26/06/2025
“20th year of Journey with New Horizon”
Good morning everyone,
I would like to thank you all and stand before you not just with words, but with twenty years of stories, struggles, and successes etched in my heart.
Today marks two decades since I first stepped into the world of special education — a world that became my calling, my purpose, and my second home.
Twenty years ago, I walked into a new path to lead with a heart full of hope and a head full of questions. I wondered if I could really make a difference. I wondered if I was strong enough, patient enough, creative enough. And every child I met over these past years gave me the answer: Yes — one small step, one child at a time.
Being a special educator isn’t just a profession; it’s a commitment. It’s understanding that success doesn’t always come with grades or certificates, but sometimes with the first time a child says your name, makes eye contact, or conquers something that yesterday felt impossible. It’s celebrating the little victories, the milestones others might overlook — but that we know are mountains moved.
And along the way, I found New Horizon. This institution didn’t just give me a place to work. It gave me a family. A mission. A space where compassion meets structure, where learning is tailored, and where every child — no matter their abilities — is seen, heard, and valued.
At New Horizon, we don’t measure success by comparison. We measure it by progress. We believe that every child can learn — just not in the same way or on the same day. And it’s in this belief that I have seen true transformation — in our students, in our team, and in myself.
I am grateful for the mentors (Dr. Joselyn A. Eusebio, Dr. Jeremy Greenberg, Dr. Amoy Hugh) who guided me, the colleagues who stood by me (T, Jannie, T. Shelou, T. Frannie, T. B**g, T.Jong, NH Masbate Teachers, NH Naga Teachers, NH Cebu Teachers, NH Tacloban Teachers & NH US Based Teachers) and the families who trusted me. But most of all, I thank the children — every learner who challenged me, taught me, and reminded me why I chose this path.
To the parents: thank you for letting us walk this journey with you. We know it’s not always easy, but your strength and dedication inspire us every single day.
To my fellow educators: never forget the power of your presence. You might be the one stable voice in a chaotic world. You might be the reason a child learns to believe in themselves.
To New Horizon: thank you for giving me a place to grow, to serve, and to lead with love. Here’s to continuing this mission — stronger, bolder, and more hopeful than ever.
As I look ahead, I do so with the same hope I carried 20 years ago — but this time, it’s fortified by experience and surrounded by a team that believes as deeply as I do that every child deserves a champion.
Here’s to 20 years of purpose — and to the many more ahead.
Thank you, and may we all continue to be the light in someone’s New Horizon.
- Teacher Jojo 💙 -