“…and the Number 1 Most Outstanding Student of the Year goes to…”

Doesn’t it feel ecstatic when you hear your name being called on stage as the most outstanding student of the year?

Awarding ceremonies provide the opportunity to recognize and celebrate achievements in various fields. There is no doubt that it can inspire individuals to strive for excellence. However, in today’s status quo, awarding ceremonies tend to overemphasize on competition. In some cases, the competitive nature of awarding ceremonies may overshadow the true essence of the achievements being honored. Because of this, it creates a world where individuals prioritize recognition over the pursuit of personal growth or bring positive change in the society. But in JCI Aklan Kalantiao, the organization took awarding ceremonies in a different level. Instead that it is a platform for competition, it becomes the driving force for collaboration and camaraderie among outstanding youths.

The Junior Chamber International-Philippines’ flagship project is the Youth Leadership Excellence Awards (YLEA) which began modestly in 1985. It is an annual endeavor whose goal is to recognize excellent elementary and high school students from both public and private schools for their leadership skills and intellectual achievements. This three-decade celebration of JCI Philippines became an opportunity for JCI Aklan Kalantiao to embody the JCI Mission of empowering young people to create positive change.

As a result, in addition to the JCI Philippines’ accustomed awarding ceremony, the JCI Aklan Kalantiao implemented SIGA

Project: Strengthening and Igniting the Passion of Young Gallant Aklanons. It has become its primary Youth Development Project that ignited and innovated JCI Philippines’ long-term custom and goal. Thus, this project is a testament of exemplary youth leaders in action behind awards. SIGA, an Aklanon term that means spark, was inspired by the YLEA recipients’ kindling desire to lead and commune for the welfare of others. Hence, this prospering project, under the efforts of the very YLEA Aklan

Awardees, aims to utilize the one-in-a-million chance of them — the exemplary Aklan youth leaders — gathering to conceptualize, plan, and immortalize projects that could help communities.

PART I. SIGA PROJECT IN A NUTSHELL

            SIGA Project is a 12-month leadership bootcamp that is comprised of  six (6) stages: Stage 1. Leadership Camp

 YLEA awardees are oriented on learning actual management and leadership skills.

Stage 2. YLEA Awarding

 YLEA awardees are conferred with medals and certificates.

Stage 3. Project Management Workshop

 YLEA awardees are submerged in the proper project management according to the JCI’s ways.

Stage 4. Project Pitching

 YLEA awardees present their project proposal to JCI members.

Stage 5. Project Implementation

 YLEA awardees implement their approved batch project

Stage 6. Project Evaluation

 YLEA awardees evaluate their effectiveness in the implemented project and the project’s efficacy to the chosen beneficiary.

PART II. THE CONCEPTION OF THE BATCH PROJECT

This year’s YLEA awardees’ project under project SIGA is called Project Pagpauswag: Pagkilaea ag Pagpaumwad it Talentong Pang- Isports (Recognizing and Supporting Aklanon Sports Talent).

The Project Pagpauswag’s Management Process under Project SIGA:

• JCI Aklan Kalantiao invited resource persons  from outside and inside the organization to conduct Leadership Camp 2.0.
• JCI Aklan Kalantiao invited resource persons from outside and inside the organization to conduct Project Management
• The awardees were given two weeks to conceive their intended projects and community beneficiary before undergoing project proposals with JCI Members.
• The awardees assessed their project and chosen community; the focus of the assessment was on the following areas:
• Identification of Problem and Target Beneficiaries
  • The Whys Behind It
  • The Data/Pieces of Evidences
  • Its alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
• Objectives
  • Assessment of Each Objective (SMART)
  • Key Performance Indicators
• Budgetary Requirements
  • Budget Proposal
  • Sourcing
• Team Composition
• The awardees presented their project proposals to JCI Members.
• The awardees conducted their project and evaluated their effectiveness. The evaluation focuses on:
  • Revisiting Objectives
  • Project Wins
  • Project Improvements
  • Financial Report
  • Reflections
•  The awardees evaluated each other’s performance as well through the 5-point Peer Evaluation Form created by the JCI Aklan Kalantiao.

The Established Scoring systems are the following:

x̅ ≥ 3.5 = the school that the YLEA awardee represents is still given the privilege to select a YLEA awardee in the succeeding year; continued partnership with JCI Aklan Kalantiao. x̅ ≤ 3.4 = JCI Aklan Kalantiao will search for another school to be given the privilege to select a YLEA awardee.

PART III. WHAT’S NEXT FOR YLEA AWARDEES

Aside from the benefit that the chosen community will receive, the young leaders will also develop connections, fellowship, and outstanding leadership skills, as they are automatically advanced to the Youth Leadership Excellence Awards Aklan Awardees Network (YLEA-AAN), a registered youth organization in National Youth Commission (NYC) under the guidance of its mother organization – JCI Aklan Kalantiao. YLEA-AAN will also enable JCI Aklan Kalantiao in engaging and tracking YLEA recipients over time.

Through Project SIGA, awarded and recognized youth leaders will appreciate the essence of camaraderie and help people in need through the projects implemented in communities.