ACS (Independent) Boarding School Newsletter 22 October 2010

FIRST EDITION

hen I first heard about the proposal for a Boarding School Newsletter, it immediately

brought to my mind, our earlier newsletter called Courier. It was intended to keep not only the boarders informed but also have parents of boarders connected with the Home Away from Home. As the speed and modes of communication improved with time, the publication of the Courier ceased. Also, it was felt that the regular Boarding School reports in other school publications e.g. ACSPress and the School Magazine covered enough of Boarding School life and it had a much bigger audience.

Today, as we re-launch the Boarding School Newsletter, we look forward to not only keeping all informed of the different aspects of Boarding School life and insights into personal experiences but also to nurturing our boarders in their creative writing and publication skills .

I wish the Publication Committee comprising Mr Danny Toh, Dr Kiranjeet Kaur and Mr Julian Futanto and their team of writers all the best as they endeavor to bring you on a slice of life in the ACS (Independent) Boarding School. I trust we will all, as Sir John Dalberg-Acton or Lord Acton says: “Learn as much by writing as by reading.”

FOREWORD A DASH TO THEMs. Yvonne Lim

Deputy Warden/Vice-Principal by Ms. Yvonne LimDeputy Warden/Vice-Principal

he ACS (Independent) Boarding School has been home for me since December 1994 when I moved in to prepare for the arrival of boarders/students for the

Academic Year 1995. We have come a long way since and I am thankful for the privilege to see how not only the administrative processes have improved through the years but also the growth of the JCRC and the activities organized by the many staff and student committees in the Boarding School.

I have been blessed with the opportunity to get to know many of you from the many nations represented and to appreciate not only the food/snacks shared but also games, language, names etc. I have always enjoyed the activities in the boarding school and continue to be amazed by the multitude of talents in our midst. Fame, Geek Show, Indoor Games, Hawkers’ Fare, High Table Dinner, International Night, Asian Games… each one has been a unique and different experience for me. I look forward to the many more exciting activities that each year in the boarding school unfurls. To God be the Glory. The Best is Yet to Be!

I wish the Publications Committee every success as it seeks to record all the magical moments at the Boarding School and to nurture a team of young reporters!

REVIVED!

PAST

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o commemorate Racial Harmony Day which fell on the 21st of July 2010, the 16th JCRC of ACS(Independent) Boarding School took the initiative to celebrate the event in such a way that it would fulfill the dual purpose of creating

awareness and promoting harmony. The celebration spanned three components- Racial Harmony Crosswords, Dinner Treats as well as a Photo Exhibition.

The preparation itself began a few weeks back before the event itself. Boarders were encouraged to submit photos from their personal collection which could be linked to the theme of “Living in Harmony, Everyday, Everywhere.” The response to this segment was overwhelming.

Fervently believing in the dictum, that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, the second component comprised a dinner treat which included the most delectable item from the cuisines of China, Malaysia and India, the three main races represented in Singapore. Furthermore, immediately after the special dinner, the boarders participated in the Racial Harmony Crosswords in which they needed to fill up the crosswords with clues posted in every hall.

Boarders, via the activities, succeeded in enriching their knowledge about the different races and Singapore’s efforts at maintaining racial harmony. Prizes were also presented to the winners from the different halls. Finally, we would like to thank Dr. Ong, Mr. Danny Toh, Ms. Grace Kwee, the hall masters, hall tutors and all of the boarders who have helped in various ways to make this event a success. To God be the glory, the best is yet to be…

n the year of 2009, I applied for the Integrated Programme, in the hope of gaining admission into the school’s

prestigious International Baccalaureate Programme. Interestingly, I was offered the option of enrolling in the Special Boarding Programme for a year. While many students may have balked at the prospect of a year spent largely away from home, I considered this an interesting twofold opportunity. Firstly, this would provide a means of accomplishing my educational goal, and secondly, a year in boarding school would undoubtedly provide invaluable experience in living largely independently from home.

The programme, SBP for short, also provides students under its wing with an enhanced education, mainly achieved through its various modules that students participate in, such as Public Speaking, Biotechnology, Leadership Development, Critical Thinking, and

nglo-Chinese School (Independent), renowned for the various twinning

programmes it conducts, recently hosted an exchange programme with the Ngo Si Lien School in Hanoi, Vietnam. Escorted by the boarders of the host school, the Vietnamese students embarked on a tour of ACS (Independent) and Singapore. With merely one week in their hands to accomplish the latter, the guests found themselves struggling to accomplish their quest for a “uniquely Singapore” experience: the reservoir, the beach, the malls and the makan places.

The Vietnamese students participated in many of the school’s ongoing activities including the IP Symposium and they felt it to be quite unique. They were sharp enough to observe that the school followed the best teaching practices which involved the use of the latest technology in the classrooms. The actual application of the concept of a “Healthy mind in a healthy body” at ACS (Independent) impressed them immensely. The fact that the school offers 65 CCAs to its students, took their breath away. Thus they observed that Singapore ensures that students receive a holistic education.

Our visitors resided at a nearby lodge as the residency at the ACS (Independent) Boarding School is currently at its full capacity. However, they visited ACS (Independent) Boarding School every single day and enjoyed all their meals with the boarders and staff. They were swept away by the vibrant life at both the school and the boarding school. At the boarding school, fun and excitement is very homogeneously combined with discipline. They were fascinated by the way the students interacted with each other in such a “gentlemanly” manner in such a multi-cultural setup where scholars from different nations reside harmoniously. All of them agreed that ACS (Independent) Boarding School was indeed a “home away from home.”

The Vietnamese students and teachers enjoyed themselves to the hilt with many of them stating that the visit had whetted their appetite for more.

History of Education to name those in the current year of 2010. These modules have provided me with a greater understanding of the forces at work in our world today, past, present, and future. The modules provide a veritable wealth of knowledge and I will treasure the lessons that I have learnt.

Moreover, the boarding school itself is a melting pot of various cultures and ideals all fused into a single location, where individuals mingle with no inhibitions of racial or cultural differences. While Singapore is a multi-racial society, some things, you simply don’t experience except by living together, literally.

Lastly, with distractions largely removed, I found that I was able to be “pedantic” in my learning. While home is truly where the heart is, overall, I found my

participation in the SBP to be highly enriching indeed. In retrospect, this was

a decision well made, and I most certainly do not regret my involvement in the programme.

RACIAL HARMONY WEEK By Deiver Theofilus Muljadi

By Matthew Ng / T R Doraisamy Hall

By Kartik SinghTay Eng Soon Hall

WOW!SAYS VIETNAM

AN INSIDER’S PERSPECTIVE

The boarding school is a melting pot of various cultures and ideals all fused into a single location.

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By Aravindh Raj / TR Doraisamy Hall

A conversation with the President of the 16th Junior Common Room Committee, Woo Hann Lam

If I ask you to describe JCRC in one word, what word would that be?

The word would be ‘Grow’. I believe that from one committee to another, we actually grow from strength to strength and we learn from our mistakes. Each event that we organize brings us closer to perfection. So, in that sense, we are actually growing from one committee to another.

What do you think are the qualities of a good leader? Which of these qualities do you have and which do you lack?

I think an ideal leader should be able to anticipate possible problems, be a responsi-ble person and have a good heart. Person-ally, my weakness would be anticipating possible problems. I do try to overlook my mistakes while organizing a meeting or an event. The executive committee members try to help me with this for which I am really appreciative. Having a good heart means to inspire people to do well and bring out the good in them.

What are some of the qualities that you expect your fellow JCRC members to possess?

Willingness to learn new things, to explore new areas of learning, and to com-municate with one another would be some of the qualities members must possess.

What are some of the qualities that you have learnt from the previous President, Master Le Viet Anh?

Viet Anh taught me the art of under-standing people, organizing events and anticipating failures. During Fame 2010, when I was quite unsure about what to do, Viet Anh, guided me through and gave me

the freedom to work my team the way I wanted to. I think troubleshooting is one of the most important things that I’ve learnt from him.

How did JCRC shape you as an indi-vidual?

JCRC has taught me to be more recep-tive to other people. It has taught me to inculcate the spirit of internationalism and be a responsible global citizen. Moreover, I have learnt to face challenges as I realize that nothing is impossible.

Now that you have become the Presi-dent of JCRC, how do you think you can manage your studies, CCAs and JCRC?

Honestly, it isn’t tough. Since the IAs in IB are very demanding, I try to complete them as soon as I can, because I believe when I procrastinate, I only end up with unachievable targets. I have learnt to man-age my time efficiently. In my CCAs and JCRC, there are things that may pop up out of the blue, so I complete all my assign-ments long before the due date.

What are the changes that we can ex-pect from the 16th committee?

At the committee level, we are planning not just on organizing events but also trying to concentrate on the welfare of the committee members. We are going to ensure that we build on the individual strengths of members so as to build a co-hesive team. And for the boarding school, we do have big plans; creating more leader-ship roles, increasing boarders’ involve-ment and improving the sense of camara-derie amongst boarders. We have big plans for them which we will disclose soon …

What kind of events can we expect from 16th JCRC?

The first two events of the 16th JCRC would be the Racial Harmony Week cel-ebrations and the Inter- Hall soccer. This is the first time we play the Inter-Hall soc-cer in the street soccer court! So that’s the good news. There will be no Iron Chef this time but there will be a sequel to the Geek Show. Next year’s Orientation will be slightly different from this year’s; we are still in the process of planning. The big question mark is whether there will be Fame next year or not. That is still a closely guarded secret!

What has made you run for the Presi-dent of JCRC? Is there any specific person that you want to mention?

There is actually more than one person. The first person would be my fellow Vice-President of the 15th committee, James Rotanson who encouraged me to take up this position as the President of 16th JCRC. Also, the 15thcommittee President, Viet Anh and the Vice-President, Kohar are those I would like to thank for encour-aging me through this journey. Other than them, there are two important teachers, Mr. Azmi and Madam Yong, who always said they believed in me and encouraged me all year long.

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“A Truly International Night!”

Special Coverage

INTERNATIONAL NIGHT2010

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nternational Night is a tradition unique to the ACS(I) Boarding School which gives the boarders from various

nationalities a platform to showcase their countries culture and ethnicity. In doing so it gives the boarders a glimpse into the rich cultural diversity of the boarding school as well as a better understanding of the various cultures that their friends hail from. It serves not only to remind the boarders but also brings them nearer to realizing one of ACS(I)’s key values; to be a global citizen. Perhaps that is why it has become a cornerstone of the boarding school.

International Night 2010 was a splendid evening of celebrations featuring performances from boarders of the People’s Republic of China, Vietnam,

Singapore, Malaysia, India and Indonesia. The evening began with the ‘March of Nations’, which was a flag bearing ceremony showcasing the flags of the various countries that have representation in the boarding school. This was followed by a specially prepared dinner, whereby the boarders feasted on an appetizing cuisine which comprised delicacies from various nations. Not long after began the round of performances. The first to take the stage were boarders from China who gave a splendid performance. Their depiction of “the song of the yue” was truly a picture of elegance. This was then followed by a rather theatrical and much applauded performance given by boarders from Vietnam who put up a show to supplement a song sung by one of their own. In their International Night debut, boarders from the Special Boarding School Programme did a self-composed group song which had all the boarders singing along.

Subsequently the Malaysian boarders performed a national song to commemorate their National Day which was to be celebrated the subsequent day. Just when the excitement of the

boarding school was at a high following the energetic performance given by the Malaysians, the boarders from India took the stage. The Indian performance was theatrical in every sense as the Indians performed a dance item portraying the theme of “unity in diversity”. The performance saw a lot of cheering from boarders, leaving them at the edge of their seats. Just when the boarders thought that the night couldn’t get any better, they were proven wrong by the Indonesians in the last performance of the night. Their

performance featured a variety of songs, all sung to delightful melodies. The performance, which was truly mesmerizing,

left the audience awestruck. The applause that followed announced the Indonesians clear victors. Not to anyone’s surprise, the same was later announced by the senior administration.

The vibrant performances put up by the boarders from different countries truly made International Night 2010 a night to remember. Amidst all the cheering and merriment, the night saw all the boarders come together not just as the ACS(I) Boarding School but rather as the ACS(I) family.

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A splendid evening of celebrations!

Even the Bible begins by sharing that ‘in the beginning was the word.’ Our words have so much more influence on the creation of every moment of our lives than we could ever guess. This is more so in a growing global world where distances are a phone call, SMS or a click away. We all need to reconsider and reassess our roles as “responsible” humans and empower ourselves with the vaccine of civility if not inborn.

Take the recent cases of 18 year old Tyler Clementi (a freshman at Rutgers University), 18 year old Nona Belomes from Sydney, 16 year old Victoria Lindsay from Florida or 13 year old Megan Meier of Missouri and the list could go on. These are all tragedies that could have been avoided by more responsible and civil behaviors’ by the perpetrators of the crime. One common denominator in the above cited cases is YOUTH.

To say we in Singapore, a country that leads the world in technology literacy are immune to the growing menace of Cyber-bullying, is to behave as the proverbial ostrich that lies with its head buried in the

sands of inaction. The cited instances should be a wake-up call to netizens the world over who feel they have the right to invade and infringe anyone’s privacy. Many take shelter behind the screen of anonymity to conceal their true identities. The cliché, “Facebook generation does not care about privacy anymore” must be discredited.

The call of the hour is to join hands in educating ourselves with the dictum, “With immense power comes immense responsibility.” We need to wake up to the fact that what maybe a trifle, or even an act of malice bred from pure envy, can have disastrous consequences. A victim of cyber-bullying suffers from lifelong emotional scarring. At times it may lead to the death of the victim. The question young people need to ask themselves is that; do they wish to carry the burden of someone’s death on their conscience for life? The sense of outrage that a victim feels when his/her privacy is invaded either through nasty comments or uncomplimentary pictures or videos posted on social sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube or even Blogs , is psychologists feel synonymous to actual outrage of modesty.

Websites such as Facebook are revoking their security lapses and lawmakers are initiating proposals for new laws that entail harsh punitive punishments for the offenders. Governments the world over are realizing the potent power the internet has given to immature, impulsive, brash youngsters who without a second thought post degrading comments about their friends. Young people feel empowered in this virtual world, but without corresponding responsibilities, they brazenly breach civil codes of conduct. What these pranksters do not realize is once information is on line; the entire world is privy to the most intimate details of their friends.

The youth must let “history be their stern teacher” and think twice before indulging in cyber-bullying. Use of civility in our everyday dealings and words that have positive transformational affirmation is the need of the hour.

If you love to indulge in emotional vandalism or emotional erosion of your friends’ feelings, then remember, you never know the next victim might be your loved one or for that matter, even YOU.

rganised by the 16th JCRC, ACX Games Nite was a novel venture undertaken to showcase the talent

of boarders in Board games which did not necessitate physical prowess or sporting skills. Held on 24th August 2010, ACX Games Nite allowed boarders to compete with each other in several board games ranging from Uno-Stacko, Carrom Board, Sudoku, Boggle, and Taboo which also challenged their English capability.

Moreover, there was also a Teachers’ Corner which allowed interaction between teachers and students through interesting and intellectual games like Scrabble. Through the sustained efforts of all the players, Tay Eng Soon Hall won three games -Boggle, Sudoku, and Taboo and were declared overall champions. While TW Hinch Hall clenched a victory from Uno-Stacko, Hoisington Hall was declared winner in the Carrom Board game .

This event would not have been possible without support from all the boarders and Hall Tutors and Assistant Hall Tutors who came to cheer their respective teams. Special thanks go to Ms. Yvonne Lim and Ms. Yap Kar Wai for their unwavering support as they stayed throughout the event to interact with all the boarders through the intellectual games provided at the Teachers’ Corner.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF

CIVILITYTHE IMPORTANCE OF

CIVILITY By Dr. Kiranjeet KaurHall Tutor, TR Doraisamy Hall

By Geoffrey TanudjajaTR Doraisamy Hall

A TASTY SLICE OF ADVICE. ACXGAMESNITE 2010

he Asian Cup was organized on 9 and 10 of August, 2010. The aim of this tournament was

to foster bonding within the students of different nationalities in the board-ing school. 8 teams including the JCRC took part in this year’s tournament. With only 16 minutes to each game, the players strove to get in to the semi-finals on the first day of the tournament. Only four teams – Indonesia (A), India, Vietnam (A) and Chuckwow (mixed) at the end of the first day made it to the semi-finals. Each game in the semi-finals and final was played for 24 minutes. The final round played by Vietnam (A) and Chuckwow had 23 minutes with neither team scoring any goal. The last minute of the game saw Vietnam (A) score a goal against Chuckwow in a nail-biting finish. Nguyen Man Hoang from Viet-nam (A) scored an unmatched 8 goals winning the ‘Golden Boot’ of the ACS (Independent) Boarding School Asian Cup, 2010.

What do you think is the most valuable lesson being the President of the JCRC has taught you?

I have learned lots in the last 3 years. We do not know how high we can soar until we spread our wings. Sometimes we feel the task at hand is too difficult, but as soon as we structure and analyse the situation, and we put heart and mind to it then we realise that it’s not so difficult. Today as a leader I have a sense of achievement.

What inspired you to join the JCRC?

Actually when I first came to the boarding school my hall master introduced me to the JCRC team. I went to see the event organised by them, a singing competition, the original version of Fame. When I saw it, I was impressed by the excellent standard of the show. In my hometown in Vietnam, such a show would be considered as very professional. This made me join JCRC. This way, I can pay back to the place which is helping me grow. It’s a very satisfying feeling at the end of the day.

What kind of expectations do you have from the new committee? Any suggestions for them?

When I became President there were really very high expectations of me. I could only meet those expectations because the people in the committee helped me to. I have worked with most of the people in the current committee, and I know what they are capable of.

As for advice, I would just like to say one thing; as leaders in the school they should listen to people, reach out to them and be friendly irrespective of their nationality. Only then can one learn about other people’s concerns and requirements.

Any challenges you faced as President? How did you cope?

Initially, because the expectations were so high, I was under a lot of pressure. Over time however, I have learnt to have an optimistic attitude. Another source of strength and support is a good friend or a relative. My mother and my friend, Kohar have been the source of all inspiration and counsel to me.

What will you miss the most about being President/ a member of the JCRC?

One thing that I will remember as part of JCRC is the time I spent with my team mates- the moments of euphoria and the moments when all seemed lost.

Would you say being President of the JCRC has brought you closer to being “a scholar, an officer and a gentleman”?

I would definitely say YES! I learnt to balance work and my studies, learnt that to be a good leader, one needs to be receptive to other people’s ideas and feelings, and finally in JCRC, I did a diploma in ethics as I inculcated the art of all social niceties!

Anyone you would like to thank?

I would especially like to thank two people who helped make this journey a momentous one- Kohar, my friend and my mother who was always encouraging and supportive of all my work. However, I cannot ignore the role of my teachers who always motivated me to persist despite the heavy odds.

Anything you would say to boarders wishing to join the JCRC?

The JCRC member’s work can be mundane such as going to Orchard Road to buy gifts, but in the end what we gain is much more than what we receive- friendship, effective time-management skills and a link to a wider network.

By Aravindh Raj, TR Doraisamy Hall

SOME PARTING

By 15TH JCRC President, Le Viet AnhAs told to Siddarth Kapoor, TR Doraisamy Hall

THOUGHTSSPORTS

corner

Term 1: Inter-Hall Badmin-ton (11 March 2010)

Champion: Tay Eng Soon Hall1st : T W Hinch Hall2nd : W F Oldham Hall3rd : T R Doraisamy Hall

Term 2: Inter-Hall Water-polo (24 May 2010)

Champion : Nagle Hall1st : T R Doraisamy Hall2nd : T W Hinch Hall3rd : Runme Shaw Hall

Term 3: Biathlon (25 August 2010)

Champion: Hinch Hall1st : Nagle Hall2nd : T R Doraisamy Hall3rd : Lee Kong Chian Hall

ASIAN CUP REPORT

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did not fully grasp what the phrase, “home away from home” truly meant until I came to ACS (Independent)

boarding school. In fact, this place has been my home away from home for close to a decade. Many fond memories have been etched in my heart and a myriad of friendships have been forged through the years in this place.

A new chapter of my life began on December, 2001, when I first came to ACS (Independent) boarding school. I still vividly remember the experience of my first day upon arriving here. I was given a warm welcome by my then Hall Mistress, Ms Yvonne Lim and two Indonesian boys, Peter Then and Stifen, who later helped to carry my heavy baggage up to my room.

Life in the boarding school comprises many interesting things—personal talk during sleepless nights, playing DOTA, watching anime, Taupok-ing (a pile of people squashing the bottom guy) each other, surprise birthday celebrations and so on—that really added flavour to my life as a whole.

Those who resided in Tay Eng Soon Hall while Ms Grace Kwee was still one of the tutors there would have tasted her delicious chicken porridge. But of course, the homemade cookies and cheese cake Ms Lim’s mum made never failed to whet our appetite as well.

Life did not revolve around gadgets as much as it does now. Laptops were not a common sight then. As a result, you

Was seven, not seventeen.A bright colorful rainbow washanging in the sky.Seven strings stretched between my fingers andthe rainbow.Believing each string will be there forever.

Walking above the white cloudsdown to soil and earth,my strings are stretched further -detached.Each color buried below the deep sea.

I swim in the midst of the raging waves,hoping to gather all my colors back.Red, yellow, blue – all that I can get back.Water streamsdown my face,my special color has been dissolved -forever.

Is seventeen, not seven?Rainbow does not exist – they lie.Seventeen years of choosing door after door,Gambling with the uncertainty of life.

Many times I chose the wrong doors.Dwelt in it and stuck –Some hands push meto keep moving

and here I am now.

would see many people playing different sports as a form of interaction and entertainment every afternoon. The basketball court was amongst the most popular sites that became a melting pot of different cultures, as people of different nationalities played basketball or street-soccer together. Despite the occasional quarrels, it was a place where you met new people and made new friends—a bond that formed through sweat but no blood.

There are four main functions in the boarding

school namely: Hawker’s Fare, High Table Dinner, International Night and the Christmas Celebration. During each of these events, tons of pictures would be taken, especially after each event came to an end. Everyone would be scrambling to take candid or poster shots. This was a time where a lot of inter-hall interaction could be observed. For intra-hall interaction, we had our annual hall outing which helped to bond the boarders of the hall. After enjoying a sumptuous meal, some of us would leave as a group,

having our next destination in mind. These destinations ranged from the games arcade, the

bowling alley to the cinema.

Now as an Assistant Hall Tutor, my role is different. However, I still try to see things from the point of view of a boarder and to empathize with the boarders as I am a firm believer in learning from the young as well as the old.

Now, one of my favorite festivals is Chinese New Year because Mr. Chan Chee Wei cooks his special cuisine along with other tutors. The thought of the sumptuous CNY meal always leaves us salivating! CNY has become a delightful time of bonding with others.

Having spent close to a decade at the boarding school, I have met people from all walks of life and have learnt invaluable life lessons from them. I have been exposed to diverse cultures and have learnt to see things from their perspectives. This has enriched my life in more ways than I would have ever imagined. Now, the phrase, “home away from home” has become synonymous with ACS (Independent) Boarding School.

ALUMNI FOCUS

REFLECTIONReaksmey Thou / TR Doraisamy Hall

A Poem by Kohar SentosoTay Eng Soon Hall

Mr Rex and his decade-long journey in the beloved boarding school of ours.

A place where you met new people and made new friends—a bond that formed through sweat but no blood.

staff :

SEVENSEVEN7EEN

or

Editor-in-Chief: Dr. Kiranjeet Kaur Sports Editor: Mr. Thou Reaksmey; Student Editor: Siddharth Kapoor Associate Editor: Aravindh Raj, Special Correspondents: Kartik Singh; Deiver Theofilus Muljadi; Matthew NgGraphics Editor: Mr. Julian Futanto; Publications and Photography In-charge: Mr. Danny TohManager: Ms. Yvonne Lim, Deputy Principal & Deputy Warden ACS (Independent) Singapore.