Alconaba, Janine Rose M.

BS Psych I
NSTP 12:00 3:00

14th March, 2015

During our last NSTP session, we joined forces with the Political Science block in
order to put together a culminating activity for all the children in the Parian Drop-in
Center.
We started by singing the National Anthem, and then we went on to explaining to
them what we would be doing that day. While waiting for the food for the kids to
arrive, we spent time playing games with the children. The games were able to get
even the shy childrens participation, and we were very satisfied with that. The
atmosphere made us all feel very contented because it let us know that we were able
to achieve our goal: to put smiles on the faces of those children. To know that we
were the very reason for those smiles really melted my heart. For me, it was a very
life-changing experience because throughout the earlier sessions in that center, it was
hard for us to get most of the children to open up and to participate in our
conversations and activities. To finally be able to achieve that was very satisfying to
see.
After the games, the food finally arrived and we settled the children down in order to
fill their hungry stomachs. My friends and I stayed with a young child who was
around two or three years old. During the past few sessions there, he refused all
invitations to play and to have fun. Miraculously, it was in that last session when he
started having fun and making us all laugh. He made funny faces and made jokes in
order to see the smiles on OUR faces, this time. My friends and I all felt very
surprised at this situation and we made the most out of it.
The culminating activity was definitely the only way to go, as it was our last session
with the children in the Parian Drop-in Center. We were able to induce happiness and
energy in those children. The smiles on their faces were very contagious, and at the
end of the day, it seemed as if the students of the University of San Carlos were the
ones who genuinely enjoyed that day. It truly was a precious experience.