About SLA

#iBiagSLA

The Sta. Lucia Academy, Inc. has always been one of the leading institutions when in comes to quality learning. This is manifested from the awards and distinctions that the school receives from its participation to co-curricular and extra-curricular competitions. SLA through its administrators, teachers, parents, and other stakeholders is vowed to produce holistically-developed learners through the different programs and activities it is implementing. The school operates in three branches: the Curriculum Implementation which assures the proper implementation of the prescribed curriculum, the School Governance and Operations assures the smooth operation of the school, and the Student Affairs which focuses on the activities and programs for the welfare of the whole studentry.

The Sta. Lucia Academy, Inc. through its Student Affairs branch operates within the framework of its core values thus the four councils were created. The Council for Academic Excellence, Council for Moral Formation, Council for Community Engagement, and the Council for Sports and the Arts. Each council have their own functions and mandates. With these, the school develops and hones the potentials of the learners in different aspects including the arts and sports. Sports Clubs have been organized to serve as an avenue in the training of potential sports enthusiasts and heroes. The school shows strength in some of the team sports such as basketball, volleyball, sepak takraw. It also shows power in table tennis, badminton, chess, athletics, and even in softball. With the diverse learners that the school has, it is no doubt that potential athletes are born here and will be honed properly.

The Sta. Lucia Academy, Inc. is driven by its mission to produce learners who are critical thinkers, communicators, collaborators and creators. Furthermore, it is geared towards producing learners who are pro-God, pro-man, and pro-nature and learners who are supportive in the local and national leaderships in their developmental goals. With its tagline “iBiag SLA” this educational institution lives its promise to produce “Catalysts of Change.”

HISTORY

In September 24, 1938, the late Teofisto Hermosa decided to leave the United States and go back to his homeland with the desire to help his fellow Sta. Lucians. In 1925, together with Salvador de la Rosa, Vitaliano Hermosa, Gregorio Danioan, Eliseo Hermosa and Apolonio Dayyo, he went to the United States to earn a living since America is known then globally for its continued progress. It was June in 1938 when he graduated at the University of Nevada finishing the course AB Political Science giving him the interest to teach and educate children. During those years, America is in great economic crisis and this prompted the late Teofisto Hermosa to go back to the Philippines and practice profession. With his desire to help the Sta. Lucians, his friends together with his brother Nicolas from Arizona offered their financial help asking him to open a high school in Sta. Lucia since during those years there is only one existing high school in Ilocos Sur located in Vigan which is the capital of the province.

After arriving to his town, the young teacher observed that many children who finished Grade 7 can no longer enter high school because parents cannot afford to send their children in Vigan for secondary schooling. In order to know more about the administration of a school, he worked as a teacher in a certain high school in Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur. With his one year teaching experience he learned a lot and decided to open a high school in his own town, Sta. Lucia. But in 1941, the World War II began, because of this incident, the young teacher went back to his town and continued farming. After the war, he then began his project to open a high school, he used his old house as classrooms and in June 1946, first and second year levels were opened. In 1949, the school had its 18 first graduates, 16 boys and 2 girls.

The following year, the enrolment of the school increased and at the same year the school received its full recognition from the Bureau of Private Schools. Since then the school was known as the STA. LUCIA ACADEMY. With its operation, the Sta. Lucia Academy caters students not only from Sta. Lucia but also from its neighboring towns such as Candon, Sta. Cruz, San Emilio, Lidlidda , Banayoyo, Santiago, Galimuyod and even Suyo.

Professor Augusto Belisario, a graduate of Colegio de la Immaculada Concepcion and Vigan Seminary was asked by Maestro Teofisto Hermosa to help him manage the school. He served as the school principal and at the same time he taught Spanish, Music and English subjects. With these two forces, the Sta. Lucia Academy continued its progress and development. In 1953, donations for the school came: books, chairs, tables, blackboard and even new buildings foradditional classrooms were provided.

The school participated in the different activities of the town and is always in support to the programs of the local government unit. The achievements of the school were spread and were heard outside the province of Ilocos Sur. In 1954, enrollees from Montañosa, Bontoc, Kayan, Tadian, Besao, Bauko, Masla and Baguio entered the Sta. Lucia Academy.

With this incident, Maestro Teofisto Hermosa was selected as one of the greatest Ilocanos in the field of education as reflected in Dr. Camilo Osia’s book entitled “Ilokandia’s 400.” He was also conferred by the Manuel L. Quezon University in Manila with Doctor of Philosophy in Education. Even his schools in America, the Sacramento Junior College and the University of Nevada also awarded him recognitions and appreciations.

But, in spite of these achievements misfortune came. In 1953, a fire ruined the old house of maestro Teofisto and in January 17, 1960, his wife Guillerma Hermosura died. In 1975, Professor Belisario left the Sta. Lucia Academy to be with his family in America. Maestro Teofisto asked his only daughter Mrs. Liberty Hermosa- Acosta if she can manage the school. Mrs. Acosta graduated AB in Political Science and Bachelor in Seconadry Education with Academic Requirements at the University of the Philippines. She accepted the challenge to manage the school. In July 19, 1979, Maestro Teofisto Hermosa died at the Bethany Hospital in San Fernando, la Union at the age of 70.

A new dawn for Sta. Lucia Academy, this is how Mrs. Acosta described her administration. She served as an administrator, principal and a teacher. With her is her stepmother, Mrs. Maria Saldevar-Hermosa who is also as educator, she graduated as Home Economics teacher with academic course at the Philippine Normal School in 1928. She served as the directress of the Sta. Lucia Academy.

Reforms in the education landscape had changed the traditional process of education. Changes in the curriculum to meet the demands of the changing world were needed to be implemented. It was on the later years of her term as the school principal and directress when Mrs. Liberty Acosta has appointed one of his faculty members to serve as the school principal in the person of Mr. Saul Pythias F. Crisologo. It was on the year 2015 when Mr. Crisologo assumed his office as the school principal and Mrs. Acosta remained as the school directress. Younger and innovative ideas came out with Mrs. Acosta and Mr. Crisologo’s administration in time with the implementation of the K to 12 Program. SLA has opened for the first time its Senior High School with Grades 11 and 12 Academic Track Offering in the year 2016. It was during these years also when the school’s vision and mission statement was revisited and as a result, the school core values of Academic Excellence, Moral Formation, and Community Engagement were born.

SLA continued its mission to create an educational community and make education accessible to poor and rich alike. SLA made remarkable achievements in the community as it continued to carry its tagline IBIAG SLA “the blue and white will always shine” until pandemic came which again changed the education landscape from the traditional face to face classes to distance learning.

The pandemic has brought great challenges to SLA as during this period also, the beloved mother of SLA, Mrs. Liberty H. Acosta has peacefully returned to our creator on February 7, 2022 leaving the legacy to her children, her beloved husband, and to the members of the faculty.

SLA in its 75 years of existence continues to touch lives with Dr. Manuel Acosta as the school president, Dr. Lysander Francis Acosta as the School Director and Mr. Saul Pythias F. Crisologo as the school principal. Today SLA is gradually returning to its face to face classes and is hoping to see brighter future for all SLAians.

SLA ng Makabagong Henerasyon!