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IAMRAFI: Go and Light Up
Your Life
The Story of John Mick ‘Jamik’ Endoma Fernandez,
RAFI-EDU, and the Kool Adventure Camp Partner,
Senior Education Program Specialist, Department of Education 7
By Marco Paulo Trajano Deligero | June 26, 2018
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John Mick, or Jamik, is an educator, and a Kool Adventure Camp (KAC) Alumnus. He values educating students to become good citizens of the country.
Today, he continues this passion through partnerships with RAFI-EDU for the Seal of Excellence in Education Development, and as DepEd partner for RAFI-KAC.
Life Struggles of a Young Boy
Jamick experienced family struggles early in life — his parents separated when he was two years old, and was sent to Mindanao to study.
After his elementary graduation, he was sent to Oprra Night High School to study where he exceled as a student leader and graduated as class valedictorian.
Taking the Education Path
When high school was about to end, Jamik was still undecided on what course to take. He was then approached by Dr. Jandayan who advised him to go to Cebu Normal University and take up Education so that he can become a teacher one day.
“I didn’t know which course to take back then. I enjoyed high school but we did not have much of a career guidance, so it was difficult given that the decision will determine the course of my life.”
“Good thing Dr. Jandayan advised me to take pursue a career in Education and that was the path I chose.” Jamik added.
On Becoming a Teacher, Challenges
Being an educator is one of the most noble professions.
Jamik became a licensed teacher in 2006 and was given his first professional teaching assignment in Bacsan, Cebu where he had only 30 students.
On his first assignment, Jamik immediately saw the challenges of the Philippine education system.
“I was shocked during my first assignment, I never thought that I would experience it firsthand. The chairs were broken, school facilities were limited, and believe it or not, there were times when we saw snakes outside our classrooms,” Jamik said.
Jamik also added that it was normal seeing students making puso, or hanging rice, during class because making and selling puso was one of the primary sources of income for most families in their community,
“It was pretty normal, and I had to empathize with them,”
On Thinking Positive
Jamik, however, said that he never felt alone because his first assignment was in a small school community in a mountainous barangay, and he felt at home.
“We were like family there — that was what made our school different. The barangay people knew everyone, I never felt like an outsider,”
Jamik’s Most Memorable Experience as a Teacher
Jamik said that there was a time when the dike in Bacsan overflowed because of a strong typhoon, and their school was hit with flood.
“The water rose up so fast and we had to evacuate immediately,”
The evacuation was very difficult as they had to hold on to a rope for their dear life while crossing the flood, but they managed to go to safety.
“During that evacuation when the water was already breast-deep, I felt something around my stomach, and when I touched it I was shocked to see that it was my grade 1 pupil desperately clutching on for safety. I didn’t notice that she had let go of the rope to catch her new pair of slippers that was washed away by the flood. It was a blessing that she was able to find her way back to us and grabbed my waist. In hindsight, I understood why she did that — for those children, a new pair of slippers was a prized possession,”
‘Bask’ and His Kool Adventure Camp Experience
Jamik was able to experience Kool Adventure Camp (KAC) firsthand. His camp name was “Bask” which means ‘to enjoy, indulge.’
“It was for a team synergy program and it was super fun. I can still vividly recall the experience — our facilitators were Richard De los Reyes and Dio Obineta. They were really great at handling the activities which were tailored-fit for us educators,”
Jamik is also the partner of the Kool Adventure Camp, through the Department of Education Region 7, in orienting and campaigning for different schools to join KAC.
“What I like about RAFI-KAC is that the staff are young and vibrant, particularly the field people or the front-liners. They are the face of RAFI, the first people that stakeholders will see and remember,” Jamik said.
Jamik and the Seal of Excellence in Education Development (SEED) Award
Jamik was the focal person for the Education Development Unit of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI-EDU) since the first run of SEED in 2016. He was assigned in introducing SEED, coordinating with different schools and compliance which includes technical assistance to produce the best practices of each schools.
“It was difficult at first, most especially that you won’t get 100 percent of the support of the different schools, but I am using that as a motivation to help these schools become more self-aware of what they could achieve for their school and students,” Jamik said.
Lessons Learned in Life
When asked one greatest lesson he learned in life, Jamik said, “do your job with excellence,”
He also remembered that for nine years as the school paper adviser in OPRRA elementary school, the school became one of the best performing barangay schools in Region 7, he was also able to produce two outstanding campus journalists and he himself became an Outstanding School Paper Adviser in Cebu City and Region 7, all at the age of 28.
“Whatever your circumstance is, as long as you do your job well, you are doing a great job!” Jamik said.
What is a Teacher?
When asked this question, Jamik paused and said, “a teacher is someone who walks an extra mile for his students. I learned this in the most exciting and fun way, and made me realize that we teachers should always think that all of our efforts are for the children,”
On Being Remembered
Jamik said that he wants to be remembered as someone who is excellent in everything that he does and is very willing to share more of himself as an educator.
In their community, Jamik is also active in his advocacy for the LGBT community. He believes in equality amongst all people regardless of their gender or sexual preference.
On People Who Matters
For Jamik, he is thankful that he graduated in a Night High School, he said that he hopes that he became a source of inspiration and become a good example that Night High schools could produce great students same as a regular-shift school.
“I hope that I could share to people that the school is a good foundation for you to grow, to learn,”
“A good foundation can not do you wrong, and always commit for excellence.” Jamik said.
“Thank you very much to the people who have helped me, my mother, my friends, my co-teachers,”
“For always making me feel that I belong to the best class in my elementary and high school years by putting me in the star section, even if I have been a transferee student, thanks to all my teachers in Dapitan City Central School and Piñan Elementary School,”
“To the parents and community who supported me in etching a good name for our school, I could have not bagged our victories without you; may you continue to support the school.”
“To our partners in RAFI, most especially to RAFI-EDU and RAFI-Kool Adventure Camp (KAC) daghang salamat,”
“And special to Dr. Jandayan, without you, I will never take this path as an educator.” Jamik said. #IAMRAFIRAFI
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