this is a literature created by students . It is composed of spoken poetry, short storiens, poems and more

1. ILS: 21st Century
Literature Folio
STEM 113 Group 3 - Batch 1

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
01 02 03 04
Group
Members
Poem Short Story Essay

3. Ariana T.
Leo, 16
Keith Ronan P.,
Taurus, 16
Juliana Marchelle L.
Gemini, 16
Group Members
De Jesus, Debonbon, Dela Torre,
Marcus Ray
Sagittarius, 16
Marinella Dianne Q.
Taurus, 17
Rainiela O.
Libra, 16
Enal, Gelera, Glorioso,

4. POEM
a piece of writing that
partakes of the nature of both
speech and song that is
nearly always rhythmical,
usually metaphorical, and
often exhibits such formal
elements as meter, rhyme, and
stanzaic structure.

5. Lost & Remorse
I walk away
and shut my eyes
to the what-ifs
that are unsettling.
In letting go
what I wanted most,
it was painful
and foreboding.
For insanity
it had lead me
to self-reproach
of my doing.
No choice but to
turn my back,
close my heart,
and yearn for healing.

6. That Day
Remember that day?
When we’d play around the swings,
And get a little carried away,
With our silly promise rings.
Remember that day?
When we had shared our first kiss,
So every time I passed the school
hallway,
I would get the flutters as I reminisce.
Remember that day?
When you got me a bouquet of roses,
To surprise me on my birthday,
And shower yours truly with lovely
praises.
Remember that day?
When you asked to spend the rest of
your life with me,
And pictured me walking on the
aisleway,
As you slowly went down on one knee.
I remember all of it so vividly,
It was fall on the fourth of May.
If only you had told me even a
bit sooner,
I would no longer be thinking of
us today.

7. Empty
Everything was a vast and dark space
No holes for air to come in and out
And I’m just standing there,
Isolated.
I really don’t know how I got in there
Since everything that happened to me was
all a blur.
Because after everything,
Everything that has happened to me,
I’ll just put up a mask,
And make pretend.
Pretend that I was alright,
That it really didn’t bother me, when it
really did.
Well, that’s all I can do anyway, pretend.
It’s the one thing,
The one and the only thing I was good at.
Anything I do can never be the best.
That’s how the world works,
Either you get everything you want or you
don’t.
Sometimes I cry about it, often I don’t
I don’t even know how to, recently

8. On the inside, I was really hurting,
I wanted to let it out,
But I can’t,
I really can’t.
I’ve tried a million times before,
But all failed.
It made me frustrated,
Really, really frustrated
That I couldn’t express
And say what I was feeling that night.
So instead, I opted to distract myself once
again,
And again and again.
It didn’t help at all,
But at the very least, I was distracted
From thinking and thinking all about it.
So, up until now, I was just stuck,
Stuck in my wide, wide, pitch-black space.
Until I saw a little light,
I tried reaching for it
Reaching, running, reaching, running
“Everything I ever did was all up for nothing,” I said
For I believed that everything will all pass anyway.
And thus it made me glad,
That there was still hope on the outside

9. It made me happy,
That I had something to accompany me
through the dark paths,
Even if it was only a glimpse of light.
Running made me tired,
And my body and feet felt heavy,
But I always was so determined for anything I
set my mind on.
I told myself,
That the little light was my last and only hope.
It really was the last.
As it started flickering and flickering,
The light was getting smaller,
Until I didn’t see anything anymore.
And suddenly, I was back to square one.

10. SHORT STORY
a piece of prose fiction that
typically can be read in one
sitting and focuses on a self-
contained incident or series of
linked incidents, with the
intent of evoking a single
effect or mood.

11. Rose of an Angel
There once lived a tenderhearted angel named Mary Anne. Her hair was golden in color and was usually
tied in a braid, with blue eyes that were as deep as the ocean. In the heavenly realm, she was admired not
only for her ethereal beauty but also for her good-natured personality.
One day during her usual routine, she heard the sound of a boy weeping for help. The young angel
wasted no time and immediately searched for the source. Concerned about the noise, she quickly went to
a senior disciple to ask for help. The older was fascinated upon hearing the situation as it was a rare
occurrence, he said, “You now have a boy to protect and you’ve been tasked to be his guardian angel,
Mary Anne.” She was bewildered from being appointed with such a mission, so she sought guidance from
the senior disciple to which he had answered that anyone who’s a guardian angel has a mission on earth
and must complete it in order to be able to return to heaven.
Mary Anne, although flustered, was very determined to accomplish her mission to protect the boy and
bring him back home safely. At that moment, she promptly landed on earth to look for the little boy,
disguised in a human form to conceal her true identity. Whilst walking around the village, she had
encountered a butterfly that emitted a gleaming glow that was like none other. To her surprise, it seems
to have recognized her and guided the angel to her destination. She then curiously followed the lead of
the butterfly wherein she noticed the small boy crying under a tree.

12. As the divine agent slowly approached the younger, she stopped in her tracks upon realizing the familiar
voice was identical to that of in the realm. She has finally found the boy she’s been searching for!
Carefully scanning his figure from head to toe, it was brought to her attention that he had bruised his
knee and sprained an ankle. Mary Anne was very disheartened seeing the boy in pain, thus, gently
hovering her hand above the injuries as they all at once, magically disappeared in thin air. A shocked
expression washed over the young male’s face, eyebrows furrowed with his jaw hanging open when the
pain went away with it, causing a short chuckle to leave the angel’s mouth. But regardless of not
understanding the situation, he was still truly grateful for the act of kindness she had shown.
The two beings exchanged greetings, a smile spreading on both of their faces as one statement followed
the other. “I’m Marco and I am 6 years old! I came here to play with my dad but got myself in an accident
while I was playing near the trees,” he said sheepishly. While Mary listened attentively, Marco further
explained the circumstance, how he tripped on a large rock, and had called for his dad multiple times, yet
to no avail, looked like he had gone too far to play.
They began to wander around the area, finding the child’s father as the two continued to talk. Sharing
stories, even unfortunate ones as the angel learned about the loss of Marco’s mother while she was
giving birth to him. Mary couldn’t help but feel sorrow as if a part of her shattered so without much
thought, a sentimental statement left her lips. “Wherever she is, I’m sure she’s proud of you.”

13. Hours passed and right when the boy was about to lose hope, he heard his father call out his
name. And In an instant, a bright smile plastered on Marco’s lips. The tall man was relieved to see his son,
all of his worries drowning away but surprised was he, to see him with a beautiful lady. Mary’s eyes met
the man’s, silently observing each other’s faces when suddenly he broke the silence and spoke, “Mary
Anne.” The angel was stunned, tears flowing down her cheeks as her legs froze in place. She had no clue
why she was acting that way but the immense feeling in her heart felt otherwise.
The father ran towards her and pulled her in a hug, she was still confused with what story she had
shared with the man but Mary found herself wrapping her arms around his familiar waist. She did not
know who he was, however, the record of his voice calling her name repeated in her mind, and bit by bit,
she finally understood.
Moments later, she woke up with the disciple standing before her. Eyes still red and stinging from
crying, she had regained her memories. The senior disciple gave her a chance to once again meet the
boy and spend a day with him. Mary Anne politely refused and only wished for a quick moment to visit the
village instead wherein he smiled and bobbed his head as a response. The guardian angel then
descended to earth and neatly left a rose with a letter beside the trunk of the tree where she had met
Marco. Her mission as a guardian angel has now been completed. Approaching her was the disciple,
asking Mary Anne if she is ready to return to the heavenly realm. As she was already content with the task
she accomplished, she gave him a nod. They then went back in a flash. Countless years passed by and
from above, she happily looked over her son and husband.

14. Sweet Lollipop
I stood at the doorstep of our apartment, the same old smell of smoke wafting in the air as soon as I
entered. I hated it. No, loathed was the correct term. Cigarettes have taken away so much from me, and
above all was my dad.
The sound of the piano greeted me. It was something I grew fond of the moment I heard him play.
Unconsciously, my feet brought me to where the soothing melodies came from. There I was met with the
familiar figure of his back.
It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence to see a cigarette lit in between Helio’s lips. A trail of smoke leaving
him as he breathed out whilst the sense of tranquility filled his veins. My unfortunate situation was a well-
known fact between our friends, which is why many of them had tried to lecture him on nicotine and how
it could impact his health, but he never listened.
The foul smell of smoke lingered across the room. Oh, how I despise its stench. Just the thought of the
stick between his fingers sickens me. When my boyfriend admitted to indulging in a bad habit, I couldn’t
help but feel slightly disgusted. I understood very well it was hard for some people to give it up, so I never
pressured him into quitting it. All I could do was sway his mind every so often but did I grow to deal with
it? Just like him, I would never.

15. Helio’s fingers danced across the keys, producing mellow tunes as he elicited a soft hum, body swaying
along with the rhythm with his pair of eyes glued on the sheets. Times like this are when I am usually
reminded of how we came to be. I could never describe such feelings properly, how things like this could
turn my body weightless, and take my mind away from the harshness of reality. His fingertips continued
to glide away smoothly. Minutes and minutes passing by as I admired the music when suddenly, it came
to an abrupt stop.
“Hey, can you pass me a cigarette?”
Quickly, I grabbed the packet of cigarettes from across the piano, stealthily hiding it behind my back as
my free hand reached for a lollipop and gave it to him.
“You do know this tastes a lot better, right?”
His eyes shot daggers the moment he realized what I had under my sleeve. Aware that there were no
chances of the situation going his way, he eventually gazed over me with a defeated look before taking
the piece of candy.
“I can never win against you, Medea.” He says with a sigh, popping the lollipop in his mouth as he rolled
his eyes playfully.

16. A light chuckle escaped from my lips, delighted from the triumph before approaching my beloved to lean
in and press a gentle kiss on top of his hair, causing a small smile to spread on his face. Helio’s fingers
once again met with the keys as they surfed above them while music began floating seamlessly. My silent
presence guided him to give his entire attention to the soft melody he produced, a sound that is almost
enchanting within the eerie quietness of the room.
I immediately felt myself getting lost in the music, body swaying almost imperceptibly as the song grows
more intense. However, after a few minutes of listening, I got up and made my way to the door. This
doesn’t go unnoticed by him as he stops playing to look back at me and take his lollipop out. “Where are
you off to?”
Turning my head to face Helio, I smiled and answered shortly, “I’m off to get groceries”. He then gave me a
nod as I proceeded to leave.
Helio’s POV
A few hours after I was left alone, I found myself browsing the internet when suddenly, I received a text
from an unknown number.
“This is VLM Hospital and you are registered as the emergency contact of Ms. Medea. She arrived 30
minutes ago from a car accident and was immediately delivered to the emergency room.”

17. Is this supposed to be a joke? This must be a prank. I was just with her earlier. It can’t be...
“I’m sorry but unfortunately, we were unable to save her.”
These words kept ringing in my head. Restless days when I would long for her and countless nights she’d
visit in my dreams. I no longer know what to do because everything still reminds me of her. I would
remember how she rests her head on my shoulder after a long day from work or how her voice blends
into the music when she sings as I play the piano. All the memories are still vivid and I can’t seem to let go.
“Medea, I’m going for a smoke. I’ll be back in around 5 minutes.” I yell, moving towards the balcony of our
apartment before grabbing a packet of cigarettes from the front pocket of my jacket. I placed a cigarette
between my lips, sparking it with the flame of my lighter as I inhaled the toxins and let out a sigh at the
familiar burn.
Playing with the box in my hand, I carefully read the warning label written on the back. “SMOKING CAUSES
FATAL LUNG DISEASE AND REDUCES BLOOD FLOW TO THE LIMBS.” At first, these little notes would
always put me off a little, though as time went on, those facts and their effect on the average human
became a norm after frequent viewing.

18. I stomped out the finished cigarette, puffing a cloud of grey smoke when it blew away with the breeze
from my right, wherein she appeared. “Back with your cancer stick, huh?”
Medea was one of those people who would never bluntly tell me to quit smoking, instead, she had her
rather cute subtle ways in convincing me to at least cut it down. She cared dearly about my well-being
and I appreciated the concern but we all only have one life to live.
“Why quit if it makes me happy?”
Towards the end, I still wanted to make a change even if it was too late. To get rid of my bad habit in
hopes she’d appreciate it. But how could I, when it’s the last thing that keeps me sane?
My hands twitched as I pulled out the drawer, reaching out for the box of cigarettes in a nerve-wracking
state as my mouth sought for its reliever. Once it was in my hold, not even a second in and I had dropped
it. Lollipops in a variety of flavors started falling from the packet and were spread out on the floor. With a
shaky breath, I bent down and picked up the container. Slowly observing it when my eyes trailed to the
little note behind it.
“Sweet replacement, aren’t they?”

19. My Story
There was once a boy who grew up without his father. Although curious, he didn’t ask and bother his
mother about the matter. Living without his father at his young age, he only cared about his mother. She,
who stood to be both the breadwinner and homemaker that is why he never asked about him.
During weekdays at school, he was frequently bullied about that particular circumstance. His classmates
would consistently ask questions about his father and every time he responded with the same usual line,
“He’s probably dead. I don’t really care so stop asking me.” The boy carried this great burden in his heart.
Burden from his father’s absence and feelings from a great sense of loss. Overwhelmed, several times he
would suddenly burst into tears. All those years, he was living with a mask on. Always trying to be strong,
to wise up, and quit feeling sorry for himself since he didn’t want his mother to see him in such a state. He
knew that his mom was working hard to provide their necessities and did her best to support them, he felt
as though he were in no position to be vulnerable.
Today, the 15-year-old boy was turning 16. His mother, while on the phone, called him. And she
accidentally mentions the name of his father, Jakper. Suddenly curious, the boy continuously asked
questions to his mother. “Is that his name? Was he still alive? If he is, where was he?” Taken aback, she
pauses for a moment. A wave of silence overtook until she finally broke it to him, “Yes, but we don’t need a
good for nothing man in this family. We’re fine as is.” Though the boy did not know how to react, he too
was trembling with excitement after hearing his father’s name deep inside. He grew determined to find his
father no matter what and thought to himself, what better time to start than later at midnight?

20. The time came, he quickly hopped on the seat of his computer desk and searched through Facebook.
Many others that were also named ‘Jakper’ popped up, requiring him to meticulously inspect each
profile. But after much searching and thorough checking, he couldn’t find any information about his
father. Crestfallen, he slept without knowing anything except his name.
In the morning, he kept pestering his mother as soon as he woke up; however, his mother was truly
persistent in keeping her mouth shut. After eating breakfast, his mom quickly dressed up for work and bid
his son goodbye. So immediately, the boy took the opportunity, locked the door, and eagerly looked
through the rooms in search of any clues about his father who ever since was out of the picture.
Hours passed by and he had already checked every room in their house. Is it really hopeless? Should I
just give up? Deep in thought was he when he realized that there was one room that he didn’t look
through yet, his mother’s room. She made a list of rules in their house to keep their home in order, and
the first one was the prohibition to enter her room. He never paid attention to what could possibly be
behind those doors but if it was a piece that will enable him to better understand the situation, he was
more than willing to take action. Apologizing to his mom in his head, he swiftly entered the room. The
boy’s eyes went across the place, instantly noticing the phone sitting atop his mother’s desk. He opened
the device with curiosity and scanned every messaging app inside including Messenger, WhatsApp, and
Viber. To his surprise, he found a contact saved under his father’s name. He quickly saved the contact
number in time for the sound of the front door opening, signaling his mother returning. Briskly, he
restored everything in place and carefully left the room.

21. The boy was exhilarated, heading to Camilla’s house, his close neighbor, as soon as he got permission to.
He wasted no time and filled her with the details. Upon figuring out the full name of his father, she
advised him to add and speak to his father on Facebook. But he refused Camilla’s suggestion, afraid his
father might know that he had found him. So the boy ended up stalking his father’s account and learning
that he had a different family.
As though his energy was being drained, he abruptly returned home. He went inside and approached his
mother while looking down. “Mom, be frank with me. Do I have other siblings?” The woman was confused
as to where his son picked up the information, but she figured it was time she explained and asked
forgiveness for keeping those things to herself.
Sighing she says, “It’s true, son. I’m really sorry and I hope you understand. You didn’t seem to care about
him when you were little. But seeing you now, I realized that the deprivation of a father wouldn’t make you
long for one.”
He responded, “I know, Mom. I want to see him, once would suffice. Because even though he left us, he’s
still my Dad.”
After the long mother-son conversation, it brought the boy to tears as they both agreed to meet with his
father after 16 long years. She took the time to fill the young one with stories of their past relationship,
stories from when they got together up to how things became how they are in the present. After dinner,
she called Jakper and informed him about the request of their son. The man agreed and looked at it as a
chance for atonement. He wanted to make up everything he lacked as a father.

22. On the day of the scheduled meetup, the two
got ready for the long-awaited event. The
young boy could barely get any sleep that
night out of the excitement that built up. They
soon arrived at the mall and immediately
spotted the lean figure of his father, Jakper.
He hurriedly pulled his mother along with him
as he ran towards his dad. The boy couldn’t
contain his joy, smiling from ear to ear. For at
last, the man he has long yearned to see was
finally in front of him. Although this gathering
was both happy and sad, nothing else
mattered to him at the moment. He was just
glad things have been resolved between
them. Even if only for a day, he experienced
what it was like to spend time together with a
complete family.

23. ESSAY
an analytic or interpretive
literary composition usually
dealing with its subject from a
limited or personal point of
view.

24. Struggles of Modular Learning
Due to COVID-19, face-to-face learning was prohibited because of the social distancing as it
may cause a high risk of getting infected by the said virus. In that case, instead of face-to-face
learning, the Department of Education came up with a solution which is the online and modular
learning that was implemented and used for the current school year. But I will be discussing the
struggles of modular learning.
Based on my perspective, modular learning isn't as effective as it was supposed to be. One
of the reasons is how most teachers these days neglect their students. My younger sister, for
example, is in one of the schools that is under modular learning, and according to her, the
teachers there do not give any updates or hold online meet-ups with them not unless it was about
the deadline and distribution of modules. There is no explanation of what they should do or how
activities must be approached even though providing instructions is the bare minimum of the
standard. Especially for their age, it becomes difficult when guidance isn’t received on their end. I
could tell that isn't right because my mother is a teacher who attends virtual meetings with her
students and assists them with their concerns for almost an hour. In another point, some students
don’t answer their own modules but instead, rely on their older relatives that are being given
consent by their parents. Based on my girlfriend's statement wherein she experiences the same
situation, she claims to have answered 5 sets of modules from her niece and nephews while she
hasn't received hers yet. However, even after she has, she was still helping out in 2 sets of modules
from her nephew so that brings a total of 3 modules including hers. Now, think about the
exhaustion that other people are currently experiencing too.
01

25. Sadly, even if it is not fair nor
effective, there is no choice for us
since the regular way of learning is
currently forbidden. Alternatively, we,
as a society, should learn to adapt
and engage in this program
independently. We must not risk or
harm our wellbeing just because one
is tired and wants to give up. Let us
keep on looking on the brighter side
of this pandemic and hope that
everything will be back to normal
soon.

26. Good Character in Effective Communicators
Specific individual characteristics, or attributes, make up our overall character. As
individuals, each of us has skills and qualities that are more positive and those that are more
negative. Some are stronger, while others are weaker as well. It is those certain traits, or features,
that decide how we will respond in any given circumstance. There are multiple characteristics an
effective communicator possesses but the most important among them is a good character.
By observing good character, it reflects the nature and character of the sender of the
message. It builds one’s reputation and strengthens trust for much can be achieved by being
thoughtful, appreciative, and using polite words and gestures. Having such an important
characteristic is not limited to exchanging respect with one another but simply valuing the
feelings of the audience genuinely as well. Furthermore, a communicator who has a good attitude
will be able to deliver their ideas and opinions effectively. When one knows how to compose or
carry themselves, it verily lowers the possibility of personal judgment and miscommunication, and
instead build a strong foundation with the listeners as an effective communicator. Hence, why it is
one of the most significant qualities.
02

27. Despite the many ways of communicating, successful communicators share essential
common concepts and strategies that enable them to communicate effectively. Good character
traits and qualities such as kindness, sincerity, integrity, compassion, and other positive
attributes help form meaningful connections with others and achieve their on-set goals. The
ability to communicate clearly is in itself an ability that contributes to these advanced
interpersonal abilities that enable valuable relations.
To conclude, the characteristics of effective
communicators help reach across all languages and cultures.
In almost all occupations, at home, and in trade, being a
successful communicator has many advantages and benefits.
Through the frequent practice of good character,
meaningful connections begin.

28. Learning Through The Screen
During this pandemic, there wasn’t quite a choice if I wanted to continue my studies in a
regular way. Having online classes wasn’t ideal, and that especially included learning biology
through the screen. I thought there wasn’t much knowledge I’d gain without actually undergoing
face-to-face connections but to my surprise, I had learned more than I thought. With the
handouts and powerpoints provided, studying online most certainly exceeded my expectations.
Some factors contributed to changing my insights about it and one of which is the
interactive models. For the subject of biology, conducting laboratory experiments is a significant
component, and online simulations gave a true to life experience. It was both academically
enlightening and pleasingly entertaining so as I was learning, I was also having fun. Visual
presentations such as the videos included helped a lot of other subjects as well. Among them, our
subject Pre-calculus utilized these demonstrations to help ease and improve our understanding
of the lectures. It assisted in giving and carrying out lessons through visual aiding. These
incorporations of multiple learning styles prepared ahead influenced e-Learning for the better.
03

29. Although an online method of education for mature, self-disciplined students can be a highly
successful alternative means of education, it is an inadequate learning environment for more
dependent learners. This puts a greater burden on the student for this requires them to be well
prepared, self-motivated, and have a high degree of time management skills to effectively engage in
an online program in order to keep up with the speed of the course. Moreover, by establishing a
pleasant environment in the virtual classroom where all students feel comfortable participating, and
particularly where students know that their teacher is available, an online teacher must be able to
compensate for the lack of physical presence. Failure to do this will alienate the class from the
teacher as well as from one another. One must also have access to the Internet to comply with
classroom requirements, not only that but online classes give students more workload. Additionally,
technical issues, as well as time variations, limit learning opportunities.

30. Online classes although not favored by many due to the many negative qualities, also carry
strengths in learning. Just like mentioned, it offers a technology-based instructional environment
and provides high standard education through a variety of modalities and formats. The online
format also permits dynamic interaction between the teacher and among the students themselves
through shared resources, ideas, and continuous synergy. Altogether, when one is knowledgeable on
the proper delivery of courses online, it can offer unprecedented learning opportunities for us,
students. By adapting to the new normal, we can discover plenty of different opportunities and new
insights on multiple aspects of our lives.
Overall, individualized attention must be given to these upsides and downsides of
online courses. It has its own set of challenges and it may not be suited for everyone. However, when
one has access to technology, a sense of responsibility, and determination, online classes can prove
to be a possible efficient means of learning.

31. THANKS!
2nd Quarter ILS: Folio
21st Century Literature