Around March of each year, a lot of young people often go viral for their inspiring graduation stories. One of these is Grace Labrador Bacus of Talisay City in the province of Cebu, Philippines.
At 30, she is not your typical college graduate – and, indeed, she isn’t! She was a house helper and nanny who would inspire many netizens after she graduated magna cum laude from the course of Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in English at Talisay City College in her hometown.
The third of nine kids, she was already a responsible child who thought about the welfare of her siblings and parents over her own. Knowing her parents could not afford to send everyone to school, she found a job as a house helper and nanny to help augment the family’s income as well as fund her education.
During her high school years, she had a difficult time juggling her hours in school and taking care of her younger siblings. She recalled how a teacher put her down and told her she should quit school because being a nanny does not really require someone to have an education.
“Yes, word for word I could still hear you say that. It was engraved in my heart. That the person I expected to understand me was the same person who broke me to pieces for she was supposedly my ADVISER, my second parent. I promised to myself I will never treat my students the same way as I was treated back then,” Grace shared.
After she finished high school, she became a house helper and would go on to work for 10 years to support her siblings and send them to school. She didn’t want them to experience the difficult life she had.
RELATED STORIES
To augment her income, she became a dressmaker and would accept orders for uniforms, costumes, bedsheets, and various items.
While trying to find a job abroad to better help her family, she was told that she needed at least 72 units in college to do that; thus, she enrolled with the goal of reaching the requirement. But she excelled in her studies, leading her parents and professors to encourage her to continue earning her degree.
“I always gave it my best shot so I was a consistent number 1 dean’s lister since first year,” Grace shared. “There were a lot of sleepless nights, reading, studying and sometimes crying.”
All her hard work and sacrifices paid off. At age 30, Grace was finally able to finish her degree – and with flying colors at that: Magna Cum Laude!
She made the right choice. Not only is her story an inspiration to many, she would surely be an inspiring teacher to her students…
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
At 30, she is not your typical college graduate – and, indeed, she isn’t! She was a house helper and nanny who would inspire many netizens after she graduated magna cum laude from the course of Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in English at Talisay City College in her hometown.
The third of nine kids, she was already a responsible child who thought about the welfare of her siblings and parents over her own. Knowing her parents could not afford to send everyone to school, she found a job as a house helper and nanny to help augment the family’s income as well as fund her education.
 |
| Photo credit: Grace Labrador Bacus / Facebook |
During her high school years, she had a difficult time juggling her hours in school and taking care of her younger siblings. She recalled how a teacher put her down and told her she should quit school because being a nanny does not really require someone to have an education.
“Yes, word for word I could still hear you say that. It was engraved in my heart. That the person I expected to understand me was the same person who broke me to pieces for she was supposedly my ADVISER, my second parent. I promised to myself I will never treat my students the same way as I was treated back then,” Grace shared.
After she finished high school, she became a house helper and would go on to work for 10 years to support her siblings and send them to school. She didn’t want them to experience the difficult life she had.
RELATED STORIES
- Ogie Diaz shares touching message for daughter who graduated without honors
- Construction worker dad goes viral as he goes barefoot to his daughter’s graduation
- McDonald’s service crew inspires with success story, graduates Magna Cum Laude
- Teacher creates portraits for 59 students after entire class is on the Honor Roll
- Grade 1 pupil allegedly removed from list of awardees for failure to settle Php3k bill
- Graduate allegedly disqualified from making graduation speech because she’s a transferee
To augment her income, she became a dressmaker and would accept orders for uniforms, costumes, bedsheets, and various items.
While trying to find a job abroad to better help her family, she was told that she needed at least 72 units in college to do that; thus, she enrolled with the goal of reaching the requirement. But she excelled in her studies, leading her parents and professors to encourage her to continue earning her degree.
 |
| Photo credit: Grace Labrador Bacus / Facebook |
“I always gave it my best shot so I was a consistent number 1 dean’s lister since first year,” Grace shared. “There were a lot of sleepless nights, reading, studying and sometimes crying.”
All her hard work and sacrifices paid off. At age 30, Grace was finally able to finish her degree – and with flying colors at that: Magna Cum Laude!
She made the right choice. Not only is her story an inspiration to many, she would surely be an inspiring teacher to her students…
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
