17/06/2025
๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐
๐ฐ๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐, ๐๐ถ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐
By Joella Nicole Faeldonea
In a culture that often celebrates loud dreams and defines success through trophies and applause, some stories rise quietly. No fanfare. No spotlight. Built instead of quiet consistency, humility, and the simple choice to keep showing up.
Feb Anthony G. Rizano, a BSED Mathematics major and University Valedictorian of West Visayas State University Batch 2025, with a GWA of 1.09, never set out to be exceptional. And yet, he stood at the very top โ the one with the medal, the one who would be the first to say: excellence is not about medals at all. He did not chase awards or crave recognition. But through steady effort and silent conviction, he arrived โ not just at the finish line, but with meaning.
His journey wasnโt shaped by dramatic turning points, but by quiet, consistent choices. Each one grounded in the discipline of choosing purpose over pressure, day by day. His story reminds us that excellence doesnโt always require standing out โ sometimes, it simply means standing firm.
๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐
What Nanay Left Behind Rizanoโs path to education wasnโt sparked by a sudden ambition. It was carved out of memory and love.
Growing up in Brgy. Pagotpot, Cabatuan, Rizano was surrounded by the warmth of family. โI was born into a family of educators,โ he shared. โMy late Nanay and my sister both dedicated their lives to teaching.โ
His Nanay, who once stood in front of his Grade 3 classroom, left behind more than just lessons. She left a legacy. โI felt the love she had for her pupils, including me. Even after her passing, I would often hear people describe her not just as a great teacher, but as a genuinely good person,โ he recalled. โThose memories inspired me to live out her legacy by becoming the kind of teacher and person she was.โ
No one asked him to follow in her footsteps. But something about her sincerity โ the quiet way she impacted lives โ rooted a path in him. Teaching became not just an ambition, but a way of honoring love and living her memory.
Recognition was never the goal. It was simply about remembering where he came from, and who made him believe that gentleness can be powerful.
๐พ๐ค๐ฃ๐จ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐๐ง ๐พ๐ก๐๐ข๐ค๐ง
From elementary through college, Rizano consistently graduated as valedictorian. But for him, the title was never the goal โ it was a byproduct of discipline, not desire.
He built his learning around consistency. โI transformed every module into personalized notes, combining key points from instructors with transcripts from discussions. Iโd print these out and annotate them by hand,โ he said.
For Rizano, rest wasnโt laziness โ it was strategy. โNever fight sleep when reviewing,โ he shared. โIf my body signals the need to rest, I listen. Iโve learned that a well-rested mind absorbs more than a tired one.โ
He also shared his notes with classmates, believing education should be something lifted together.
But behind the achievements were quiet struggles. โOne challenge I quietly deal with is short-term memory loss โ I tend to learn quickly but forget things just as fast,โ he said. โI rely heavily on writing things down, whether in digital notes or printed copies, to keep track of important details.โ
Even as his name topped honors lists, he carried doubts few ever saw.
โSometimes I ask myself if I really deserve this,โ he admitted. Still, he stayed consistent โ not to prove anything, but to honor his quiet way of growing.
๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ช๐๐๐๐จ๐จ
When Rizano stepped onto the stage to deliver his valedictory address, he didnโt talk about being the best. He talked about being steadfast.
โThe core message of my speech was that true excellence isnโt defined by medals or traditional success,โ he said. โItโs defined by the quiet strength to endure and keep showing up despite adversity.โ
For the universityโs highest-ranking student this year, real success lies in the friendships formed, lessons learned, and growth embraced.
โBeing named valedictorian is a great honor, but itโs just the icing on the cake,โ he said.
He reframed success not as an achievement to claim, but as an impact to give. โIf my presence, words, or example can contribute to shaping someoneโs character or giving them hope, then I have succeeded,โ he said. โAt the end of the day, itโs not the applause that matters, but the quiet changes we help make in other peopleโs lives.โ
When he received the letter naming him valedictorian, there was no celebration. No shouting. "The first thing I did was look up to the sky and tell my late Nanay,โ he said. โThat moment filled me with pride and gratitude. It felt like the perfect culmination of all the hard work, sacrifices, and quiet moments of perseverance I had throughout college.โ
๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐, ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ช๐ฉ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐
In his speech, Rizano didnโt just tell his story โ he spoke for every student who had shown up through silence, grief, and fear.
Their batch, the so-called untested, turned out to be unbreakable.
โOur journey may have begun without the usual validation โ no entrance exams, no fanfare โ but it was never a shortcut,โ he said. โIt was a long, often invisible path marked by sacrifices and quiet victories.โ
Rizano broadened the spotlight. He included every student who quietly carried the weight of their own trials. Their entrance into the university may have been uncertain, but the legacy they leave behind is undeniable.
"We may have entered unnoticed,โ he said, โbut we will leave with voices strong, purpose clear, and stories that will ripple far beyond the walls of our university.โ
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐จ๐จ๐ค๐ฃ๐จ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐
Even with a near-perfect GWA of 1.09, Rizanoโs life was never just about grades.
Heโs a fan of K-pop groups like TWICE and ENHYPEN. He joined student organizations. He made room for joy.
Now, as he steps into the classroom โ not as a student, but as a teacher like his Nanay โ he brings more than knowledge. He brings heart.
โEach learner brings stories shaped by their communities, struggles, and dreams,โ he said. โIn my classroom, those stories will be honored and used as foundations for deeper, more meaningful learning.โ
Feb Anthony Rizanoโs story may not be filled with dramatic milestones. But it is a story of someone who walked a quiet path with purpose, consistency, and heart.
In a world that often applauds the loudest voice, he reminds us:
You donโt need to shout to be heard. You donโt need medals to be worthy.
You just need to show up โ consistently, humbly, and with the intention to serve.
That kind of excellence doesnโt echo in applause. It stays.
Layout by Fritz Jaime Sumbo
