She juggled responsibilities as Student Council President, school representative to seminars and competitions, and a vibrant mentor to many. In short, she put the extra in extraordinary.

Babe Niryll B. Nalda is a born leader. As early as Grade 1, she would confidently stand in front of her class, with her arms crossed, her innocent, 6-year old self posturing like a teacher. That was when her leadership skills were first uncovered. At the The Learning Place in 2001, the pre-school from which STEFTI originated, she cherished with fondest memories the “Very Good” star sticker from Ma’am Leah Villaflor, the voice lessons from Ma’am Perl Abesamis, the importance of placemats before snack time and how fulfilling it was to be made a leader when the teacher wasn’t around yet.  In more ways than one, these were the four tenets of her STEFTI Education that molded her into the student leader she came to be.

The stamps and stickers of approval became symbols of the competitive experience she was exposed to in STEFTI. That she managed to represent the school in academic competitions while carrying out her tasks as the SSC Chair was something she attributes to her mentors. 

“Combined with impassioned teachers who valued teaching outside the box, we were challenged in every aspect of our lives. It was also our teachers and coaches and mentors that encouraged us to explore unique talents and gifts — may it be public speaking, writing and press conferences, music and the arts, sports or dance. Very much like how Ma’am Perl believed I had a sliver of a chance at singing, she helped me compete in the NAMCYA (National Music Competition for Young Artists), no matter how hopeless I thought I was back then.

Meanwhile, her love for writing took off because of the dedication of two mentors, Ma’am Portia and Sir Harold, who taught her the art of storytelling  and pushed her to join press conferences as early as Grade 5. 

“Looking back, I realize now that I was so young to have been that ambitious— imagine being a 12 year old neophyte writer already willing to travel across the country to compete! I could still remember the lingering feeling of confidence and smugness knowing that I had my mentors behind me— not once did I doubt myself because I knew my mentors prepared me for the best and the worst possible case scenarios. I continued competing in the next school year for the Radio Broadcasting category and this went on until high school where I enjoyed the tutelage of Mrs. Binky Josol, who pushed me to train harder but to remain calm and collected in the most challenging of situations.”

She adds, “The greatest strength of STEFTI lies in the absolute genius and selflessness of its teachers. STEFTI is one of the few schools that can cater to a child’s holistic growth – that regardless of what field you choose, there is a master teacher that can help you achieve the best version of yourself.”

Nina, as she is fondly called by everyone, certainly takes pride in being a STEFTI alumna, even citing a placemat (!) as an example of STEFTI as a community that’s “conducive to personal growth and well-being.”

“The placemats back in preschool is a testament to the foundation that our school tried to instill in us – STEFTI is a school that valued good manners and right conduct, and highlighted the significance of proper etiquette in dealing with other people outside the community. Respect begets respect— we need to respect the humanity of each person we deal with and we need to reach out to others to the best of our abilities.”

She further shares the most compelling aspect of her STEFTI experience:

“What stands out the most in my STEFTI education is our rootedness in our patron saint, St. Therese of Lisieux the Little Flower of Jesus. From a young age, I have been introduced to her little way – living an ordinary life in an extraordinary way. I have always been captivated by this notion – by surrendering herself completely to the everlasting love of God, she learned to do all things – no matter if big or small, with great love.” 

Our patron saint introduced me to the virtues of humility, kindness and love. In our various celebrations of her life and devotion to God, I learned that every little deed counts, and every little sacrifice can make a difference in the world, if done with love.”

All these she brought with her to Ateneo De Manila University, where she graduated with an Academic Excellence Award – Honorable Mention for her degree in Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 2016 and a Master of Arts in Political Science major in Global Politics from the same university in 2018. Equipped with the Theresian DNA, she travelled to the University of Warsaw, Poland to study International Relations after being awarded with the prestigious Erasmus Mundus Scholarship (Action 2 EMMA Programme) from 2014 to 2015.

Presently, she is working at the House of Representatives as a Legislative Staff Officer of the Leyte Representative Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.  Prior to this position she served as a Consultant for the Office of Hon. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez, then Representative of the First District of Leyte, in 2017. She then joined her Congressional Office as she got elected as Chairperson of the Committee on Accounts of the House of Representatives in 2018. 

As a parting shot, she has this advice to the High School students of STEFTI. 

 “Capitalize on your strengths and never be discouraged to explore your talents and skills outside your comfort zone. Once you have found your passion, find the right mentors and learn from them as much as possible. Relish in the long training hours, celebrate your victories and revel in defeat because all these experiences will help you mold your principles and values in life. With a ‘never say no’ attitude, I am certain that you can overcome any challenges life throws at you.  You are lucky because you are in STEFTI, an institution that enriches young minds and instills in the hearts of its students the courage and confidence to become the best version of themselves, by doing ordinary things in extraordinary ways.”

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