Twinkling Wonderland: Unearthing Myriads of Youthful Masters

WORDS: PATRICIA LANZAGARITA

Across the galaxy, where thousands or even millions of stars are sparkling, there are those who are chosen to illuminate brighter, navigating through the darkest of nights to unfold masterpieces and be the youthful masters that they want to be despite their budding age.

In the modern day, age doesn’t matter when achieving greater and bigger feats in life. Even today’s youth can reach places that they want to discover, whether driven by their aspirations, family, or passion. Their innocence shines brighter as they do what they love while they continuously pursue their ambitions and expand their horizons.

The youth are indeed phenomenal. Worry not, because we can prove it through shedding light on these rising stars who have excelled in various ways, such as being a world champion, a chess prodigy, a math wizard, a gifted taleteller, and even a geography bee!

As we discover the world of these youthful masters, we have also discovered myriads of their talents and knowledge—surpassing borders and their own abilities.

Through several months of unearthing the stories of every child Tw!nkle has met, we affirm that the youth are distinct and exceptional as they continue to sparkle in their own ways. They have become the main characters of the Twinkling Wonderland, as they bring glow and glitter to every blank and plain page of the youth.

As we navigate through the Twinkling Wonderland, we will stumble upon these children who traverse through every pavement of the night sky to become the brightest stars that will twinkle and inspire others to conquer the dark, emerging as young masters.

BORN A CHAMPION: Mounting the Dream, Armbarring the Gold

WORDS: MARIAN LUISA PALO

Who would have thought that a preschooler’s dream to be a world Jiu-Jitsu champion could be achieved as young as six? And twice! Not only was this achievement a work of manifestation but this young girl was definitely born a champion.

Dream Come True

“Noong preschool pa lang siya, parang tinanong sa mga bata ano ‘yung pangarap nila. Sabi niya, balang araw, gusto niya ring maging world champion,” Aleia Aielle Aguilar’s mother, Maybelline Masuda, shared little Aielle’s first peek into her Jiu-Jitsu journey.

“I think I was 19 years old noong nagawa ko ‘yon, noong 2009. Sabi ko, sige, maybe when she’s older, magagawa na niya, but I didn’t think na parang a year or two years after she said na ‘yun ‘yung goal niya, nagawa niya kaagad,” she proudly added.

At the tender age of five, Aielle won her first championship title after competing in the Kids 1 Girls White Belt 16 kg-B category in the 2022 Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Championships, making her the Philippines’ youngest world Jiu-Jitsu champion.

Just a year after, Aielle once again carried the country’s flag with pride and bagged her second title after competing in the Kids 2 Girls White Belt 17 kg category of the same event. She has also won several local Jiu-Jitsu competitions.

Full Circle Moment

Aielle grapples through games as if the mat is her playground. When asked about why Jiu-Jitsu is a must-try for other kids like her, she said that the games are fun and she can learn different techniques for self-defense.

Well, there is no doubt that dominating in this sport is a piece of cake for Aielle. It runs in her blood.

Coming from a martial arts family whose livelihood has long been in this field—from her father, Alvin Aguilar, considered as the father of Philippine mixed martial arts, and mother, the country’s first-ever female world Jiu-Jitsu champion, all the way to her three older brothers—Aielle was always a witness of what goes on in the gym.

It is not every day that you get to hear a baby reach milestones on gym mats, but this was hugely a reason for Aielle to adapt and ‘mimic’ what her parents and brothers were doing.

“[It] makes you happy and proud na they choose to do what you enjoy and they also choose to excel in it,” Mama Maybelline expressed, on how Aielle and her siblings were never forced to take the same route as they did.

Aielle is naturally competitive, she even gets sad when she doesn't get to train.

Ace of the Arts

Other than Jiu-Jitsu, Aielle does taekwondo, boxing, and gymnastics. Beyond martial arts, she also has an eye for other art fields. Aielle enjoys playing the piano, writing letters, and doing artwork which she gives as gifts to her family.

Although fixated on excelling in Jiu-Jitsu among many other dreams—a future MMA fighter, interior designer, or fashion designer—Mama Maybelline conveyed her wholehearted support and excitement for whatever direction Aielle truly sets her heart upon, acknowledging how hardworking and passionate she is.

“As long as you’re happy, we’re happy,” Mama Maybelline assures Aielle.

What started as a preschooler’s dream came to fruition, and this was possible because of the drive she had along with the push from her family that made that drive persevere into wins after wins.

Aielle is a testament that age is never a hindrance to aiming high and going for gold. With a spirit as strong as Aielle’s, who knows what more of her dreams—in and out of Jiu-Jitsu—can she take on like a champion.

BORN TO CHECKMATE: The Journey Thinking Beyond Squares

WORDS: HANAH COLEEN REFORMADO

In the hushed halls of competitive chess, where every move is a calculated step towards victory, there is a kid who sees the game as more than just rules and strategies. Meet Marius Constante, a young boy who thinks of chess not jus as a battleground but also as his favorite playtime adventure!

Early Moves

With Mommy Mary Ann and Daddy Julius by his side, then-four-year-old Marius sets off on a journey to discover the enchanting kingdom of math where he’s totally hooked. One day, a few days before turning five years old, the chessboard entered into Marius’ world, and with it, everything changed before his eyes.

“He started to learn the rules by watching Youtube videos and seeing he is really interested, we decided to enroll him in an online chess school,” Mommy Mary Ann shared.

From a shy and reserved boy to a social butterfly, playing chess has helped him make friends and find joy in a whole community.

Today, Marius is making waves in the chess community, winning his very first tournament in 2022 and becoming the youngest player to join the regional chess competition of the National Capital Region Palaro 2023, one of the country’s most prominent athletic meets.

Off the Board

Beyond the chessboard, Marius is a total math whiz, tackling math problems way beyond his age. Despite a late start in talking until three years old, reading math questions helped him to be fluent in reading. In 2023, he snagged gold awards in two prestigious International Math Olympiads in Thailand and Hong Kong, where he was the top scorer from the Philippines in the kindergarten category.

He was also a budding pianist, hitting all the right notes and learning at lightning speed. Aside from this, he loves to stay active and have fun just like ay other kid. Whether he’s playing badminton or engaging in intense Uno battles with friends and family, Marius knows how to have a blast!

Marius’s dreams are as big and bright as the stars in the sky! He’s set on becoming an engineer like his parents, using his love for numbers. He also dreams of being a teacher by sharing his knowledge with others. And of course, he’s got his eyes on becoming a grandmaster.

Becoming a Grandmaster

What makes Marius unique isn’t just his talent, but also how much he loves to learn new stuff by reading books since he is an avid reader too. He especially enjoys reading books about chess, where picks up techniques that help him in his competitions, showcasing his dedication to both learning and applying what he learns in real-life situations.

At six years old, he won his first big tournament in the Under-10 Division of Chiang Kai Shek College’s first interschool chess tournament, where he got a perfect score.

“Since Marius has a lot of activities, time management is very important. We do not want to force Marius to practice chess or to study, but we always remind him that he is accountable for the decisions he makes.” Mommy Mary Ann added.

Every day, Mommy Mary Ann and Daddy Julius remind him that they are there for him, no matter what. It’s a comforting promise, assuring him that whether he wants to continue playing chess or try and explore new interests someday, he doesn’t need to be afraid of quitting.

The lessons learned extend far beyond the game, encompassing strategies, moves, dedication, and discipline. These teachings transcend mere gameplay, shaping one not only to be capable of thriving but also to become a grandmaster in their own games.

Marius’s journey is a testament to the boundless potentials that lies within. With the wholehearted support of his family, he was born to checkmate and thing beyond squares.

The Princess Diaries: Through Challenges & Triumphs

WORDS: MAXINE JADE PANGAN

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who aced most of her subjects at school, especially science. But like most princesses, there will always be an antagonist, and for her, it was Math. Through unleashing the princess within her, she embarked on a journey with her mom and dad through a world of challenges and triumphs.

The Bravest

Instead of giving up on her weakness, Princess Abbey Cziarah Aquino took on the challenge of learning Math and solving numerical problems at the age of five. Soon enough, she became interested and fell in love with numbers!

With her Mommy Zette and Daddy Abe as her first teachers in the subject, she started joining different Math competitions from local to international levels when she was in first grade. Teaming up to conquer the world with Princess’ math skills, her parents taught her that the most important thing is that she always does her best and no matter what award she gets, learning new things in the process is their priority.

“She always has that fighting spirit na gusto niya lagi na sumama sa mga contest,” Daddy Abe proudly shared.

The Sweetest

Even though Princess’ schedule is often packed because of competitions, training, and lessons, her parents still see to it that she enjoys her youth. When she’s having a break from being a math wizard, she sings some tunes or plays online games with her friends.

“Si Princess ay very jolly na bata ever since maliit pa lang siya. Mahilig siyang magkwento at tumawa,” said Mommy Zette.

On top of it all, Princess is and will always be grateful for her family, whom she gets to spend a lot of quality time with and has become her support system since day one. For Daddy Abe and Mommy Zette, she is a gift from God—a blessing that they will always cherish and a daughter that they will continue to raise as a good and sweet person.

The Purest

Currently, Princess has garnered a total of 117 awards from all the competitions she has joined since pre-school. The most recent ones are gold medals from the Hong Kong International Science Olympiad 2023 and Thailand International Mathematical Olympiad 2023-2024. She also won the second prize award from the Hong Kong Greater Bay Area Mathematical Olympiad 2024, and a bronze medal from the American Mathematical Olympiad 2023.

Even though Princess has already won a lot of awards, the happiness, satisfaction, and self-fulfillment she gets from being honored never faltered.

She might have come a long way, but there are still more chapters ahead. As she navigates through life along with her math skills and talent in singing, Daddy Abe and Mommy Zette will always be there to remind her of their special technique: that everything should be a constant practice and mastery is doing it every time.

With her dream of becoming a doctor, Princess tells her future self to “always look at the positive view of things.” And as future Princess goes through the ups and downs of this thing called life, the 12-year-old prodigy hopes that she will always live by their favorite quote: “Don’t watch the clock, do what it does. Keep going.”

More than a Prodigy: How a Twinkle Kid Brings His Family Together

WORDS: CJ ARGALLON

When little Christian Matt Babista stumbled upon a singing contest in a mall, he turned to his mother gleefully and said, "Ma, sali tayo. Hindi kita ipapahiya." His family went home that day with a good amount of groceries and donuts as prizes from his winnings.

At six years old, Matt cannot only sing but he can also point around in a field of flags and tell which country the flags belong to along with its capital city. He can also dance, sing in Spanish, read entire books, and have a basic understanding of scientific concepts and terms.

These are talents that he learned all on his own, with the support of his family.

The Discovery

“Nagugulat na lang kami," said his mother, Gemma Babista, on how Matt develops wide-ranging interests and is extremely quick at mastering them.

Like most of the uber tech-whiz kids of Generation Alpha, the generation following Gen Z, a lot of the things Matt learns come from watching YouTube videos and browsing the internet.

A self-taught reader at 2, Matt took it upon himself to learn all the things that made him interested in the world.

His father, Marlon Babista, was once surprised when Matt bought a deck of flashcards of the flags of the world online. This comes after Matt downloaded a flag memorization game that he found interesting. After a discussion about online spending, Matt began mastering what one would consider a prodigious skill.

The Dream

“I want to be a doctor," he told Twinkle in an interview.

The next day, he changed his mind. He now wanted to be a lawyer to help people in need. And also a policeman for the same reason.

Upon seeing a fellow Tw!nkle Kid, he happily announced that he actually wanted to be a martial artist. His parents laughed at this, saying he had also said before that he wanted to be an engineer and a bus driver.

For them, even if Matt wants to be everything and everyone at once, they would support any of his dreams or interests where he finds his heart.

“Hinahayaan lang namin siya," said Matt's father. “Hinahayaan maging bata at mag-explore."

The Support

With the loving support of his parents, Matt has been a delight in their household. They would set at least a day every week to talk or play board games or bond together with Matt's parents and sister.

What do you call an air-conditioned bus, as opposed to an ordinary bus? Matt’s father said he would joke that it's called an ‘air-dinary’ bus.

Marlon told Twinkle that it made him happy to have Matt as a child and all he wanted for Matt was to be a happy kid and a good man when grows up.

In return, the same love and appreciation is reciprocated by Matt. When asked about what makes him happy the most, he smiled shyly and answered: “Mama and Papa.”

As a brother, Matt’s parents described him with his sister as having the stereotypical love-hate relationship where they fight but also later become a source of love and strength for each other.

Matt is a testament to how parental support plays a huge part in the molding of the child. A child genius he may be in his own regard, but his parents' support allowed him to continue to achieve the peak of his potential.

While one would consider his extraordinary skills and talents to be what makes him a child prodigy, it is really his hunger for the world and the way he glues his family together that makes him stand tall above the rest.

A Child’s Odyssey: The Little Hero’s Big Adventure

WORDS: PAMELA JENN AMPARO & KENNETH TESTON

If there's one thing that creates a sense of connection for everyone, it would be stories. It has a magnificent power that provides life to printed text and entices people to listen, like how a moth is drawn to a lamp.

There is a passionate 13-year-old child whose fire continuously ignites every day as if water and wind never existed. Wherever he goes, he shines as he shares his gift of telling stories. He magically delivers pieces and breathes life into characters through Interpretatibong Pagbasa.

Andrew James Mendez has been leaving his mark as an exceptional chronicler, writing pieces that extend an abundant range of themes since he was young. While he raised his stories’ main characters on their pedestals, he was never the protagonist of his exciting life quest. Well, not for long.

A Whale of a Time

Our hero’s story starts at his family’s humble abode. He has always been both an ordinary and extraordinary child whose interests are mastering the art of storytelling, belting out jokes, and acing on book reading while doing well in school.

“Minsan naaawa ako kasi pagkagaling sa school, gagawa siya [kaagad ng schoolwork] sa lamesa tapos [babiyahe] nang maaga kinabukasan,” said Michele Lumalang, Andrew's mother. Despite his brimming academic schedule, Andrew enjoys normalcy through playing basketball. Kobe Bryant is his idol. He does not merely play solely but creates life-long cherishable memories with his friends.

A Happy Camper

As our fearless protagonist embarks on his pursuit, his gift blossoms as his love for poems overflows. In 2021, fifth-grader Andrew was hailed champion at his school's online Madamdaming Pagbasa competition. His team also won at the Radio Broadcasting category of the 2021 Division Schools Press Conference in Las Piñas City, where he presented their infomercial.

Andrew then trained during the 2023 Performatura Festival under the mentorship of his favorite Filipino author, Michael Coroza, and eventually represented his school by playing at EAT Bulaga’s Pinoy Henyo, one of the country's then-most prominent noontime games.

Afterward, Andrew’s path for Interpretatibong Pagbasa flourished. Andrew’s trainer chose him to compete in the division-wide competition, where he successfully brought home spoils of war, erm, the bacon. Securing first place at the regional level, our victor was invited to share his exceptional skills as the NCR champion during the National Festival of Talents at Cagayan de Oro City in July 2023.

With his mantra, “lose the opportunity or take the risk,” Andrew sought new quests now that he is in high school, where his fire blazes brighter. From being an infomercial presenter, he eventually competed as a news anchor for the 2024 DSPC.

A Close-knit Family

Our humble champion has stumbled on a quest but never wanted to abandon hope as his parents always remind him that experiences are the fruit of his efforts, through wins and losses. Andrew always dedicates his achievements to them and God Almighty.

Aspiring to be a future broadcast journalist, he believes that allotting time to practice heavily solidifies his potential, despite being blessed with a natural talent for it.

However, even if his mom has been immensely proud of Andrew’s endeavors, she hopes he slows down his journey to enjoy his youth more. He is still a baby in their eyes and no matter what happens, they will always be at his side to support him.

Alas! Our hero must continue on his journey, telling his future self to aim higher while keeping both feet on the ground.