After the 81st STA Alumni Homecoming dubbed 2014 feaSTAval was concluded last Oct 4, I interviewed the batch host's executive committee chairperson, Bambie Rio. She shared some tid bits about the recent homecoming. Enjoy the trivia!

• It is the first time in the history of the Alumni Homecoming that seven (7) classes took part as co-celebrants in the celebrations. Together with sponsoring Highschool class 89, the following classes co-celebrated the occasion: Class ’84, ’79, ’74, ’69, ’64, ’59, & ’54.
• There were 80 co-celebrants who attended the October 3 Pinning Rite.
• It is the first time that the association held a Jubilarian Pinning Rite. Hopefully this will become part of the tradition as the occasion clearly reminds us where we came from and the ceremony solidifies our loyalty to the organization.
• The oldest recognized alumni during the Pinning Rite were Ester Severino-Monfort of Batch1948 and Nanny Locsin (father of Noel Locsin) of Batch 1949.
• It is the first time the website, http://theresiansforlife.com was officially used as the official communications portal of the celebration.
• The Digital Year Book Project was started, a project to make sure that the STA graduating classes will have an alternative way in publishing their yearbook online at a fraction of the cost. Check out the main page in our website. The Digital Yearbook Project.
• A selected number of STA students and members of the Alumni Association were interviewed in the Morning Show to promote the activity which was broadcasted last Sept, 24, 2014.
• Mayor Jose "Oti" Montelibano and Vice Mayor Mark Golez graced the occasion.
• There were at least 200 Alumni who joined the motorcade.
• There were at least 300 Alumni who registered for the event during the Oct. 4 celebrations.
• There were more than 500 attendees during the cultural night. All 500 tickets were sold-out.
• Activities were non-stop during the Oct. 4 celebrations with several volunteer batches hosting the activities every hour.
• The STA Puppets Tere and Sian were actually modelled from the famous child host Ryzza Mae Dizon and Bimby Yap-Aquino (Son of Kris Aquino and James Yap). Check them out here.
• First Open House Campus Tour.
• All activities and batch project were met in a timely manner and within budget.
• The advertising billboards just outside of STA premises were all reserved for the advertisement of the Homecoming 2014 feaSTAval. Courtesy of the Office of the City Mayor.
• The event was recorded by at least 3 videographers and at least 1 event photographer to preserve the memories. Check the video highlights below.

The class of '89 wishes to thank the City of Silay - Office of the Mayor for the logistics support, the student body, the SSJ sisters, the teaching and non teaching staff of STA, the Alumni Association, and the different alumni batches who attended the celebrations. Because of your participation, the 2014 feaSTAval was indeed a festival of all sorts!

Kudos to the executive committee of class HS '89 and Grade School '85 for making this homecoming a very momentous event and for the other socio-civic activities that the batch had promoted. May your actions serve as good examples to the younger and older batches alike. As I'd like to put it, our activities should not be just a batch activity, these are alumni activities, and everybody is invited to participate. Let us tear down the class boundaries between batches from now on and start moving the Alumni Association as a cohesive group, devoid of walls and boundaries of indifference. Together we can do more, together we can do better. We are not just class batches anymore. We are Theresians! For Life!

Snap Shots

Photos courtesy of Erneil Garfin, Gladys Garay-Jardiolin, Tatic Mapa, Mildred Diomo-Flores and Ferdie Aquino