Seasons of Legacy and Love. The Love That Raised Us. The Dreams That Lead Us.

June and July are months marked by milestones. Back in our day, many moons ago, graduation ceremonies were held in March. How times have changed! In schools across the country, graduation caps are tossed in the air, diplomas are held close with pride, and tears are shed — not of sadness, but of deep, overwhelming gratitude. 

These are the seasons of endings, but more profoundly, they are seasons of becoming.

For Assumption, graduation is never just about completion. It is about continuity — the quiet passing on of values from one generation to the next. It is a time when love comes full circle: from the lessons of the classroom to the wisdom of lived experience, from the dreams of our youth to the purpose that now guides our steps forward.

This edition of Assumpta Magazine is a tribute to these sacred transitions. It opens a heartfelt chapter entitled “Seasons of Legacy and Love,” a celebration of what truly endures — family, faith, service, and the people who shape us along the way.

We begin with the High School Class of 2025 graduates, whose stories remind us that legacy is not only built over decades — but also in a single moment of love, courage, or clarity. Anchored by the motto “Driven by love, WE TRANSFORM,” our graduates turned their senior ball into a thanksgiving ball for their beloved support staff. “Aurelia: A Golden Expression of Gratitude” was more than an event – it was a movement of the heart. In honoring the TDEVs, security guards, and AC Caritas team, these young women showed us that true celebration begins with humility and culminates in service.

The College Class of 2025 reminds us that purpose is born of perseverance. Beginning their academic journey in the shadow of a global pandemic, these students walked through hardship, uncertainty, and sacrifice. Yet through it all, they chose to rise. Cheska Agito Casanova, Summa Cum Laude and Saint Marie Eugenie Awardee, spoke not just as a top student — but as a voice for her generation. Her words honored every struggle, every prayer, and every quiet victory. This batch emerged not only with knowledge, but with the faith and resilience that shape leaders of real and lasting impact.

Beyond the halls of school, our alumnae continue to carry the torch. Keesa Ocampo of High School Batch 2000 exemplifies leadership rooted in purpose. As founder and advocate of WeSparq, a San Francisco – based agency, she leads creative campaigns that inspire positive impact — empowering brands. It’s their clients’ opportunity to find their voice and show up values-forward. Her work lives out the words of St. Marie Eugenie: “I must take positive action, even in my small sphere of influence.” Now, twenty-five years since her graduation and soon coming home to celebrate her Silver Jubilee, Keesa’s influence reaches far and wide. She has proven that the Assumption formation is not a chapter in one’s youth, but a lifelong mission.

We invited Nenuka Maria F. Guba, College 1997, to share her favorite SME quote. In a world scattered by distance and time zones, Nenuka’s family finds its center in prayer. Their devotion to the Rosary, anchored in the love for the Blessed Mother, transcends geography and drawing hearts together each day. She’s the daughter of our beloved English Teacher, Mrs. Fe F. Guba, who was with AC from 1993 to 2006. 

And from across the years, the women of High School Batch 1981 continue to shine through their generosity and sisterhood. Soon celebrating their Sapphire Jubilee, they chose to give back — not just with joy, but with justice. Their Ruby Project supported 20 scholars through college; their new Sapphire Project is now helping 45 senior high school students pursue their own dreams. Their recent immersion trip to Iloilo wasn’t just a reunion — it was a homecoming to the very heart of what it means to be an Assumption woman: joyful, rooted, and giving.

This edition is more than a magazine. It is a mirror — reflecting back on the love that raised us and the dreams that continue to lead us.

So whether you’re just beginning your journey, somewhere in the middle, or looking back at all you’ve lived — may these stories remind you: the real milestone is not the graduation itself, but who you become long after the applause has faded.

Oh yes, prepare your tissue papers. Each article is a labor of love, ready to tug at your heartstrings and warm your soul.

Special shoutout to Ana de Villa Singson. We are deeply, fondly, and fabulously so grateful to Ana de Villa Singson (former AAA Board of Trustee and HS Batch 1983), who led Assumpta as editor-in-chief from September 2021 to March 2025. Her leadership balanced heart, brilliance, and a head of long, beautiful, silky hair that somehow never frizzed under pressure. With wit in her words and wisdom in her gaze, she wrote pieces that made us laugh, cry, reflect — and sometimes all three in a single paragraph. She didn’t just write beautifully; she brought out the best in all of us, line by line, meeting by meeting. The shoes she leaves behind? Think colorful platforms with soul, or espadrilles with purpose. And while those are quite the pair to fill, we carry her inspiration in every draft. We’re ready — fueled by her sparkle, guided by her grace, and stepping forward, hearts full and heels (or sneakers) firmly on. Oh yes, we’re very much fired up, and ready to go.

— The Assumpta Storyteller Stewards