Masquerade Ball: A Night of Precious Memories

"In the realm of masquerade, we find ourselves." -Lady Gaga

Every learner dreamed of joining a social gathering like a completion and graduation ball. Despite their struggles in life, they wish they could participate in such a party. Our grade 10 and 12 learners were lucky enough that their parents proposed the idea of holding an event that can boost their self-esteem and develop their social etiquette.

Hive friends, be with me as I share with you a momentous event about our beloved completing and graduating learners.

How it started?

In March 2024, the advisers of grades 10 and 12 invited the parents to come to the school to discuss the end-of-school year preparations. It is very important that they attend the meeting so that they can come up with a good decision for the benefit of the learners and the school. The Department of Education recommended having a simple yet memorable closing exercise. Our school wishes to follow the order coming from the National Office, but the majority of the parents proposed and agreed on something that could make the event more elegant and memorable for the lives of their children.

There were parents who proposed the completion and graduation ball. A party that will be held before the completion and graduation ceremonies. We had it in the previous years because the parents wanted their children to experience the once-in-a lifetime party during their high school years. So it was carried out during the meeting and put into the voting process. The majority of the parents agreed, but it was not compulsory. There was a parent who strongly mentioned that she would not allow her daughter to join.

After the meeting, I asked the teacher-advisers about the agenda being discussed and got the approval of the parents. As their faculty president, I always support their programs and events. They mentioned the ball, and they asked about my idea of how to do it this year. They presented their budget, and I supported them by making a plan. I asked them the motif, or theme, of our ball this year. We decided to have a masquerade ball with a black and gold motif.

Challenges before the event

We had a hard time preparing for the event. We were using the alternative delivery mode of our lessons, which is distance modular learning. We also had the Matatag curriculum workshops and the Educators' Nite in Tabogon town. I contacted Dawn, and if you can still remember, she's our close family friend who owned a catering service located in Danao City. I told her to do the decorations and to cater our food. We ordered foods good for 160 people intended for our learners, the teachers, and the guests. I even suggested adding on a lechon to make sure that the food would be enough for all of the attendees. The grade 10 advisers also include the only learner who will not be joining because of her mom. They assured to the parent that they would shoulder the expenses as long as she could join her classmates at the ball.

The masquerade ball was held on May 24. Before the date, we started the decorations at the Barangay covered court. We made it the day before the event because the grade 12 learners will have their culminating activity of their immersion in the morning. We aimed to use the same decorations of their party for the said culminating activity. Dawn, together with her husband and their staff, arrived at 8:00 o'clock in the evening. They did not waste any minutes, and they started doing the buffet set-up and the entrance decoration. I was there, of course, since I am the one who contacted their team. It is a matter of support and respect for their team since they came from a faraway place.

I asked Dawn to bring me a suit for my outfit for the event. I did not prepare a mask because we agreed during our meeting that we would encourage our learners to wear it since it's their night. Dawn brought me two kinds of suits for me to choose what's best. The student teachers from CTU-Tabogon also came to help the team. I admire their will to help and support the school in this kind of event. They were also excited because they were not able to experience it during their high school years due to the pandemic.

When it was 10:00 o'clock in the evening, I already asked permission from Dawn's team that I would be going home first so that I could rest since I had sleepless nights editing the completion and graduation photos and the making of school forms. The student teachers also went home, and we just let their team finish the needed decorations. They left Tabogon at 11:00 o'clock and arrived in Danao City before 1:00 a.m.

The grade 12 learners had their successful culminating activity. The grade 10 learners waited for them to finish the program so that they could have rehearsals for the ball. My wife prepared herself to do the makeup for those who booked an appointment. We told the learners that we would start the makeup session at 1:00 p.m. but they failed to come on time. So we started at 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon and finished it at 6:00 o'clock, which is already late with the assembly time. Fortunately, we arrived at the venue during the processional.

Looking at the learners, especially the ladies, we teachers were not able to recognize some of them. They wore elegant and beautiful gowns that gave them an extravagant look. The teachers also joined the processional, which gave us the opportunity to take photographs. The decorations were nicely done, but it rained heavily and filled the entrance with water, even though we held it in the covered court. But it doesn't stop us from continuing and making it a memorable one for all of us.

After the preliminaries and the welcome message by our guidance designate, we had our dinner. The learners patiently waited their turn to come to the buffet area. A short video about their high school journey was flashed on the projection screen. After the video, one of the student teachers, Jannina, had a song rendition for everyone. The exchange of tokens between the completing and graduating learners followed. The cotillion de honor by our learners was also performed. There was also a segment where a fun-made prophecy was presented that brought laughter to the audience. The boys were also given the chance to dance with the person they admired since some of them will transfer to other schools in their senior high school.

It was indeed a memorable night for everyone, even us teachers. Seeing our learners in their best outfits made us all feel glad. We are hoping that all of them can achieve their dream careers someday. Though only a few of them can recognize the impact of our teachings, I myself would be one of the proudest individuals of whatever achievement they would have. It's really a nice feeling to look at them as if they truly found themselves among a crowd of masquerades.

I guess it ends here for now. I appreciate your precious time reading this blog. Till next time.

Lead image was created using Canva. Other images were taken using Realme 12 5G, Nikon AF-S Nikkor 18-55 mm. Also credits to Jayson Carungay for my photo during processional.