Ed EE 18 storytelling facilitators together with their instructor, Mr Anito R Librando, Jr, after the successful implementation of
“Kwento at Kalinga: Bringing Stories to Life” with the AEC Night School Program-ALS. Supplied photo.

For the second year in a row, future educators from Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan brought stories, warmth, and interactive learning to the learners of Arrupe Educational Center's Night School Program — proving that good teaching begins long before graduation.

Students from the Ed EE 18 class of the School of Education partnered once more with Arrupe Educational Center (AEC) for "Kwento at Kalinga: Bringing Stories to Life," a storytelling-based service-learning activity held on 28 May 2026. The program served learners of the AEC Night School Program-ALS, continuing a partnership that has grown in depth and meaning since its first year.

Building on last year's engagement, the activity gave pre-service teachers the chance to connect classroom learning with genuine community involvement — through storytelling, interactive literacy activities, and learner-centered teaching experiences.

For the activity, the Ed EE 18 students of AY 2025–26 prepared lesson plans, instructional materials, visual aids, and storytelling presentations designed to engage learners of varying ages and backgrounds. Through expressive storytelling, group activities, games, and discussions, the pre-service teachers created a learning environment that encouraged participation, imagination, and collaboration.

The experience gave students the opportunity to apply pedagogical strategies in authentic settings while strengthening their communication, creativity, adaptability, and classroom facilitation skills. Kwento at Kalinga became a space where the rewards and realities of community-based teaching came alive.

Moments of joy, learning, and connection filled the storytelling sessions as Ed EE 18 students engaged the learners of the AEC Night School Program
through interactive stories and literature-based activities during the second year of “Kwento at Kalinga: Bringing Stories to Life.” Supplied photo.

"Storytelling proves that stories can unravel the walls learners build," reflected student facilitator Krissa Sharrah Althea Catanio. "It nurtures both imagination and compassion through engaging with the text."

The partnership with Arrupe Educational Center also underscored the value of education rooted in service and accompaniment. By engaging with Night School Program learners, students were reminded that meaningful teaching goes beyond content delivery — it involves listening, building relationships, and creating spaces where learners feel valued and encouraged.

As Kwento at Kalinga: Bringing Stories to Life enters its second year, the initiative continues to reflect the School of Education's commitment to forming educators who are not only competent in their craft, but also compassionate and responsive to the communities they serve.

To learn more about the School of Education's service-learning programs, visit the XU School of Education page.