They've Learned
The banners were up. The stage was built. The toolkit checklists were finalized down to the last screw and wire nut.
The Regional TLE Showcase had finally arrived.
Held at the Division Training Center, it was a gathering of the best Grade 10 technical-vocational students from across the province. Welding, carpentry, ICT, dressmaking—and, of course, Electrical Installation and Maintenance—all under one roof.
It wasn't just a contest. It was the culmination of everything they had learned.
And for Mr. Emman's students, this was their final load test.
The Team from Jose Rizal High
Jose Rizal High sent a small but determined team:
Marco, the quiet strategist, in charge of the circuit blueprint and load computation.
Bryan, now growing in confidence, responsible for actual wiring and conduit bending.
Carina, team lead and safety officer, tasked with compliance and timekeeping.
Their booth was simple but functional. A wooden practice wall with sockets, switches, breakers, and junction boxes—ready for installation.
Emman stood nearby—not hovering, not directing. Just… present.
He had trained them to think, not just to follow. Now it was time to let them work.
The Pressure Mounts
The emcee's voice echoed through the gym:
"Contestants, your time starts… now!"
At once, drills buzzed, screwdrivers turned, and measuring tapes flew.
Jose Rizal's team moved like clockwork—methodical, focused. Marco marked points for the boxes, Bryan bent PVC conduits with precision, and Carina double-checked every step with her checklist.
But midway through the challenge, disaster struck.
The Loose Connection
As Bryan was screwing in the main breaker, a loud snap! echoed. He froze.
The terminal strip had cracked—the bolt had been over-torqued.
Panic swept across his face. Time was ticking. The other schools were progressing.
"Sir—what do I do?" he whispered toward Emman.
Emman didn't step in. He met Bryan's eyes calmly.
"You tell me," he said, voice steady.
Bryan stared at the cracked breaker, then at the spares table. He ran, grabbed a replacement, and within minutes, installed the new one—slower this time, more careful.
The team lost seven minutes.
But they didn't lose their composure.
Presentation and Judging
After three grueling hours, the whistle blew. Tools down.
Judges came in pairs, clipboard in hand, eyes sharp.
One of them—a retired lineman—spent five long minutes at the Jose Rizal booth. He ran his tester across the lines, checked the labels, inspected the conduit for gaps.
Then he paused.
"Who did this loop connection?" he asked, pointing at a three-way switch setup.
Carina raised her hand.
The judge looked at her with a flicker of surprise. "Clean work. Good spacing. Neat wires."
She nodded, professional and calm.
It wasn't perfect.
But it was real.
The Announcement
By late afternoon, the participants were gathered in front of the stage.
Trophies stood on the table. Banners with school names flapped in the warm air.
"3rd Place… Mabini National High School."
"2nd Place… Quezon Technical Academy."
A pause.
"And 1st Place, for outstanding teamwork, technical accuracy, and safety compliance…"
Emman held his breath.
"Jose Rizal High School!"
Cheers erupted. Carina gasped. Bryan's jaw dropped. Marco actually smiled—something no one had seen since June.
The three students walked up to receive the medal, heads high, eyes wide.
From the back, Emman simply applauded.
He didn't need a trophy.
This moment was his reward.
After the Applause
That night, the team sat with Sir Emman at a roadside eatery, eating tapsilog and laughing like family.
"Sir," Bryan said between bites, "I thought I messed it all up."
"You did," Emman grinned. "Then you fixed it."
"And that," he added, raising his plastic cup of iced tea, "is what real electricians do."
Carina clinked cups with him. "And real teachers too."
They laughed.
The air was filled with joy—but deeper than that, there was something else:
Pride.
Not from the gold medal…
But from the growth.
From failure, and recovery. From practice, and purpose.