Eskwelahang Munti students receive certificates, train in Filipino conversations

Fun times. Eskwelahang Munti students have a ball posing for this group shoot.

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

About 15 students of the Eskuwelahang Munti (Little Schoolhouse) of Charlotte received certificates of attendance in a simple ceremony today at Asian Library.

At 2:30 pm the class was divided into four groups under Dell Fallar, Dr. Nini de  Bautista, Luz Taboada and Grace Basilan for the “pagpapakilala (introductions).

Each group was assessed on how to give the right answers to questions in correct Tagalog pronounciation. 

A simple conversation in Tagalog like “What is your name, what is your father’s name. What is your mother’s name, where do you live and who is your teacher?” ensued among students.

The ceremony was also attended by the parents and guests of the school. The awarding of the certificates was followed with a slide show on Philippine fiestas by Alex Romero, a soil scientist and award winning photographer.

The school is a joint undertaking of the Filipino-American community and the Filipino American Spirit Inc. through a grant from the Catholic Diocese Foundation. 

The school which started in September last year and held every Sunday at the Asian Library in uptown, Charlotte, North Carolina was created by volunteers who believed in instilling understanding and appreciation of Filipino history, language and culture among the Filipino American youths growing up in the Carolinas.