Two competitive delegates from Southville International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme Division hold firm of the Top 1 Filipino Scholar spot at the World Scholar’s Cup in Yale University. Just last year, Miguel Dominico Alzona was the first to receive the said award from Southville delegation. This year, Dalton Mojica secured the same title besting Filipino delegates who also joined in the tournament. Mojica exceeded the expected level of performance by obtaining the most number of medals and trophies as a new member of the Southville delegation – from Manila Rounds, Global Rounds, and the Tournament of Champions.
Among the four point-earning areas of the tournament, Mojica conquered this year’s Team Debate while Alzona excelled in Collaborative Writing in 2018 , the same year that The New York Times featured his 500-word opinion piece, ‘Africa’s Curtain Call’. Both Alzona and Mojica are now graduating students of Southville’s International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) where their critical thinking skills were cultivated leading to their success in the global arena.
“I set my sights on joining the Southville Academic Varsity after hearing a rather amusing quip about a strange competition with catchy songs, inside jokes and fluffy alpacas. Less than a year later, I was hailed as WSC’s top scholar from my country. As much as I would like to paint my journey as trivial, I have to acknowledge the rigorous challenge that I undertook when I signed up to train for the competition. Long days, and even longer nights; sacrificing holidays and breaks in favor of meticulous preparation. Debate after debate, question after question, paragraph after paragraph—everything had to be reviewed and practiced. In hindsight, while it never really crossed my mind that I would take the title of being the highest-ranking scholar from the Philippines, I knew that with enough training and commitment, I could very well rise to the occasion. With the competition’s conclusion, it became clear that overcoming the formidable challenges made victory sweeter. I now see my accomplishments as a celebration of the triumphs of fledgling achievers, and as a testament that even first-timers can attain great heights, given the proper instruction and opportunity.”
Dalton Mojica
Top 1 Filipino Scholar
2019 World Scholar’s Cup – Tournament of Champions
Mojica also received the following awards from the Tournament:
Top 26 Champion Scholar (Gold), Top 50 Champion Team (Gold), School Top Scholar (Gold), Gold Medal in Individual Debate, Gold Medal in Individual Writing, Gold Medal in Art Challenge, Gold Medal in Social Studies, Gold Medal in Science, Gold Medal in Special Area, Silver Medal in Literature, Silver Medal in Team Writing, Gold Medal in Team Debate, Silver Medal in Team Challenge, and Gold Medal in Team Bowl.
“We are ecstatic with the overwhelming awards and recognition our students have been receiving at the World Scholar’s Cup. Our Top Filipino Scholars for two consecutive years, Dalton and Miguel, and the rest of Southville delegation have gone through intense training and preparation. I am grateful to the parents and teachers who supported them from the start. This global success is a solid proof of our strong curriculum and competent academic team,” said Ms. Marie Vic Suarez, Basic Education Principal.
