For West Visayas State University (WVSU) Secondary Laboratory School (SLS) Batch 1989, coming home was more than a chance to revisit old memories. Their reunion became an opportunity to give back.

Through two outreach activities held on July 4 and 5 under the theme “Batch ’89 Giving Back: Excellence and Gratefulness,” the alumni brought together their time, resources, and professional expertise to serve both their alma mater and communities beyond the University. The initiative was led by Organizing Committee Head Mary Theobelle Parreno-Lopez.

The first stop was the Pediatric Ward of the WVSU Medical Center, where the batch donated three pediatric cribs, a 43-inch smart TV, a bookshelf containing 40 hardbound books, educational toys and activity materials, and 80 vacutainers. Beyond the donations, members of the batch spent time with patients and hospital staff, turning what could have been a simple act of giving into an afternoon of presence and connection.

The following day, Batch 1989 brought the same spirit of service to the Ati Village in Lanit, Jaro, reaching 50 families with rice, vegetables, basic medicines, slippers, school supplies, hygiene kits, and pantry goods.

But the outreach was not limited to what could be placed in a donation bag. Drawing from the diverse professions of its members, the alumni also organized a storytelling session, a basic hygiene session, and medical consultations. Members from the education, nursing, and medical fields shared their knowledge and spent time engaging with the community. The activity culminated in a shared meal of arroz caldo prepared together with community members.

The batch was connected to the community through Mr. John Paul Petrola, Director of the University of San Agustin’s Center for Heritage and Indigenous Cultures.

One of the more personal dimensions of the outreach was the batch’s commitment to support Ms. Rowela Palacios, a member of the Ati community and a 2019 graduate of the WVSU College of Education. The alumni are supporting her in completing her remaining K-12 units so she can qualify to take the licensure examination for teachers.

For Batch 1989, giving back has also found its way home. The alumni donated a whole-body walkthrough scanners and a baggage X-ray machine, installed at the University’s gates, as part of efforts to strengthen campus security and help ensure the safety of students and the wider WVSU community.

These acts may have taken different forms — a hospital donation, a community outreach, support for an aspiring professional, or a contribution to campus safety — but they share a common thread: a desire to turn gratitude into something tangible.

A reunion often brings people back to where a shared story began. For WVSU SLS Batch 1989, that return became an opportunity to carry something forward.

Their story is a reminder that the ties built in school can extend far beyond graduation. Years after leaving the halls of WVSU, the values, friendships, and sense of community formed there can continue to find expression through service.

For Batch 1989, giving back is more than remembering where they came from. It is finding ways to make what they received matter to someone else.

WVSU expresses its gratitude to the WVSU SLS/High School Batch 1989 for continuing to remember its alma mater and for turning a celebration of shared memories into meaningful acts of service.