Boy from Argao who carries sack full of uprooted grass from school inspires teachers, netizens

Arkim Camello carries a sack full of uprooted grass from their school to home to use as food for their cattle. Contributed Photo | Je-Ann Montejo

Cebu City, Philippines— A young school boy is receiving praises online because of his determination to help his parents feed their cows.

Je-Ann Montejo, a teacher from Usmaad National High School in Argao town, southern Cebu, posted on her Facebook account on  Tuesday, June 25, 2019, a picture of a boy carrying a sack full of uprooted grass from school.

Montejo said the boy’s name was Arkim Camello, a seventh grade student.

She said she was touched after she and Camello’s adviser, Rosemarie Diotay, found out that the kid was carrying  grass from school to bring home as food for their cows.

In an interview with CDN Digital, Montejo said it has been two consecutive days that they noticed Camello carry a sack of uprooted grass on his way home from school.

“Yesterday,  during dismissal while the students were running towards the school gate,  I saw this kid carrying a sack. It pains me and at the same time it seems to energize me from a whole day work. I was really moved with what this kid did,” Montejo told CDN Digital. “The sack isn’t that heavy since it is just uprooted grass and he rides a motorcycle when he leaves the school. But I really bow down on how genuine he is, the fact that he was able to carry that sack with confidence even if there are other students looking.”

Montejo also believes Camello was not asked by his parents to bring grass home.

“He only saw that this uprooted grass and camote (sweet potato) in their assigned garden during TLE-Agriculture (exploratory) class and he asked his adviser yesterday if its possible to borrow a sack for the grass and uprooted camote” she said.

In her post, Montejo said that students like Camello bring a whole lot of meaning and purpose to her job as a teacher.

“To this young boy, truly you inspired us. For a new teacher like me, you just unleashed the answers of my ‘whys’ and you unconsciously introduced the ‘must’,” said Montejo in an excerpt of her post.

Netizens were then quick to appreciate Camello’s act.

One Tarona Carolyn said, “Swerte kaayo mo mga anak wala mo ni agi aning giagian aning bataa. So always be thankful and grateful.” (You’re lucky children that you didn’t get to go through what this kid has gone through.)

“Maka inspire jud labina sa mga istudyante,” said another netizen Jaylos Argao. (This is an inspiration, especially to students.)

The post as of 7:53 a.m of June 26, has already garnered 38 comments, 211 shares, and 505 reactions. /bmjo