A Newslet ter of Tanjong Katong Girls’ School | October 2014

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We started 2014 with the theme “Excelsior”, an idea that came not from the staff of the school but from the student leaders in search of a theme for Orientation 2014. Adopting this would mean a collective effort by all TKGians (both staff and students) to develop a vision for excellence and to surpass what we think we are capable of.

I am happy to note that this theme has brought TKGians together and bonded the school, especially in the lead-up to the External Validation exercise held in early July. Following that, it was used to rally past and present students, staff and parents in celebration of our 61st Speech Day, which affirmed those who had achieved excellence in academic, service and CCA pursuits. We also welcomed home alumni ranging in age from 17 to 80+ in our annual Homecoming Event held as always on the first Friday of August. We hope that such interaction with a strong network of ex-students will light the TKGian spirit in our students and keep it aflame for years to come!

Principal’s Message

A Special Visitor on Career Awareness Day

TKGS continues to make strides in the local and global arena. You will find within the pages of this newsletter stories of friendships forged with peers from China and Africa, and the extension of our Bruneian ties as explained by a Wheel of Life speaker, Mr Brian Koh, Director, NUS Enterprise. You will also read about our students learning alongside professors from the United States in the International Research Experiences brought to Singapore this time round. If 2014 is a year of learning from visitors from both far and near, one highlight was surely learning from our own Minister of Education, Mr Heng Swee Keat, who engaged our students when he visited TKGS on Career Awareness Day.

With TKGS as a citadel of learning in our Lion City (take a close look at the TKGS School Crest), these pages capture a glimpse of the holistic education that we provide by bringing the world into our classroom. May you find within these pages, memories of a school we call our second home. Happy reading!

Mrs Mary Seah, Principal

Staff and students of TKGS warmly welcomed Minister for Education, Mr Heng Swee Keat to the school on 28th May 2014. Minister Heng was given an introduction to the school’s history at the Heritage Gallery and then proceeded to our newly-minted Arts Café for a dialogue with staff and management personnel. Principal Mrs Mary Seah first outlined the school’s approach in building students’ leadership in both academic and non-academic domains. Staff then engaged in a lively dialogue session with Minister on various issues including how to move beyond an over-emphasis on academic excellence to focus on other equally important educational outcomes such as 21st century competencies. Minister

said that his hope was for society to define success more broadly and value different types of jobs more equally than they are today.

Mr Heng then watched the Symphonic Band’s rousing performance at the Foyer, which was part of our signature Rest and Relax @ Recess programme, after which he participated as a very special guest in the Sec 4’s Careers Awareness Day programme which was taking place on that very day! Minister had in fact gamely agreed to host a dialogue during the Leadership in the Public Service breakout session.

Fatin Adriana, Head Prefect (4/8) reflected on her experience at this session: “Drawing on his varied experiences in the Singapore Police Force, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the Public Service Division and now as Minister of Education, Minister was generous with his advice on how we should choose our careers. We learnt that besides having a clear idea of one’s own interests and strengths, it was important to learn, work hard, and make the most of each opportunity that comes along. He shared that the public service is first and foremost about serving the country and those who find meaning in making people’s lives better would have a satisfying career in the public service. He certainly is an inspiration to all of us!”

Minister Heng also provided other insights from his leadership journey in a down-to-earth and personable manner which made

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students feel comfortable about asking questions. Stephanie Tan, Band Major (4/4) asked how leaders felt about having to make the right decisions even though they were unpopular. He explained that when a leader makes a decision, he must persist if he is clear that it is the right thing to do and gave the example of his decision not to name the PSLE top scorers. Minister stood by his decision and gradually others started to realise how this is all part of influencing a shift in society’s definition of success; that we are not chasing after marks but celebrating the successes of

all, and even more importantly, highlighting good character such as resilience and perseverance in the journey of education.

Minister Heng also asked the students about their own aspirations and they were heartened that he listened so attentively to each of them as they spoke about their dreams. It was certainly a memorable Career Awareness Day for this privileged group of TKGians because they received personal advice from this special visitor.

By: Mrs Shirley Lee, Vice-Principal

Developing a Global Perspective:Wheel of Life Inspirational Speakers Series 2014

Noble Service for Noble Souls … We have often sung these words and thought they were inspirational words for our TK girls but in January this year, TKGS was honoured to meet a gentleman who truly epitomized the words ‘noble soul’. Dr Tan Lai Yong graced our school assembly as our first Inspirational Speaker for 2014. Dr Tan spent 15 years in Yunnan, China, with his family, because he wanted to use

his medical expertise to help the less fortunate. He joined the Kunming Medical University and trained village and hospital doctors. He also worked with disabled people as well as non-governmental organisations based in Yunnan.

Dr Tan accumulated many life lessons during his journey and these were what he came to share with us through his presentation entitled “Village Lessons for City Living”. He focused on two key principles, firstly how “prevention is better than cure” in taking care of our health and secondly how we should “laugh with people, not at them.” He also said that we should always nip problems in the bud and not allow them to grow.

Dr Tan said sharing knowledge is crucial and thus he does not simply give things away but rather prefers to share knowledge. As an example he cited how the mothers of children with

deformities bore senseless guilt and he had to share his medical knowledge to reassure them that they should not feel that way.

On the idea of laughing with people instead of laughing at them, Dr Tan strongly believes that investing in friendship is vital. He stated that, “the friends you make in school are your friends for life” adding that education is a privilege hence we should not waste it. “Life is tough. Be prudent. Invest in your talents,” remarked Dr Tan.

There were so many other meaningful and purposeful takeaways from his speech which he ended on a powerful note by saying: “Always remember there are people downstream” -- implying that we should not adversely affect someone else’s life with our thoughtless actions. Truly Dr Tan left a lasting impression on us through the way he has adopted the spirit of altruism for the greater good. So let us emulate Dr Tan’s example by serving the community with honour and working for selfless fame!

On 25th July 2014, we welcomed the second inspirational speaker in our Wheel of Life series. Mr Brian Koh, Director, NUS Enterprise shared that on the invitation of the Brunei government, NUS Enterprise currently provides consultancy services to support the growth of entrepreneur start-ups in Brunei. Mr Koh’s enlightening talk focused on what he had learnt about international relations and diplomacy and the importance of such international partnerships for Singapore as a result of his experiences with this venture in Brunei.

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Learning Life Lessons from Laos

During the June Holidays, 26 Secondary 2 and 3 students from the Interact Club together with 4 teachers embarked on a 4-day Overseas Values-in-Action trip to Vientiane, Laos, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Singapore. There, we visited Xang Khu Primary School, located in the outskirts of town. The aim of our trip was to help the school and its students. During the trip, we learnt about the rich culture and diversity of Laos. Our trip also promoted our sense of pride in our own country and made us more appreciative of all that we have.

We had to use part of our June holidays to prepare for the trip. Preparations included splitting into two teams to streamline our efforts. One group would focus on Teaching and the other on Classroom Makeover. The first team focused on engaging the students with hands-on learning activities and planned many games and activities for them. The second team aimed to give the walls of the classrooms a fresh coat of paint to make their learning environment more conducive and comfortable The teams also planned to switch tasks on the second day so as to enable everyone to fully experience different forms of learning.

Upon touching down at Laos on 22nd June, we exited Vientiane airport in high spirits. We soon realized that we had set foot on a land untainted by modernization. Exposed overhead wires and cracked concrete roads gave the country a kind of raw beauty. We saw families of 4 riding on a single motorbike. It was a shocking sight which made us reflect on how pampered we were in Singapore.

Over the course of the next two days, we finally got the chance to interact with the students and execute our plans. Painting was arduous work but fortunately the other aspects of our visit compensated for it. In particular, ‘game time’ with the children proved to be most energising. We found that although the students were of different ages, they learned the same things as there was no level-based education system in their school, such as Primary One, Two, etc. The students also could not speak simple English, which made communicating with them a little challenging to say the least. As a result, our plans for ‘classroom teaching’ were affected but we persevered and decided to focus more on educational games instead. We played outdoor games and organized a ‘tele-match’ i.e. games that require participants to use skills such as teamwork and effective communication.

We were certainly reluctant to leave the children when the time came. On the last day, everyone gathered to attend a Baci ceremony performed by the elderly villagers. Then we tied white and orange string bracelets, symbols of blessing and goodwill, around one another’s wrists as we said our goodbyes. Our trip ended with a feast at the village before we left.

This trip to Laos was an eye-opener for all of us. The exuberant smiles of the children we helped filled our hearts with a sense of achievement and satisfaction that words can never describe. We admired them as they had much less than us but they cherished every opportunity to learn and showed so much positivity, perseverance and gratitude.

We also felt a sense of pride in being Singaporeans because of all the opportunities that Singapore has provided us. We had left Singapore with the aim of helping others but returned from Laos, feeling that the people there have helped us learn many lessons about life that we will remember forever.

By: Chen Li Ling (Sec 2/3)

He outlined 5 principles that he had gleaned after working with international parties and summarized them as the 5P’s: Purpose, Posture, Position, Persistence and Partnership. He elaborated on each principle, particularly emphasising the importance of knowing the purpose of the

partnership so that we are clear of the direction we want to steer the relationship towards. He also shared that it is vital to take a humble stance (i.e. posture) when engaging our

partners and to respect cultural differences. In this way, he has forged many friendships with the Bruneians and celebrates Hari Raya with them not as colleagues, but as friends. It was interesting to hear his experiences, and learn why he admired the hospitable Bruneians.

Mr Koh ended his talk by reiterating the importance of establishing international relations with other countries and having greater global connections, especially since Singapore is a small country with a relatively small population. He encouraged TKGians to stretch our minds and reach beyond borders to gain a competitive edge. He also said it was important for countries to leverage on each other’s strengths, acknowledge their own weaknesses and constantly try to improve their skills.

By: Nur Afiqah Ashefjah (Sec 4/5) & Lim Yuet Wei, Cherie (Sec 4/7)

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they had created. Loud applause filled the air when the Malawian boys performed the Chinese martial arts of Kung Fu (see photo) and sang popular Chinese songs Fa Ru Xue and Xiao Ren Wu de Xin Sheng. The atmosphere became even more vibrant when the audience started to sing along. Excited TKGians were soon taking pictures with the multilingual Malawians posing in their ethnic costumes. The event concluded with a TKGian rendition of Tong Hua, followed by the Singapore National Day song ‘Home’.

There was also an exclusive talk by famous author You Jin (see photo), at our school on 7th August. She succeeded in teaching the student-audience valuable lessons through her life experiences and short stories. They

were indeed totally enchanted by her interesting talk and had an exciting autograph session with her after it was over. Before the Xi'An students left, they were able to participate in our Hari Raya Celebrations and learnt to appreciate our multi-racial culture more. Both sets of visitors also had a glimpse of Singapore’s history when they saw our National Day Celebrations. These events helped widen their own global perspectives and horizons of knowledge.

TKGS Hosts Guests from China... and Malawi

In August, TKGS hosted two groups of guests from China almost simultaneously. 48 teachers and students from Xi'An Gao Xin No.1 Middle School (3rd to 8th August) and 14 from Tianjin No.9 Middle School (6th to 8th August) were given a warm welcome when they visited us as part of an exchange programme. The objectives were to develop closer ties with our partner schools and provide TKGians with an opportunity to learn about China’s history, economy, culture and environment.

The Xi'An pupils visited tourist attractions and managed to get to know Singapore better. They also paid a visit to the Chinese Heritage Centre to learn how the Chinese in Singapore had lived in the past. A multicultural exchange programme was held in our school on 6th August. Our students gained an insight into the life of Chinese students when representatives spoke about their schools’ vision and mission as well as their culture and life in general. Four Malawian teenagers and some students from Maris Stella High School joined TKGians and the guests from China to enjoy a colourful and vibrant cultural experience (see photo).

The highlight of the event was a presentation by the Malawian students. They mesmerised the audience with their extremely fluent Mandarin, explaining the obstacles they initially faced in learning Chinese and the way they had overcome them! They also shared their local customs and practices through a short film

The Tianjin students and their buddies had an enjoyable Kinball Match in the school hall together with their teachers and several staff of TKGS (see photo). Another interesting session was conducted by Mr Chen from Tianjin No.9 Middle School who demonstrated the basic brush strokes of traditional Chinese painting. Teachers and students from both schools took turns to paint, each drawing a small portion of a big picture, and thus completing the painting entitled ‘Plum Blossom’ together.

At the end of the exchange programme, many gifts were exchanged. TKGS had had a hectic but enjoyable time hosting the PRC guests and the visiting students expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to experience and enjoy Singaporean school life. Their Singaporean ‘buddies’ also benefitted from the bonds of friendship forged and values learnt.

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International Research Experiences for ScienceMy boots sank further into the saturated mangrove soil. The heat of the humid air was oppressive. I stooped lower to get hold of my footing, and shoved my shovel into the sandy clay mixture. Inevitably, the reeking scent of mangrove soil rose to invade my sense of smell. Was this really what I had wanted, when I signed up with my schoolmates, Aarushi, Janvi and Ranice for a study on the ecological impact of water on plants in Singapore, with international scientists and research assistants?

The relentless trickling of sweat down my forehead, the smudges of mud that stained my clothes, the days of crunching data into incomprehensible excel sheets, the once-in-a-lifetime fieldwork experience alongside professors and experienced educators, not to mention the friendships forged during the days of fieldwork, discussion and presentations of our experience, left me with no doubt that it was definitely what I had wanted and much more.

Those 8 days from 2nd to 9th August 2014 though stressful were very fruitful. Stress was inevitable as we had to conduct an in-depth research independently and think flexibly. Our demanding project involved: creating our research question on the theme 'Ecological Impacts of Water', carrying out some on-line research for primary literature on similar topics and planning the outline of our experiment.

The fieldtrips we made to the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Pasir Ris Park and Admiralty Park over the next few days were arduous yet we were full of zest to collect our leaf, water and soil samples. Later we conducted an ex-situ test back at the lab, examined our results and started working on our PowerPoint presentation. On our last day, though we were edgy and overwrought as we delivered our presentations, we felt a great sense of achievement. We had never imagined that we could go so far.

We made it to the summit of Bukit Timah Hill

After collecting soil and water samples at Admiralty Park

Over the duration of those 8 days, we were able to get close to nature and gain new scientific knowledge as well as learn critical thinking and organisation skills. We learnt how to manage stress and brush it off with laughter. We were also able to work alongside experts in the field and be exposed to a higher educational level when we worked with our team-mates from Temasek Junior College.

This research study included aspects of all the three sciences, and, yes even the three humanities! The professors and teachers also broadened our horizons by sharing with us their overseas experience. This made the project even more enriching. Though missing a week of school was definitely something to get anxious about, I can honestly say that all of us have gained so much from this experience.

By: Rachel Phua (Sec 3/7)

Our teachers, a TJC participant and Professor Glen Kowach (Chemistry professor, City College of New York) as well as iRes founder Ms Charlene Chan, (extreme right) and us!

Esther Wee Si-En (3/5), who had participated in the 2013 cultural immersion trip to Tianjin, and was a buddy this year, had this to say: ‘It was difficult at first, communicating in Chinese and understanding their accents but we managed. It was also very humbling to hear how they wanted to be successful in order to help eradicate poverty and improve life in their country. To me, this was really inspirational. I have learnt to count my blessings and not take my education for granted.’

The visits have obviously resulted in the broadening of global perspectives on both sides and hopefully will help to develop further collaboration in the future. Our guests left with a deeper understanding of TKGS and Singapore as a result of observing our lessons and CCA’s. They were full of admiration for the good systems we have in place.

By: Mdm Meenatchi (with inputs from the CL Dept and Internationalization Committee)

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In 2013, the Science Department began an initiative of implementing a curriculum which stretches critical thinking and reflection. This involved Lower Secondary students writing journals based on articles from the National Geographic Explorer as well as other resources, in order to enhance connections to what they had learnt in class. Below we present what Sameera Zeehan and Fiona Ang from 2/1 have come up with on their chosen topic: Peppy Plants.

Venus flytrap -- a plant that traps bugs! Gross but true…a Venus flytrap actually eats bugs. To catch bugs, it makes a trap with its leaves to form a “V”. When an insect walks across its leaves, they snap shut.

The leaves spring together in less than one-tenth of a second and trap the unsuspecting insect. Once the leaves are closed, the plant starts to ingest the insect.

Scientists have discovered that the fine hairs covering the plants’ leaves act as triggers. When an insect walks by, it brushes against several hairs causing the leaves to close. However, why doesn’t rainfall trigger the trap? Scientists have come to the conclusion that rain does not close the trap because each drop only hits the hairs once unlike the continuous movement of an insect. The plant feels this movement, thus the leaves close around its prey. Once the insect is trapped by the plant, digestive juices secreted in glands on the inner surface of the trap are released to digest the hapless prey and extract its nutrients.

Other amazing facts:• Has a sense of smell to identify the insects by their odours

and trap them inside. • Is a carnivorous plant which prefers insects and arachnids

such as: spiders, flies, caterpillars, crickets and slugs.• Glows blue to attract insects.• Digests frogs and human flesh as well.

The Pitcher plant is perhaps the most mysterious plant in the whole wide universe and nothing leaves us with more awe than seeing a Pitcher plant with our own eyes. With its unique ability to obtain food, it has inspired many to reshape their concept of how nature really works. With its deeply

Science Journal-Writing: Learning Beyond the Textbooks

folded leaves, the cup-shaped plant stores up a sweet-smelling juice which lures an unsuspecting insect into its mouth.

And when the hapless insect is about to sip…an unfortunate thing happens (for the insect that is!) It slips and falls into the cup of the Pitcher plant. Unable to climb back, this insect flails helplessly in the fluid until it loses energy and submits to the overpowering force of its fate. The secret lies in the juice which is no ordinary nectar. It actually contains chemicals that are similar to those found in the human stomach. These chemicals slowly attack the skin of its prey until it dissolves completely. Thus the insect ends up becoming part of the very juice that it had tried to drink earlier. However, even though Pitcher plants are carnivorous, please don’t believe how they are sometimes depicted in science fiction flicks, as being able to swallow a person!

Other amazing facts: • Has a sense of taste and eats insects in order to get nutrients

and other minerals that it cannot extract from the soil. • Uses colour, shape and size to lure insects.• Its nectar is actually poisonous.• Larger pitcher plants may even trap small frogs, snakes and

birds inside.

A plant-in-motion, the Mimosa plant is also known as the touch-me-not, a very ‘sensitive’ plant. It folds inward and its leaves droop when touched, to protect itself from predators. It re-opens minutes later. The leaves also close

when exposed to various other stimuli, such as warmth, blowing, or shaking. Its closing and opening movements are known as seismonastic movements. Such movements occur when specific regions of cells lose turgor pressure, which is the force that is applied onto the cell wall by water within the cell vacuoles and other cell contents. How is this beneficial for the Mimosa plant? Scientists have discovered that the plant uses its ability to ‘shrink’ as a defense from herbivores. Animals may be afraid of a ‘moving’ plant and would rather eat a less active one.

Other amazing facts:• Has a sense of touch and thus closes its leaves instantly

when touched.• Is used as herbal medicine.• Closes its leaves in darkness and opens in light. • Produces 600 seeds per year.

Bibliography:1. National Geographic Explorer (January- February 2014)2. Google images3. http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Venus_Flytrap4. http://www.gardenguides.com/99517-mimosa-pudica.html5. http://www.ehow.com/facts_7396628_interesting-pitcher-

plant.html

Are you impressed? Now read on and see what Sui Soo Koon and Syaza Azhar also from 2/1 have found out about their chosen topic: Wildfire.

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The horrifying and terrifying blaze known as wildfire is often regarded as highly dangerous and we applaud the trained wilderness firefighters who hike several kilometres with heavy gear to bravely put out such a fire. This extremely dangerous fire requires heat, fuel and oxygen. These three things are commonly referred to as The Fire Triangle or The Combustion Triangle.

Leaves and wood require heat to burst into a flame thus lightning or fireworks can cause a flame to start. Then, the ‘fire fuel’ starts to burn, which in the case of wildfire is often grass, bushes and trees. Next oxygen comes into the picture, as the more oxygen there is, the hotter and bigger the fire gets. Wind blows air and thus there is more oxygen, which causes the flames to grow. To stop a combustion reaction, one of the three elements of The Fire Triangle has to be removed. It is a wonder how firefighters fight such massive fires. Usually, they make a firebreak which is a gap in vegetation or other combustible material, to act as a barrier which can slow or stop the progress of a bushfire or wildfire.

However, firebreaks may not always work because their success depends on environmental conditions, and the relative effectiveness of a given firebreak. Firebreaks often

have to be backed up with other firefighting efforts. Unfortunately, it is possible for fire to spread across even an impenetrable divide. Thus, there is an alternative solution, which is hovering

over the fire and dropping “Sky Jell-O” which is a sticky pink chemical that smothers the flame (see photo).

Fires are beneficial to our ecosystem. However, climate change and other pressures are resulting in more intensified firestorms occurring, causing more damage and putting wildlife at a higher risk. They cannot escape easily and have to watch their habitats being destroyed or dramatically altered. Wildfires are especially common in countries like Australia and Africa. Climatic changes make some places hotter and drier and this causes wildfires to thrive. Decades of drought and warmer temperatures are making many places around the world more vulnerable to fire. Global warming has also led to an increase in the frequency of the lightning which ignites wildfire.

Unfortunately unlike many natural disasters, most wildfires are actually caused by people. Their effects can thus be mitigated by people as well. Meteorologists are not yet able to forecast wildfire outbreaks, so people in fire-prone areas should plan ahead and prepare to evacuate with little notice. Wildfire can affect the physical, chemical, and biological quality of streams, rivers and lakes. After a fire, increased run-off provides the pathway for the transport of chemical-laden sediment to surface water, which may have a substantial impact on water quality. This is one of the first and greatest impacts of wildfire.

Nevertheless, wildfire is not completely harmful. In fact, fires help to clear the forest floor of weeds and dead plants that crowd out new trees. Ash acts as a fertilizer that helps other plants grow. Wildfires are also practical in maintaining the balance within an ecosystem by removing any deleterious insects and diseased plants.

Bibliography: 1. National Geographic Explorer (May Issue 2014)2. Google Images3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_triangle 4. http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Threats-to-Wildlife/Global-

Warming/Global-Warming-is-Causing-Extreme-Weather/Wildfires.aspx

5. h t tp : / /g reenconduct .com/b log/2013/07/25/ the-environmental-consequences-of-forest-fires/

6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firebreak 7. http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/

natural-disasters/wildfire-safety-tips/ 8. http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/swqb/Wildfire/

Debaters Go On Air

In a recording studio for the first time…

Early this year, the TKGS debate team received an incredible invitation from MediaCorp to take part in an on-air debate hosted by Mr Daniel Martin of 938LIVE on the programme, Campus. Opportunities like this are hard to come by, so on 23rd May, we, (Curling Amal (3/5), Priya Lakshmi (3/6) Nur Afiqah (4/5) and myself), headed to Caldecott Hill to participate in one of our most nerve-wracking yet exciting debates.

The motion was “This House believes that accused youth should be protected from the public eye during criminal investigations and proceedings.” This topic was prompted by the recent cases of vandalism that had been committed by youths resulting in their faces being published on all forms of media,

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We broke into two teams, Priya and I for the Proposition, and Curling and Afiqah for the Opposition. With both sides laying solid arguments for their cases, the debate was definitely a fruitful one followed by some post-discussion on the topic that forced us to think on our feet. It was broadcast LIVE at 10.45 am. Immediately after the broadcast, we received calls as well as text messages from friends, family and teachers who had tuned in to listen to the debate. It was heartening to know that many people had taken time off their busy schedules to listen to us on radio. Their encouraging words motivated us to push ourselves towards improvement.

The experience was an amazing one that has taught us a lot, in terms of preparation as well as presentation. The opportunity to learn more about the life of radio personalities was also a truly enriching one, especially since they are usually only heard, not seen. We were very proud to have been able to represent the school on national radio and would like to thank our Literary and Debating Society teachers Mrs Smahon and Mr Christopher Roy for their immense guidance and support.

By: Pooja Bhagwan (Sec 3/5)

COE EL News!As part of our Centre of Excellence for EL activities this year, TKGS hosted a Dramatic Interpretation Competition on 4th August. A total of 12 East Zone schools participated in the competition, which was open to all Secondary students in the zone. Contestants had previously attended a training workshop for the competition to gain the skills and confidence to deliver an effective performance. Each contestant performed an excerpt from a play, novel or short story. The piece could be a monologue or have multiple characters, in which case the contestant had to portray each character! As the focus was on voice and oratorical skills, no props or costumes were allowed. Contestants had to present their character(s) and situations through the use of different ‘voices’, stances and focal points.

TKGS was represented by Tammie Lim (2/1) who delivered an intense performance of an excerpt from (what is more intense than?) The Hunger Games. The eventual winner of the

competition was Daniel Loh from St Patrick’s School, who performed a highly entertaining and engaging piece about a man’s telephone-banking conversation! Second and third prizes went to Saker Subaraj from Ping Yi Sec and Eshand Jagatheesan from Pasir Ris Crest Sec respectively. All contestants were highly praised by the judges for their ability to bring

the English printed word to life which is what the Centre of Excellence is all about – i.e. promoting a love for EL!

By: Mrs Joanne Chow, Subject Head for Literature

including newspapers and social networking sites. Needless to say, the topic was particularly relevant to young people.

Accompanied by teacher-in-charge, Mrs Lai Fun Smahon, we arrived at MediaCorp at 9 am and were thrilled at the sight of the radio studios, which few people get to see. Our excitement grew when Mr Daniel

Martin came in to introduce himself and give us a short briefing. The entire process of recording our debate gave us an insight into how radio deejays do their job. We witnessed Mr. Martin giving traffic updates as well as reading the news and it satisfied our curiosity as we had always wondered what went on inside radio studios, out of sight from listeners. We envied his job and admired his voice which was crystal-clear and smooth as silk!

From left: Curling, Pooja, Priya & Afiqah with Mrs Smahon and Mr Daniel Martin

Debaters Do Well in Higher DivisionTKGS was among only 8 schools that qualified for the quarter-finals out of the 27 secondary schools participating in Division 2 of the National Secondary Schools Debating Championship this year. In fact with 3 consecutive wins in the preliminary rounds, our scores had put us ahead of all Division 2 schools at the end of those rounds. Although we were eventually beaten in the quarter-finals, we are immensely proud of our team’s achievement as they were participating in a higher division than last year, as a result of winning the Division 3 competition in 2013! Individually, our debaters also made their mark this year. Priya Lakshmi (3/6) was named 5th Best Speaker and Nur Afiqah Ashefjah (4/5) was named 8th Best Speaker in the whole tournament. The photograph shows our debaters receiving their trophies and certificates from Ms Fiona Walker, Principal of the Julia Gabriel Centre which sponsors the competition.

By: Mrs Lai Fun Smahon (Teacher-in-charge, Literary and Debating Society)From left to right: Brinda Veerappan (2/6), Priya Lakshmi (3/6), Nur Afiqah Ashefjah (4/5), and Pooja Bhagwan (3/5). Not in the picture: Curling Amal (3/5)

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TKGians Triumph in S’ TALES CompetitionThe Library Board would like to extend its congratulations to all the TKGians who participated in and won honours in the S’Tales competition organized by Civica, an international Library organization. Carol Lerh (4/8) wrote a story which was

deemed worthy of inclusion in the S’Tales 2014 compilation! Below is our interview with her:

Q: What motivated you to participate in this competition? A: I wanted to prove to myself that I could win, that I could succeed if I tried hard enough. When I did, it really boosted my confidence.

Q: What was your inspiration for the plot of the story? A: My inspiration, strangely enough, came from the haze situation in Singapore. Apart from that, my personal experiences as a teenager in a world that is constantly changing and evolving did help to give perspective to my story. I've always felt that life is moving faster than I can get used to.

Q: Did you expect to be one of the winners for this competition? A: No, but I hoped I would win because I had put in a lot of effort into this story.

Q: What advice do you have for students like yourself who are aspiring to be writers? A: Be brave and take the first step to express yourself in words; then be determined enough to edit your words so as to achieve perfection.

Q: Will you be entering any other competitions? A: Not anytime soon because I have to concentrate on my O-level examinations. However, I plan to write to my heart’s content after that!

Next, we interviewed Ranice Tan (3/8), whose artwork was chosen to be published in the S’Tales compilation.

Q: What was the inspiration for your artwork? A: My artwork was based on my story – about the loss of heritage due to excessive urbanization.

Q: What media did you use for your artwork? A: I had chosen to be relatively simple with just water colours on sketchbook paper.

Q: Prior to this, had you entered any art competitions?A: Earlier this year, I did submit an installation piece for the Singapore Youth Festival Competition. My work of art is hanging in the school’s Arts Cafe now!

Q: Did you expect to win this competition? A: Just like everyone else, I was hoping to win, but I expected

that many schools would make multiple submissions, and that the standards would be very high. I'm not very familiar with watercolours and had to try really hard to get the effects that I wanted. Of course, I am truly happy that I won in the end.

Q: Do you have any advice for other aspiring artists? A: Competitions do not define your skills as art is very subjective. Everyone's an artist. As long as you put your heart into it, and are determined; you can manifest your thoughts and imagination in the form of art, and that is the most important thing.

Last but not anywhere close to the least, we managed to get a little chit-chat going with Shruti Ravindran (3/8) about her artwork which was also published in the S’Tales book compilation.

Q: When did you first take an interest in illustration? A: Last year, when I found that I wasn't too bad at drawing and colouring.

Q: What made you want to enter this competition? A: I guess it was just my need for a new experience. I just wanted to give this a try.

Q: Did you expect to win? A: I definitely did not. But thanks to my friend Chu Wei's support, I did not lose hope.

Q: What media did you use? A: Just the basics -- normal pencils, colour pencils as well as markers.

Q: What are your parting words to other aspiring artists?A: Don’t expect anything out of a competition except experience. In other words, join competitions with the right mind-set, not for winning, but for the thrill of taking part!

Wise words indeed! That is all for now from your Press Gang. Be sure to get a copy of the S’Tales book and say goodbye to your woes and sorrows. May the land of fantasy always welcome you with open arms! Remember, reading is cool especially if you are taking the

time to appreciate TKGian talents!

By: Priya Lakshmi (Sec 3/6) & Ranice Tan (Sec 3/8) of the Library Board

Carol at the prize-giving ceremony, with published writers, Adan (left) and Felicia Jimenez and Mdm Begam, our librarian

From left to right: Carol, Ranice and Shruti

(continued to pg 11)

10

Queens of Malay Drama

Tamil Writers Galore in TKGSWhen four TKGS Tamil Language students went on stage one after the other to receive prizes at the Muthamizh Vizha (Tamil Arts Festival) organised by the Singapore Tamil Writers’ Association on 5th April, the emcee commented that TKGS seems to be the school which is producing many future Singapore Tamil writers. This same comment was repeated by the Guest-of-Honour of the event as well!

Indeed our Tamil girls have done us proud by showcasing their writing skills in a number of competitions this year. Their creativity and flair in their Mother Tongue have been reflected in the essays, short stories and poems they submitted for various inter-school competitions. Here is the list of winners:

Name & Class Contest details AchievementMehboob Tahira 2/1

Submitted portofolio MOE Creative Arts Program Selected and undergoing trainingAkeelah Banu 2/4Kayalvizhi 4/1

Short story writing competitionSingapore Tamil Writers’ Association

2nd PrizeNoorul Farzana 4/1 4th PrizeMadhumitha 4/2 3rd PrizeMufruhah 3/7 Translation Competition 3rd PrizeHajira 1/4 Sec 1 Essay- writing competition Raffles Institution Inter-school Tamil

Language competition 1st Prize

Aashikkah Baanu 2/3Research & Powerpoint Presentation on an Indian Heritage theme

Multimedia Competition on ‘Tamil for the Younger Generation’ – Tamil Language Month April 2014

Won individual certificates and vouchers for being Finalists and Presenters

Kirthanadharshini 2/3Asfar Banu Alim 2/5Shriranjani 2/7Mufruhah 3/7 Short story writing Tamil Amutham magazine competition 1st PrizeMurugan Sinegha 1/2 Article published in magazine Tamil Amutham magazine May Issue 1st PrizePrithi Rajagopal 4/3 Poem published on-line in August www.Ilamaithamizh.com Cash voucher

Some of the young writers at the prize-giving ceremony

When my Malay teacher, Ms Hafizah, first approached me and asked if I wanted to join a Malay drama competition, I was nervous. I knew that I was not the most fluent in my class so how could I act in front of an audience? However after relentless persuasion from my teacher and team-mates, I finally agreed. We went through a lot of training with our teacher. We acted,

sang and danced. We even learnt how Malay accents had transformed over the years. It was not easy finding the time to train but we did.

We attended the preliminary round at the Woodlands Community Club which was very far for most of us. Our spirits never wavered and we went through with ease into the finals. Our schoolmates encouraged us and helped out with our props. On the day of our finals, when we arrived at Marine Parade Library, we were greeted by the familiar face of our beloved Uncle Dollah! He stayed till 5pm just to show his support. Our talented 4/3 seniors, Iffah and Batrisyia, dolled us up perfectly within two hours and soon other TKGians came to support us. Even Operations Manager, Mdm Michelle Khoo came to boost our spirits.

In the end we emerged Champions! We also won the Best Female Actress and Best Script Awards. The weeks spent practising over and over again had finally paid off. This amazing experience taught us not only to love our Mother Tongue but to also appreciate everyone who had been involved in it with us. Most of all we thank Ms Hafizah for giving us this opportunity to broaden our horizons and be enriched in our wonderful heritage.

By: Yasmin Iman (Sec 3/3)

Sec 1 Essay-writing winner, Hajira (1/4) (holding trophy) with other participants and supporters at RI

(continued from pg 10)

11

Sports CCA Girls @ OBS

The Sec 3 Sports CCA members’ camp at Outward Bound School (OBS) was an experience like no other. With initial reluctance and reservations, the 24 of us -- netballers, badminton girls and basket-ballers, who had missed the original OBS because of our tournaments -- departed for Pulau Ubin on 2nd June. Little did we know how extremely fun and fulfilling -- albeit physically and mentally challenging -- those 5 days would be for us. Our instructors, Meiying and Jianwen (J for short), were the key to making sure we successfully reached our full potential. They were spontaneous and encouraging throughout our journey, and constantly lifted our spirits despite the draining activities.

We had to undertake two expeditions, one on land and the other at sea. These two activities required collective strength and perseverance as they had demands that were difficult to meet. For example, we had to trek for 5 hours around Pulau Ubin, while carrying our 20kg backpacks and completing tasks as we raced to the finish. It was certainly not easy and spirits were running low.

However, J easily lifted our spirits by making us play an extremely chaotic team-building game called “Traffic Jam”. We realised that one of our weaknesses in team sports was that everybody was loud and wanted to be heard, so when one person was supposed to give the instructions to complete the game, it turned into madness! Once we completed the game, however, we were more self-aware and determined to improve ourselves.

On the fourth day, we set off on our sea expedition promptly at 7am. The day before, we had made all the preparations and now we were ready to row a huge boat, the Cutter, together. Every one of us had to row hard and work together just to get the boat

moving. We were informed that Mr Lawrence Wong, Minister of Culture, Community and Youth, would be visiting the OBS campus and would be going on the Cutter with us. True enough, he arrived at our boat midway and asked how our experience at OBS had been thus far. Of course, our answers were anything but positive. Mr Wong (in green t-shirt in photo at left) then tried rowing the boat with us. Even he found the oars heavy! It was a privilege to have him with us and experience what we were doing.

After 3 hours of rowing, we were finally halfway done with our expedition. We took a break at OBS’s “gem”, the water-filled quarry. It was breath-taking and every one of us jumped into the quarry, along with our instructors and teachers, Mr Ed Heng and Mr Marcus Lau. Rowing back to our campus, however, was even more tough and gruelling. With the exhaustion from that morning’s rowing, the thought of rowing our boat all the way back to campus was a feat we thought we could not accomplish. Despite our weariness, we continued encouraging each other, and the more we did so, the more motivated we were to get back to our campus on time. When we finally reached our destination, our tiredness gave way to excitement -- we had accomplished what we thought was impossible!

Mr Ed Heng, who was there with us throughout, encouraged us to persevere. With his wise words and witty remarks, he was an anchor that kept us grounded throughout our journey at OBS. Jianwen and Meiying also helped us tremendously; and while this camp was supposed to help us realise our individual potential, we really couldn’t have done it without them.

Given the opportunity, we would love to experience this all over again, for it brought the sportswomen of TKGS together, bonded us and made us stretch our limits. We came out so much stronger and we will definitely channel this new-found determination into our sports!

By: Isabel Dyason (Sec 3/2)

This list is definitely not exhaustive. Some Sec 1 students have also had their essays published in a magazine. The Sec 3 Tamil Language class shared their experiences of their reading project in a single combined essay for publication. Others are writing for on-line magazines and the newspaper.

Having their writing skill recognised by being published and receiving prizes such as cash or vouchers along with certificates has definitely boosted the confidence of our students. Hopefully, the victories will motivate them and their fellow schoolmates to continue their journey of creative writing and to contribute to Singapore’s Tamil literary scene in the future. The Tamil Language department is grateful to the families and friends who attended the competitions to provide moral support for the girls.

By: Mdm Meenatchi (TL Dept)

1212

Some Night Music from the String Ensemble

Staff News: Bonding in the Mooncake Month

Editor: Mrs R Lopez | a touche design production @ 6659 1876

Ng Qihang, son of Mdm Chong Su Yee and husband

Jonathan, son of Mrs Angie Sew and husband

Umar Rashaad, son of Mdm Raabiya and husband Ms Christina Koh (EAS) and husband

Staff took time out from their busy schedules to attend some activities aimed at promoting bonding and work-life balance.

Known fondly as Professional D e v e l o p m e n t

Well-being Sessions, the activities in Term 3 included Sports by Mr Marcus Lau, Bollywood dance by our ‘in-house’ instructor Ms Yoges, Board games by Mr Poh Hou Shun and Mr Lee Wei Xun, and Travel-sharing by three intrepid teacher-travellers: Ms Charissa Lim, Mr Andrew Tan and Ms Siti Munira. There was also a perennial favourite – cooking/baking – and this time the session revolved around the art of making Snowskin Mooncake since the session was on Sept 2nd and hence close to the Mid-

Autumn Festival. Conducted by our Vice-Principal, Mrs Shirley Lee, 30 excited staff-members produced exquisite mooncakes at the end of the one hour session.

In fact three of the participants went on to compete at the Marine Parade CC Mooncake-making competition two weeks later and clinched the top prizes! Mdm Mumtat Begam and Ms Kristen Ong walked away with the first

prize and Ms Vivian Yong (EAS) who partnered our former EAS colleague, Ms Doreen Goh came in second.

Guest-of-Honour at the Mooncake competition, ESM Goh Chok Tong praised the beautiful-looking and delicious mooncakes produced by the winning teams who promptly gave credit to their ‘teacher’ for the recipe and skills they had picked up only two weeks before at the PD Well-Being Session.

By: Mrs R Lopez (Chairman, Staff Welfare Committee)

An evening of music, song and dance to commemorate the country’s 49th year of independence -- the String Ensemble was invited to be part of such an event on 30th August organised by the Geylang Serai Community Centre. We entertained the audience with Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, (which translates literally as ‘a little night music’) aptly chosen for the night. The audience, with special guests, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh

Chok Tong and Minister for Manpower, Mr. Tan Chuan-Jin, were entertained with songs and dances by schools and community groups, including pre-schoolers and retirees! The event sought to bring the National Day celebrations to the residents and we were honoured to be given the chance to share our music with the community to help in achieving this objective.

To end 2014, we will be having a year-end concert entitled Da Capo, on 25th November. In fact, we plan to make Da Capo a recurring feature for the TKGS String Ensemble’s annual calendar of activities and thus our inaugural concert will be held at the Victoria Concert Hall to mark this inaugural concert.

What exactly can the audience expect during this concert? We aim to take the audience to a journey through time, from the 1700s to the present day. Additionally, a few members from the TKGS Symphonic Band will be featured as guest players. Do join us in our own night of music! Tickets can be purchased from SISTIC or any String Ensemble teacher-in-charge.

By: Mr. Lee Wei Xun, Teacher-in-charge