School: Saint Louis Laboratory High School
    Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines

4 students, ages 15-16 worked together to complete this Doors to Diplomacy project on March 15, 2012. They have participated in Doors to Diplomacy in the following year(s): 2011

Classes and Teachers: Vincent Tabor, Florida Martin, Shan, Jay, Paul, Francis

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.slu.edu.ph

1. Description of Our Team

Our team consisting of Shan, Paul, and Francis with the age of 15, and Jay with the age of 16, members of SLU-LHS Baguio City, Philippines, were gathered by our coach and mentor Sir Vincent Tabor. We have decided to team up because we are close friends in class and because we believe that it would be easier for us based on our areas of expertise. Francis, being a better user of Photoshop than the others, will be in charge of editing pictures and creating web templates. Paul, being our artist, will be the one designing our website and determining the layout. Shan, good in video editing, will be in charge of videos and editing them. And Jay will be the one creating the structure of the website. All of us have an experience on research so we will be conducting it as a team. We will also be the one proof viewing it. The team’s motto is “Walang imposible sa pusong naniniwala.” or translated as “There is nothing impossible in a heart that believes.”

2. Summary of Our Project

The purpose of our project is to promote and introduce the Philippine National Sport, Arnis, and to show the wonder and beauty of this art. We would like to use Arnis as our mean of promoting peace, diplomatic relationship, competence, and sportsmanship between countries. We believe introducing Arnis to the world will help in building stronger unity throughout the world.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:more than 50%

B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:more than 6

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:2-3

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

We, being in special class of the Science Section, have many problems to face. We have too many requirements in the different subject areas like projects, assignments, seatworks, and quizzes. We always start our classes at 7:30 and are dismissed at 5:20. Because of our dismissal time and many requirements, we were not really sure if we have enough time. Having no workplace and enough resources were also some of the problems we had to consider and overcome. Our lack of knowledge about our project also contributed a lot on our burden about our project. Also, we are participants of the CyberFair so we were doing two projects simultaneously. Regardless of these problems, we still stood up in the end and overcame every obstacle that came our way.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

“There is nothing impossible in a heart that believes.”

6. How did your activities and research for this Doors to Diplomacy Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?

With our project, we have promoted Arnis as a sport helping in the eradication of vices of students making them more productive individuals. One of the curriculum guidelines of our school is the promotion of the general welfare of the students and indulging one’s self in sports would develop such holistic nature of the student. We have learned skills in promoting healthy and sound activities and we have also learned collaboration. Our educational system is geared towards producing competent and skilled human resource – us future productive citizens of the country. The youth as they say are the hope of the future. Using the Internet in the teaching learning process is more effective than traditional method because we have more access to information.

1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your Doors to Diplomacy project?

We used: •4 Personal Computers •Video and digital still cameras •Computer software •Oral interviews

The Personal Computers helped us in the means of communication when we are away from each other or we are at our houses. We talk about our project online and do researches about our topic. Video cameras were used when we gather information from experienced athletes of the Philippines and their outlook about this sport. When we have a member that has a specific gadget that we need then that is what we will use for our project. The most valuable tool we’ve got is the personal computers we are using everyday to gather information in the internet and when we are communicating with each other through the internet. For us, the internet is the most helpful because through this, our project was made successfully. The art of stick fighting or what we call “arnis” has a deep history in the Philippines so through the internet and other historians in the Philippines; we traced its history and got an answer to our many questions.

2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your Doors to Diplomacy project both on-line and in person.

This art of stick fighting was originated in the Philippines and we are promoting to other countries this art for self-defense. Actually, the U.S. marines learned this self-defense and are using it in present time when they go to war. Also, it was recently declared as a National Sport. The International Modern Arnis Federation in U.S. are organizing the rules of this sport and hoping that it will be an international sport. Arnis is very easy to learn. We will be posting videos of Arnis tutorials in the future so that you too can learn this art of stick fighting.

3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?

With our website, we believe that we have helped in promoting Arnis in our community and we have helped in the dissemination of information about it. Our website will be able to help students and even average persons who want to know more about Arnis, how did it become our national sport and eventually how did it became part of international events.

4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?

Our project would have not been completed if it was not trough the cooperation of athletes practicing this kind of art, who in their busy schedule, found time to give us pointers and tips in line with those who have tried it Arnis. We ourselves had been educated by our p.e. teacher who had been practicing Arnis and has been teaching players and enthusiasts the basic forms, stances, equipment and requirements for this kind of sport. We would also like to thank our parents who have been supportive throughout the project giving out possible resources that would enable us to create and finish our project. We would like to appreciate the efforts of our teacher, who had continually guided us in making the project. We also gained information from books, the internet and trough watching videos and clips. We give our deepest gratitude to the Almighty for giving us the will and power to never give up and finish our project.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

Arnis had changed the lives of those who practice it, It changed the culture of those who have been influenced by it. We now see the capabilities of arnis what it can do to change not only the world but ourselves as well. It has strived to survive after numbers of years which continually developed and enhanced as the years go by. We hope that others would see the beauty in this art that they may be indulged in this kind of art. A striking statement in arnis is that any extension of the body could be your weapon, no matter how big or small it might be. Show off a little bit even though you do not know a lot especially when you are in danger so that your opponent with be of a doubt if he would continue to attack you or not.