Throughout the week, the Facebook page for the Philippine Science High School System (PSHS) has been celebrating and commemorating its graduating class of 2021 from across the whole country. The state-run high school, under the Philippine Department of Science and Technology, is considered to be one of the best educational systems for science, technology, engineering and mathematics-oriented studies in the Philippines, and this year’s batch of graduates prove just that.

With 16 campuses across the archipelago, PSHS has produced some of the most promising high school graduates of their time, with students from Cagayan Valley, Central Mindanao, Zamboanga, Ilocos, Manila, and so much more getting top-tier quality education. However, this is taken to a whole new level with this year’s top-notch class as several graduates earn admissions to some of the world’s most prestigious universities.

The list of impressive admissions include Yale University, a private Ivy League institution that has taught the likes of acclaimed actress Meryl Streep, former U.S. President George H. W. Bush, journalist and political commentator Anderson Cooper, and so many more big names that have impacted their own industries tremendously. PSHS graduate from the Central Mindanao Campus Nathan Wayne F. Ariston is the first graduate of PSHS-CMC to be accepted in this reputable institution.

In a Facebook post, PSHS shared the good news that Ariston is planning to major in Physics with his full scholarship grant at Yale, with additional admissions at Georgia Institute of Technology, University of California-Irvine, and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He is a proud son of a farmer and elementary school teacher with Teduray indigenous roots, and he shared that science and technology have always been close to his heart because of his upbringing. He aspires to bring his education back home in 2025 as a Yale alumnus.

Image lifted from Philippine Science High School System Facebook page

“The best way that I could give back to our country is through offering my soon-to-be expertise in STEM that I could acquire through this education grant to serve in whatever way I can the people immediately around, specifically in Maguindanao and the other Muslim Mindanao areas,” he said.

From the Cagayan Valley Campus, another notable PSHS alumnus is Edrian Paul S. Liao, who is the first Filipino recipient of the Karsh International Scholarship Program at Duke University. There, he plans to major in Mechanical Engineering and pursue a certificate in Aerospace Engineering and a minor in Computer Science. Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina, and is also one of the top schools in the West.

The Facebook post celebrating his admission shared that Liao is flying over to Duke University in August, and he looks forward to share what he has learned to uplift the rest of his community after he graduates.

Image lifted from Philippine Science High School System Facebook page

“My father’s a farmer. All these years I have seen how difficult it is to be a Filipino farmer – typhoons, monsoons, the weather in general, and the low income they get from it. That is why as an aspiring aerospace engineer, I also want to provide farmers with the microsatellites that could potentially aid in minimizing the harsh effects of these different phenomena. At least for this issue, I could be able to help and uplift the millions of farmers in the Philippines,” he shared.

The young trailblazer also co-founded π-oneers (read as pioneers), a non-profit organization consisting of about 350 members across the country that provide free online tutorials in math and science to other high school students.

Maria Charisma P. Estrella from the PSHS-CALABARZON Region Campus, meanwhile, was admitted to New York University with a scholarship grant. NYU is a private research university in New York City that is located right smack in the middle of the city’s urban jungle, and is the institution that has taught some of the most notable faces in Hollywood. Estrella will be pursuing a Dual Degree Program of BS Biology and BS Biomolecular Engineering in the coming school year.

Image lifted from Philippine Science High School System Facebook page

A lot more impressive admissions were announced on the PSHS Facebook page, with graduates who are bringing pride to the Philippine Science High School System as future students of Bentley University (USA), Jacobs University (Germany), National Tsing Hua University (Taiwan), University of California-Berkley (USA), University of Sydney (Australia), Rangsit University (Thailand), and so many more distinguished institutions all around the world.

Truly, the quality of education across Philippine Science High School campuses is undeniable, and it’s quite striking to see so many graduates from all across the country taking flight to different parts of the world because of their intellect, academic achievements, and unparalleled education.

These young dreamers are certainly on their way to making their mark globally, and waving the Philippine flag with pride throughout their journey. We’re excited to see what the future has in store for these brilliant graduates, and all of PSHS’ shining Class of 2021.