Talisay City college’s ‘saving grace’ places 3rd in 2022 teachers exam

MATTHEW 6:34.That’s the favorite Bible verse of LET topnotcher Lucille Taro Dejos, whose road to becoming a professional teacher has been a difficult journey.Dejos’ favorite verse goes, “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”The 24-year-old graduate of Talisay City College would not have to worry about tomorrow, as she has passed the March 2022 Licensure Examination for Teachers elementary education level with flying colors—she placed third with a rating of 91.4 percent.As her family is not financially well-off, Dejos said she had to work as a tutor just to pay her fees in the review center where she took her review for LET.‘Saving grace’The Barangay Linao resident said at some point while reviewing, she felt pressured as she was selected as one of the graduates to be the “saving grace” of the city college’s education department.“I was really pressured while reviewing for LET, especially when our dean told me that if we do not pass, the education department of our school might be dissolved. I admit that it scared me to take the LET and fail,” said Dejos, whose father works as a welder and mother, a tailor.Dejos, who has always wanted to be a teacher since she was young, eventually conquered the pressure.“It has always been my dream to become a teacher since I was young. So, I took education in college. I love children, and I want to teach them not just school lessons but life,” she said.Unexpected feteDejos said she had once dreamed of becoming a topnotcher, but fear and lack of self-trust eroded that dream.She said being one of the topnotchers was totally unexpected.When the LET results were released last Friday, April 29, Dejos said all she was thinking was to surprise her older sister as it was her sister’s birthday on the same day. The surprise did not happen as her friends rushed to her house to deliver the news, making her emotional.Other topnotchersAside from Dejos, other seven elementary education graduates from Cebu schools made it to the Top 10.They are Maricris Quingco Colipano of the Cebu Technological University (CTU)-Carmen who took the top spot with a rating of 92.4 percent, while Jomar Concepcion Manada of the University of Cebu, Glenmer Roldan Redido of CTU-Moalboal, Khuenalyn Libradilla Ricardo of CTU-Moalboal, Dominique Marie Pauline Navales Policios of the University of San Carlos and Kim Verlie Balongcas Pianiar of CTU-Main garnered the fifth, sixth, seventh, ninth and 10th places.Future plansAfter passing the LET, Dejos plans to pursue her teaching career in one of the public schools in the city by mid-year.She has urged future LET takers and the youth to never stop chasing their dreams and take criticisms positively.“Be thankful for those who praise you and be inspired to do more for them. And most importantly, be more thankful to those who look down on you and prove them wrong,” Dejos said.