Christopher Academy of Bangar, La Union, Inc. "We always bear Christ." ♡
After several hectic months of preparation, the late Rev. Mariano Singson, then the parish priest of Bangar together with the help of some well-meaning parishioners finally founded Saint Christopher Academy. The school finally
opened her doors in new students in the school year 1947-1948. It started with the first two lower years and the following year, the 3rd and the 4th year classes were opened. The school had Rev. Mariano Singson as its first director and principal, Among the first illustrious teachers were the late ex-Mayor Mariano de Castro, Mrs. Amparo Javier, Ms. Angelina Mabanag, now a sister of the Saint Paul Religious Congregation, Ms. Anita Valencia, a resident of Chicago and Mrs. Antonia Botuyan Singson. The first batch of graduates was a unique one. It was made up of four graduates all of them with honors. They were Ms. Avelina Lardizabal, who later on become Mrs. Martinez, Ms. Susana Padilla, Mr. Antonio Makiling and Mr. Napoleon Alcantara. Gradually, in the late 80’s a few students who enrolled at the beginning engendered into a big batch of knowledge seeking students. The enrolment rose to 996. With the advent of free high school, the enrolment waned to a mere more than 40 students; this alarming problem of the enrolment did not deter Saint Christopher Academy to go on. Little by little, the enrolment has again grown-up. In the beginning, Saint Christopher Academy was purely a Parochial school. But the church saw the need for a stronger force to reckon with the competition offered by the public school. From a Parochial school, it became an Archdiocesan school and when the province of La Union was from Nueva Segovia, SCA became a Diocesan School. A feeder to the high school has always been problem and to solve this, pioneering principal nun in the person of Sister Soledad Salgado of FAS started a preparatory school. It grew into a complete Elementary school. Through the effort of the good high school principal, Sister Flordelina Espiritu and the Elementary Department Principal, Sister Marcelina Dria, the use of computers has been introduced and five units of computers were used by the students.
“Saint Christopher Academy is today’s symbol of fresh fervor and love for truth, goodness, justice and equality. As a member of the Diocesan Schools of La Union, it possesses challenges to those who willingly offer themselves to be molded in accordance to the Vision and Mission of the Diocesan Schools.”
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