An 11-year-old homeschooler from Kidapawan City has earned an International Diamond Award in Primary 5 English at the Asian English Champions League (AECL) 2026 International Finals, held on August 9 and 10 at The Twin Towers Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.
Zethen Ed Joffel Villasor Quijano—fondly called “Zed”—competed among young students from across Asia and beyond, bringing home one of the competition’s top distinctions.
From local lessons to an international podium
The Asian English Champions League is an international academic competition for K–12 students across Asia. It tests and celebrates English language proficiency, grammar, and vocabulary skills and forms part of the broader Asian Champions League (ACL) series organized by international education groups.
The 2026 international finals brought together student competitors from countries and territories across Asia and beyond, including Singapore, China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Macau, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and the Philippines.
While some students competed on-site in Bangkok and Hong Kong, others participated remotely because of urgent visa issues—a logistical challenge that made Zed’s achievement in Bangkok even more notable.
Homeschooled excellence: Years in the making
Zed’s journey to the international podium began years before his first major academic competition. Homeschooled since the age of two, he was raised as an independent learner, immersed in books, guided by online resources, and mentored daily by his mother, Aye Villasor Quijano, owner and head coach of Aye’s Tutorial Hub.
“Zed doesn’t just memorize words; he understands ideas,” Coach Aye said. “We focused on deep comprehension, critical thinking, and confidence—the very skills AECL rewards.”
Pride across borders
Zed’s International Diamond Award is more than a personal milestone. It is a source of pride for his family, Aye’s Tutorial Hub, Kidapawan City, Cotabato Province, and the Philippines.
For the Quijano–Villasor family, however, the highest honor lies elsewhere.
“We give all the glory to God,” the family shared. “Zed’s health, his love for learning, and his God-given talents are gifts we treasure every day.”
A champion’s quiet resolve
Now back home, Zed remains as humble as ever. He simply smiled and said he wants to keep learning.
In a competition that brought together young minds from across Asia, a homeschooler from Kidapawan rose to the top—showing how discipline, guidance, and faith can help young learners pursue excellence beyond borders.
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