SPARK OF HOPE: The Makati Science Vision Anthology of Student Essays (2005)

A Book Review by Don Michael Acelar De Leon

Stories of our youth—tales of love lost, found, and requited; of first small victories in the enduring skirmish of life; of loss and bereavement that etches a lasting wound in our hearts; of inspirations that ignite the fires in our spirits—breathe the very essence of lives. They echo the instances that had the greatest impact in our lives, instances that we continue to relive in our memories throughout our lifetime. They instill in us our own individuality, for it is through experiencing our own stories that we slowly carve our unique outlooks of life—perspectives of love and friendship for some, emotions of lifelong pain and guilt for others, but accounts of success and glory for all.

The Spark of Hope: The Makati Science Vision Anthology of Student Essays celebrates the undying role of youthful stories in the development of young individuals as they climb the mountains and tread the pitfalls of life. Compiled and edited by Mr Alixander Haban Escote, adviser of The Makati Science Vision, the official student publication of the Makati Science High School, the anthology is a collection of 34 personal essays written by Makati Science students from 1997 to 2004. Written for their fellow students (and their parents and their teachers, too), the collection contains prose of humanism and fruits of human experiences.

The anthology showcases the courage and enthusiasm of 23 Makati Science students as they shared their faults, foibles, worries, wisdom, and their ambitions. Focused on love for life and family, their stories warm the heart and enkindle the human spirit as they divulge their secrets, crushes, lost love ones, and experiences that molded them into what they are today. From interesting narratives of comic relief, such as “My Twin Sister 1”, “My Twin Sister 2”, and “The Sum of A Brother and Another Brother” and light hearted accounts of love and lasting friendship such as “Sprinkle”, “My Best(est) Friend”, and “Crayons and Pad Papers” to inspiring recollection of success and personal fulfillment like “I Feel Blest”, “A Letter to Seniors”, and “Use the Gift Within You” and moving stories of parting and healing like “Almost Perfect”, “My Last Love Letter”, and “The Doll and the Old Man”, the anthology echoes each author’s story with the warmth of the human touch.

As the anthology aims to move, to tickle, and to inspire each reader, it acquaints him with the author—with a person or an instance that connects him with the world. The anthology shares the persons that inspired students who made differences in their lives and challenged them to go over and beyond their limitations. Some of these persons are faceless and anonymous, some bring out the best in them, others, the worst in them, yet these sung persons helped the writers construct themselves into better persons.

The anthology also paints the places where their experiences took place, the places they most visited and most avoided and the silent witnesses of their good deeds and naughty misjudgments and of their most treasured memories and most despised experiences. Most of all, the anthology describes literary elements—a dog, a bubble, or a little sister—that taught them lessons in life and that gave them strength, inspiration, and appreciation for their innate talents.

The 80 pages of the anthology herald the greatest personal stories written by Makati Science students who, in one way or another, made a lasting impression in the school; in so doing, they acknowledged the persons, the places, and the events that helped them break the barrier of mediocrity and burst forth as individuals of great promise.

The Spark of Hope: The Makati Science Vision Anthology of Student Essays is therefore more than just a compendium of literary works. It is an anthology with a life of its own, which breathes the hope for a better tomorrow out to the world through its touching stories. It is work of history, a reflection of eight generations of Makati Science students who dreamed to fly high and to reach their goals, inspired by memories of lasting guidance and inspiration of from their mentors. It is a moving and outstanding issuance of hope; for it, in itself, is a story to tell, a lesson to teach, and a glory to celebrate.