STEPS History & Mechanics
1 How it started
STEPS started as a Sunday school initiative in 2008 in the squatter areas in Paranaque. While doing weekly Sunday school in some of the squatter areas surrounding our subdivision Marcello Green in Paranaque, we realized the sad plight of many of the attending children: many of the children didn’t know how to read. When looking further into it and researching online, we saw that this was not just a localized problem, but that many of the elementary grade students nationwide were having the same problem. It was then that we opened our home to teaching children in weekly, and soon daily classes.
2 History
In the course of our Christian outreach we met the Chan family of The Bellevue Alabang. It wasn’t long until we realized their interest in our STEPS schooling program, and soon Mr. Johnny Chan, Chairman of The Bellevue group, offered us to head the soon to open mission center close to the Bellevue Resort Bohol. We gladly agreed. In early 2012 we started our first STEPS program, (STEPS standing for Specialized Training and Education for Philippine Students) in Doljo, Bohol, to which we invited the children of the less fortunate, such as poor fishermen, unemployed or single mothers, etc. While teaching the children, we got to know their parents and were able to mediate employment for some of them at The Bellevue Resort Bohol.
3 Mechanics & Process of how to choose students & how they join
Before a school year starts, or before summer school, we go door to door and give out personal flyers to families, as well as post posters in and surrounding Brgy Doljo. Choosing the children is based on the willingness of the parents to be a part of the teaching process. Our motto is: “School starts at home!” Once the parents sign up for the school year, we teach them in seminars the fundamentals of the program and what is expected of them. Consequently they receive teaching materials for the use at home.
4 STEPS Attendees: what are they doing now and how many attended
The graduates of the STEPS program join the local elementary school, where they get integrated in the public school system. The principal of the local elementary school of Doljo recently said that her school produces the best students on Panglao Island because of the scholastic foundation, such as reading, writing, math, shapes, value formation, etc. which they receive at STEPS. She said that in all levels, 16 - 18 of the 20 best students are previous STEPS students!
We also offer STEPS Phonics courses for the lower grade elementary students of the Doljo Elementary school, which further helps to solidify their reading and writing progress.
From 2012 - 2018, a total of 1062 students attended our STEPS programs, of which:
STEPS started as a Sunday school initiative in 2008 in the squatter areas in Paranaque. While doing weekly Sunday school in some of the squatter areas surrounding our subdivision Marcello Green in Paranaque, we realized the sad plight of many of the attending children: many of the children didn’t know how to read. When looking further into it and researching online, we saw that this was not just a localized problem, but that many of the elementary grade students nationwide were having the same problem. It was then that we opened our home to teaching children in weekly, and soon daily classes.
2 History
In the course of our Christian outreach we met the Chan family of The Bellevue Alabang. It wasn’t long until we realized their interest in our STEPS schooling program, and soon Mr. Johnny Chan, Chairman of The Bellevue group, offered us to head the soon to open mission center close to the Bellevue Resort Bohol. We gladly agreed. In early 2012 we started our first STEPS program, (STEPS standing for Specialized Training and Education for Philippine Students) in Doljo, Bohol, to which we invited the children of the less fortunate, such as poor fishermen, unemployed or single mothers, etc. While teaching the children, we got to know their parents and were able to mediate employment for some of them at The Bellevue Resort Bohol.
3 Mechanics & Process of how to choose students & how they join
Before a school year starts, or before summer school, we go door to door and give out personal flyers to families, as well as post posters in and surrounding Brgy Doljo. Choosing the children is based on the willingness of the parents to be a part of the teaching process. Our motto is: “School starts at home!” Once the parents sign up for the school year, we teach them in seminars the fundamentals of the program and what is expected of them. Consequently they receive teaching materials for the use at home.
4 STEPS Attendees: what are they doing now and how many attended
The graduates of the STEPS program join the local elementary school, where they get integrated in the public school system. The principal of the local elementary school of Doljo recently said that her school produces the best students on Panglao Island because of the scholastic foundation, such as reading, writing, math, shapes, value formation, etc. which they receive at STEPS. She said that in all levels, 16 - 18 of the 20 best students are previous STEPS students!
We also offer STEPS Phonics courses for the lower grade elementary students of the Doljo Elementary school, which further helps to solidify their reading and writing progress.
From 2012 - 2018, a total of 1062 students attended our STEPS programs, of which:
- 464 were preschoolers at the Bellevue Mission Center
- 217 were preschoolers from other preschools that are using our STEPS program, such as from Cagayan de Oro, Paranaque, Panganan Island in Bohol, Jalajala in Rizal, Dauis in Bohol
- 366 were Elementary students from Doljo Elementary school