Photo by Alexia Bangayan
by Alexia Bangayan and Johanna Cabatuando
The Assembly of Class Officers (ACO) held the LeadSummit 2026 bringing together class officers and council representatives of the School Year (S.Y.) 2026-2027 on Saturday, October 3, on the second floor of the Formation and Learning Center (FLC).
The program featured discussions and interactive activities aimed at strengthening the participants’ leadership skills and preparing them for their respective roles as student leaders.
The seminar was hosted by Strand Vice Chairs (SVCs) Zeki Vizcarra of the Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM) Strand and Paris Mabato of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Strand.
ACO Vice President Mandie Montoya delivered the opening remarks, followed by an interactive opening message by Sir Franz Jan S. Santos, who gave participants prompts and asked them to identify the corresponding government sector.
Following the activity, ACO Moderator Sir Mardocheo “Cheo” Y. Crispino introduced the four Grade 11 houses: Libertas, Memoria, Intellectus, and Voluntas.
He then discussed servant leadership and project management, challenging the student leaders to strengthen their leadership and influence their classes to be ideal Ateneans through their advocacies.
In his talk about servant leadership, Sir Cheo emphasized the following:
- Listen before deciding
- Represent, not just relay
- Notice who is being left behind
- Serve without seeking recognition
- Handle conflicts with care
- Know when to ask for help
- Develop future leaders
Following the discussion, the officers pledged to uphold servant leadership in their respective roles.
Sanggunian President Rhian Peregrin spoke, quoting Sir Cheo, on the need for leaders to “represent” their class’s needs to the ACO for improvement, “not just relay” information from the sanggunian, as class officers are the “closest embodiment of the students”.
After a short break, ACO Internal Secretary Amiel Baquir and External Secretary Hailey De Jova spoke of the vision, mission, and system of the ACO.
Guest Speaker Jaedon Villena, the ACO Vice President of S.Y. 24-25, spoke on “Making Things Count: Consensus, Accountability, and Humility”.
He described decision-making as “difficult yet necessary,” emphasizing that leaders are often required to make decisions despite disagreements and the possibility of regret.
Villena encouraged the officers to practice consensus by considering different perspectives, involving members in decision-making, weighing options, and making adjustments when necessary.
He also highlighted accountability as a leader’s willingness to communicate their struggles, acknowledge mistakes, and remain honest with oneself and others.
Villena emphasized equality and humility, saying that “Being a leader is more than the decisions you make…[it’s] about connecting…to make an effort to understand and view everyone as your colleagues.”
Through the statement that “leadership is service, service is a form of love, … [and] true love exists only among equals”, he challenged the class officers to show up and be good examples.
Reflecting on his experience, Villena shared that he “loved being a leader in the ASHS,” describing the experience as an opportunity that gave him much while allowing him to give back to the community.
The seminar proceeded with block sessions divided according to the officers’ respective positions: representatives, formation officers, records, and resources.
The representatives remained in the Assembly Space while the Formation, Records, Resource, and Sports Beadles proceeded to the Music Room, Makers’ Space, Band Room, and Dance Room, respectively, where they received orientations on their roles and responsibilities.
The student-leaders then took part in team-building activities entitled “Hues the Best,” where they were divided into groups identified by the color of their nametag: blue, green, gold, orange, purple, and red.
Following the lunch break, the participants proceeded with council sessions held at the Ateneo Senior High School (ASHS) Main Building, which focused on the creation of each class’s general plan of action (GPOAs) and announcements from their respective councils.
