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  Despite the midyear semestral break most students anticipate, thirty-seven (37) student leaders representing 23 co-curricular and extra-curricular organizations, including volunteer groups, the student government and the school publication, chose to learn teambuilding the Ignatian way andjoin in forming the Amazing Team of Ateneo on 22-24 October at the Arrupe Retreat Center.
Day one of the workshop-seminar began with the lighting of the Paschal Candle symbolizing Christ as light of the world and His presence in the midst of His people. Lead by Atty. Jo Aileen A. Cabiles, the Director of Student Affairs, with the aid of Campus Minister Fina Nobleza, staff and students lit their candles to invoke the guidance of the Holy Spirit (throughout the workshop-seminar) while reading the Ignatian Prayer for Leaders.
In the morning, Dr. Rebecca C. Torres, Academic Vice-President, personally welcomed the participants. Dr. Torres stressed the importance of creating teams to maintain the function of the university as well as to create change that would benefit not only the students’ organization but also the country. Atty. Cabiles gave a re-orientation of the workshop, the program design, guidelines, and expectations before the participants and staff introduced themselves and groupings were revealed.
As a primer for the sessions to come, the student leaders watched a short film, “St. Ignatius of Loyola and the Two Wolves”. Narrated by two animated wolves, the movie recalled the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola, as well as his sacrifices and dedication. Familiar terms such as magis and cura personalis surfaced in this film which traced its significance in the success of St. Ignatius in establishing the Jesuits.
In the afternoon, Session 1: Understanding the Ignatian Company: Organization’s Identity and Mission resource speaker Janet B. Badong-Badilla, Deputy Academic Vice President for Formation, emphasized the importance of an organization’s identity by describing the tasks, people, and structures. She highlighted the internal and external environments, which could either make or break an organization. She further deepened her discussion by citing the importance of aligning student organization activities with the University’s Mission-Vision.
For Session 2: “Sharing the Same Bread”: Teamwork and Guiding Principles, the resource speaker was Ms. Trish Penelope B. Araña, Program Officer of the Office of Student Affairs. To relay the message of her topic, Ms. Araña first asked the participants to list down the qualities of an effective team and portray these in the context of activities conducted by their organizations. She then presented principles of teamwork which can be used by the student leaders in achieving their desired goals and objectives for their respective organizations.
Mr. Ben B. Secretario, 2007 Class Valedictorian, Ayala Young Leaders Congress Delegate and part of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP), handled Session 3, Defining Roles and Developing Team Skills in an Ever-Changing World. He tested the participants’ understanding of team skills and roles amidst the task of creating specialized flag, box, and chain. The day ended with a prayer examen lead by one of the student facilitators Reid Davis B. Esmabe.
The second day of the workshop-seminar started with the Dance of Israel, a special form of prayer. Shortly after, the Session on Effective Communication was conducted by Elizaldy Raro, Ph.D., R.G.C. of the College Guidance Center. Using an activity which required participants to guess the number of paper clips in a box as an individual and as a group, Dr. Raro pointed out that as the language of leadership, communication is everyone’s responsibility, particularly when one belongs to a team.
Mr. Leopolde Guillermo “Boyet” Menoza III was the key speaker for the Session on Understanding and Resolving Team Problems. As an initial activity, some of the student participants are instructed to blow off lighted candles assigned to small groups to instigate conflict within the group. Drawing significance from the activity, Sir Boyet explained the role of conflict as an avenue for accepting individual differences that could aid in the personal growth of every member of the organization.
Emmanuel Rene “Noli” Ayo, Former Director of the College Athletics Office, inspired the participants with his talk “When the Game was Ours.” With his experiences as a coach of the basketball team of Ateneo beginning in 2004, Coach Ayo emphasized character building as instrumental in the success of the team and as an asset for life.
Later that evening, the student-leader participants were given the chance to apply their learnings in the Fellowship Night as they were tasked to create the content of the evening’s program wherein they showcased their talents and were able to bond with their co-participants.
 On the last day of the workshop-seminar, a thanksgiving song was played in the morning before the last session for the workshop-seminar. In the session “To be Aptissimi: The Very Best,” Atty. Cabiles encouraged the organizations to seek possible alliance among fellow organizations in conducting future activities and forge partnerships through a symbolic exchange of paper hearts. “It made me realize that other organizations are very much willing to help one another,” one participant observed.
 For the closing program in the afternoon, Ms. Araña drew out learnings and insights from the participants through small group discussions. She asked them to write down their commitment by filling in the blank in the statement “I shall commit/contribute my _______ to the Amazing Team of Ateneo!” As a commitment ritual, the student leaders gathered at the Ignatius Park where each of them declared their statement before the group. As the activity was entitled “Catch me When I Fall”, they allowed their team members to catch them as a sign of trust and acceptance of the said commitments. They then tied their written commitment notes to blue and yellow balloons and sent them up in the sky.
In citing the impact of the activity towards the participants, one stated that the workshop activities were “based on reality which is happening in an organization” and that “everything is beneficial towards having a collaborative team.”
The workshop culminated with a thanksgiving mass celebrated by Fr. Jose Embile, S.J at the Arrupe Retreat Center Prayer Room.
The Wheel, the official publication of A-WILL was also released and distributed to the participants.
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