This work explores how public high schools in the Philippines shape the perceptions of poverty among its students. Using the key ideas of "self-interaction" and the "generalized social other" in symbolic interactionism, the work analyzes how human and non-human interactions of students in a public school setting condition individual students' perceptions of poverty and prospects for future advancement. The study uses a mix of archival data, participatory observation, and key informant interviews. The human interactions examined include respondents' relations with fellow students, teachers, and guidance counselors. The non-human interactions of the students include their participation in or compliance with school activities, school policies, and the school's physical environment.