University of Perpetual Help System Isabela - JONELTA 1

Basic Education Department – Senior High School

THROUGH THE EYES OF YOUTH LEADERS: LIVED EXPERIENCES OF
THE NOMINEES FOR TEN OUTSTANDING STUDENTS OF THE
PHILIPPINES (TOSP) AS A YOUTH LEADERS

A Research Proposal
Presented to
The Faculty of the Senior High School
University of Perpetual Help System Isabela
Minante Uno, Cauayan City, Isabela

In Partial Fulfilment
Of the Requirement for the Subject
Practical Research 1

By:
Abat, Dion Zed C.

Agustin, Angelica Sheen

Cacal, Lenard Bryan E.

Camungao, Jacquelyn U.

Martin, Cherrie Yvonne Pearl I.

December 2019
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Basic Education Department – Senior High School
CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Introduction

When you think about leadership, it is a broad action of leading people but how

about those youth who have the capability to lead or those so called Youth Leaders?

Majority of us underestimate the capability of youth or young students to lead and to have

an impact in our society. It is naïve to assume that today’s young leaders will lead in the

same ways as the generation prior (Moguel, 2015).

According to Hsin-Yi Cohen BSc, MA, MSt (2019) “Team work is a great way to

build confidence and teach leadership to teenagers and youths but for many, the thought of

leading a group of teenagers can be a daunting one. However, teenagers respond to the

same principles of respect, integrity and communication that defines good leadership in

other arenas so by applying the same skills when dealing with a group of youths, it is

possible to achieve success”.

It is the spirit that makes the difference. If we put our passion and minds to it, we can

cultivate youth leadership in a million places. Inspired teens will change worldview, lives

and policies, nurture new learning culture, make national headlines and inspire millions

more (Youth Leader).

A business man Jose S. Conception Jr. the founder of Ten Outstanding Students of

the Philippines (TOSP) is the Awards and Formation Program as a way of galvanizing the

youth into action for social progress. Every year they present the deluge of brilliant and

inspiring young Filipino Leaders who not only excelled in academics, but also dedicated
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Basic Education Department – Senior High School
themselves as exceptional leaders and community servants in order to make a difference in

their respective circles. Those students who was nominated to be a part of TOSP is also a

youth leader who have the potential to become the next generation leaders.

The search is national scope, all Higher Education Institution are encouraged to

participate and nominate their school’s model students. In 1994, the program was set up in

key regions nationwide. For regionalized areas (Region II, III, IV-A, V, VI, VII, X, XII,

CAR and NCR).

According to TOSP-NCR alumni community chairperson Marie Eugenie Dizon.

“Nation-building is not an overnight thing. In our own way of doing formation programs,

grounding our leaders, making them realize what they stand for, those are some examples

of nation-building.” Youth leadership is a thing that have a great implement to the society.

Common problems of today is about teenagers, this youth leader has the ability to approach

those young people and lesser their doubt that they might be judge or threatened. They

described a leader as someone who sees a problem and takes action to create a solution

(Mortensen et al., 2014) and youth leader have the ability to see the real problem of a

certain community and have the eagerness to create a solution and solve this certain

problem.

According to Jexter S. Calixto a TOSP awardee of Philippine National University,

Isabela, "Being outstanding takes a lot of courage and passion. There are a lot of

expectations and responsibilities a youth leader possesses that pushes them to accomplish

their goals. As part of the community, I lived as an environmental activist and an advocate

of global mobility and inclusive education. As part of accomplishing these goals were

becoming active to every organizations that I am part of including student government and
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non-government community organizations. I had participated to several conferences and

activities as part of professional and personal growth. Being a representative to these kind

of gatherings require self-esteem and communication skills. This applies also to us leaders

in communicating significant agenda to our organization and co-officers in our respective

organizations”.

Those student who was nominated to present their respective schools, they have

shown the excellence in academics and leadership. Those TOSP nominees are trained to

be a young leader that make resolution to solve facing issues in the Philippines or in their

respective communities. They do not wait or ask anyone to do something, expect no

gratification, do not drop pills, do not drop out, do not reiterate dysfunctional ideological

memes, do not hate adults making bad decisions, do not stigmatize groups or define

themselves by what they do. They do what needs doing. They ARE the change (Youth

Leader).

Theoretical Framework

According to the theory of John C. Maxwell (2013) “Leadership ability is the lid

that determines a person’s level of effectiveness. Your leadership ability for better or for

worse always determines your effectiveness and the potential impact of your organization.

The higher you want to climb, the more you need leadership. The greater the impact you

want to make, the greater your influence needs to be. No matter what group such a natural

leader finds himself in, he always be recognized for what he is.”

According to the Great Man Theory of leadership, leadership calls for certain

qualities like commanding personality, charm, courage, intelligence, persuasiveness and

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aggressiveness. Individuals are born either with or without the necessary traits for

leadership. No universal trait that predict leadership in all situations. Traits do a better job

at predicting the appearance of leadership than in actually distinguishing between and

ineffective leadership. A leader is great, not because of his or her powers, but because of

his or her ability to empower others. A leader’s responsibility is developing others to do

the work. A true leader can be recognized because somehow his people consistency

demonstrate superior performance. Empowering leadership is sometimes the only real

advantage one organization has over another in our competitive society. Leadership is

complicated. It has many facets: respect, experience, emotional strength, people skills,

discipline, vision, momentum, and timing. Leadership is influence. Leadership doesn’t

develop in a day. It takes a lifetime. Successful leaders are learners. And the learning

process is ongoing, a result of self-discipline and perseverance.

Statement of the Problem

The study focus and understand the lived experiences of Youth Leaders and as a

Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP). This study aims to answer the

following core questions:

1. What are the lived experiences of those Ten Outstanding Students of the

Philippines (TOSP) as a youth leader?

2. What are the struggles encountered by those TOSPian as a youth leader?

3. How do they cope up to those struggles?

4. What are their strategies to surpass those struggles?

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Assumption of the Study

The Researchers will based this study on the following assumptions:

1. The youth leader have been a nominee for Ten Outstanding Students of the

Philippines (TOSP)

2. The participants have experience several struggles as a youth leader.

3. The participants manage to survive those struggles.

Significance of the Study

This study aims to inspire readers to provide vision for the future, it also aims to

persuade readers to be a Youth Leader or the next generation leader. This study also give

voice to those nominees for Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) to let us

know their experiences not only being part of the said program but also a youth leader of

our country.

The finding would also give inspiration for readers to have the strength and

courage to face their problems. The participants could be a role model of the readers of

this study for patience and hard work.

The probe may also serve as reflection on young people or students; they will

have an idea on what is it like to be a young leader that may boost their eagerness and so

they could be a leader in their own way too.

This study could be beneficial to those who dream to be part of the TOSP or to be

a future leader for it serve as a guide for their dream to come true.
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The finding may also benefit future researcher this study will serve as a basis on

their study, they can get comparative analysis regarding to the experience of TOSP as a

youth leader.

Scope and Delimitation

The study focuses on the Lived experiences of those nominees of Ten Outstanding

Students of the Philippines (TOSP) as a youth leaders. The selection of the participants are

only limited since there are lots of TOSPian in Region 2. The participants of this study will

be on Region 2 specifically in Isabela. The participants will be in different schools, six of

them are students of University of La Salette, Inc. two nominees from University of

Perpetual Help System Laguna - Isabela Campus, one nominee from Isabela States

University – Echague Campus, and two students from Philippine Normal University –

North Luzon, one student from Our Lady of the Pillar College Church – Cauayan, also in

Isabela States University – Ilagan Campus, Patria Sable Corpus College – Santiago, and

St. Ferdinand College – Ilagan. All of the participants are TOSP Region 2 (Isabela)

nominees of bath 2018 and 2019.

Definition of Terms

For better understanding, the researchers provide the definition of terms used in

this research. Below are words with conceptual meaning.

Youth –The definition of a youth is a young person who has not yet reached adulthood

and refers to the time period before you become an adult

Leadership –the action of leading a group of people or an organization

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Resolutions – a firm decision to do or not to do something.

Community Servants –Servant leadership is a philosophy and set of practices that

enriches the lives of individuals, builds better organizations and ultimately creates a more

just and caring world.

Society –an organized group of persons associated together for religious, benevolent,

cultural, scientific, political, patriotic, or other purposes.