In a few weeks, School Year 2025-2026 will officially come to a close. For many students, it marks the most-awaited vacation, but for the Grade 10 students, it will be the start of something new: their senior high school life. As these MYP Year 5 students decide what strand to take, DP Cohort 1 students present a different or even a better alternative: the Diploma Programme.

No one else could truly describe the DP life aside from DP students themselves. Hence, in the Celebration of Learning held on February 10-11, DP Cohort 1 students shared their experiences and insights on taking the Diploma Programme for senior high school. Each student presented an overview of the program and introduced a specific subject taken in DP. They showcased their authentic learning and performance tasks and explained important concepts discussed in each subject. They also challenged their juniors with a few DP exam questions, sample problems and case studies. These presentations gave insights into the connection between MYP and DP subjects.

Beyond the academic side of the DP experience, the program aims for a holistic development of its students, which Cohort 1 students attested to. As they introduced DP, they also shared their reasons and motivations for taking it in the first place. A few students, like Abrielle Ting, wanted the challenge that the program guarantees. Abrielle believes that more challenges and effort bear more fruit. Meanwhile, DP students Ethan Ngo and Cody Respicio considered the alignment of the program to their prospective career paths. Cody was particularly impressed by the global recognition of DP, which provides better opportunities for studying abroad.The other students also looked forward to the life-long skills honed through DP.

Their initial motivations and expectations on DP did not disappoint them. The demands of the program have truly equipped them to grow as learners. It was shown in the way they introduced DP to Grade 10 students. Their pride as DP students was reflected in their mastery and enthusiasm for presenting the concepts and skills they learned. The students, however, were most enthusiastic about sharing the experiences they gained in DP. Chloe Dela Rosa, for instance, talked about her participation in a clean-up drive and the opportunity to finally try ice skating. As the DP class Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) promotes their holistic development, students like Chloe are motivated to try new things and take on initiatives outside their comfort zone. CAS, Theory of Knowledge and Extended Essay form the core subjects of the Diploma Programme. These subjects and other DP classes teach the students how to learn.