“The Greatest Love of All is easy to achieve, learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all.”

Since McKinley’s inception, advocacy has been its inherent part. Knowing, believing, and embracing the rights of every child has made tremendous impact in each McK mentor and child. In McKinley everyone believes that since “WE are given much, we can give much and more. Much will be demanded to whom much is entrusted”. Having much not just in terms of properties and finances, but most in love, respect, gratitude, care, awareness and concern.

On May 10, 2011, McKinley Hill-Lipa celebrated its 4^th Graduation-Closing Program at the CAP building. Paolo Benigno ‘BAM’ Aquino IV graced the occasion and imparted to the audience his wisdom and life lessons. Being appointed as the youngest Commissioner of National Youth Commission, he has since spent his life working with the youth and believing in the power that the young members of the society have today in developing the BEST future.

The McKL Chairman of the Board, TitaLeeia/Ligaya Lopez Mercado delivered her most inspiring welcoming address. McKL President and Founder, Teacher Sam/RaylaMelchor Santos, in introducing a humbled honoree, Bam Aquino, spoke of his “unquestionable pedigree (of historical value), impeccable academic achievement, distinguished track record of public service, his heart and mind with a solution for poverty through social entrepreneurship, his lifework being recognized warranting an exchange with the brightest minds of the world, his advocacies for the youth and women this children making Mr. Aquino the end in mind of every McKLipa parent, child, mentor, trustee and stakeholder”.

Mr. Bam Aquino, in his speech, shared how he could not say no to the unrelenting invitation of the school president, much more after learning how McKinley operates and empowers children through its programs on advocacy and leadership. Impressed with the warmth and hospitality exuded by the McKinley children, he highlighted that leaders will be most effective if they find happiness, courage to do what is right, and listening ears within them to inspire people around them.

Together with the Chairman and the President, he awarded the children with Sean Covey’s 7 Habits of Happy Kids badges honoring the leader in every child, as well as medals of recognition for both academic and non-academic excellence, Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence and Calvert’s Virgil Hillyer awards, among others.

Following right after was the much-awaited closing program themed “The Greatest Love of All is Happening to Me”. This two-hour spectacle of dances, songs, videos, and speeches showcased all that transpired the whole year, everything taught and learned by everyone, effecting an overall declaration of each child of his being unique, precious, and special.

Performing in the light of what they desire to be and what they can become, the children wowed the audience as they paid tribute to Filipino heroes, modern and revolutionary, that have shared their birthright and motivations, failures and successes, at the same time taking them to the musical era enjoyed by today’s generation.

The day being a celebration of not solely McKinley children’s rights but also the rights of others was evidenced by the presence of especially invited public school personalities, Mr. FlorentinoBeato (Principal, San Carlos Elementary School) and student achievers from Abundio Torre Memorial Elementary School, with their principal, Mrs. Anna Fe Kaibigan.

To quote Mr. Aquino: "It's not enough to be born with gifts.  We need to hone them and make them more excellent.  We need to really progress them and nurture them, and that is really one thing that we must do.  Whatever it is that we are really good at, we must do it excellently.Find out what makes your heart beat a little bit faster.  And as you nurture that, you will find out that you will start to live a happier life.If you are able to find that intersection--what you're good at, what you love to do, and what your country needs from you, you will live a life of purpose, of happiness, and of meaning.Let's live lives of purpose and meaning.  Let's find the intersection and believe me, there really is no other way to live. As a social entrepreneur, I can proudly say that every morning, I go to work and I know that I am doing something that I am good at, I am doing something that I love, and I am doing something that I know is able to help other people.  I consider myself blessed because of that.I hope that as you go through life, as you get older, as you choose your path in life, as you explore the different parts of your world and of McKinley Hill, and all other things that you will experience, you will also have that blessedness --to be able to wake up in the morning, full of purpose, full of meaning, and knowing that one person, specifically, and a lot of people together, can really make a difference for our country, and can really make a difference in this world."

McKinley ended the school year with its gift to the world—to create a society more caring and sharing so that lives may be spared pain and suffering because we dared to dream, we dared to believe, we made a choice – with the children, for the children.

** Lipa City - - On May 8, 2011, a baccalaureate mass for the graduating students was held at the Shrine Mission of Our Mother of Perpetual Help (Redemptorist Church), with Rector/Superior of the Community, Fr. BoniFlordeliza, the celebrant.