FACC sponsors summer picnic at Park Road

After the recent Spring Picnic, the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas will sponsor yet another picnic on June 10. 

This time, a Zumba party would precede the 11 am picnic, the spring picnic committeee said. 

The Zumba party would start at 9 am with Elizabeth Bacalzo Onia as instructor who would be joined by other instructors. She started dancing at an early age and would like to share her passion for dance to others. 

Onia said her passion for dance started at five years of age. She started with ballet and tap dance and never looked back.  Onia was in the Orchesis dance group for two years. 

In college she took modern dance as an elective. This good looking lady has been lucky to keep dance as a part of her life. At the June 10 picnic at Park Road, Onia will share what she knows to the attendees. 

“Zumba is a fun way to stay fit for anyone that likes to dance,” she said. 

Over the years, Onia said her students told her how fun zumba is. She said the key piece to making zumba fun is the music.

At present she teaches Zumba Gold at the West Cabarrus YMCA and cardio dance at Harrisburg YMCA.

Onia or Liz as she is called by friends and acquaintances went to the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where she received a degree in Industrial Design. 

Aside from being the busy wife to FACC 1st Vice president Cip Onia, Liz is into running, gardening, music and art. 

Any donation for the benefit of the FACC 2017 projects would be accepted. Those wishing to attend are advised to pre-register and contact any FACC board of directors 2017 for details.
  
The FACC Summer Picnic would be held at the Park Road 6220, Charlotte, North Carolina 28210.  

For more information visit facc.us or FACC Facebook group page or FACC FB Page/Straight from the Carolinas. So join the party, be fit and share your blessings to others./Susan Palmes-Dennis

Fallar teaches, explains teachers' inspiration

Adelia Fallar expounds on what inspires teachers to do their job

A classroom can just be anywhere and everyone and anyone can be students at any time or all the time. 

That was the message given by Adelia Dell Fallar, past president of the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) as she held an impromptu class during her inspirational message at the Teachers Appreciation ceremony sponsored by the FACC at the Asian Library last May 20.

Fallar started her message with the question “Why teach?” and when the audience looked back with bewildered amusement, replied that there is no need to inspire teachers to teach since they are already inspired with their work.

Each of the teacher honorees starting from Mirasol Abogi to Reymond Anthony Quan started answering the question from one line to a paragraph. 

The answers ranged from teaching being a noble profession to teaching as a means of employment to provide for one's family. The teacher honorees became students again, answering questions from a teacher.

Fallar didn't stop and asked a second question; “what do teachers make?” and she also directed that question to past FACC presidents Dr. Nini de Bautista and Wally Penilla and both gave their respective answers. 

She synthesized these questions and answers in her message explaining the whys and hows of teaching. Her engagement kept the audience attentive and responsive as well. 

The FACC which is celebrating its 30th gala this year hosted the first appreciation day for teachers in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. 

Among those awarded were Mirasol Abogi of Ridge Road Middle School, Liza D. Capacia of South Mecklenburg High School, Dr.Tereso Casino of Gardner-Webb University, Adelia Fallar, who retired from teaching at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools;

Cynthia Bacalzo Germaine of Huntersville Elementary School, Dr. Lorene Pagcaliwagan of Gardner-Webb University, Reymond Anthony Quan of Garinger High School, Cielo A Sides of Christian Montessori School of Lake Norman;

Cristina Sloan Huntingtowne of Farms Elementary School, Roditha Lourdes Fuentes Terado of Harding University High School, Edwin Tranquilino of Harding University High School and Myra Tranquilino of Lincoln Charter School. 

The honorees were each given gift cards from an anonymous donor and art tiles lovingly made by the FACC Board of Directors under the tutelage of artist/designer/art teacher Edelweiss de Guzman, 2nd VP. 

FACC secretary Carllyn Ave showed a painting that they considered a work of love—a burning love for teachers who help their students and community. “It is about appropriate to honor them with a work of love as well. A work of art by the FACC board of directors,” she said.

The honorees were given French chocolate that bore a label “merci” which means thank you and an IHOP gift card for them to enjoy with their family. IHOP as in “Inspirational Heart for Some Outstanding People,“ as Ave said./Susan Palmes-Dennis

The assembled teacher honorees with FACC members. Photo by Carilyn Ave

Teacher Myra: Hardworking, dedicated, compassionate

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

Meet Myra Rodriguez Tranquilino, one of several teachers to be honored by the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas (FACC) at the Asian Library on Saturday this week, May 20.

Teacher Myra was awarded  the Hamilton Teacher of the Award in 2014 by the Lincoln Charter. 

When she asked the principal why she was given the prestigious school award, the principal replied that she is “hardworking, dedicated, responsible, compassionate and have a big sense of humor.”

The principal also said the students respected and loved her. Teacher Myra was humbled and thought to herself that may be why Filipino teachers excel no matter what country they are assigned to. 

Her teaching philosophy consists simply of inspiring students. Teacher Myra said a teacher should be driven and possess a “can do” personality that would motivate her students to be the same. 

She said a teacher should not only teach curriculum but inspire a lifelong desire to learn among students. Teacher Myra said the challenge for teachers is to connect to students on a deeper emotional level, to instill a love for students that speaks volumes. 

Teacher Myra has, in her words, spent “15 wonderful years” teaching biology, chemistry and physical science at the Lincoln Charter. She is teaching 8the grade science. 

A former Odyssey of the Mind Coach, science fair coordinator and a mentor, Myra's husband Edwin Tranquilino is also a teacher honoree, teaching physics at Harding University High School. 

Myra was born in Makati, Manila, Philippines and graduated with a degree in Secondary Education major in Biology and Chemistry with a minor in physics at the Assumption University under its Private Education Financial Assistance Scholarship. 

Teacher Myra's students

She loves singing and organizing stuff at her house and she spends quality time with her children.  

Myra said her favorite books are those on science especially Biotechnology and Forensic Science.

Teacher Myra said she really wanted to be a doctor but due to financial constraints and her scholarship being good only for four years, she decided to choose a preparatory course for medicine. 

Her first teaching experience was during second semester at Assumption University High School Department in 1993. 

“The high school principal approached me and my friend to be a substitute teacher in Physics because the teacher had an emergency family leave. My thesis adviser recommend me and my friend for the job,” she said.

She taught Physics in the morning while watching over students taking up chemistry class in the afternoon in the next three months. She was 20 years old at the time when the door to teaching opportunities opened to her. 

She recalled that it was a scary experience at the time since her students were already in their fourth year.  “It was an experience that led me to be a good teacher,” Myra said.

As a chemistry teacher, she was careful since there are students “that don't follow procedures and safety procedures.” “If you are not vigilant enough they will mix anything in front of them although they were told not to,” Myra said.

Among the challenges facing teachers are motivating students, curriculum overload, resources, parent involvement and proper use of technology such as digital devises. 

Aside from chemistry and sciences, Myra was also asked to teach American history which she found both funny and challenging because she wasn't an American citizen and she despised the subject.

“I studied every night and asked the help of other Social Studies teachers. It was a challenge. But I am so grateful I took the challenge because I’ve learned a lot about American History. It was an advantage when I took the citizenship test,” she said.

Myra said she learned to love the subject and taught history for three years. She said teaching methodologies in the US and in the Philippines have become almost the same since the Philippines started its K-12 education.

“They both employ cooperative learning, inquiry-based, peer teaching, cases based learning in science. The difference may lie in the application of technology in these approaches especially for students with special needs,” she said.

What makes Myra unique is her belief that every teacher should consider the start of the school season as their first year of teaching. 

And this gregarious program emcee would join other teacher honorees at the teacher appreciation ceremony of the FACC at the Asian Library this Saturday May 20.

Ma'am Gloria's committment to teaching Filipino-Americans

Gloria Grifenhagen with fellow teachers of Eskwelahang Munti

One of the teacher honorees selected by the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) needs no introduction.

Gloria Cagadas-Grifenhagen is a very active FACC member and volunteers her God given talents whenever needed for public service. Teaching is also in her DNA.

Gloria is the school director of the Eskwelahang Munti (EM) or Little School in Tagalog four years ago. The school is committed to teach the Tagalog language and Philippine culture to Filipino-American children living in the Charlotte area.

When asked when the idea for the school was planted, Gloria recalled that it came following her retirement from teaching.

She said she wanted to find something meaningful and worthwhile to give back to the community that accepted her warmly years ago in Charlotte. “I was one of the first Filipinos to arrive in Charlotte,” she said.

Eskwelahang Munti drew a crowd of Filipino-American families in the past who are quite patriotic in teaching their children the values, culture, traditions and the language through EM.

There was a hiatus of sorts for the EM but Gloria converted the class from children to adults. When asked why she taught Tagalog, Gloria said her children grew up without learning the Filipino language.

“They still blame me for not teaching them. I am making up for it by teaching other children,” she said. Ma'am Gloria holds classes for learning Tagalog classes either at the Asian Library or at her house.

Most of the students are adults and one of them is Ann Gonzales of the Carolinas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce and a co-owner at Create-ster. Ann is a Filipino by heart who was born in the Philippines but grew up in US and who loved to learn Tagalog again,the language of her youth. 

A quick flashback; she recalled hearing students of different countries speak their native language while she taught in public schools and noticing that they did so with pride.

“I wish the same for our Filipino children,” Ma'am Gloria said. She noticed that in the Philippines people speak “Taglish” or Tagalog-English and most Filipino TV programs don't carry Tagalog in its pure form. “I am worried that someday our language will become obsolete,” Gloria said.

When not travelling and teaching, Ma'am Gloria is into yoga. She has a degree in Elementary Education from the Philippine Normal University and got her masters degree in Special Education.

Also in her resume are credits on various continuing education topics at the Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) and the University of North Carolina Charlote (UNCCH).

Ma'am Gloria's teaching career started in Manila's public schools and spanned two school systems in Charlotte starting in 1969 through the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools and Union County.

These experiences made Grifenhagen the exceptional teacher that she is today.

Back in those days, Ma'am Gloria said it is the responsibility of teachers to contact parents regarding the progress and needs of students.

Ma'am Gloria said she alerted parents when their children exhibit unusual behavior in order to remedy the problem before it worsens.

“Also at the end of each grading period, a parent teacher conference is done to discuss how to help the student perform better. In the upper grades,students are encouraged to do some form of community service,” she said.

Ma'am Gloria enumerated the challenges faced by teachers not least of which is the breakdown of the family since it weighs heavily on a child.

Ma'am Gloria with her husband William 

“They act up because they have difficulty dealing with the situation. It is up to the teacher to make the child feel some sense of security so that they can function in the classroom,” she said.

She said illegal drug use is a major problem since drug-addled students are unable to concentrate because they are spaced out or high on these dangerous substances.

“Sometimes they sell to support their habit and when they are caught by the law they end up in jail thus interrupting their education,” she said. Ma'am Gloria said underage pregnancies are also a real problem.

“Teachers have to find ways to meet their educational needs. The teacher's hands are tied when it comes to discipline yet most parents blame teachers for any shortcomings their child has,” she said.

Teachers also have to deal with combative administrators and supervisors whose ideas contradict with their own. “In some cases, teachers don't have the support when there are serious discipline problems in the classroom. Students in higher grades don't respect adults and persons in authority,” Ma'am Gloria said.

When asked about her thoughts on recent teaching practices, she replied without hesitation that there has been too much emphasis on testing.

“Teachers end up teaching and giving tests. Too many tests are required that a lot of time is used in testing instead of teaching,” Ma'am Gloria said.

She considers teaching as a noble profession and the more exposure she has with children, the more she values and appreciates teaching. Ma'am Gloria said teachers can impact heavily on a child's decision to pick a career.

“Teachers need to push the students to do their best while making the classroom interesting and creative. We shape the future generation,” she said.

Ma'am Gloria said she has one memorable story worth sharing. ““After teaching in the lower grades for almost 18 years, I was assigned to teach high school Integrated math and Algebra. Considering that my experience in teaching math before was very basic, this was an uncharted territory for me,” she said.

She said it had been over 50 years when she took up Algebra in high school year and she left the interview in a fog. “But the school that offered me the job was near to my house so I accepted the challenge,” Ma'am Gloria said.

She spent many nights studying so she can get ahead of her students. “I came to class the first day telling myself over and over I can do it.” And she did it,” she said.

After the first semester geometry was added to her teaching load. Despite this, Ma'am Gloria said a rewarding moment came when a student approached her and thanked her for showing him how to work a problem step by step.

“The year ended well and I felt proud of myself facing the challenge,” she said. And I can see in my mind's eye the smile in Ma'am Gloria's face even if the interview was done through email.

On Saturday this week, May 20, Ma'am Gloria would be joining her comrades in the profession in a simple appreciation ceremony hosted by the FACC at the Asian Library.

To be honest, I think it would be the other way around; the FACC and the Filipino-American community would be honored to be around the presence of Gloria Grifenhagen./Susan Palmes-Dennis

Teacher awardee Liza Capacia is a sudoku master

Among the teacher awardees that will be honored by the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) at the Asian Library this Saturday, May 20 is a sudoku trainor named Liza Capacia. 

Liza Capacia is from Nasugbu, Batangas province and she came here in North Carolina under the Educational Partners International LLC. 

Liza now teaches at South Mecklinburg High School. She is a Math 2 teacher specifically but her license covers teaching for grades 9 to 12 under the Charlotte Mecklinburg School.  

Liza would always remember travelling to the US alone by herself as well as the first time she traveled outside of the Philippines.

But she is happy now and more inspired after her family moved here in North Carolina a year after. 

She describes South Meck as one of the best high schools in North Carolina as published by the U.S News and World report  in April last year. 

One of her traits is being grateful which is why she would like to thank her husband's cousin and her college classmate Erwin Vizcarra who convinced her to apply for an EPI.

She admitted that this is her first out of the country job experience. “I am still in cloud nine,” Liza said. She had two memorable experiences here in Charlotte. 

One of the is teaching the students at South Meck how to dance the Philippine native dance of tinikling. 

Liza said her students didn't see anything like it and were intrigued by how it was performed.

Liza said it allowed her to tell them about the Philippines and its culture. 

She was surprised to learn that one of her students applied for an exchange student program to the Philippines. 

She also remembered with fondness the time when she was being observed by the school's assistant principal. 

Her mentor showed her the assistant school principal's text message which read thus: “ I am at Capacia's room, she is phenomenal. I want to fill up my department with many Capacias.”

She said it was flattering and it motivated her to work harder and give her best in teaching the students. A Sudoku (numbers puzzle) master, Liza has 16 years of teaching experience in her resume, of which 13 were spent at the Ramon Pascual Institute at Paranaque, her own alma mater. 

“Sudoku challenged and served me well. I bought a book and finished it myself, then a college school in the Philippines invited me to compete,” Liza said. 

Liza said her school landed third in a field of 20 private and public schools in a sudoku competition. This teacher loves to watch TV hosts Steve Harvey and Ellen Degeneres because she loves to laugh. 

In all her years teaching, Liza said she has never been late nor absent from work. This Saturday she would be joining other Pinoy teachers at the Asian Library in a simple ceremony hosted by the FACC as a tribute to Filipino educators./Susan Palmes-Dennis

Cindy Bacalzo Germaine: Loving children is important as teaching them

Photos taken from Facebook profile

Another teacher that will receive honors in a simple appreciation day for teachers at the Asian Library on May 20 is Cynthia Bacalzo Germaine.

Born in the US to Filipino parents, Cynthia teaches second grade  at Huntersville Elementary School (Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools)  while attending graduate studies on Instructional Systems Technology at the University of North Carolina,  Charlotte. 

A sister-in-law of Cip Onia, 1st Vice President of the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas (FACC), Cynthia has 29 years of teaching experience of which nine were spent in Illinois, Chicago where she was born and raised.

She also has 19 years and counting of teaching experience here in North Carolina. In her Facebook profile, Cynthia said she loves learning and is an awesome trumpet player. 

In teaching, Cynthia said it is important to love the children in school. It is her time spent with the kids that remain the most memorable. 

“Their home life and experiences are all different, but the child needs to be accepted and feel respected,” Cynthia said.

Cynthia said setting goals and reaching them can be accomplished by anyone who decides to keep progressing and is willing to seek out resources to help them on their journey.

She also said under the US Constitution, one has the right to pursue happiness but has to earn it and is willing to pay the price.  “There is no entitlement to happiness,but the right to pursue happiness,” Cynthia said.

When asked about her teaching philosophy, Cynthia said one should teach chilldren about proper values and principles and to let them feel the consequences of their mistakes. 

“When kids make mistakes it is best to explain, age appropriately, why their choice produced the consequences that they did and to give them alternatives.
But make sure you praise their accomplishments,” Cynthia said.

She said the children should be made to see and appreciate that accomplishments are achieved through effort, hard work and good work ethic.

Cindy, as she is fondly called by her family also said that if children equate accomplishments with being smart, then their appreciation of accomplishments will be short lived. 

But if children equate accomplishments with effort and work ethic, then they can become life long learners. “Mistakes are not bad so long as they become learning opportunities,” Cynthia said.

She reads the book Lion and the Mouse, a fable that teaches the truism that one must not judge a book by its cover since friends come in all shapes and sizes. 

Cynthia “Cindy’ Bacalzo Germaine would join the other teacher honorees at the Asian Library on May 20, this Saturday for a simple ceremony hosted by the Filipino-American community of the Carolinas, Inc. (FACC)./Susan Palmes-Dennis

Roditha Terado: Engineer, teacher, singer

Roditha shown here with CMS Superintendent Ann Blakeney Clark

One of the teacher awardees to be honored at an appreciation ceremony for teachers at the Asian Library on May 20 is Roditha Lourdes Fuentes Terado of Harding University High School in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Harding University High School specializes in Math, Science and Technology. Most of Terado's friends here in Charlotte also described her as a great singer who would never refuse a request to sing. 

Terado has 20 years of teaching experience, a decade of which was spent at the Philippine Science High school and Eastern Visayas State University.

She also spent two years as a teacher at Cambridge International School in the Philippines and an eight year teaching stint here in the US—five years at Fairfield Central High School at South Carolina and three years at Harding High School. 

The petite Terado, a native of Tacloban, Leyte province attended school at Divine Word University and Eastern Visayas State University. 

She holds a Civil Engineering degree and earned her Civil Engineering Masters degree as well as a masters degree in Instruction Supervision.

Terado, who loves teaching, said teaching in the US is both challenging and awesome. “Because you deal with multi-diverse students, a multicultural community and a different educational system,” she said.

She credits her teaching stint in the US for making her a better person and expanding her perspective in life. To be a good teacher, Terado said one must be strong, tough and consistent with one's rules and procedures.

She said she is trying to be the best version of herself. Terado said her passion for problem solving enhanced her passion for imparting her knowledge to the students.

“That way I can make a difference and be a catalyst of change because I believe that I am teaching the country's next generation of engineers, scientists, doctors and teachers,” she said.

When not teaching, Terado finds work as a civil engineer and she has a deep interest in structural engineering. A decade from now, Tirado said she wants to go home to the Philippines and be with her family and serve her community.

And she wants to travel the world and never stop educating kids. Terado along with the other teacher awardees will be honored by the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas at the Asian Library on May 20./Susan Palmes-Dennis

Teacher awardee: Mirasol Abogi, the teacher with the big smile

Meet Mirasol Samson Abogi our next teacher honoree for the Teacher Appreciation Day event hosted by the Filipino American Community of the Carolinas, Inc. (FACC) on May 20. 

Mirasol is presently teaching 7th grade science at the Ridge Road Middle School under the Charlotte Mecklinburg Schools (CMS).

And she is leveling up her career by pursuing a masters degree and pass the national board so she can teach high school  in the future. 

The honoree graduated from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and earned a degree in secondary education major in Bio-Chemistry. 

Mirasol with her family

She arrived here in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2007 under the Visiting International Faculty program and was eventully absorbed by the system. 

Teaching is her second choice which is inspired by relatives who were already in the teaching profession. Mirasol recalled that her teachers in high school also had a great influence in her second choice.

She admitted that teaching here in the US “was a huge challenge for her.”  This mother of three said the culture, teaching environment ,discipline and parent involvement are very different from the 14-year teaching experience she had in the Philippines. 

“In the Philippines we learned that education is very important in life because it dictates the future and holds the key to a successful future,” Mirasol said.

Her original choice was dentistry  but due to financial constraint and love for other siblings she opted for education. 

Here in Charlotte, Mirasol's busy schedule at work and home doesn't prevent her from being active in her ministry work at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. She is also a proud wife to Peter Abogi and was born and raised in Manila. 

This May 20, Mirasol Samson Agopi--the teacher with a big smile--would join other Filipino teachers at the Asian Library for a simple appreciation day hosted by FACC. 

To Mirasol and other teacher awardees, congratulations./Susan Palmes-Dennis

Mirasol Abogi with her daughter

Teacher awardee: Child educator Cielo Sides

Cielo Sides with her husband Terry Sides and children Jericho, Justin, Justine Patricia and daughter-in law Taylor  McGinnis.

Our next teacher honoree is Cielo Sides who works at Christian Montessori School in Lake Norman. 

Cielo Sides is a graduate of Far Eastern University who earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology. 

Cielo is a mother of three who has been teaching in Montessori for 28 years and 2017 is her 15th year teaching in North Carolina. "I taught elementary school for 21 years and seven years in primary school,” she said.

Cielo is the level coordinator and lead teacher in primary school at Christian Montessori School of Lake Norman. 

She took her Montessori training at the OB Montessori Center in Greenhils where she had some famous students like Lea Salonga, Ruffa Gutierrez, Aiza Seguerra, Raymond and Richard Gutierrez and Bamba Leelin who later became her bridesmaid.

Cielo took a couple of refresher courses as part of her continuing education in Montessori course in Sarasota, Florida and in Raleigh, North Carolina.

When asked how she can measure a child's performance, Cielo said her Montessori training taught her that feedback and qualitative analysis of a child's performance can be achieved through careful observation of the child.

"We don't grade them numerically.We believe on a child's individual unique abilities to learn based on their natural tendencies. Working with the children for over two decades has been great,” Cielo said.

She said everyday is a challenge to impart the Montessori pedagogy to students.

" That is all that matters." she said. 

On May 20, Cielo Sides will join 20 other Filipino teacher awardees who will be given recognition in a simple ceremony to be hosted by the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas at the Asian Library on May 20 at 1 pm to 4:30 p.m./Susan Palmes-Dennis

Cielo Sides poses with her family for her son Jericho's wedding to Taylor McGinnis

Teacher awardee: Math wizard Reymond Anthony Quan

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

Meet our first teacher awardee Reymond Anthony Quan of Batangas province, Philippines. 

At first glance he may appear soft spoken but make no mistake, he eats numbers for breakfast as shown in his academic records and resume.  

The 36-year-old Quan is a physics teacher who's now working on his dissertation on math education at the University of the Philippines (UP) while teaching Math at Garinger High School which is under the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools.

Specifically Quan was recruited from the Philippines to teach advanced placement calculus mathematics to Grade 12 students. “It’s been good two years here in North Carolina,” he said.

Quan also wrote a book that is now being used under the K12 educational system in the Philippines. 

“The books that I love most were those math books for high school that I authored and edited back in the Philippines. They were made for K to 12 Filipino students of grades 7, 8, 9 and 10,” he said.

Quan said he can measure student performance through cooperative learning, individualized self-paced learning, and inclusive learning. He handles exceptional children and those with language accommodations.

Quan teaches his students using available educational technology. He said the biggest challenge to students is how to succeed by overcoming whatever cultural, language, behavioral and learning differences they had.

Whatever teaching strategies he may employ for students to learn math he shares it with colleagues along with his teaching experiences that include a tenure as professor of the University of Santo tomas faculty of engineering and college of architecture , and the Philippine Normal University department of Mathmatics. 

He loves numbers as shown as on his record masters in math education and a bachelors degree in Physics education. 

Quan graduated from the University of the Philippines and started teaching at University of  Sto. Tomas (UST) faculty of engineering.

“I'm a former professor at the UST faculty of engineering and college of architecture, De la Salle College of St Benilde School of Design and Architecture, and Philippine Normal University Department of Mathematics,” Quan said.

This Batangueño (native of Batangas province) is one of several teachers that will be honored by the Filipino American Community of the Carolinas (FACC) at the Asian Library on May 20, at 1 pm to 4:30 pm.

The FACC's 2017 board of directors BOD recognizes the contribution of these educators to the American educational system and bringing that Filipino pride in them.

Filipino-Americans invited to attend annual Asian Festival

All Filipino-Americans in the Charlotte, North Carolina area are urged to visit the Filipino-American cultural booth at the 17th Asian Festival at Ramsey Creek Park Cornelius on Saturday this week, May 13. 

“We welcome you all to our booth, consider it your house,” so goes the appeal of the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas (FACC-2017).

Just like in previous Asian Festivals, all exhibits will be housed in one big tent. where display of artifacts, wares, products  the best of their countries would be in display. 

The Philippines Cultural booth to be manned by the FACC's 2017 board of directors would showcase the latest in Filipino native wear such as barong Filipino, pearls and bags made of sinamai from Davao City where the current Philippine president came from, Filipiniana dresses , artifacts and objects. 

 The stall would also hold a demonstration on how to wear the malong, a  traditional handwoven tube skirt used by numerous tribes in the Philippines especially the Maranaos in Mindanao. 

The booth would also facilitate registration or renewal of membership of the FACC as well as the sale of FACC Gala tickets for October 14. 

The first Asian Festival was organized in 2000 under the leadership of Dr. Ki-Hyun Chun was held at Marshall park in uptown Charlotte.

The festival is aimed at uniting all Asian communities in the Charlotte area in celebrating Asian-Pacific Heritage in the month of May. 

The Asian Festival features cultural performances, the dragon boat festival, traditional Asian food and crafts as well as booths of vendors and sponsors. For more information on the event, please click on this link./Susan Palmes-Dennis

Filipino teachers to be honored at Asian Library

Gloria Grifenhagen with her husband

Close to 20 teachers in Charlotte, North Caroline will be honored in a ceremony to be hosted by the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) at the Asian Library on May 20. 
  
The FACC's board of directors unanimously passed a resolution to give due recognition to Filipino teachers in the Charlotte area. 

“It is high time we give recognition to these professionals who brought honor to the Philippines and to the profession,” their statement read.

Roditha Fuentes Terado

The criteria for picking the teachers was limited to ensuring that the Filipino teacher has been teaching in public or private schools in Charlotte or had been in retirement for sometime now. 

Most of them taught Math, English, Science or special education and other fields. 

Among those to be recognized and appreciated are: Adella Fallar, Gloria Grifenhagen, Guia Villapando, Chris Villapando, Lorenne Pagkaliwagan, Terry Casino, Sherrilyn Tamayo- Siplon, Edwin Tranquillo, Myra Tranquillo, Mirasol Samson Abogi, Teresita Aspa, Roditha Fuentes Terado, Aleth Florido Cababa, Cindy Bacalzo Germaine, Liza D.Capacia, Cielo Sides,Rose Andaya-Hughes,Michelle Liscano and Reymond Anthony Quan.  

Those interested to attend the event can proceed to the venue at the Asian Library located at 1339 Baxter Street, 1:00 to 4:30 P.M, Charlotte in North Carolina 28204./Susan Palmes-Dennis

Guia Villapando

A big thanks to everyone at FACC Spring Picnic

By Susan Palmes-Dennis

The bayanihan spirit was alive and in action during last Saturday's (April 29) Spring Picnic held at McDowell Nature Preserve Park in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Bayanihan is a Filipino term used to refer to the “community spirit” of helping one's neighbor and this spirit is very much active as many hands were out to help make the Spring Picnic a major success.

So many who attended the picnic enjoyed themselves and wished the day was longer since they hung out with new and old friends.

 I was awed at how the group Angkung helped prepare the buffet table even as they were getting ready for their presentation.

The group is composed of Dr. Nini Bautista FACC past President, Gloria Grifenhagen of Eskwelahang  Munti, FACC past president Dell Fallar and even the early birds FACC past president Wally and wife Merlie Penilla. 

It was bayanihan in real time.

 We at the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas (FACC) thank Jessica Esguerra for forging an alliance with us and bringing the students under the Gardner-Webb University of Honors Program to attend our Spring Picnic to introduce them to Filipino culture.

We thank the Pinoy Noir Band--the group of doctors and a lawyer who serenaded the community with their beautiful music while everyone was eating as a way of giving back to the Filipino-American community 

(A special shout-out to Dr. Tony Amor( family med), Dr. Edward Tautjo (internal medicine), Dr.Ronel Enrique (Ear, Nose, Throat),Dr. Shela Villamor (Family Practice), Dr. Stella Lawsin (Pediatrics) and Leah Anastacio (Attorney).

All the  dancers--Em-Em Burgess and Pastor Granville “Kris” Casino and Ashley Faye Perez for singing the two national anthems to kick off the event.

The wellness booth of Amie Mendoza--Ervay who, by the way shared the tent of Princess Serenity Spa and was ably assisted by her friends Joy Cajayon Diaz, Sain Diaz, Josephine Nichols, Amelia Lambert and along with FACC past president Lynn Lorenzo-Polk.

The hands that cut and sliced the three roast pig led by FACC 2013 1st VP Johaness “JP” Ave,  2016-2015 FACC 2nd VP Cecille Perry and incumbent FACC  area representative Tonette Batoon--Asay and their assistants.
    
We thank the past presidents of the FACC for their moral support by attending the picnic.

 I personally thank them since their presence made a difference. 
The Filipino virtue of bayanihan, to paraphrase Dr. Nini, helps promote “unity, harmony and progress” among Filipino-Americans and instill the value of community service in them towards everyone.

Our apologies to those who waited long at the line to get their food. These are small inconveniences but we promise to learn from this in our next event. 

And in behalf of the FACC Board of Directors 2017 and past FACC officers, I thank everyone who helped and attended the Spring Picnic. You made the difference and brought honor for ourselves and our country of birth.