Bulacao, Talisay City, Cebu (July 19, 2025) — Adventist Academy Cebu officially began its 95th Founding Anniversary Celebration and Alumni Homecoming Thursday, featuring a packed schedule of events that included formal opening ceremonies, lively gatherings among alumni, and a special tribute to educators.
The day started early with the arrival and registration of alumni. The eagerly awaited opening ceremony commenced at 8:00 a.m., starting with a morning devotional.
Pastor Charles Nogra, president of the Central Visayan Conference, recounted his wonderful high school life as an alumnus of Class 1983 during his message delivery.
He quoted a line from Sharon Cuneta’s song, “High School Life,” affirming that the song perfectly captures the wonder and joy of high school. “Every memory is kay ganda,” he added, “and high school days were kay saya.”
He then shifted his message to the Israelites’ exodus to the Promised Land, highlighting Caleb’s remarkably positive mindset. As one of the twelve spies, Caleb — along with Joshua — uniquely transformed a daunting experience into a hopeful vision. Drawing from this perspective, Nogra emphasized that life’s challenges and difficult moments can be reframed into positive aspects of our journey.
Facilitating a moment of reflection, he posed, “When it comes to attitude, how do we fare?” Directing his gaze to the students, he then challenged them: “How do we define challenges here on campus? Are we like Caleb, capable of transforming every problem into something positive?”
Moving on to another highlight, Ruby Myrth C. Ortega, Ph.D, the AAC high school principal, officially declared the 95th Anniversary celebration open.
The morning devotional gave way to a festive and celebratory atmosphere as students from all year levels took the grounds with traditional dance presentations. These vibrant displays featured a mix of 1970s tunes and iconic Filipino folk songs as students danced along.
A motorcade followed these cheerful presentations. Alumni and students showed off their creativity through colorful props and floats, parading from AAC to a designated point in Talisay City.
The afternoon transformed into a vibrant “Fiesta sa Nayon.” This lively gathering featured “sugba-sugba” (barbecue), “funfare” activities, and a popular photobooth, various sports, creating a festive atmosphere for alumni to reconnect and reminisce.
The first day’s events culminated in a special “Teacher’s Night” honoring the educators who have shaped generations of students.
The celebrations are set to continue Friday, with a focus on sports and a groundbreaking ceremony.