Special Gratitude Award for KIDS Foundation

The year 1998 was a significant year for Cayetano Arellano High School because of the offer of a benevolent Dutchman, Mr. Johannes van Luijk, to do something to help financially struggling students in the Philippines and he has seen the pitiful conditions of life of needy families living in squatter areas. He is aware of the problems of marginalized families to give a good education to their children. Single-handedly, he started the nucleus for a scholarship project when he donated money to subside the studies of 500 students enrolled at the Cayetano Arellano High School. He told his Dutch and Belgian friends and business associates about this project he started in the Philippines. It was not difficult for Mr. van Luijk to convince his friends to join him in this worthy endeavor. With the enthusiasm manifested by his friends, Mr. van Luijk was inspired to form a foundation he called Knights for Individual Direct Scholarship or KIDS.

KIDS or KIDS Educational Foundation, Inc is on its 21st year as the biggest Benefactor of the Financial Assistance Program of the CAHS Alumni Association. And from the looks of it, KIDS will be here for a long time, giving much-needed financial assistance to deserving but needy CAHS students.

We could not thank well enough the KIDS Benefactors who found it in their hearts to share a part of themselves by going out of their way to help alleviate the conditions of poor Filipino Families, thousand of miles away from them. Through Mr. van Luijk, the Scholarship Committee gets feedback that the Benefactors are happy when, at the end of the school year, they receive a report from the Scholarship Committee of the accomplishments of their beneficiaries, especially those students who are in the Roll of Honor for academic and extra-curricular achievements. The KIDS Benefactors do not expect anything in return for their financial assistance. They are happy that they are able to help Filipino children with their studies, that they have a role to play for these young people to fulfill their dreams and for their ambitions to come to fruition. And the KIDS Grantees are able to express their feelings of love and gratitude to their Benefactors through the Christmas cards they give every year.

There is a slim chance that these CAHS students will ever meet their kind and generous KIDS Benefactors. But just the same, the steady flows and constant expression of the gentle feeling of Love, Compassion, and Gratitude continue to be felt by the Donors and the Donees.

Surely, Love knows no boundaries!