Silid Aralan’s TurdTalks: A Turnaround Tale

by doughnutmanifesto

Once you come across a non-profit organization that supports underperforming and underprivileged students use the words “turd” and education in the same sentence, you cannot help but smell something progressive.

“The name comes from a term that describes how society perceives people who are academically-challenged and who they think will not achieve much or will not contribute anything to society. We chose this name, for the shock value, much like how Silid Aralan’s learners have and continue to shock people with their achievements despite of how people used to view them because of their low grades”, said Arcie Mallari, founder of Silid Aralan Inc (SAI).

Silid Aralan’s thrust is in building the confidence of students in their own capabilities as a means of affecting their academic performance for the better. Despite not actually providing academic tutorials during their sessions with students, SAI has a proven track record of being able to boost their students’ academic performance by focusing on practical applications of values and customizing daily learning to the student’s passions and hobbies.

 The Arcie Theory

Arcie Mallari is a Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Graduate with Masters in McGill University, Montreal City, Canada. He used to take it to the streets when tackling important issues. However, after joining Youth For Christ, he started to see the merit of focusing on positive vehicles of change rather than rallying.

When he graduated from the PUP, he moved to Payatas to teach Bible studies as he felt his mission was to live with the less fortunate and connect with them by teaching about the Bible. When none of the students came to class, however, he changed his strategy and decided to teach music and use music lessons as an avenue to spread the word of God. It was during one of these music lessons that he noticed lapses in the capabilities of public school students. This observation led him to do academic experiment where he was able to confirm his theory:

“Everyone is smart. You just have to teach them through a language they appreciate.”

The Event Concept

SAI set up their very own TED talks where student speakers were not the best in their fields, some even the worst but have become successful in their endeavors and are now positively contributing to society because of Silid Aralan Inc. The next talk is on April 28, 2015, Tuesday, 7:00p.m. at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati City. Ticket is available for P500.

The TurdTalk Speakers

Three of SAI’s beneficiaries who emerged to be a tech geek, an entrepreneur, and a writer will be speaking about their Silid Aralan experience. Here are their inspiring profiles:

Erlen Mahilum

Age: 16 years old
Level:  First year College, UP
She lives in one of the relocation sites in Rodriguez, Rizal called Tagumpay Village
Topic: Writing in the Dark: The Journey of a Young Novelist
How She Started:
She loves writing even before her grade school – doodling
She loves writing than listening to her teacher
She applied several times as school writer but rejected.
Ranked 55 out 57 students.
Her parents were not supportive, they turned off the lights to take away Erlen from writing

Now:

She’s the only student in her school to pass the UPCAT
She just finished writing a novel which was edited in Yale University and ready to be published
Recently she won in the essay writing contest over her school paper editor-in-chief
This year, her jingle composition gave pride to the school by winning in the Municipal level

Carlo Jumagdao

Age: 18 years old
Level:  Second Year College BS Information Technology, PUP
He lives in one of the relocation sites in Rodriguez, Rizal called Kasiglahan Village (Erap City)
Topic: Developing Websites and Mobile Apps without Laptop and Mobile Phone
How he started:
Used to live in Payatas
There were times that they had no electricity
No laptop
No mobile phone
He usually plays DOTA and facebook.  Those were the things that he knew about computers

Now:

He developed the website of Silid Aralan, Inc (www.silidaralan.org)
He is getting project of developing corporate websites
He developed mobile phones applications
He did the database system of Silid Aralan, Inc.
He has his t-shirt printing business
He is now a donor of Silid Aralan, Inc
Dean’s Lister – Average of 1.7

Jullo Babagay

Age: 16 years old
Level:  First Year College, BS Tourism, PUP
He lives in one of the relocation sites in Rodriguez, Rizal called Kasiglahan Village (Erap City)
Topic: 13-year old Son Gives Wages to 10 Mothers
How He Started:
Average grade of 77
Used to live in Payatas
He used to sleep in his class
Bottom of the bottoms

Now:

He became top 1 after one year in Silid Aralan
His grades are all line of 9
He created a social enterprise called Notebook Xchange (NBX). Creating notebooks from scrap materials
He is giving wages to 10 mothers in his community
He is a Silid Aralan donor
He has his own bank account
Today, Silid Aralan Inc. prides itself of eight years of service with a track record of success through the help of several companies for the development of awareness campaign.

To know more about how you can attend the event, spread the word, and help students of Silid Aralan Inc., log on to www.silidaralan.org.