Regional Science High School for Region 1

Regional Science High School for Region I
Mataas na Paaralan ng Agham Panrehiyon ng Rehiyon I
Regional Science High School I
Location
Bangar , La Union Philippines
Coordinates	16°53′48″N120°25′53″E / 16.89655°N 120.43149°E / 16.89655; 120.43149
Information
Former names	Dona Francisca Lacsamana de Ortega Memorial National High School Annex
Type	Science High School
Motto	Epitomé of Excellence
Established	1994
Former Principal	(1994 – 2022) Dr. Amerfina D. Nelmida, Secondary School Principal IV
Former Principal	(2022 – 2024) Dr. Nancy G. Hoggang, Secondary School Principal II
Principal	(2024 - 2025) Dr. Elsie V. Mayo, Secondary School Principal IV
Assistant Principal	Aurelia S. Garcia, Head Teacher III of the Science Department/OIC-Assistant Principal
Language	English, Filipino
Campus	National Highway, Ma. Cristina East, Bangar, La Union
Colors	Green and Yellow
Song	RSHS for Region I Hymn
Nickname	RegSci or RegSay Uno
Publication	The RSHS Catalyst, Ang Tagatuklas
Affiliations	Regional Science High School Union
Former names	DFLOMNHS Special Science Class, SY (1994-1995 to 1996-1997) Regional Science High School, SY (1997-1998 to 2003-2004)

Regional Science High School for Region 1 (RSHS) is a Magnet school of the Department of Education (Philippines), established in 1994 by virtue of DECS Order No. 69, s.1993. The school has a curriculum that specializes in science and research (different from Special Science Program/Engineering and Science Education Program schools).

History

The school started with a single classroom consisting of 60 bright students coming from different provinces in the Ilocos Region, with Dr. Igmedio M. Cariaga as principal. For almost four years, it shared classrooms with its mother school DFLOMNHS located at National Highway, San Blas, Bangar, La Union. Then in July 1998, RSHS moved to its present site at Ma. Cristina East, Bangar, La Union. The RSHS-1 campus was donated by the Municipal Government of Bangar.

Admission

Admission to any RSHS is a three-step screening given to all qualified elementary students. To be eligible for admission, applicants must be Filipino students who belong to the top 10% of the graduating class and must have special aptitude in science and math. The screening includes two examinations and one interview.

Performance

NSAT and NAT and other examinations

Regional Science High School for Region 1 is one of the top high schools in the National Secondary Assessment Test (NSAT) and National Achievement Test (NAT). Likewise it also maintains a high passing rate in college entrance examinations from top caliber universities in the Philippines, such as: University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT), Ateneo de Manila University College Entrance Test (ACET), De La Salle University College Entrance Test (DLSU-CET), University of Santo Tomas College Entrance Test (UST-CET) and Saint Louis University- Baguio City College Entrance Examination (SLU-CEE). RSHS-1 seniors also showed good passing rate in the Department of Science and Technology Scholarship Examinations.

Competitions

• National competitions
  • National Intel Philippine Science Fair ^[1]
  • Philippine Super Quiz bee Science
  • DAMATHS Olympiad
  • National School Press Conference
• International competitions
  • Delegate to the SEAMEO Search for Young Scientists, Penang, Malaysia-July 5–9, 1999
  • Delegate to the 53rd Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, Kentucky, USA – May 12–18, 2002 ^[2]
  • Delegate to the Future Creation Fair, JIII, Tokyo, Japan-August 26–31, 2004 ^[3]

National Science and Technology Fair

The National Science and Technology Fair (NSTF) is an annual and the most prestigious STEM competition in the Philippines for junior and senior high school students, organized by the Department of Education (DepEd).

2024 Finalist @Sequoia Hotel, Parañaque City (April 1-5, 2024)

• Life Science: An individual plant science project focused on the development of a novel biostimulant that enables onions to grow in waterlogged clay soil. This project was conducted by Adrian Azada under the mentorship of Anna Mae Valdez.
• Mathematics: Investigation of palindromic patterns in relation to permutations, arithmetic sequences, and Fibonacci sequences, conducted by Peter John Haboc, Ian Chris Semillano, and Joross P. Lamarca under the mentorship of Imelda Canumay.

2025 Finalist @Great Eastern Hotel, Quezon City (March 24-28, 2025)

• Robotics: An individual project on developing an Arduino-based device, ECOSENSE, for identifying levels of Escherichia coli in water systems via colorimetric detection, by Charlson Lacasandile, mentored by Rowel Lucina.
• Mathematics: Continuation of a study on palindromic patterns in relation to non-negative integers and their sums, with applications in cryptography, by Peter John Haboc, Ian Chris Semillano, and Stephanie Semillano, mentored by Imelda Canumay.

Student opportunities

Research

• Students are given opportunities to conduct original research in the biological, physical, and social sciences, as well as in mathematics, to develop investigative skills and prepare for academic competitions.

• A Research Congress(Final Oral Defense) is held for Grades 9, 10, and 12, awarding the best research papers, best display boards, and recognizing the Researcher/s of the Year/Best in Research.
• The school organizes a School Science and Technology Fair to select qualified projects for Division, Regional, and National Science and Technology Fairs, featuring projects in life sciences, physical sciences, robotics, innovation, and mathematics.

Publications

• The RSHS Catalyst, the official English Publication - offers students opportunities to develop skills in writing news and feature articles, columns, editorials, sci-tech, and sports reporting. It also allows students to practice copyreading, headlining, cartooning, TV and radio broadcasting, and collaborative desktop publishing.
• Ang Tagatuklas ('The Explorer'), the official Filipino publications - nagbibigay ito sa mga estudyante ng pagkakataon na mapaunlad ang kanilang kasanayan sa pagsusulat ng balita at feature articles, kolum, editoryal, agham at teknolohiya (sci-tech), at ulat sa palakasan. Pinapahintulutan din nito ang mga estudyante na magsanay sa copyreading, paggawa ng headline, cartooning, radio broadcasting, online publishing, at collaborative desktop publishing.

Supreme Secondary Learner Government (RegsEye SSLG)

• The main student government of the school, which students can join by forming or running as partylists at the end of the school year. Its tagline is “We care, we lead, we serve the SSLG way”, coined as RegsEye to emphasize the essence of an eagle by Kian Doculan, president of SSLG SY 2023–2024, under the advisorship of Aurea S. Cabanting.

Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (Regsay Uno Siyensikat)

• An organization that facilitates environmental, science, and research-related activities, including environmental awareness programs, STEMAZING research seminars, and the celebration of National Science Month.

Media and technical team

• A group of students responsible for managing the school’s technical systems during events, including sound management, editing, videography, and photography.

Regsay Sindaw

• A student dance group divided into traditional and creative dancers, participating in school and community events such as the annual fiesta of Bangar, La Union, for the Cultural Revival Night.

SC1ON Sports Club

• A sports organization composed of student-athletes that promotes sportsmanship, organizes athletic events, and encourages participation in various sports competitions.

Red Cross Youth Council

• Responsible for handling emergencies, assisting the school clinic, and supporting disaster preparedness activities such as earthquake simulations and first-aid initiatives.

Facilities and resources

The RSHS for Region 1 campus contains three buildings: the old academic building, a laboratory building, and the administrative building. The academic building houses all the lecture classes of the students and ICT laboratory. The laboratory building houses science laboratories. The Administrative building houses the Office of the Principal, Faculty Office, and School Library.

Located beside the Administrative building, the laboratory building houses the four laboratories: the General Science Laboratory, the Biology Laboratory, the Chemistry Laboratory and the Physics Laboratory.

The RSHS Library supports the students by providing resources ranging from traditional print and microform to electronic subscription e-journals and databases. Located on the administrative building, the library is composed of the General Library, which stores encyclopedias; the Natural Science Section which covers sciences, mathematics and ICT; the Human Sciences Library which covers history, languages and literature, and other fields of social sciences; and the Multi-media and Internet Library.

The school has also one covered court where sports activities and other productions are held. Construction of the facility began in 2001 as part of the project of the 5th batch of SCIons (class 2002).

Recent expansions include a two-storey Grade 7 building, with a PTA dhaving ing, an air-conditioned School Clinic, and a school museum called GASERA. A four-storey Senior High School Building now accommodates Medical and Engineering (STEM)-focused senior high programs. This building also contains a computer, a new library, and the Senior High School Faculty Offices. The latest building, completed in 2025, includes new classrooms, an unpublished research room housing student research collected over the years, and new senior high school categories.

Milestones (1994-2005)

Date	Event
1994	The eleven Regional Science High Schools were established nationwide by virtue of DECS Order No. 69, s.1993.
1998	RSHS-I moved to its own home at Ma. Cristina East, Bangar, La Union
1998	RSHS joined an international competition for Investigatory Projects. Alvin Jay Mostoles, then a third year student, represented the Philippines for its invention "Stone Segregator", in SEAMEO Science Fair, held in RECSAM Penang Malaysia.
2000	RSHS-I joined the National Secondary Achievement Test (NSAT). It ranked 43rd among top performing secondary schools in the Philippines.
2000	RSHS-I had an internet connection, the first public secondary school in La Union to do so.
2001	For the second time to join NSAT, RSHS ranked number 29 all over Philippines
2002	Mr. Rogelio C. Valdez, a Science Project adviser, was nominated as the best Science Project adviser in the 53rd Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, Kentucky, USA.
2002	RSHS held its Graduation exercises on its own campus for the first time.
2004	A group of RSHS students represented the Philippines in the Future Creation Fair, JIII, held in Tokyo, Japan.
2004	The first National Achievement Test was held. RSHS-I ranked number 10 nationwide.
2005	RSHS-I ranked number 2 nationwide in the National Achievement Test

Old curriculum

Subject Area	Curriculum Grade 7	Curriculum Grade 8	Curriculum Grade 9	Curriculum Grade 10
Science	Earth and Environmental Science; Natural Science	Basic Biological Science; Advanced Biological Science	Chemistry 9 (Basic Chemistry); Physics 10 (Basic Physics);	Chemistry 9 (Advanced Chemistry); Physics 10 (Advanced Physics)
Mathematics	Elementary Algebra	Mathematics 8-A (Advanced Algebra); Mathematics 8-B (Geometry)	Mathematics 9 (Pre-Calculus and Trigonometry); Analytic Geometry; Advanced Statistics	Calculus with Linear Algebra
English	Grammar, Communication Skills, and Literature	Grammar, Communication Skills, and Afro-Asian Literature	Grammar, Communication Skills, and Asian Literature	Grammar, Communication Skills, and World Literature
Filipino	Filipino 7 (Ibong Adarna)	Filipino 8 (Florante at Laura)	Filipino 9 (Noli Me Tangere)	Filipino 10 (El Filibusterismo)
Social Science	Araling Panlipunan 7 (Philippine History)	Araling Panlipunan 8 (Asian History)	Araling Panlipunan 9 (World History)	Araling Panlipunan 10 (Economics)
MAPEH	Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health 7	Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health 8	Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health 9	Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health 10
Computer Education	Computer Education 7	Computer Education 8	No Computer Education [for this curriculum]	No Computer Education [for this curriculum]
Research	Research 7 (Technical Writing and Basic Statistics)	Research 8 (Advanced Technical Writing II)	Research 8-A (Intermediate Research in Science)	Research 8-B (Advanced Research in Science)
Electives	No Electives for this Year Level	Advanced Technical Writing; Biotechnology; Botany; Business Mathematics; Journalism I; Pamamahayag I; Drafting	Speech and Drama; Technical Writing; Journalism 8; Pamamahayag 8	Creative Writing; Environmental Chemistry; Geology, Meteorology and Astronomy; Linear Algebra; Journalism 9; Pamamahayag 9, Theater Arts; French 8; Humanities; Electricity

Alumni

RSHS-1 alumni are called "SCIons" from the word "Scio" (Latin) word which means science, knowledge and to know; "ions" which implies their importance to society; and the word itself "scion" which denotes descendant of Galileo Galilei, the Father of Modern Science.

Roughly one percent (1%) of alumni is in the sciences, engineering, and mathematics. The rest are in the humanities, journalism, law, business administration, accountancy, medicine, public administration, and the military.

List of Regional Science High Schools (RSHS)

Main article: Regional Science High School Union

External links

• Gusa Regional Science High School
• Dropout's imagination is fired by 'kalan'

References

1. "2003-2004 Intel Philippine Science Fair (IPSF) Region I Winners". Archived from the original on 2007-03-10. Retrieved 2006-06-18.
2. ISEF Delegates Bared at Awarding Rites of Intel Philippine Science Fair
3. "No ordinary girls". Archived from the original on 2006-02-12. Retrieved 2006-06-18.