Our Last Leadership Workshop - Saying Goodbye :(

Yesterday (September 2) was our last leadership workshop with our mentees from UP Cebu High School and Cebu City National Science High School. We knew it was definitely going to be an emotional day, as we'd have to say goodbye later on that night, but (after a short workshop with UP at the university) we got to CCNSHS Gym, the site for our joint leadership workshop, fully energized:

The Leadership Team put together an AMAZING last leadership workshop. It was exciting seeing our mentees from both high schools meet and talk with each other, especially since it was the first time meeting each other for many of them. Everyone was split up into four groups comprised of mentors and their mentees from both high schools - the green team, pink team, purple team, and blue team. Four activity stations - professionalism, networking/sustainability, interviewing, and communication stations - were set up, and with a few games in between, the mentees went through each station.
Learning how to confidently shake hands during the interview station

Experiencing the challenges of communication with Janet's rope exercise


Mock interviews: Ross & Deane

It was such a fun leadership workshop, filled with plenty of bonding time for mentors and mentees...

Ross and his mentees - Shiphrah, Lorraine, and Mara


The GREEN Team!!

After an exciting problem-solving game of Two, Twenty-Six Scratch, the joint leadership workshop was over, but we STILL got to spend a little more time with our mentees over dinner at Chikaan! The CCNSHS students, UP students, and the mentors each put on a song presentation, and many gifts were exchanged between mentors and mentees.

Xun and Ziggy

Ross and Ross's Angels - so fresh and so fly


Amy and Sean's gift exchange

Mutahir and his mentees, Cheyenne and Jasmine

Matching mentor/mentee customized gifts! :)

Natasha and her CCNSHS mentee, Lemuel

Some goodbyes were teary-eyed, and all goodbyes were difficult, but that just goes to show how strong of bonds we formed over the past two weeks. And goodbyes are never permanent - facebook, email, telephone calls...we may be half a world away, but we'll definitely keep in touch with our AMAZING mentees.