Gaining motivation from the hardships she experienced during the catastrophic Typhoon Yolanda which struck their place, a Leyte student wins P20M in international science competition.

What’s even a greater about this feat is that she was able to beat around 11,000 entries worldwide.

The Power of Intelligence in Achieving Dreams

Aside from hard work and perseverance, intelligence is one of the key investments in achieving our dreams and succeeding in life without stepping on others.

Add to that the resourcefulness and creativity that come naturally to Filipinos, and you are sure to overcome any challenge life throws at you.

This has been proven time and again by many Filipinos who refused to back down from trials, overcame obstacles, and eventually achieved success.

Recalling Typhoon Yolanda

Among them is a student from Tacloban, Leyte, who is also a survivor of Typhoon Yolanda.

It can be recalled that Typhoon Yolanda severely struck the province of Leyte in 2013. Among the families deeply affected was the family of Hillary Diane Andales, who was then a Grade 12 student.

She shared in an interview, “We had to run up to our double-deck bed kasi we didn’t have a second floor,”

“My dad punched the ceiling tapos doon na lang kami sa steel trusses of the roof. We held on to those steel trusses for 7 hours until the storm surge subsided,” she added.

An Experience That Motivated Her to Work Harder

Nevertheless, the student was deeply grateful that no one in her family was harmed when the typhoon struck their province. That experience, coupled with her passion for science, motivated her to work even harder in life.

It ultimately led her to win a prestigious competition that attracted 11,000 participants from around the world.

Among the 178 countries that participated in the international science competition, the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, Hillary, the pride of Leyte, was crowned the grand prize winner.

Using her project titled “Relativity and the Equivalence of Reference Frames,” the genius student was declared the champion and won a massive cash prize.

The total prize that Hillary brought home amounted to ₱20 million, which included rewards for her teacher and school, as well as a scholarship grant.

Congratulations, Hillary!