Discovering Ikigai in Education: Kriziel M. Dela Rosa, Class of 2025 Valedictorian

A pleasant morning to our distinguished guests, members of the DAS Academy, colleagues, my fellow graduates, and our beloved family and friends.

It is truly an honour to stand here today to represent the graduating class of 2025. I started my journey with a small group of remarkable, inspiring, and resilient individuals last August. Whenever we get a chance to see each other, we often talk about how fast time flies. From when we started our first module to our last formal observation as trainee educational therapists, each step has led us to this moment.

Today is not just a celebration of the completion of a programme, but also the perseverance, dedication and commitment that have brought us here. So, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to each and every one of us for reaching this milestone.

Some of you might be wondering how or why we decided to embark on this journey. For many of us, the decision came at the crossroads in our professional and personal lives. For some of us, it was their first step towards a professional career, while for others, it was driven by a noble cause, it was their desire to give back to the community.

As for me, I first came across the Dyslexia Association of Singapore when I was reconsidering the path that I wanted to pursue for my professional career. As cliche as this may sound – I kept asking myself this question: What drives me to learn, to grow, and to push forward despite the challenges that life throws at us?

In Japanese, there is a beautiful concept called ‘ikigai’, which may loosely translate to ‘our reason for being’. So, I will continue to be a little cheesy and say that this programme became more than just a course – it became a way for me to discover my ikigai: a bridge connecting my passion, my work, and my desire to meaningfully contribute to our society.

But being an adult learner with work commitments is not easy. There were nights I returned home tired from a long day at work, yet we still had to read, write, plan and most importantly reflect on how the lesson went that day. Despite the fatigue, we all knew that these are necessary steps that we had to take to fully understand not only how to teach, but also what it means to teach.

And while those challenging moments were real, I realised that I was never alone. And through it all, I am deeply grateful to the Almighty for carrying me with His grace, giving me strength when I felt weak and clarity when I felt lost. I also had the support of my family in the Philippines as well as the family and friends that I have made here in Singapore. I had batchmates and colleagues who shared notes, encouragement, and laughter. More importantly, we had our mentors who guided us throughout the course, patiently answering our questions and making sure that we’re ready to take on classes of our own. In those moments, I truly understood a Filipino phrase that my mom always tells me: lahat ng bagay makakalakip-lakip – everything is interconnected. Every late night spent preparing for the next lesson, every small effort, and every word of encouragement built upon the other culminated in what brought us here today.

This journey has shaped us in ways I never imagined. Along the way, not only did we deepen our knowledge of inclusive education, but we also grew more disciplined, compassionate, and patient. It is the vision of growth and the understanding that every hurdle can teach us resilience that kept us pressing on.

In line with this, I once read an article that made me pause. We are often told to dream high – but what if, instead of dreaming high, we learn to dream deeply? Mangarap ng malalim. To dream deeply means to root our goals within ourselves, in our beliefs, and in our being. So, when challenges arise, we don’t see our dreams as distant or impossible; instead, we can remind ourselves about the reason why we started and that our efforts are meaningful because they are aligned with who we truly are.

As we continue to step into the future, may we carry our ikigai with us. May we continue to seek purpose, take on new challenges as opportunities to grow, and never forget to support one another. And just as we have supported each other, may we bring this spirit into our work – guiding and empowering our students to discover their own potential. So that one day, our own students too may dream deeply and discover their own ikigai.

Thank you and Mabuhay!