Celebrating 16 Years with Faith and Gratitude
On September 20, Mano Amiga celebrated its 16th anniversary! That’s 16 years of uplifting lives and communities through education, livelihood, and skills training!
As part of our 16th Foundation Day Celebration, Samantha Lavinia Antoni, a 10th-grade student, shared her heartfelt reflections on what makes Mano Amiga truly unique. We are excited to share her full speech with you.
Good Morning, Everyone! I am Samantha Lavinia, currently a Grade 10 student here at Mano Amiga. I’ve been a scholar at Mano Amiga since I was in 2nd Grade. Mano Amiga is a place I can call my second home. As I look back on the past 9 years of me studying here I am filled with gratitude not only for the impact this school had given to my life but also for helping me grow as a person who I am today.
I learned a lot of things growing up, both academically and as a person. But, there are two things that I’ll always bring with me. First, wherever life takes me I will always remember to do good and second, to let God be the center of everything and guide me on each choice I make. Growing up I was taught both in school and at home that being kind will always be cool. You don’t need to be good to you, just for you to show them kindness. You can always treat others well without expecting anything in return. You can’t please and make everyone like you, but you can always choose to act with kindness. And God being the center of everything will always be the best choice. Always remembering to give Him thanks for everything will always be a top priority. You can never go wrong when you ask Him for guidance. He will always know the answer, the best answer. And even when everybody turns their back on you, He will still be there supporting and waiting for you.
If there is a program or group here in school that I’ll always be thankful for it will be my ECYD and Mission Youth Family. Besides my teachers, classmates, friends, and family who helped me strengthen my faith in Jesus, ECYD and Mission Youth are my families that really helped me not only feel Jesus’ love but also to share it with others. Just like mission youth’s motto “to love, to be loved, and to lead others to Christ”. And because of these I am the person who I am today. Without these people and without this school I wouldn’t be the best version of myself standing in front of you today. Because of these, having a strong faith and being surrounded by people that loves and support me I see everything in the best and most beautiful way I could ever see it. I could understand people around me better. And I always try to see and look for the brighter side of everything.
A year from now I am already studying in a different school. New faces, new experiences, new community, and a new place to grow and learn. But there is only one thing I am praying and wishing for this school. It is for it to grow more and change more children’s lives. This institution not only helps build the children’s whole being but also its family and everyone inside the community. This school teaches us kids not only to excel in academics but also to become well-rounded leaders that can help change the world for the better, who molds and transform children into better people of society, for society. And I hope that in the near future I could also be an education hero that helps children build and reach their dream just like how I am building and reaching for my own dreams.
Once again, happy 16th foundation day anniversary, Mano Amiga!
