EPHEMERAL 2025: A Spectacular Kick-Off to Spectrum Week
By: Ieka Rigor
With style, energy, and passion that sounded through our hearts, Spectrum Week’s much awaited inaugural program, EPHEMERAL: When Art Comes to Life, set the stage for an exciting and enlightening celebration last January 23, 2025 from 1:00pm to 2:30pm. Students, teachers, and members of the Paulinian community came together at the St. Paul Activity Center for Excellence (S.P.A.C.E.) to experience the power of talent and imagination.
Sister Felicitas Bernardo, SPC, the school’s directress, kicked the event off with a moving account of her formative years of mentoring and training, “Today, hawak mo ang formation ng character mo. Be responsible with your character formation — events like this are crucial in shaping the young Paulinians.” Her words struck a deep chord within the audience and fostered the ideal atmosphere for the activities to come.
The program transitioned into the first segment of “MIRAGE: The Art of Gift”, highlighting the immense creativity and talent of the Paulinian students. Notable presentations included the Center for Dance (CFD)’s SANGHAYA: Diwa sa Bawat Indak, an exciting sneak peek at their upcoming talent fest; Teatro Paulino Season 16 Main Play: “HEARTH”, a two-day showcase that combines artistry and performance; Teatro Paulino’s “Amorsolo’s Living Arts Museum”, a series of live performances showcasing the life and works of National artist Fernando Amorsolo; and the Center for Sports (CFS)’s “Carpe Diem: The Race to Victory”, an exhilarating Amazing Race competition that promotes strategy and teamwork. The spotlight then turned to the Paulinians from preschool and grade school, who captivated the audience with their creativity through book launches, creative artworks, and dances with a Philippine festival theme. Following these displays, Junior Terpsichore showcased their skill through a vibrant and beautiful routine,
The program then moved on to “OEUVRE: The Gallery Exhibitions”, an exhibit of interactive booths arranged per grade level. The booths included Grade 7’s movie booth, “The Rolling Scroll Theater”, Grade 8’s karaoke booth, “KaraRookies: Own the Mic”, Grade 9’s jail booth, “Subway Freshies: Off the Rails”, Grade 10’s rest and game booth, “Spirited Getaway”, Grade 11’s horror booth, “The Paracusia Project: A Warning, Caught on Tape”, and Grade 12’s photobooth, “Say Seniors: An Archive of Memories”. As the exhibition displayed the students’ uniqueness, collaboration, and creativity, attendees were astounded by their resourcefulness. The audience’s excitement was kept afloat through the lively performances of Terpsichore Jazz the student band, Marahuyo.
The second section of “MIRAGE: The Art of Gift” kept the show running. These presentations showcased and promoted various GIFT Center talent fests and events such as: Center for Communication Arts’ “LIKHA: Ang Boses ng Pagbabago”, an atmosphere for participatory activities and artistic expression; Center for Culinary Arts’ “STREATscape: Garden of Bellaria”, exhibiting gastronomic artistic expression; Center for Music (CFM)’s “ENSEMBLE 2025: Hiraya Manawari!”, a celebration of musical talent with choral and instrumental performances; “OPEN JAM: Rock Out, Turn it Up!”, a three-day live busking event for student bands; and Center for Visual Arts’ “ALITIA: The Fragments of Beauty”, the annual fashion show where fashion design students, together with student models, present self-designed garments. Through these diverse presentations, the segment not only showcased artistic talent but also struck students with inspiration to express themselves and come together.
To cap off the opening, the band Vermillion got the crowd moving, their lively songs perfectly capturing the spirit of the school’s most awaited event. The inaugural event showcased ingenuity, talent, and character — a meaningful success. Students and guests were set to anticipate exciting events that highlighted the lively spirit of the Paulinian community as the week ran on. EPHEMERAL: When Art Comes to Life promised a week full of passion, creativity, and friendship.
