2013 Issue 2 | 1

2013 ISSUE 2

Duodecennium of Service with Honour

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ISSUE COVER

This issue is dedicated to Mrs Virginia Cheng for her twelve years of illustrious service to the College.

All rights reserved © National Junior College, MOE. Reproduction in whole or part is strictly prohibited without the written permission. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, no responsibility can be held for errors or omission. The information is correct at the time of printing.

EDITORChua Siok Kheng

PHOTOGRAPHS NJC Photographic Society

DESIGN Neo Chee Peng

PRINTER MOA Trading Pte. Ltd

CONTACT National Junior College,37 Hillcrest RoadSingapore 288913

+65 6466 1144njc@moe.edu.sg

WEBSITES www.njc.edu.sg www.njc-alumni.org

ONLINE VERSION issuu.com/njconnect/docs/njconnect2013-2

In This Issue

COLLEGE LIFESISC - Transpire, Transform, TranscendAristalTeacher’s Day CelebrationFarewell Assembly

ALUMNI NEWSAlumni Road Trip2013 NJC Alumni Homecoming DinnerService with HonourDiamond Jubilee Year

INTERVIEWInterview with Mrs Virginia Cheng

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The Singapore International Science Challenge (SISC) is a biennial international event conceptualised by NJC, co-organised with the Ministry of Education, and supported by Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STaR) since 2007. If you graduated from NJC within the last 7 years, you may recall being part of the SISC in one way or another. Talented Science students from around the world gather in Singapore and NJC to apply their knowledge to compete, collaborate and innovate in a multi-disciplinary challenge to solve real-life global problems. No doubt, the event not only provides opportunities for student participants, but also opportunities for educators to engage in professional discourse and develop ties with their counterparts from schools in other countries through programmes specially designed for teachers and principals.

This year, SISC 2013 was held from 1 July to 5 July, and the entire NJC community was involved in various ways – participating in the challenge, hosting and interacting with our local and international participants, providing logistical support, putting up various concerts and cultural performances and so on. The event turned out to be successful despite the haze situation in Singapore, which occurred just less than 2 weeks prior to the SISC. Though it threw the organising committee off-guard, the planned activities were swiftly revised with contingencies planned, owing to the committee teachers’ composure and ability to cope with ambiguities. The organising committee also managed to publish the inaugural SISC Proceedings 2013, a collection of 17 papers written by participating students and reviewed by a panel of academics. The publication was officially launched during the Opening

KAREN OH03A03Class of 2004

TH Singapore International Science Challenge

RANSPIRERANSFORMRANSCEND

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Ceremony, graced by Mr Lui Tuck Yew, Minister for Transport, who is an ex-NJCian. In line with the United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation, the theme for SISC 2013, “Transpire. Transform. Transcend”, focused on science and technology in the context of water. For the inaugural Fieldwork Challenge component of SISC, participants visited NJC’s adopted river, the Kallang River. The Kallang River provided an authentic platform for our local and international participants to conduct research and experiments. One of the highlights of this year’s SISC was the keynote lecture by Dr. Lee Yuan Tseh, a Nobel Laureate in Chemistry (1986), on 4 July 2013. This lecture marked the start of the Educators’ Symposium. It was a great honour to have Dr. Lee in NJC to deliver his message on the importance of environmental sustainability.

01 - Mr. Lui Tuck Yew and Mrs. Cheng inserting the hydrogen atoms to form the water molecule during the opening of the event. 02, 03 - SISC attracts the most brilliant young scientific minds from all over the world and brings them together for one meaningful and enriching experience.

The SISC is also about showcasing Singapore’s culture through various social and cultural activities. In addition to the learning journeys to Science research institutes, participants embarked on cultural mapping tour around Bukit Timah area, visited Gardens by the Bay and attended College-organised concerts in the evenings. Many of our performing arts CCAs showcased

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The SISC is also about showcasing Singapore’s culture through various social and cultural activities.

COLLEGELIFE

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their talents in the aesthetics in front of an international audience. Rubato, the first-ever joint concert between Guitar Ensemble, Chinese Orchestra and Guzheng Ensemble (COGZ), and Aristal 2013, a showcase of NJC’s four talented dance groups, were among others that greatly impressed our international audience with their masterful performances. The SISC places Singapore and NJC on the world map. As NJCians, we are proud to have the opportunity to play host to our international friends. Let’s all look forward to SISC in 2015!

The SISC places Singapore and NJC on the world map.

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COLLEGELIFE

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ARISTALAnnual Dance GaloreIf you had been at the 2013 NJC Aristal Performance held at Kallang Theatre on 3rd July, you would have been blown away by the many spectacular performances put up by our very talented dancers from the various dance groups. In particular, the highly complex, challenging and authentic Karagattam was an exceptional performance put up by our Indian dancers who spared no efforts to awe the audience with their lively dance moves and stunts. Karagattam is an ancient folk dance of Tamil Nadu performed in praise of the rain goddess Mariamman. Some of the dance steps involve balancing on a rolling block of wood, moving up and down the ladder and balancing decorated pots on their heads, with no strings attached to secure the pots – similar to stunts commonly seen in circus. NJ Indian Dance (Senior High) is the first ever dance group in Singapore to embrace the challenge of performing the authentic Karagattam. To get a better sense of how the students committed themselves to perfecting the choreography of such an exquisite dance, we speak to two of our Indian Dancers, Vanisri D/O Selvaraja from 13SH10 and Muthiah Vanmathi from 13SH22.

JAN LIM03A02, Class of 2004

with invaluable help from five dedicated NJC Indian Dancers

Vanisri D/O Selvaraja, 13SH10 Muthaiah Vanmathi, 13SH22 Goh Rui Ying, JH404Teh Wen Qi, JH407 Soo Mei Fei, JH407

If you appreciate the arts and wish to support our very own budding dancers, keep your evening on 18 July free! Aristal 2014 is sure to amaze you with more masterful performances. Book your tickets early with the College!

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Dancing for Aristal was a great experience for me. The pot dance we did on the Aristal stage was by far our best performance, even surpassing our standard on stage during the Singapore Youth Festival Arts Presentation For Dances 2013 (Indian Dance Category). Some of the challenges we faced were the “stunts” we had to do with the pots on our heads. Some of us had to balance on planks, tie our sarees, climb ladders, drink from bottles on the floor and pick up notes with our eyes, all done without dropping the pots. In the beginning, we spent almost an hour just walking around, getting used to balancing the pots, also known as karagam. Eventually, we got used to coordinating our movements with the pots and we only had to take 10 to 15 minutes to warm up with the pots before starting our actual practice. Truly, “practice makes perfect”. Our dance

MUTHIAH VANMATHI13SH22

sessions were fruitful as we were disciplined and wasted no time. We needed all the time we had to master our dance for Aristal. Every dance, every break was taken into account. It was undeniably tough, but the experience bonded us together as one. Each and every single one of us knew why everything had to be strictly timed – simply because we wanted to put up an unforgettable performance for Aristal – which was why we worked together, helped each other, without complaints. We put in our utmost efforts in preparing for this as it was the last performance for the Senior High 2 students, together with the rest of the NJC Indian Dance troupe. As the saying goes “when the going gets tough, the tough gets going”. I am proud that we worked hard and stuck together as a team even when the going was tough, simply because we wanted to put up an amazing performance for the audience.

COLLEGELIFE

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As a drummer in the Aristal performance, Karagattam, I have to concede that it was one of the most brilliant items I have performed thus far. The drummers played a key role in the performance as sources of energy. However, it was extremely challenging to maintain our energy throughout the dance performance, yet we managed to overcome that due to our perseverance and hard work through regular and rigorous training. It was definitely exhausting during the long practice hours. However, all the drummers encouraged one another during practices to successfully overcome this hurdle. The positive energy radiating from each dancer enabled the team to pull off the dance successfully. It was indeed a team effort, with each and every dancer playing her role in the dance well, that made the dance item truly magnificent and wonderful to watch.

VANISRI d/o SELVARAJA13SH10

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Are you still in contact with any teachers from your days in NJC? Sometimes, we think of how our teachers have influenced our lives in so many different ways. Perhaps there was a teacher who turned your most feared subject into your favourite, or a teacher who helped you out when you were feeling lost. Or perhaps your university choice or career choice had been inspired by something your teacher said in class years ago. Each year in September, we celebrate Teachers’ Day to honour our teachers who have been such important people in our lives. This year, our Teachers’ Day Celebrations theme was “NJC Teachers: Our Guardian Angels”, aptly describing how our teachers guide and watch over their students. After the walk-in ceremony, our teachers recited the Teachers’ Pledge on stage, as a sign of commitment to their students and the profession. It was then followed by two concurrent concerts put up by our talented students and teachers in the Hall and LT5. The celebration might be held just once a year, but the real influence is forever.

TEACHERS’ DAY CELEBRATION

If you would like to write about your teacher, about how he or she has made a great influence in your life, do send us an email via njconnectnjc@gmail.com.

Mrs Cheng with our supportive parents who prepared a sumptious feast for our teachers, which is an annual affair that everyone looks forward to.

Who are your guardian angels?

COLLEGELIFE

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This book recounts how, in 1969, the first batch of students and teachers in the National Junior College built up from scratch every aspect of college life, paving way to a new approach to pre-university education. Guided by a dedicated and visionary principal, Mr Lim Kim Woon, and a team of committed teachers, the students learnt life lessons that prepared them for years beyond their stay in NJC and carved out a philosophy on teamwork, determination and service that remains as a legacy for future NJCians to follow.

Most importantly, it is a book that celebrates youth, love, friendship and honour.

If you would like to purchase a copy, please contact the College at 6466 1144.

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COLLEGELIFE

This year’s Farewell Assembly, held on 14th October, was a bittersweet event as we said goodbye to our Senior High 2 (SH2) students, who were gathered in the Hall to celebrate their achievements and to reminisce all the good times they spent in NJC. As with previous years, there was the traditional video featuring teachers who worked alongside the SH2 students throughout their two years in College. The teachers showcased their talents in drama and their creativity as they conveyed their words of encouragement in varied ways. The SH2 students were very much entertained by the innovative and humorous ways in which the messages were communicated and hopefully, words from these teachers would motivate them and give them strength and confidence as they were preparing for their A-Level examinations. Besides teachers giving encouragement to the SH2 students to believe in themselves, ex-NJCian Goh Chern shared her amazing story on courage, love and dreams to inspire our graduating students and get them to think about what they could do to make a difference. Goh Chern, born with a congenital heart disease, lives with aged parents whom she has had to support since she was 16. These life circumstances have led to her understanding of what it is like to not have much and her desire to do something for the less fortunate. Hence, as an active volunteer, she seeks to make a difference in other people’s lives. In her speech, Goh Chern said,

FAREWELL ASSEMBLYWU YASHI01S28Class of 2002

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“Courage is not having no fear, but learning to live with it.”

Indeed, this is the kind of spirit we want our graduating students to have as they move on to the next phase of their lives. We wish our SH2 students all the best in their future endeavours and hope the College values will always serve as a moral compass to them in whatever they do. We also hope that they continue to stay connected to the College. The Farewell Assembly this year was a very special and memorable one as it not only served as a platform for teachers to bid farewell to our graduating cohort, but also for the latter to say goodbye to our Principal, Mrs Virgina Cheng, who was retired at the end of the year. In her twelve years in NJC, Mrs Cheng served the College with honour, epitomising the College motto.

This cohort of students was very privileged to have the opportunity to honour Mrs Cheng for her contributions to the College. In her farewell speech, Mrs Cheng shared her words of advice and encouragement with all the students and reiterated her firm belief in servant leadership and reminded them to be guided by the College values in whatever they do. Thereafter, each class sent representatives to say words of thanks to Mrs Cheng. This was done in varied ways – from reciting poems to singing and rapping songs they composed. Beautiful bouquets of flowers, heart-warming handwritten notes and plush bears were among many other items presented. This Farewell Assembly was one of the many assemblies [more photos in subsequent pages] held for all students to say goodbye to Mrs Cheng. We wish her all the best in her retirement!

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COLLEGELIFE

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to get the best bargains. High on everyone’s shopping list was N95 masks, and to a lesser extent, air purifiers. We had a sumptuous dinner at the Overseas Restaurant, well known for its roast meats. For the return trip, some had planned to make a detour to Malacca but the haze had caught up with us so the plan was abandoned and we headed straight back to Singapore. Again, the drive back was uneventful except that visibility was poor in certain areas. It was a good trip not only for the activities, but also for the display of friendship and camaraderie by all.

6.30 am, Friday 21 June, a few Alumni stalwarts and their families left the hazy atmosphere of Singapore for the clear blue skies of Malaysia. Destination: Kuala Lumpur. This was the start of one of the Alumni’s regular road trips to Malaysia, organized by our ever-enthusiastic President, Chin Hong. I tagged along for some “R&R”, to quote Chye Kiou, our NJC SAC Chairman who is also an alumni. After a brief stop for last minute instructions and another for breakfast, it was straight off to KL. It was a pleasant drive and we reached our destination in good time. Accommodation for the next few days was Swiss Garden Hotel. It was well located. Just across the road and a short walk of a few hundred metres brought us to shopping malls and a whole range of eateries, from the old fashioned coffee shops to places like Starbucks. In addition, the hotel offered a shuttle service to the mega mall KLCC, a service we all made use of.Day activities were free and easy, with families pursuing individual interests. Dinner was a time for all to get together, to catch up with one another and to exchange notes on where

Ms. KWA EE HUAVice Principal of NJC 1979 to 2004

ALUMNI’SROAD TRIP

ALUMNI NEWS

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It'sBACK!

Food & FunfairSAT 12 APRIL 201410 am - 4 pm

National Junior College Alumni c/o37 Hillcrest Road Singapore 288913

Tel: 64661144 Fax: 64684535

To support students’ entrepreneurial spirit & promote

camaderie as a college.All donations are welcome and should be made payable to ‘NJC Alumni’

Rememberthe times?FUN

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ALUMNI NEWS

The 2013 NJC Alumni Homecoming Dinner was held on 7th September at the NJC Boarding School Dining Hall. Ex-NJCians from various cohorts gathered for a sit-down Western dinner and took the chance to catch up with old friends while reminiscing about days as students in NJC. Guests arrived with smiles on their faces and dinner began with the Principal, Mrs Virginia Cheng, officially launching the new NJC Corporate Video which features our outstanding ex-NJCians who have excelled in their various fields. She presented a token of appreciation to Professor Patrick Tan, who is one of the four ex-NJCians featured in the video. Following that, she also presented Mr Heng Chye Kiou, Chairman of the NJC School Advisory Committee, with the Public Service Star (BBM) Award in recognition of his many years of contribution to education in Singapore. During the course of the dinner, the Dining Hall was filled with lively chatter and guests were all smiles as they whipped out their smartphones to take photographs. The NJC Alumni Homecoming Dinner is a simple affair but truly a wonderful opportunity for ex-NJCians to connect with one another and we look forward to the next Homecoming Dinner.

2013 NJC ALUMNI HOMECOMING DINNER

WU YASHI01S28Class of 2002

It was more than a meeting of old friends. It was a meeting of minds, hearts & spirits.

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Hakuna matata! I never thought I’d hear those words outside of a Lion King movie until the day I stepped off a matatu (a Kenyan minibus) in Nairobi and almost hit my head on the low ceiling of the bus. The bus driver turned around and gestured fervently, as if asking whether I was alright. “No problem!” I said, somewhat embarrassed. “Hakuna matata!” came his reply. “Hakuna matata!” It was 2011 and I was in the bustling city of Nairobi. I joined a team of college students on a service trip to work with a group of Christian orphanages in Kenya. With its high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, Kenya has an alarming number of abandoned and orphaned babies each year. The group rescues these babies and brings them into its orphanages, taking care of them and raising them while preparing them for adoption. My task was to spend time with these babies, getting to know them and writing personality descriptions and developmental reports to be filed in their adoption dossiers

GWEN HWARNG06IP03Class of 2009

SERVICE WITH HONOUR

for social workers and potential adoptive parents. I also had to write a letter for each baby under my care and these letters would be given to them when they reach 14 years old, telling them about the time I spent playing with them and holding them. While in Kisumu, a port city which turned out to be my favourite place in Kenya, I helped to rescue a baby. This baby boy was abandoned at a bus-stop by his mother, who handed him over to a stranger on the pretext that she needed someone to help hold him while she went to the toilet. She never came back for him. So, I joined a team of social workers on a bumpy ride that took us two hours to reach this baby to bring him back to the orphanage. I held him in my arms for the entire journey back and it would be a long time before I forget how it felt. At Nyeri, a little mountain town north of Nairobi, I witnessed a 3 year-old boy going home with his new Dutch parents. It was such

ALUMNI NEWS

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NJ taught me that there is tremendous meaning in helping others, in giving back

If there’s one phrase that NJCians remember fondly, then that will be our College motto – Service with Honour. It was the first thing I saw every time I climbed up the steps from the parade square into the atrium. I also recall our Principal signing off with these three words on any letter that the College sent out to parents and students. It is almost four years since I graduated from NJ. Many things have changed – my perspective and mind-set, my social circle and my hairstyle. But it is with great measure of gratitude that I reflect on how the spirit of service has remained an enduring theme in my life. The four years I spent in NJ taught me that there is tremendous meaning in helping others, in giving back, in blessing others with what I’ve been blessed with. As time goes by, it becomes clear to me that those four years prepared us to be open to new experiences, ever ready to seize opportunities to put these precious values into real action.

a touching moment when I saw how the new family of three interact with one another. It only took the boy a while to warm up to his adoptive parents. I found out later that prior to this heart-warming scene, the caregivers in the orphanage pasted photos of this little boy’s adoptive parents on the wall by his bed and regularly pointed out ‘Mummy’ and ‘Daddy’ to him so that he would be able to recognise them as his Mummy and Daddy when they finally came to bring him home. While I feel sad that there are many babies abandoned and orphaned each year due to HIV/AIDS, it is comforting to know that there are also many caring couples out there eager to bring these babies home to give them care and love. The orphanages also do a great job taking care of these babies and matching them with adoptive families. I felt very blessed during this service trip to be able to witness such altruistic work done by these orphanages in Kenya.

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NJCians from the 1971 cohort are planning a series of gatherings in 2014 to celebrate their 60th birthdays. In addition to celebrating this significant milestone, these gatherings provide an opportunity for all to connect with old friends and share retirement ideas.

Quoting Yeong Wai Cheong:

DIAMOND JUBILEE YEARRolling Good Times for the 1971 Cohort!

If you are also from the 1971 cohort and wish to be part of this series of gatherings, you may email Low Hai Heng via haiheng@itworks.com.sg.

“We are no longer immortal, as we might have thought for the last 59 years... So on reaching 60, that’s worth a bash!”These photos were taken from

the first gathering held at Wai Cheong’s house on 4 Jan 2014.

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INTERVIEW

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Describe your happiest moments as the Principal of NJC.I am happiest when our students achieve their hopes and dreams and acknowledge their teachers and alma mater for their support. Hence, I am happy when they achieve, even in small ways, what they set out to do - be it in the academic area, co-curricula activities, community work or areas of interest. This, I believe, will incrementally lead them along the path to their hopes and dreams.

What is your favorite spot in NJC? The flora and fauna of NJC from the College to the Boarding School. I felt relaxed and energised whenever I walked in the gardens among the lush plants and our local fruit trees (that I had carefully selected so as to enrich our students’ learning). I also enjoyed listening to the birds, checking on the fishes in the pond and the plants that lined our entrances.

12What is one thing you will miss most about NJC after your retirement?The interactions with the students and staff. I enjoyed talking to the students whenever I met them. Formally, there were periods for contact time, leadership talks, time during concerts and events, formal dinners and meetings. The informal opportunities were after lessons along the corridors and stairways, in the College canteen, in the boarding school lift, in the dining hall and as we walk to College from the boarding school. It was similar with the staff especially when we met casually in the canteen, went on retreats and met up on college or student matters.

Can you share with us your philosophy on educationMy philosophy has always been that all students are special and talented in their own ways and must be given the opportunity to grow and develop to their full potential. That is why we have over the past 12 years initiated and reviewed the many varied opportunities for students to make their choices and to have memorable experiences.

In her twelve years in NJC, Mrs Virginia Cheng truly served the College with honour, epitomising the College motto. The NJConnect editorial team is truly privileged to have the opportunity to interview her for this issue. We also wish to dedicate this issue to her.

Duodecennium of SERVICE WITH HONOUR

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Congratulations to the following NJC Alumni who achieve stellar academic results in Nanyang Business School, NTU!

CONGRATULATIONS

BACHELOR OF ACCOUNTANCYYEAR 1Lee Khee Howe, Norman 08S04Jerone Sim Wei Jie 08S05Tham Jia Wei 08S15

YEAR 2Chew Guo Qiang Alan 07S11Seah Shao Jun Nigel 07S13

BACHELOR OF BUSINESSYEAR 2Xie Kaixin Jennifer 07S01Foong Yi Qian 09SH01

DOUBLE DEGREE IN ACCOUNTANCY & BUSINESS YEAR 1Tan Yu Jia 10SH19

YEAR 2Teng Shou Wang, Joshua 07S01Lim Zhi Kuan Nicholas 07S23Tu Fengmei 09SH23

YEAR 3Yeo Qin Shun, Victor 06S06Lee Yu Ting 08S15Yu Shumei 08S19

BACHELOR OF ACCOUNTANCYLow Zhao Xuan 06S03Chua Zhao Wei 06S08Ng Zhi Wen 06S08Chua Tong Hern 06S12Loh Zuo Jie 06S15Ho See Hao 06S19Xiao Jiahao 06S21Tan Xue Lin 06S24Goh Ai Ling 08S05Lin Meiling 08S12Lam Runyan Geraldine 08S13Tay Ai Ling 08S19

BACHELOR OF BUSINESSOng Xin Yuan 05IP05Low Kok Cherng Reuben 05S12Lim Guorong 06S03Phua Jing Wen, Kenny 06S03Liew Wei Seow Victor 06S19Ong Siling 08S15

DOUBLE DEGREE IN ACCOUNTANCY & BUSINESSLow Chee Kheong Andy 05S14Cho Kai Siang 05S27Vincent Chee Guo Qiang 06S16Kee Wei Ning 07S06Chai Jia Xing, Ivy 07S06Tan Ya Hui Celestine 07S10Chiam Qing Hui 07S20Tan Ying Zi 07S21

The following students graduated with First Class Honours in July 2013.

The following students made the Dean’s List in their respective programmes of study.

ALUMNI NEWS

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We’d love to hear from you!As an e-magazine sent to all alumni, NJConnect aims to bring you news of what is happening in NJC. We would like this to be an avenue for alumni to reconnect with the school, friends and school mates through stories of joys, victories, life journeys, passions and interests. We want it to be fun, enjoyable, inspirational and for it to bring smiles, laughter or even surprises to the readers as they flip through these few pages.

We are therefore calling for your contributions on any of the following:

PASSION

Share with us your passion for anything, it can be work, business, community projects or hobbies. Let the alumni know what you are up to and you might be able to find people who share your passion or require your expertise.

LIFESTYLE

Share anything here! It can be your travel journal, not-so-secret recipe (since you can’t exactly share a secret recipe), experiences working or living abroad, or just your favourite haunts in Singapore.

NJC SHOUT-OUTS

Update your friends and alumni on any thoughts or events happening around you, like finding the love-of-your-life or to thank someone who has helped or inspired you. Or you can tell your friends that you miss them!

Stay connected with NJC on the webNJC Website www.njc.edu.sg

NJC Alumni Website www.njc-alumni.orgNJC Facebook search “NJC Alumni”

Please send your stories, write-ups, journals, shout-outs, etc. together with pictures (at least 300 ppi) to njconnectnjc@gmail.com. Queries may also be directed there.

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Display your pride in the College everywhere you go with our very own NJC Car Decal.You may collect a complimentary decal from the Reception Counter in NJC’s General Office on weekdays from 8 am to 5 pm.

Proud To Be

“Proud to Be” Car Decal