Having a heart that listens and a mind that decides fair and square, she has drawn her fellow mentors of various backgrounds in exhibiting the love for teaching and mentoring. Indeed, her pulchritude transcends beyond ascription of physical beauty, for she is as confidently beautiful with a heart as that of Pia Wurtzbach, and more than Catriona Gray, her gratefulness exuded when she provides numerous valuable pieces of advice among mentors and students, and when she has always seen challenges as opportunities with silver linings. Endeared by the entire ZNNHS family for her outstanding leadership, this woman of extraordinary substance is Miss Ma. Fatima Yebanes Acosta.
The Genesis of the Born Leader
Miss Acosta started her career as a classroom teacher handling social studies, Filipino, and values education notwithstanding she was a BS Home Economics graduate at Silliman University. Adamant to provide her students the necessary knowledge, skills, and moral values, Miss Acosta handled the three subjects of five classes with ease and confidence.
“Never complain. A teacher is always ready all the time. Cultivate a proactive character and everything comes easy,” she affirmed.
While she was teaching and being tasked as the coordinator of Balik Paaralan Para sa Out-of-School Adults (BPOSA), Miss Acosta had fascinated herself delving the realms of laws and became one of the alumni of Andres Bonifacio College (ABC) School of Law. A woman of justice, she committed and involved herself for the protection and the rights of teachers in her community particularly the ZNNHS faculty club where she managed to get the seal of approval of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) granting a 50-year legitimacy of the organization.
Her passion drew the attention of ABC School of Law to confer her the “Special Law Student Social Commitment Award.” Subsequently, she took academic units in Master of Arts in Educational Management at her former undergraduate alma mater. It took more than a decade for her to be promoted as Teacher III. She didn’t mind though.
“Promotion was just a bonus for me. I am deeply engaged into teaching,” she articulated.
It was at this moment that world, the universe rather, conspired to destine this indefatigable and perspicacious lady to lead her fellow mentors.
Certified Instructional Leader
Before the dawn of 2000, Miss Acosta was promoted as Head Teacher I and continued developing the BPOSA programs which evolved to BPOSA-Alternative Learning School (ALS). Having been supported by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the City Government of Dipolog, she never wasted a speck of time establishing a BPOSA Cooperative – a small-scale business that produced a variety of handicrafts out of paper. Eventually, the program received commendation from the Provincial Government of Zamboanga del Norte.
Under her leadership, the BPOSA-ALS produced more than 2 000 out-of-school youths and adults who felt motivated to reconsider managing their time to study while prioritizing to earn a living for their respective families. With the concerted effort of the equally dedicated instructional managers, some of these youths put up their own micro-business while some passed the Non-formal Education Accreditation and Equivalency (NFE A&E) which gave them the chance to fulfil what they have been dreaming of.
To mention a few, one is now a nurse in Switzerland. The next one graduated in college with flying colors and is now running a computer business. Another one is currently teaching at Bacungan National High School. And lastly, one is now a digital designer.
Her leadership versatility stood out when two superintendents designated her as the school’s Deputy of Officer-In-Charge Principal and Assistant Principal respectively. She also headed the English Department. Undoubtedly, she deserves being promoted as Head Teacher VI.
God’s Rewards
All of Miss Acosta’s accomplishments are solidly embedded in two of her driving forces: her promise to do all things for the glory of God and to make her family proud of her. And God has His ways of rewarding her. Though it happened seven years ago, Miss Acosta could poignantly narrate her awe-inspiring encounter with Pope Francis in Tacloban. Three years after that, she completed her pilgrimage to the Holy Land and visited other Arab countries such as Jordan, Palestine, and Egypt. In 2018, she enjoyed a free travel to New York, enjoyed The Phantom of the Opera, and kept memories of the Big Apple such as the famed Manhattan. And this year, ABC School of Law conferred her as Juris Doctor.
Who Says She’s Retiring?
All ZNNHS mentors believe in her leadership, that Miss Acosta can make things happen simply because she is highly proficient in bringing out their best core competencies which, in effect, are manifested on the way these mentors produce students who emanate the Filipino core values. Yes, she is retiring effective today, but she will still be as hectic as she has been in the academe for she will spend much time for family and for her community.
For her ZNNHS family, Miss Ma. Fatima Yebanes Acosta will always be the epitome of instructional leadership.
