“I am who I am today because of the choices I made yesterday.” I saw this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt on the facebook wall of Vicky V. de los Santos an SVD-ALS Center alumnus, just before her college graduation on April 5, 2016.
Vicky’s life was indeed shaped by the choices she has made since she was forced by circumstances to quit schooling after grade 4. At the tender age of 10, she chose to work as a housemaid in different households for survival. The last employer (God bless her!) enrolled her at SVD-ALS in 2010 when she was 17. Because she chose to study and work hard, she passed the A&E test elementary level in one take. The next year, she took and passed the secondary level. Her heaven-sent employer offered to send her to college. Aware of the hardships she would encounter, she courageously chose to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher. As expected, there were times she wanted to give up especially when she was burdened by full time household and school duties. Countless challenges came her way but she chose not to give up. Fast forward to 2016, she proudly marched with her mother and her employer-benefactor to claim the prize of her grit and hard work. Vicky passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers given last September 2016. She is now teaching at a public school in Silang, Cavite.
