Creating Ripples of Hope to the New Generation

Now a Science teacher, Niño Carl Parado pays his opportunities forward by guiding the next generation of learners.

In many Filipino families, a college diploma is a shared achievement. It carries years of sacrifice, late-night side hustles, scholarship applications, and the constant support of family members who gave whatever they could. 

Behind every effort is a simple hope: that the first to graduate will help lift the rest of the family up. For Science teacher Niño Carl Parado, that hope became a reality.

Niño’s journey gained momentum through the SM College Scholarship Program. Founded by Henry Sy, Sr., the program was envisioned to start a ripple effect, helping one scholar graduate so they, in turn, could support a younger sibling and create a better future for their whole family.

Niño Carl celebrates his place among SM Foundation scholars whose lives were transformed by education.

Niño took that vision to heart. With the support from the scholarship, he earned his Bachelor of Secondary Education, majoring in General Science, from Visayas State University Main Campus in Baybay City, Leyte, in August 2024. 

By June 2025, he passed the licensure examination, officially becoming a Licensed Professional Teacher. Today, he inspires young minds at San Lorenzo Ruiz School, Inc., a private institution in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

Before long, the benefits of his opportunity began to reach his family.“As soon as I began my career as a Science teacher, I took pride in supporting our youngest sibling’s education, covering his school supplies and daily needs so he can pursue his dreams without the financial struggles I once faced,” he shared. “I also contribute to our household expenses and help renovate our home, steadily raising our family’s quality of life.”

He sees his narrative as the program’s vision brought to life. “I am living proof that when one is blessed, the whole family rises,” he says. “I will keep this cycle of giving alive, both inside the classroom and within my own home, just as Mr. Henry ‘Tatang’ Sy, Sr. envisioned.”

A SHARED TRIUMPH. Graduation day marked both an individual achievement and a new beginning for Niño Carl’s entire family.

The scholarship gave him far more than financial assistance for tuition. The discipline, resilience, and values he gained as an SM scholar sustained him through college and months of board exam preparations. Today, those same principles guide how he leads his classroom.

“Today, SM Foundation has helped shape who I am as a teacher: dedicated, compassionate, and always striving for excellence, because I carry not just my name but the name and values of the Foundation wherever I go,” he says. “I share my passion for Science and lifelong learning, and above all, I strive to teach not just lessons, but values, just as SM Foundation taught me.”

In a classroom in Lapu-Lapu City, a teacher Niño stands before his students. What began as a single educational opportunity now supports a brother’s education, strengthens a family home, and inspires a new generation to dream bigger and give back.