NSPC 2019. Vincent Jeremy Barraquias with coach Aquiles Bacallan at the 2019 National Schools Press Conference. Supplied photo.
A sixth-grader from Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan Grade School (Macasandig) landed a spot in the National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) held in Lingayen, Pangasinan from January 28 to February 1, 2019.
Vincent Jeremy Barraquias of Grade 6 - Xavier finished 4th among the top 7 winners in the Pagsulat sa Lathalain (Elementary) category, besting over 50 students from 17 regions in the country. Barraquias, who was coached by Aquiles Bacallan, advanced to the nationals after winning first place in the Divisions and Regional levels, respectively.
"I realized that by being in the nationals was already a big win," wrote Barraquias in an online post in a mix of Binisaya and English.
"It was challenging to get a place in this competition that’s why this experience was not just a pleasure, but also a treasure for me," he added.
NSPC is dubbed as the “Olympics in campus journalism.” It is an annual competition among student journalists in the country.
This year’s theme anchored on “Fostering 21st-century skills and character-based education through campus journalism.”∎