As the nation celebrates National Teachers Month this September 2025, the author shares this inspirational talk in which he honors his former teacher, Ms. Evelyn Florece. This was originally published in medium.com, December 2, 2024.

Around 30 years ago, sometime in 1994, I received my first (and only) grade of A+. It was from my English class in Ateneo de Naga. The project was to write a fictional story. It was to be one of our final requirements before the school year ended.

I still remember the title of my work — The X-Knights. It was inspired by our team name in our annual intramurals. It was in a way a tribute to my classmates, most of whom I’ve been with since our elementary years in a nearby parochial school.

Of course, how can I forget the teacher who gave me the grade — Ms. Evelyn Florece or simply Ma’am Blen.

We all have that one teacher in our lifetime who believed in us. Who gave us the added attention that we direly need — that extra ounce of courage to step forward, and in the process allowed us to see the LEADER in us.

Ma’am Blen was that teacher in my life

And last 2021, when I was able to successfully co-wrote and co-published this book, Winning Still, a collection of essays of 25 notable men and women in Philippine sports during the time of the COVID lockdown, it was never a surprise that I found myself reaching out to Ma’am Blen to let her know that I am sending her a free and signed copy of the book. I would like to read portions of her message sent to me via Messenger:

“Hi Noli. I have the “Winning Still.” I first read the synopsis then went to read the epilogue you wrote. Your obra has been indeed a product of a concerted and communal effort of people who love sports. Challenging though, here you are announcing to the world that YOU made it. Congrats, I am happy for you.”

That message from her meant so much to me. I can only reply with these — “You are always an inspiration to me, Ma’am Blen. Salamat po.”

Dear Sirs and Ma’ams, what makes this gathering so special today is that YOU, WE, are all or can all be “Ma’am Blens” to our students. And our schools create platforms where our students, if guided and mentored well, can indeed find the leaders in them.

As you walk out of Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) Davao today, I would like to encourage you to be intentional mentors, be honest and truthful guides, be caring teachers and be a transformative presence to the young men and women, little boys and girls, that are waiting for you in your schools.

Make our schools in Mindanao transformational. Make our schools creative. Make our schools inspiring and life giving. One way to do that is to open the leadership boxes found inside our students — however, the reality is, it takes a well guided and well intentioned teacher to be able to do that.

Dear school administrators in attendance today — Inspire our teachers. Capacitate them. Empower them. Then encourage them to do the same to our students. Remember, they cannot give what they do not have.

This is Ma’am Blen now — taken earlier this month somewhere in Windsor, United Kingdom. Enjoying retirement. Her son posted this picture on FB and I happened to see it. She does not know that I am sharing this picture of her today.

However, I am moved to do so. To honor her and to share to all of you the magnificence of a moment she gave me some 30 years ago. When an ordinary act that might have meant nothing to her has become a lifelong something to me.

When I would reflect on my leadership journey, it would always include Ma’am Blen and her generous act of 30 years back. She made me see what I did not see. She made me discover the leader in me.

Thank you for finding time to join us today. Thank you to Franklin Covey Philippines for providing us a good reason to gather. Thank you, Sir Jayson Barlan, our COO, and to Dr. Peter Laurel, our LPU President, for allowing us to use this venue. May what we do after today help shape a better future for our country.

Pro Deo et Patria. For God and County. Para sa Diyos at sa Bayan.

The header photo shows the author (at center wearing a white shirt and a baseball cap) with talented writers and sports leaders during the Sports Management Forum hosted by LPU Davao on June 14, 2023. All photos provided by the author.

About the author

A hopeful visionary and an inspiring storyteller, Coach Noli Ayo is a believer that sports, if placed in hands of the right people, has the power to change the world. He is a published writer through the books Winning Still and The Mindanao Peace Games. A leading figure in Philippine sports, he is the founder and convener of the Mindanao Peace Games, Assistant to the President for Sports and Development of the Lyceum of the Philippines University in its Davao, Batangas, and Laguna campuses, and the Mindanao Coordinator of the Philippine Sports Commission.

Emmanuel Rene “Noli” S. Ayo is the eldest child of two Ateneo De Naga alumni – Ramon Nonito Ayo (ADNU HS 1974) and Asela San Andres (ADNU College 1982)