100% Scholar - Thanks God and Kumon!

By Mrs. Coraliza Manuyag

Last October 7, I attended the ASHR Awarding for the North and Central Area (of KUMON) at Supreme Hotel. During the first part of the event, some parents were given the chance to share their experiences with their children and with KUMON. For some of you who were there to listen to their testimonies, I know that until now you still carry with you their very heartwarming and very inspiring stories. It was very touching and little did I know that after 62 days, I’d be here doing the same thing they did. I just hope that our story will touch you and inspire you the same way their stories did to me.

I learned about KUMON one day while I was watching TV. It was featuring a story about a nine year old who was doing calculus and it really amazed me. After long talks and deliberations with my then not-so-impressed husband, we finally decided to enroll Denise in the KUMON Math program. Her first encounter with KUMON was in January 2006. It was quite a blast for Denise is a child who’s really into new things. However, she started Math at Level 7A because she didn’t know anything about Math except counting from 1-20, colors and shapes. But thanks to God and KUMON, in less than a year, in exactly 4 months, Denise received her bronze medal last May 2006.

But just like most of the other students in KUMON, it wasn’t all a bed of roses; I myself know it because I imagined enrolling myself in the program as well. Think about the mind-draining, never ending corrections and repetitions of our children. When helping Denise with her corrections; out of nowhere, I would suddenly realize that if it’s tiring for me, how much more would it be for my daughter. And if I were impatient with Denise, who will then do the encouraging? She’s now in Level D doing divisions and fractions in Pre-school. Sometimes, I have to admit that I get tired and use a calculator to check her work. The worksheets are really starting to get harder and I would just have to be more patient, supportive, and more encouraging. Math has always been a problem to me, a problem which started in grade school and continued on until college. In college, I found myself enrolled in Mining Engineering, so everywhere I turned, there was Math to hate, nakakahiya man po sabihin pero I failed Calculus the first time. The second time, I passed pero talagang pahirapan. But all those hate days are gone now. Ironic as it may sound, the subject I hated and scared me most is now making me so-so happy.

Denise completed Kinder 1 on top of her class at Mary Immaculate school. She a 100% scholar with the help of God and KUMON. KUMON has taught Denise patience and perseverance, and more and more, she has become hungrier to learn more new things. It’s not true that KUMON is all work and no play - Denise is currently enrolled in piano lessons and will be taking violin lessons as well.

Name of Child: DENISE ROYCE MANUYAG
Name of Parent: MRS. CORALIZA MANUYAG
Center: BAGUIO CENTER (Philippines)