be facilitated by the S. Guidance Counselor himself or by two or more assigned SPAC members.

2. SPAC members will also help implement other concerns and programs in the School Guidance Office such as the SDORP (Schools’ Drop Out Reduction Program) and many others.

3. As a school club intended to be of helped to their schoolmates academically and morally, each member is expected to maintain a wholesome character. For this reason, the entire group is required to meet once a month for an ecumenical spiritual activity or prayer meeting to enhance their relationship with God. The entire members are also divided into several units composed of three members as a support group and they will meet once a week. Their strength (inspiration) in helping others should be unshakably anchored on their faith and love of God. A SPAC member should inculcate into his/her heart the motto “Unleash the Christian Within” which is an innovated adaptation of Efren Penaflorida’s “Unleash the Hero Within”. In this club, we believe that there isn’t just a hero within waiting to be unleashed but a Heroic Christian ready to let loose and be of service to others.

PHILOSOPHY OF STRESS DEBRIEFING: Openness brings awareness. Awareness brings realization. Realization causes an awakening. Awakening brings us to an enlightened state. In the Light, you will find your truth.... and, finally you will be empowered to change the things you need to change and accept the things you cannot change.

PEER COUNSELING FOLLOW UP SYMPOSIUM (Oct. 2, 2010)

It was disheartening to hear from student-participants who commented that our peer counseling campaign was nothing but a waste of time during our follow up Peer Counseling Symposium on October 2, 2010.

One of the things emphasized during the symposium was to encourage the students to strive more and change the prevalent feeble mentality of aiming merely for a passing 75 grade. Many of them think that any more than the passing grade is no longer necessary. They have not known (which was also discussed to them) that any four year course in college requires at least an 85% general average grade from their high school report card.

In spite of the inputs exerted, it cannot be denied that there were students who were not appreciative of our efforts.

Fortunately however, a greater number of participants were positively responding to our campaign. The fact is, there were students who did not only improve but become achievers as well. Surprisingly, these 4th year students had never been included among the top ten list before but this time, they have unexpectedly made their names appear on the top ten cream of the crop in their own respective section as enumerated below:

#	NAMES	Rank	SECTION
1	Romero, Jovelyn C.	1st Honor	IV- Garners
2	Cuarteron, Creszil V.	4th Honor	IV- Garners
3	Aguirre, Jayzel A.	5th Honor	IV- Garners
4	Estrada, Lynefer A.	7th Honor	IV- Garners
5	Lupague, Charisse S.	9th Honor	IV- Garners
6	Papa, Richard	10th Honor	IV- Garners
7	Bolonia, Clyford	4th Honor	IV-Fascinators
8	Ocon, Michael	4th Honor	IV-Brainmovers
9	Paraiso, Meszel	4th Honor	IV- Lancers
10	Abino, Arianne	9th Honor	IV- Lancers
11	Demontar, Charlyn	6th Honor	IV-

Shown in the picture at the Guidance Office together with the School Guidance In-Charge are the abovementioned honor students (clockwise): Charlyn Demontar,

Jovelyn C. Romero, Meszel Paraiso, Jayzel A. Aguirre, Lynefer Estrada, Arianne Abino, Charrise S. Lupague, Richard Papa and Michael Ocon. This picture was taken after a brief lecture encouraging them to maintain if not improve more their academic performance in the second grading and throughout the school year.

There were also other poor-performing students last school year who eventually made some academic

improvements (though not among the class top ten) after attending the SPAC sponsored Peer Counseling Symposium last July 11, 2010.

The Peace Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi as the Official Prayer of the Students’ Peer Assistance Club (SPAC)

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,

Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

PEER COUNSELING SYMPOSIUM (July 11, 2010)

One Saturday, on July 11, 2010 a Peer Counseling Symposium was conducted by the Students’ Peer Assistance Club (SPAC), headed by the School Guidance In-Charge in coordination with the 4^th year Class Advisers.

Our clients were the 160 4^th year students enlisted during the enrollm

ent period by the 4^th year teachers for having failed grades (red marks) in their 3^rd year form 137. These students were then obliged to come school on the said date and attend a Peer Counseling Symposium.

The SPAC members were assigned to tasks according to their talents and capabilities. Some were assigned as Registration attendants, others as ice breakers and the carefully selected and trained few – as speakers.

As per detailed instruction and extensive training, the lecture focused more on anti-vices topics and motivating the students to improve their academic performance. They were also encouraged not to underestimate the power

of prayer or attend to the spiritual aspect of their lives.

After the lecture, the participants were made to watch inspirational films, e.g., the life of Nick Vujicic. An Australian limbless person but manage to attain a college degree and become a successful individual in spite of his being handicapped/physically challenged. The film was explained further by the School Guidance In-Charge, Mr. Marieto Lozada.

After watching the film, the participants were divided into several groups where two to three trained SPAC members were assigned to conduct debriefing and interactive peer counseling.

The participants were encouraged to voice out the root cause of their problems as to why they were not performing well academically.

There were participants, male and female, who shed tears and confided their problems to the SPAC debriefing facilitators.

Before the concluding prayer, the participants were asked

to pledge for their own sake that the more they may have problems (financially/motivation-wise) presently, the more they should make an effort to attain a decent life someday by studying well.

After the symposium, headed by the School Guidance In-Charge, the SPAC facilitators convened in one room to “un-stress” themselves after undergoing a stressful day.

Without any budget for snacks or dinner for the facilitators, at the end of the day we all felt so hungry and tired. And, we all went home at around 7:30pm.

Indeed, it was a very tiring but self-filling day.