PIA Press Release
Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Young Minds Academy season-6 now accepts applications

CEBU CITY, Jan 24 (PIA) -- Young Minds Academy (YMA) of a Cebu-based non-government organization Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) now accepts applications for its season-6 scholarship program.

According to RAFI, YMA is a youth leadership and citizenship development program of the Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center (EADSC) that aims to develop young people to become responsible and accountable leaders and proactive citizens ready to serve the public and its interests.

This is done through awareness raising, experiential education, immersion, and open discourse, among others.

It is open to young people ages 12 to 20 years old. Applicants must form a team of five members under one of the following categories: Generation A must be composed of members with ages 17-20 while Generation B will be composed of members with ages 12-16.

List of team and individual requirements and application forms may be obtained from the Eduardo AboitizDevelopment Studies Center, or downloaded at www.rafi.org.ph.

Deadline for the submission of applications is on February 20, 2012.

To recall, YMA was launched in October 2006 and already ran for five seasons, including a special summer edition held in 2009 for Region 8.

A 15-year old season 5 YMA scholar, Jessica Therese Vestil said, through the YMA, she discovered the kind of leader she wants to be.

"The change has started in me already. Now it’s my time to be a role model to others,” Jessica said.

For Sean Timothy Salvador, 18, another YMA season 5 scholar said that YMA taught him to use his life as a daily opportunity to become a blessing to every person he meets and help change their lives for the better.

According to RAFI, the Young Minds Academy is an innovative educational and experiential learning approach to leadership, citizenship, and living life with meaning.

The YMA program is sponsored by UnionBank of the Philippines. (PIA-7/Minerva BC Newman)