The first time I saw Mrs. Benita Ngo, I thought that she was probably too kind for Xavier High School students and that she would not last a year with us. And I was right. After a quarter with us (H2A), she almost called it quits. Our class was terrible then. We were a band of misfits and difficult to get along with. Heck, we even had three fellow classmates who got kicked-out for some stuff they did to the HS OSDS office. We were really in the dumps. No teacher wanted us. However, one of our teachers from another subject told us that we should be lucky that Mrs. Benita Ngo is our teacher because she's on her "second life".

     The classes then had a little bull-session and decided to give it a try. Next thing we knew, Mrs. Benita Ngo became our Class Adviser for three straight years (I think this is unprecedented in Xavier history) aside from being the most sought after "ninang" for our weddings and baptisms. Plus every year, the class of H4A Batch 94 holds a reunion sometime in February to celebrate Mrs. Ngo's birthday (her birthday falls on Valentine's Day). This started with a little thank you party way back in 1994 during preparations for that year's school fair since we were about to graduate then.

     She basically redefined education and taught us to respect our teachers. Her compassion and sympathy won us over and made us want to be someone. She gave us confidence and most of all, taught us that kindness can help you go places.

    I have a lot of memories about Mrs. Benita Ngo since I was fortunate enough to be at the receiving end of her kindness and motherly love. There was this time I had chicken pox and couldn't come to school for three weeks. What Mrs. Ngo did was to talk to all my teachers and get the stuff I needed to do and have one of my "barkada" bring it to my house. Also, there was this time I went to Malaysia to represent the Philippines for a programming competition. Before I left, Mrs. Ngo had my class officers arrange a little "despedida" party for me which she sponsored from her own pocket. These are just some of the little things Mrs. Ngo did for us.

     Mrs. Ngo became our second mother in Xavier aside from being a confidante to share our problems with. She has shown me how to realize my God-given potentials and of course, how to be a good teacher since now, I am in the academe. I hope that Mrs. Benita Ngo can continue to touch more lives just as she has touched the lives of H4-A Class of 1994.

     To Mrs. Benita Ngo, thank you for everything, especially for making me what I am right now.