By AJ Alarcon 

From March 6 to 29, the Ateneo Senior High School (ASHS) Council of Student Organizations (CSO) spearheaded this school year’s CSO Month celebration with its theme, “Sidlak,” aimed at encouraging its 35 organizations to grow in their respective fields and showcase their various passions. 

During the opening of the celebration, the ASHS Music Industry Organization (MIO), Glee Club, and Symphonic Ensemble (SE) collaborated for a performance on the main building staircase.

Following this, the Broadway Theater Troupe of Ateneo (BTTA) and Indayog ng Atenistang Kabataan (IndAK) joined to deliver a performance at the first-floor foyer inspired by the musical “The Greatest Showman.”

Throughout the celebration, the nine districts under the CSO set up booths along the first and second-floor foyers and prepared activities related to their corresponding disciplines.

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The organizations under the Analysis and Discourse District (ADD) set up their “SML” booth at the first-floor foyer, initiated the activity “Capybara Holmes Hunt” from March 6 to 28, and conducted the “Student v. Teacher Debate” on March 17 at the Formation and Learning Center (FLC) Maker’s Space.

Moreover, from March 10 to 28, the organizations under the Business District (BD) had a game booth, “The Greatest Guess,” led by the Ateneo Senior High Junior Marketing Association (ASH-JMA) stationed at the second-floor foyer and a Mini Business Bazaar, which featured local non-food concessionaires.

The BD, in collaboration with the Intercultural Relations District (IRD), Sector-Based District (SBD), and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics District (STEMD), also set up their merchandise booth, “Archi’s Marketplace.”

Furthermore, the Faith Formation District (FFD) opened various booths, such as the “Heavenly Voices” at the first-floor foyer from March 6 to 28 and “Art of the Soul” and “Faith-Full Board” at the second-floor foyer from March 17 to 28.

In addition, the Health and Environment District (HED) held “Fast Talks” at the FLC Maker’s Space on March 7 and “HED-ing Outside Talk: Agri & Horticulture” on March 18. 

From March 6 to 28, the IRD had their booth, “Words of Destiny,” located at the first-floor foyer, together with Nihongo Dantai’s “Mini Matsuri Festival,” and French Legion’s “Cafe France,” stationed at the second-floor foyer.

Additionally, Hanmuneon held a K-Pop random dance, “Hanmune-On That Beat 2.0,” on March 26 on the first floor of the main building.

The various organizations under the Media and Creative Arts District (MCAD) set up their respective booths, namely, Art Guild’s “A Train of Thought,” Blue Kitchen’s “Pancake Man,” Grafiction’s “Captured in Ink! Timeless Memories,” and ZOOM’s “Lights, Camera, Action: A Photographic Showcase,” from March 6 to 28 at the first- and second-floor foyers. 

In addition, starting March 14, Hi-Lites opened the submission for Citizen’s Arm; the Ateneo Animations and Creatives Studio Organization (ACSO) held animation workshops; and the Ateneo Publicity and Communications Organization (APCO), in collaboration with the Ateneo Film Organization (AFO), presented “The Recess Diaries.”

Further, the SBD conducted “Impact-athon: SBD Case Competition” on March 10 and 24 at the FLC Maker’s Space.

Moreover, STEMD had booths—”STEMD’s Boutique,” Ateneo Biological Organization-Senior High School’s (BOx-SHS) “Beads & Bonds,” Engineering and Innovation Society of Ateneo Senior High School (EISA) “Slime Attack,” and Programming Varsity’s (ProgVar) “Byte-ique”—situated along the first- and second-floor foyers from March 6 to 28.

As a part of the celebration, various organizations participated in “Org Switch-up,” wherein the officers held their organization sessions in different organizations. 

“Events like Sidlak and having different creative outlets are significant [especially] in the ASHS because there is fulfillment in doing what you love for yourself and others,” said CSO Vice President Arianne Co, reflecting on the importance of Sidlak to the ASHS community.

She concluded that Sidlak and other similar celebrations “allow these people (ASHS community) to not just be stagnant in what they enjoy and provide them with opportunities to do what they love.”

Dreams do come true

The month-long celebration culminated with “TuPAD: Where Wishes Come True,” a fundraising concert organized by the CSO and Performing Arts District (PAD), held at the Ateneo Junior High School (AJHS) covered court on March 29.

The concert, hosted by members of APCO, featured collaborative performances from the ASHS Glee Club, MIO, SE, BTTA, Teatrong Baguntao (TBT), and IndAK.

Student bands such as Cherryfocus, Alitaptap, and Loafers were also included in the concert lineup, together with guest performers Greenhills Christian Fellowship International Christian School (GCF-ICS) Choir, Mayfly, and DJ Michiko. 

Loafers vocalist AJ Fernandez expressed, “It [the concert] opened a lot of opportunities for people who are, I guess, shy or are still holding back in performing.” 

Moreover, he emphasized the two-way impact of Sidlak, stating that “We got to really express the light and put it on people who want to express what they feel in performing and what songs they want to showcase to others.” 

Meanwhile, PAD Head Bianca Macalalag recalled the preparations leading to the event, “[The] PAD core has been planning this project for a very long time, and to see it come to fruition was a true blessing.”

“It was amazing to see fellow performers, like myself, experience the joys of the stage and immerse themselves in performance,” she added.

The concert’s beneficiary is Hospicio De San Jose, an institution that shelters and provides care for orphans, abandoned persons, and persons with special needs.