"Focus lang, Kirt. Kaya mo mag-top." (Just focus, Kirt. You can top [the exam]).

SM scholar Kirt Baguio recalled what he whispered to himself just before he took the 2022 Civil Engineering Board Examination. Those simple words were the last dose of motivation he needed as he culminated years of sacrifices and hard work for himself and his family.

Kirt wasn't always at the top. He came from a humble family who worked doubly hard to get through everyday life. His father worked as a contractual carpenter, and his mom was a vendor. While both had jobs, their combined income wasn't enough to fund his and his sister's college education.

Although the Baguio family's eldest provided financial support, Kirt took it upon himself to find a way to support his schooling. As he worked as a part-time tutor for high school students, he applied for an SM Foundation scholarship and got in.

Rising to greatness

 Kirt held dearly in his heart his father's dream of having an engineer in the family: "My father's family worked in construction as laborers. And it has always been his dream to have an engineer in our family, so I decided to take Civil Engineering. It was also a way to challenge my skills in math — a subject I'm good at."

"It was tough when I started studying at Far Eastern University Institute of Technology. Every day, I had to travel from Caloocan to Manila for about two to three hours since we didn't have money for rent. But since I was young, my family's situation has been difficult. This fueled me to dream of a better life. That's why I pushed myself to overcome challenges as a student," Kirt said.

To not let money stop him from going after his dream, he took the opportunity given to SM scholars to work part-time during school breaks. But, just when he was closer to giving the life he had wanted for his family, a harsh storm came his way.