Written by Leonel A. Cabaong & Diona Dane T. Ramos ||
On March 4, 2026, the School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts held its much anticipated yearly event, STELALYMPICS, with the theme Avatar: The Last Airbender. The event brought together students and faculty for a day filled with fun games and strong team spirit. The University of Baguio Gymnasium was filled with loud yells and cheers as participants gathered to celebrate camaraderie and friendly competition.
The program opened with welcoming remarks from Mr. Erjay Lerio of the BPED Faculty, who formally started the event with an inspiring message for the participants. The opening program was hosted by CJ Olpino and the SB Governor, Leonel Cabaong, who kept the crowd engaged and energized. They introduced the four competing teams inspired by the nations from Avatar: The Last Airbender: Air Nomads, Water Tribe, Fire Nation, and Earth Kingdom.
To energize the participants, the teams were called to the floor to join a dance exercise led by the department’s very own Indak STELA. The lively warm up helped boost everyone’s energy and set a positive mood for the day. After the activity, students and faculty remained on the floor to participate in fun games such as ‘The Boat Is Sinking’ and ‘Rock Paper Scissors’, allowing participants from different teams to interact and engage with one another.
As the day continued, the STELA Student Body gave the morning yum burger snacks to all participants as the basketball games began, with the Air Nomads taking an early lead and earning 20 points for their team. At the same time, Larong Lahi took place at the Student Center, featuring traditional and modern Filipino street games such as Touch the Body, Circle Garter, Chinese Garter, Human Caterpillar, and Patintero. Members from each team participated enthusiastically, bringing laughter and excitement as they played these classic games.
In the afternoon, participants returned to the gymnasium to watch the volleyball matches between the teams. The competition became more intense as each group showed determination, teamwork, and strong support for their teammates. Everyone became more happy when the student body distributed the afternoon goldilocks sliced cake snacks to everybody while the volleyball game was still happening. In the end, the Fire Nation secured the victory in volleyball, strengthening their overall standing in the competition.
After a full day of games and activities, STELALYMPICS concluded with Fire Nation emerging as the overall champion. They were followed by the Air Nomads in second place, Earth Kingdom in third, and Water Tribe in fourth. More than just a competition, the event showcased the unity, enthusiasm, strength, and sportsmanship of all participants, making STELALYMPICS 2026 another memorable celebration for the STELArs.
