WHY I WANT TO BE A CWTS OFFICER

This is what I wrote as a requirement for application to be a CWTS officer. It didn't reach 1000 words because this was a draft. The true hard copy was passed as a requirement and the soft copy got deleted when our computer was reformatted.

I am supposed to write a thousand-word essay that will discuss my reasons for wanting to be a CWTS officer. I will do that, of course, but I will also summarize my entire essay into just three words. DUC IN ALTUM. Go deep.

The full verse is in Luke 5:4 “Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.” It is what Jesus Christ told his disciples in Lake Gennesaret. They were in the part where the fish was supposed to be abundant. They tried all night but they still weren’t getting any. Jesus told them to go a deeper part of the water. Simon Peter protested at first because they were tired. When they finally went deeper, they caught so may fish that their nets broke.

Father Lan Guiao, SDB, the rector at the Don Bosco Technology Center, taught that to all the Bosconians. We should never settle if we know that we are capable of so much more. We should try a little harder, go a little farther than what we think we can do. We are all to aim for big things using our God-given talents wisely. I do realize that my goals may be too high at times, but I insist on keeping them anyway. I will not settle.

Of course, all UPians, myself included, know that settling for second best is not an option. We all know the importance of maintaining out standing as “iskolars ng bayan”, so we all study hard in order to get good grades. There is a bigger world where all our book learning would serve us in good stead. I intend to start with my community – more specifically, the CWTS.

In my research, I came upon the description of the program. The Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS) refers to programs or activities contributory to the general welfare and the betterment of life for the members of the community of the enhancement of its facilities, especially those devoted to improving health, education, entrepreneurship, safety, recreation and morals of the citizenry. (http://www.upd.edu.ph/`our/nstp/index.html)

I am glad that there is a program that trains young individuals to be responsible and productive citizens. I hope to be a part of that, not just as a participant, but as an officer.

Third year high school has been fun in terms of non-academics. Academically, though, our lessons were (expectedly) harder compared to the lessons that we had in our first and second years of high school. I count it one of my blessings that I did not get a card grade below 80, especially since it is the primary prerequisite of being an officer in the Civic Welfare Training Service. Having attained the feat, I would not waste my chance of being one of the CWTS officers. I would grab my opportunity that God gave to me and all my fellow hopefuls.

That is not my primary reason of joining the CWTS officers, though. I want to join because I want to be a leader. I never wanted to be a leader before because I thought it was a tiring and thankless task. A greater reason for my choosing to stay in the background was my fear. I did not have the courage to lead my fellow classmates. I just settled with being a member. Now I want to prove to everyone, especially to myself, that I really have what it takes to be a leader. I’m hoping it is not too late for me to start.

The CWTS is also a good vehicle for character building. It cultivates discipline, responsibility, and diligence, among others. These are the traits that I definitely think I need.

I want to have discipline. Jim Rohn, a motivational speaker, said that “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments”. I have my goals, and I want to turn them into accomplishments – I just need to develop a little more discipline. Case in point: I sometimes have a problem of controlling myself from playing computer games. With discipline, I would be able to control and manage my time more efficiently. I look forward to having a lot of spare time to use for studying and other important tasks. I also hope to save more money in the bank to be used for some future rainy day.

Responsibility is not one of the traits that I practice everyday. Sometimes, I let laziness get in the way of my fulfilling my responsibilities. I know that this is not good, especially since I am in my third year and soon be graduating. I’m sure that senior year would be the toughest yet, and I would need to be the most responsible I can be if I am to face the challenges that are in store for me. It doesn’t stop there – there’s also the matter of going to college. Tough college life would not let me get away with shirking my responsibilities. It still doesn’t stop there. Developing a strong sense of responsibility now would go a long way when I face real life.

Diligence, I know too well, is hard to get but I still want to have it anyway. That would mean no more procrastinating and delaying tasks I want to and should achieve. That would go a long way when I am beset with obstacles that I’m sure life would be full of.

Armed with all that, plus faith that I would be able to achieve my goals if I would only be willing to cast my nets a little deeper, I’m sure I would be on my way to becoming a good citizen. I want to be a credit to my family, to my school, and to my community. I believe I can do that, and I want to start now.