The strains of the song “Viva La Vida” played by Gonzaga Big Band Orchestra accompanied the opening of the Gonzaga Reflective Learning Experience Exhibitions or G-REFLEX. It featured a demonstration by Fr. Eduard Calistus Ratu Dopo SJ. , M. Ed. , who mixed Potassium Permanganate and Hydrogen Peroxide to create smoke from a miniature mountain to illustrate the explosion of ideas ready to launch. G-REFLEX, made into paper presentations and infographic exhibitions, was held on March 18-21, 2025, attended by parents, teachers, students from other schools, representatives from the education office, and academics from universities.
Practices to Observe Phenomena and to Find Problems
In mid-August 2024, grade XII students at Kolese Gonzaga High School started preparing written papers as a prerequisite for graduation. This program has been running for several years and is continuously improving. For the 2024/2025 academic year, 289 students from the XXXVI cohort are split into 90 groups, focusing on Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAP) from the Society of Jesus. They can choose topics related to UAP, like showing the way to God, walking with the excluded, journeying with Youth, and caring for our common home. They can also choose topics in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM). Each group is supported by one of 54 teacher mentors. Identifying research problems is difficult, and Soegiyono Tuckman, in his book on research methods, states that this step makes up 50% of the research conducted. Teacher guidance is key for students as it will help them learn to think critically about real issues. Literacy is also significant for improving students’ perspectives.
Cura Personalis in Writing the Paper
For six months, the students work closely with the mentor teachers through many discussions. The teachers not only teach writing techniques and methodologies, but also try to understand the students’ characters, strengths, and weaknesses in order to meet their needs. Some students are very initiative and conscientious, while others need encouragement to contribute and may find obstacles such as personal or health issues.
The mentorship process is like a long retreat, where the teacher acts as a facilitator who is constantly learning, and the students are guided to achieve reflective understanding in composing the paper. One group addressed the issue of procrastination and the “last minute” culture among Gen Z, questioning whether they put off tasks and how young people should commit to valuing time. Another group examined consumerism, including fast fashion and impulse buying fueled by digital marketing and peer pressure. Others wrote about caring for the lonely elderly, while educated children are busy with careers.
Issues such as environmental concerns, political awareness, and psychological issues of Gen Z came up in the paper presentations. Latisha, a Muslim student, shared her experience in searching the literature, including the UAP and the encyclical Laudato Si. She found similarities in the values of justice and humanity between Islamic teachings and those studied. The students who chose the STEAM also presented solutions to the problem of waste or processed food products, as well as their personal experiences with illness. The G-Reflex theme “Non scholae, sed vitae discimus” is expected to become a reminder to the whole community that learning is for life, not solely for school.
The culmination of learning experience
The assessment conducted by the school in the writing project and G-REFLEX includes evaluating the papers, making infographics and knowledge wheels, and assessing communication skills and expression of opinions during presentations for both presenters and the audience (grades X and XI), along with evaluating student attitudes throughout the process. Grade X students are involved as Liaison Officers (LO), while grade XI students serve as note-takers, and grade XII students act as discussion moderators. Attending parents are also given the chance to ask questions or provide feedback, leading to touching moments of appreciation and humorous challenges.
This activity is expected to prepare students for further studies in higher education. Dr. Iceu Rufiana, M. M., M. Si. , School Supervisor of South Jakarta Education Office, noted its alignment with the current curriculum, emphasizing deep learning and a mindful, reflective, meaningful, holistic, and joyful approach. She observed that Gonzaga students have been diligent in seeking literature, and this activity will be beneficial for their future academic lives, helping them become more critical and analytical students.
Paper Presentation
Input from academics is essential to improve the quality of future events. Dr. Avanti Fontana, lecturer from the Faculty of Economics and Business at Universitas Indonesia, emphasized the need to sharpen skills in understanding local issues while being aware of research limitations. This year’s papers open the door to further studies for their juniors. Pater F.X. Baskara Tulus Wardaya, SJ, of Komunitas Praksis, noted that building good traditions may come from such activities, which inspire younger students and may motivate other schools to follow suit. Pater Thomas Aquinas Maswan Susinto, S.J. observed strong student interest in discussions on social and environmental issues, suggesting future discussions. Dr. Reza Alexander Antonius Wattimena described G-REFLEX as a key achievement in human evolution, highlighting the importance of critical thinking for problem-solving.
True knowledge is interconnected, not isolated. The artes liberales model of education focuses on independent learning and the interconnections among different sciences. In preparing a paper, students examine how their topic relates to various fields of science, describing it as the Wheel of Knowledge. The goal is for students to understand knowledge as a whole thing, see from multiple viewpoints, and explore deeply. G-REFLEX culminates learning experiences and summarizes acquired knowledge. However, the papers written by Gonzaga students have many areas that need improvement, which require collaboration among students, teachers, and schools. Fr. Edu concluded the G-REFLEX with the saying “nil satis nisi optimum,” highlighting the importance of always striving for the best. AMDG.
Contributor: Gabriella Kristalinawati – Gonzaga College High School
