content - hwa chong institutionback cover: designer amanda quah li en (18s69) says this: “a...

CONTENT

EXPLORATION | 68在广州感受华新园的企业文化

双文化课堂的跨国延伸

Makerspace Opening

HIGHLIGHTS | 06Hwa Chong in the News

Peaks of Excellence 2018

Editorial

GCE A-Level Results Day 2019 The Class of 2018 Takes Flight

Candid Conversation with our President’s Scholars

PASSION | 46The Sprint to Success

The Art of Mind Sports Hwa Chong’s Mind Sports Champion

HCI Celebrates Chinese!

办演唱会为世界厕所组织筹款

初心化成飞扬的音符

Shining Through at Berlin’s Festival of Lights

English Drama Annual Production

A Healthy End to the Year Hwa Chong Table Tennis Challenge 2018

数学世界的探奇之旅

花中君子初养成

在活动中遇见不一样的自己

CELEBRATION | 20Taking a Page Out of Your Book Dr Audrey Cheong - Our Most Inspiring English Teacher

Those Who Understand, Teach Mr Alan Teo, Outstanding Science Teacher

Failure, the Mother of Success Mr Gilbert Ng’s Success at Revolutionising Learning

社区服务项目集思广益为社群解决问题

Teachers’ Day Celebrations

Celebrating Project Work

中秋相约在黄城

INSPIRATION | 36Leading with Open Hearts and Open Minds The 12th Asia-Pacific Young Leaders Summit

Budding Journalists Victorious! The National Youth Media Competition 2018

To Think, to Learn, to Philosophise

Combined Sports Meet 2018

SPOTLIGHT... ON SUSTAINABILITY | 74拯救地球从一支吸管开始

Swapping for a Cause

OE Inaugural Conference

Going Green with the Greenest Person on Earth

Inside Front and Inside Back Covers:

Two iconic images of HCI life - the Clock Tower (front) and the MAF light-up ceremony (back) - reflective of the strong school culture developed over 100 years.

Photos by Quince Pan (17A15).

Front Cover Photo: Teachers, students, PSG, gathered on the school field on the morning of Chinese New Year celebrations 2019 to create a human formation of the HCI logo as part of the centennial celebrations.

Back Cover: Designer Amanda Quah Li En (18S69) says this:“A hundred candles are lit one by one, emblematic of the burning passion to live and learn that Hwa Chong has passed down from one cohort to the next. The past 100 years are great cause for celebration, and as the candles are blown out, a wish is made for this little flame to light the path for generations to come.”

郭晓斌 18A12

唐泰然 18A14

邵馨宁 18A15

陈贤熠 18A15

王吟可 18S6K

戴楷臻 19S66

李宗霖 19S6B

俞舒怀中四数理一班

代铠瑒中三双文化一班

钟嘉杰中二聚英三班

施届苇中二聚英三班

EDITORIAL TEAM

PANORAMASTUDENT EDITORS

Lee Hui, Aileen 18A11

Tan Yi Shuen Merlene 18A12

Aidan Ong Zongren 18S70

Soon Kai Hong 18S73

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS

Amanda Quah Li En 18S69

DESIGNERS


PHOTOGRAPHERS

Pan Yanqi, Quince 17A15

Chen Yueting 18A11


Chow Hei Ching Yasuko 18S73

TEACHER-ADVISORS

Mr Benjamin Hathaway [email protected]

Mr Kenny Tan [email protected]

Dr Tan Mei Leng [email protected]

Ms Josephine Phay [email protected]

Ms Yin Xiu Ping [email protected]

PHOTO CREDITS

Media Tech Club

Danny Toh

Sport Singapore

WRITERS

Chen Yueting 18A11


Michelle Grace Laang Xian Jia 18A11

Aditi Rai Sia Mei Ann 18A14

Wong Zi Ling 18A14



Tan Zhen Jie Adam 18S72

Soon Kai Hong 18S73

Ronn Ng Kheng Keat 18S78

Lin Zongkai 1I1

Liong Kai Rui Reyes 1I1

Oh Rui Heng 1I1

Tng Guang Hong, Zak 1I1

Iann Tan 2I1

Teo Ming Fong 2P2

Soh Yong Xiang 3H1

HWA CHONG

IN THE NEWS06

HIGHLIGHTS

• 300 join run to raise awareness about Parkinson's disease, ST, pg. B3, 13/8/2018

• Drink and throw? That’s the last straw for this teen, ST, pg. B2, 30/5/2018

• English teachers who spur critical thinking, ST Home, pg. B4, 12/10/2018

• Hold on to values Singapore was built on: President, ST, pg. A4, 17/8/2018

• Hwa Chong Institution raises over $58k for charity, ST, pg. B4, 21/5/2018

NOTABLE STORIES

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IN THE NEWS08

HIGHLIGHTS

•利用数据科学理解和解决社会难题,ZB,pg.14,29/9/18

•12学生协同策划春到河畔历史特展,ZB,Pg.4,1/2/19

•4500华中师生排阵启动百年校庆,ZB,pg.5,7/2/19

•尚达曼:鼓励孩子独立思考发展兴趣父母不该当"直升机家长",ZB,pg.10,16/2/19

NOTABLE STORIES

10 HWA CHONG

IN THE NEWS10

HIGHLIGHTS

•华中学生向学校后勤人员致谢,ZB@世代,pg.4,14/11/18

学生报道

•负笈中国优秀申请者趋多宗乡总会奖学金多发一份,ZB,pg.7,21/8/18

•倡议环保不失包容体恤,WB,pg.7,19/9/18

•大量阅读丰富知识提升员工新加坡银行首席执行长获《每日新闻》杰出成就奖,ZB,Pg.8,2/11/18

NOTABLE STORIES

PEAKS OF EXCELLENCE 2018

ACADEMIC AWARDS

SINGAPORE BIOLOGY OLYMPIAD 2018 • 1 Gold Medal • 2 Silver Medals • 2 Bronze Medals

SINGAPORE CHEMISTRY OLYMPIAD 2018 • 4 Gold Medals • 9 Silver Medals • 7 Bronze Medals

SINGAPORE PHYSICS OLYMPIAD 2018 • 1 Gold Medal • 3 Bronze Medals

CHINA GIRLS MATHEMATICAL OLYMPIAD •1 Silver Award • 1 Bronze Award

STOCKHOLM JUNIOR WATER PRIZE • Winners

A*STAR NATIONAL SCIENCE SCHOLARSHIP (BS) • 6 Awardees

A*STAR UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP • 3 Awardees

DSTA UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP • 10 Awardees

EDB SCHOLARSHIP • 3 Awardees

HEALTHCARE MERIT AWARD • 14 Awardees

SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIP (CIVIL DEFENCE -PARAMEDIC) • 1 Awardee

SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIP (FOREIGN SERVICE) • 1 Awardee

SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIP (MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT) • 1 Awardee

SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIP (PRISON) • 1 Awardee

SINGAPORE-INDUSTRY SCHOLARSHIP FULL TERM • 4 Awardees

SINGAPORE FEDERATION OF CHINESE CLAN ASSOCIATIONS (SFCCA) • 3 Awardees

SMART NATION SCHOLARSHIP • 2 Awardees

TEACHING SCHOLARSHIP • 5 Awardees

PRESIDENT’S SCHOLARSHIP • 2 Awardees

SINGAPORE ARMED FORCES (SAF) SCHOLARSHIP • 3 Awardees

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION (PSC) SCHOLARSHIP • 28 Awardees

SINGAPORE ARMED FORCES MERIT SCHOLARSHIP • 2 Awardees

SINGAPORE ARMED FORCES ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIP • 1 Awardee

DEFENCE MERIT SCHOLARSHIP • 6 Awardees

SINGAPORE ARMED FORCES MEDICINE SCHOLARSHIP • 2 Awardees

SCHOLARSHIPS

INTERNATIONAL MATHEMATICAL OLYMPIAD: • 1 Gold Medal • 1 Bronze Medal

INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIAD IN INFORMATICS: • 1 Bronze

SPORTS

2018 INTERSCHOOL SPORTS CHAMPIONSHIPS • Won 55 Top 3 Titles

15TH KFC LANGKAWI INTERNATIONAL REGATTA • 2 Bronze Medals

ASIAN JUNIOR & CADET FENCING CHAMPIONSHIPS • 1 Bronze Medal

13TH SOUTH EAST ASIAN YOUTH ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS • 2 Gold Medals • 1 Silver Medal

PERFORMING ARTS GROUPS, UNIFORMED GROUPS AND OTHERS

SINGAPORE YOUTH FESTIVAL 2018 • Chinese Drama, Certificate of Accomplishment • English Drama, Certificate of Accomplishment

ASTRO CHALLENGE 2018 • 1st Place, Theoretical Astronomy (Senior Section) • 1st Place, Observation / Practical Astronomy (Senior Section)

NATIONAL CHINESE MUSIC COMPETITION • 1st Place • 2nd Place

SEC-STARHUB SCHOOL GREEN AWARDS • Winners - Vanda Miss Joaqium Award

CHUCAI INTERNATIONAL COMPOSITION CONTEST • 1 Gold Award • 1 Bronze Award

SCOUTS CHIEF COMMISSIONER’S AWARD • 3 Awardees

5TH LEGEND INTERNATIONAL KARATE-DO CHAMPIONSHIPS • 1 Gold Medal

10TH ASIAN MEN’S SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS • 1 Bronze Medal

ASIA-PACIFIC SPRINT REGATTA • 2 Bronze Medals

HONG KONG OPEN UNDER 20 FENCING CHAMPIONSHIPS • 1 Gold Medal

10TH ASEAN SCHOOLS GAMES • 1 Silver Medal (Individual) • 1 Gold Meal (Team)

7TH WORLD JUNIOR WUSHU CHAMPIONSHIP • 1 Silver Medal (Team) • 1 Bronze Medal (Team)

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Dear Readers,Welcome to Panorama! We are Aileen and Aidan, the 2018/19 student editors of Panorama. We are extremely honoured to be the editors of the school magazine during Hwa Chong’s 100th year.

This edition of Panorama features the outstanding accomplishments of our teachers and alumni, as well as some of Hwa Chong’s signature events.

People from all walks of life will be returning on this momentous occasion to celebrate Hwa Chong’s rich and illustrious history. In the same vein, look forward to being introduced to but a few of our school’s diverse cast of characters. Don’t miss out on our two President’s Scholars, Penny and Sharmaine, sharing their thoughts on receiving these prestigious titles in our exclusive featured article. Also, take a peek into the personal endeavours of our beloved teachers. Be it an inventive systems designer or a formidable mindsports maverick, their stories are sure to inspire you.

Of course, no Panorama is complete without articles on yearly milestones such as Hwa Chong’s GCE A-Level results and the Asia-Pacific Young Leaders Summit (APYLS). Yet again, Hwa Chongians have come out on top at the A-Level examinations, and many well-deserving students have found themselves bestowed with highly coveted accolades and scholarships. The 2018 APYLS was a show of Hwa Chong’s dedication to grooming leaders of the future, as students from all around the world were invited to come together to discuss pressing global issues.

Finally, do check out the Spotlight section on sustainability. We are proud and excited to highlight the efforts of the Green Council and various students around school when it comes to the vital area of care for our planet. We look forward to being able to cover further endeavours of those striving to create a sustainable campus in future issues.

As Hwa Chong celebrates its centenary, exciting programmes are already in the works, and there’s no better time to participate in some of our longstanding traditions, like the Founder’s Day Gala Dinner or Sports Day Carnival. Alternatively, book a ticket to watch our very own Centennial Musical when it premieres, or pay a visit to the Hwa Chong Centennial Photography Exhibition, all part of this historic year!

Come take part in these celebrations, and you may find yourself in our next issue of Panorama! Until then, we hope you have an enjoyable read.

Yours faithfully,Lee Hui, Aileen (18A11) and Aidan Ong Zongren (18S70)Student EditorsHwa Chong Publications Society

In her 100th year, we depict the passion and tradition of HCI here. While Mr Pang Choon How (Principal/HCI) celebrates Chinese New Year with the Parents' Support Group, our dedicated student performers showcase their captivating talents in various ways.

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HIGHLIGHTS

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GCE A-LEVEL RESULTS DAY 2019 THE CLASS OF 2018 TAKES FLIGHT

Michelle Grace Laang Xian Jia 18A11

1 School leaders, teachers and students celebrate the GCE A-Level results together in the hall

2 Students filing into the hall, ready for the release of their A Level results

3 Chew Kuo Loong Dragon (17A14) being one of the first people in his class to receive their results

4 Ms Lim Ai Hua (Lecturer/General Paper) handing out the A levels results slip to her student, Wee Yun Zheng (17S6K)

Although the stakes were high, that did not put a dampener on the spirits of Hwa Chong Institution’s Class of 2018. On the afternoon of 22nd February 2019, well over a thousand alumni walked back through the turnstiles, brimming with anticipation for the release of the A-Level results. The doors opened at 2pm, and suddenly the hall was full of familiar faces waiting for a life-changing moment.

This year's cohort achieved excellent results once again, with a marked increase in distinction rates in 13 subjects. Our Principal, Mr Pang Choon How, announced proudly that more than 600 students had been awarded the Hwa Chong Diploma, and five had received the coveted Public Service Commission Scholarship. Thirteen students had been offered places at Peking University and Tsinghua University, and 42 at Oxford and Cambridge. In addition, Mr. Pang lauded the Class of 2018 for their all-rounded abilities, mentioning that the cohort had won 55 Top 3 titles in national sports competitions over the last year. The hallmark of a Hwa Chong student, he said, his or her holistic achievement. Mr Pang went on to thank Hwa Chong’s teachers for their “hard work, guidance and dedication to the Class of 2018”, as well as many parents who were in attendance to witness this momentous occasion.

As the first students received their results, they were suddenly awash with emotion. 17S6K, just one example of many, showed a heart-warming display of the bond between teacher and student that had formed over the last two years, as each student received words of encouragement from the Civics Tutor, Ms Lim Ai Hua (Lecturer/General Paper).

One elated student, Hong Wen Kai (17S6J), relished his results as they had exceeded his expectations, especially in science. He cited his friends and his thoughts about the future as his main sources of motivation leading up to the A-Levels. These reflective sentiments were also expressed by Hannah Bock Zhuang Hui (17A10), who listed “the small things” like inside jokes in class as some of her fondest experiences in Hwa Chong.

When asked to leave a message for his juniors, Wen Kai replied, “Work hard, [and] you can do well beyond your expectations.” Answering the same question, Hannah wants her juniors to “have fun, support each other, and 加油 (push ahead)”.

“This is just the beginning of a very, very exciting journey ahead for all of you,” Mr Pang announced to the hopeful graduates as their proud parents looked on from the fully filled viewing gallery. “But always remember the very strong family spirit of Hwa Chong. Wherever you are, whatever you do, you will always be part of this family.”

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HIGHLIGHTS

CANDID CONVERSATION WITH OUR PRESIDENT’S SCHOLARS

Aditi Rai Sia Mei Ann 18A14

2018 was a year of great achievements for Hwa Chong. With two President’s Scholars from Hwa Chong Institution, Sharmaine Koh Mingli (16A14) and Penny Shi Peng Yi (16A15) have brought great pride to the school. This prestigious award only provides a small reflection of all the hard work required to overcome setbacks in order to succeed. To us students, the million dollar question is − what enabled them to achieve such success?

Firstly, their attitude towards failure. Both recipients of Singapore’s most prestigious public undergraduate scholarship have experienced failure and bounced back from it. Penny remarked that when she was under a lot of stress and received her “first ‘U’ grade [in Geography]”, she managed to renew her mindset to one not averse to the concept of failure. “Successes may glorify us on the surface, but failures define us, our identities, and who we are in life,” she remarked humbly.

“Growth and comfort are mutually exclusive” is a sentiment that was echoed by Sharmaine as well. Studying for the A-Levels was a daunting task and while she felt that she was sub-par on certain occasions,

1 Sharmaine Koh Mingli (16A14) and Shi Peng Yi Penny (16A15) together at the 2018 Senior Promenade

2 Sharmaine holding up “Monopollo” cards3 Penny at Stanford University

proactive decisions led to a change in perspective that enabled her to flourish. “I started to go for evening runs after a whole day of studying, go out for meals with friends, play lots of football, talk to teachers…it made me realise there was a life outside this big scary exam, and the positivity…really helped [me] get through.”

Secondly, they both believe in the importance of improving themselves holistically. Instead of spending all day cooped up studying, Sharmaine advises others to “invest in side-projects and extracurriculars, go for as many school events as possible and treasure time with your family and friends and school community.”

Joining the Students' Council can be a great way of achieving this goal, as Penny can attest. Some of her fondest memories came from organising the Mid-Autumn Festival together with her fellow Councillors. “I vividly recall the moment when thousands of friends, families and members of the Hwa Chong family gathered under the night sky to watch the Grand Light-Up ceremony...it was the moment that I felt the incredible pride of being a Hwa Chongian.”

Thirdly, they were brave enough to lean on others for support. Both Sharmaine and Penny credited their success to support groups comprising their family, friends and teachers. Penny posits that her “friends, teachers and family, who supported [her] when [she was] down and never ceased to believe in [her]” were crucial to her success. Sharmaine concurred that the people around her were instrumental in making her who

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she is today, stating that “friends who sometimes were thankfully brutally honest with [her] in pointing out [her] flaws but also encouraging [her], and really importantly [her] family who was always there for [her].”

Indebted to more than just the people around them, they further agreed that Hwa Chong was pivotal to their success. Sharmaine concluded that Hwa Chong prepared her “for the bigger challenges in life,” while Penny believes that “Hwa Chong has also given [her] the courage to face the future.”

If they could do it all over again? Rather than rid themselves of their failures, they would instead choose to tell themselves and all their juniors to be kind to themselves and others, and always treasure the time and experiences of the present.

“When you look back….it’s the little things that stick out and make you miss school so much,” Sharmaine reflects. “I don’t think I would have gotten to where I am today if these little bumps didn’t imbue in me a greater tolerance for adversity and a drive to keep bettering myself.”

It is this epiphany that leads Penny to leave her juniors with these heartfelt parting words: “Remember to always be thankful for what you have, and for the people that are there for you.”

Panorama hopes that these insights will serve future batches of Hwa Chongians well in reaping the most out of JC life.

2020CELEBRATION20CELEBRATION


From a child enthusiastically huddled under a makeshift tent with torchlight and books in hand, to an educator determined to spread the joy of learning to those under her charge, the Inspiring Teacher of English Award 2018 is but the latest chapter in the coming-of-age novel that is Dr Audrey Cheong’s (Senior Consultant/Corporate Services) life.

She was honoured to receive the prestigious award, conferred by the Speak Good English Movement, on 11th October 2018. Of the 102 nominations submitted, Dr Cheong emerged as one of five winners recognised as exemplary teachers in their own right.

Dr Cheong grew up travelling around the world with her parents as they were posted from place to place. In the face of constant change, she found solace and strength in the warm familiarity of the books that remained by her side, the stories whose worlds she relished being immersed in.

“[My] life reads as a bildungsroman...where the protagonist learns about him or herself, finds growth, locates him or herself in the world and finds purpose through self-cultivation”, Dr Cheong reflects.

These formative experiences have imbued her with a disposition well-suited to navigating both the elusive, multifaceted nature of the General Paper, as well as the diversity of students who she engages with on a daily basis. For fledgling students, “an open mind, love for ambiguity and tolerance for contradiction” are some traits that Dr Cheong believes are indispensable in confronting and surmounting the subject. At the same time, she advises overzealous pupils to “acknowledge that it is impossible to learn everything there is to know” and “to be comfortable with the continual discomfort of [not] knowing.”

“At its heart, General Paper is really about how we can interact with people and the world, which is derived in large part from how we choose to understand and engage with it.”

1 From Left to Right: Dr Chung Wen Chee (Deputy Principal/Corporate Services); Dr Audrey Cheong (Senior Consultant/Corporate Services); Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office,

and Second Minister for Finance and Education; Mr Jason Leow, Chairman Speak Good English Movement

2 Dr Cheong’s experiences with reading have helped shape the teacher that she is today

TAKING A PAGE OUT OF YOUR BOOKDR AUDREY CHEONG - OUR MOST INSPIRING ENGLISH TEACHER

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Such flexibility and intellectual humility is what Dr Cheong seeks to nurture in her classes, which certainly is no mean feat. Frantic schedules and exacting curricula can fuel anxieties for both students and teachers, becoming obstacles to meaningful learning. Nevertheless, adopting an attitude of compromise and being receptive to failure have aided Dr Cheong immensely in implementing novel pedagogical tools and strategies that enhance the quality of her lessons.

Ultimately, Dr Cheong’s devotion to teaching stems from her desire to leave an indelible impact on society and the lives of those she meets. “From my view... every educator is already inspiring because they have chosen to become personally invested in the lives of others and the future of our societies.”

“Never be content with mediocrity,” she concludes, “and never just settle. Put your best efforts into what you feel most passionately for…and excellence will simply follow.”

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THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND, TEACHMR ALAN TEO, OUTSTANDING SCIENCE TEACHER


How much a student loves a subject depends on how much they love the teacher. Being a teacher is harder than most people would think. Even Mr Alan Teo did not fully understand what being a teacher entailed before becoming one himself. Mr Alan Teo received the Outstanding Science Teacher Award in 2018. This award recognises Science teachers who inspire students to be passionate in Science through captivating them with their unique teaching methods.

Being a teacher is not just about teaching students a subject's content, it is about getting students to explore the subject themselves, developing enthusiasm for it in the process. In addition, teachers have to get involved in co-curricular activities, handle administrative matters, and even take care of an entire class if they are Civics Tutors. Teachers may sometimes ask themselves: Why am I doing all these things? With their job scopes not limited to office hours, many teachers would despair when confronted by the glaring lack of work-life balance. However, Mr Alan Teo reminds teachers that everything they do in school is for their students. Mr Teo adds that the appreciation he receives from students reaffirms that he is doing the right thing and makes it all worth it.

To engage students in lessons, you have to first get them to be interested in you. That is the advice that Mr Alan Teo gives himself and other teachers. His personality is his primary tool in engaging students during his lessons. Mr Teo also brings interesting chemicals to class and engages students through activity-based tutorials. These dynamic lessons focus on getting students interested in the subject instead of merely getting them prepared for the examinations.

With regards to being a teacher, Mr Teo advises against being overly idealistic and pursuing immediate change when first entering the teaching profession as oftentimes, the rules and guidelines enforced by the school have practical reasons for existing. He raises the example of the often raised issue of increasing the teacher to student ratio. To increase the ratio by two times, the school has to hire twice the number of teachers immediately, which results in an administrative problem. Thus, Mr Teo suggests that they instead keep in mind the well-being of their students, while still teaching professionally.

“The Outstanding Science Teacher Award isn’t an endpoint or anything like that”, says Mr Teo. Despite receiving this award, Mr Teo still continues to improve his teaching methods and adapts his lesson plans to better engage and inspire his students.

Panorama congratulates Mr Teo on receiving this remarkable title.

1 Mr Alan Teo on campus 2 Mr Alan Teo teaching his class the different types of intermolecular forces

3 The apparatus containing the hydrogel polymer that is used for the hands-on activity in class

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FAILURE, THE MOTHER OF SUCCESSMR GILBERT NG’S SUCCESS AT REVOLUTIONISING LEARNING


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Last year, Mr Gilbert Ng Ying Fong (Lecturer/Economics) was conferred the 2018 MOE Outstanding Innovator Award. The award was given in recognition of Mr Ng’s achievements and technological innovations which have greatly improved the quality of education in Hwa Chong.

Mr Ng’s cheerful attitude belies his true nature: that of a passionate tutor who wants to inculcate a love for learning in his students. It is this passion that drove him to create the Gamified Flipped Learning (GFL) programme for the Economics curriculum and MineGap, a prototype designed to tackle the problem of marking assignments.

The GFL programme is the culmination of four years of hard work, with its share of ups and downs. In its infancy, flipped learning was done on Moodle, a free and open-source learning management system, where Mr Ng would record videos of himself explaining Economic concepts for students to watch at their own pace. There was no proper scheduling and as Mr Ng recalls fondly, “it was very messy, it was all over the place.”

Mr Ng then incorporated the use of a mobile application, Smart Explorer, into the programme. By allowing students to test their knowledge with MCQs and essay writing right after learning these concepts, the lag time is removed and doubts are not permitted to fester.

Another concern Mr Ng had was students’ receptiveness to constructive feedback or lack thereof. Thus, he created an online platform for digital feedback, MineGap, to mitigate this issue. On the platform, students upload their work for teachers to grade and comment on. Rubrics are always available to ensure students know what the marks represent, while a reflection, to be completed upon receiving their grades, aids internalisation of feedback. The project is still very much a work-in-progress, with development hampered by a lack of funding. However, Mr Ng remains optimistic and has enthusiastically shared that he would like to build in more features, such as a peer review system. Indeed, an innovative solution to an age-old problem.

3 Student on the MineGap site1 Mr Gilbert Ng, recipient of the 2018 MOE Outstanding Innovator Award

2 Mr Gilbert Ng speaking with student journalist Ronn Ng Kheng Keat (18S68)

These are but a glimpse into Mr Ng’s many creative designs, with more to come. The main takeaway from Mr Ng’s various ventures and ideas is this: do not be afraid of failure. If at first you don’t succeed, try, and try again. In Mr Ng’s own words, “you’re in school, you’re supposed to learn how to fail.” While he appreciates being recognised for his efforts with the award, he believes he still has much to contribute. Mr Ng would also like to thank the school management and his colleagues for supporting him ceaselessly throughout his journey.

Panorama would like to congratulate Mr Ng on receiving this award and we wish him all the best in his future innovations!

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社区服务项目集思广益为社群解决问题

李宗霖 19S6B

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社会的迅速发展带来新思维、新科技和新产品，同时也制造了新问题。如何更好地为我们面临的问

题提供解决方案呢？自2009年起，“未来问题解决计划赛”都会在本地中学如火如荼地开展，除了激发

批判性和创造性思维，运用创新方法解决问题，也鼓励学生关心周遭事物，开拓面向未来的视野。

“未来问题解决计划赛”大决赛于2018年11月3日在莱佛士女中举行，经过淘汰赛，4个组别

共约20支队伍成功晋级。值得一提的是在“社区服务组”中，5支参赛队伍全出自我校。最终

“ProjectVitalize”和“TheRailExplorers”（“铁道探索者”），分别荣获该组的冠、亚军，今年将

代表我国出征在美国举行的“未来问题解决计划”国际赛。

1 "ProjectVitalize"组员带病友到户外过活跃的生活 2 嘉年华会上，“ProjectVitalize”积极宣扬糖尿病的知识

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"Project Vitalize" 关爱糖尿病患者，提倡健康生活方式

发起“Project Vitalize”的4名学生主要是跟新加坡糖尿病协会合作，教导公众预防糖尿病，并帮

助病患勇敢面对生活。他们举办的活动多样化，如：嘉年华会，通过游戏推广糖尿病相关知识，让人

们知道健康饮食和生活方式的重要性；定期安排尊巴舞（Zumba），邀请专业教练带领糖尿病人运动

健身。此外，他们还组织了筹款活动，为协会筹得9万新元。根据不完全统计，有近3万名国人通过他们

的宣传，对糖尿病有了进一步的认识。

队员周承远（19S70）表示：“这个社区服务项目让我学会珍惜健康和生命。当我看到新加坡糖尿

病协会因为资金匮乏而无奈关闭其中一个分所，当我看到糖尿病患者需要天天注射胰岛素，我恍然醒

悟——生命赋予我的一切是多么的珍贵。”他的队友伍峻贤（19S61）对此深表赞同：“我认为比赛中夺

得佳绩固然重要，但我更满意于能够通过大家的努力回馈社会。”

开发手机应用程序“The Rail Explorers”，协助公众了解自然生态与文化

位于山景一道和武吉知马火车站之间的铁道走廊长24公里，不仅承载着丰富的火车文化，更孕育

着多样生物，生机盎然。为了不让这份文化遗产被岁月湮没，5位学生组成“TheRailExplorers”

（“铁道探索者”），在国家公园局的帮助下，完成研究、推广及应用软件的开发。

他们长期考察铁道走廊的环境、生态、气温与水流，广泛采集样本和资料，经周详分析后，编写了

信息手册和附带地图的指南。据知教育部将把手册纳入户外教育课程，国家公园局也将把指南上载到官

网供国人参考，国家规划局则将在官网上使用他们的信息手册。

这支亚军队伍的特别之处是研发了手机应用程序“TheRailExplorers”，可在谷歌在线商店下载，

让用户通过游戏了解铁道走廊的多元生态和历史文化，同时宣扬环保理念。为了把研究成果推向大众，

他们与国家公园局配合，举办多次展览活动，至今共有逾5500人参观了他们的展位。

关心社会民生，勇于发现问题，进而积极解决问题，我校学生的表现令人激赏，也给其他年轻学子

树立了榜样。

3 “TheRailExplorers”成员的最大收获是深厚的友情 4 李智陞部长在铁道走廊为学生的应用程序进行非正式启动

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3030CELEBRATION

TEACHERS’ DAY CELEBRATIONS

Iann Tan 2I1

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On 31st August 2018, students cheered as their teachers made a grand entrance, walking along the balloon-lined walk of fame in the middle of Kah Kee Hall, a staple of the High School’s annual Teachers’ Day Celebrations.

The activities planned out on that day for the teachers were extensive; from an onstage game show to a massive carnival spanning from Kah Kee Hall to the Oei Tiong Ham Hall, students went all-out in showing their appreciation for their teachers.

The first half of the day saw students putting up performances for their teachers during the Teachers’ Day Concert, with items such as a high-energy dance performed by Student Councillors from the Ortus Consortium and a song segment performed by talented Student Councillors. Games segments like the Superlative Awards and the live game show allowed students to gently poke fun at school life and interact with their teachers through lighthearted and informal activities.

Then, the teachers took a short break, while the students started setting up their booths in preparation for the Carnival. Thanks to the overwhelmingly positive feedback from 2017, the Carnival returned this year, with students setting up both food and game booths. This year, however, to be more efficient with space management and to prevent a waste of resources, classes were grouped according to consortium, with every group manning one food booth and one game booth each.

When asked to comment on the planning and preparation of the booths, Tay Hock Jun (2I1) replied, “I felt very honoured to be involved in the planning of this year's Teachers' Day activities for my consortium. However, the process was not as smooth-sailing as we would have liked. We had to work with external vendors and their limitations, while at the same time, listening to our classmates' ideas for the consortium booth." The 2I1/2I2/2I3 collective gave out free bubble tea for the teachers on the day itself, and had a Nerf gun shooting range for teachers to win prizes. Other classes set up giant games of Snakes and Ladders, while still others set up home-made game stalls.

1 The Walk of Fame in Kah Kee Hall

Hock Jun continues, “Thankfully, we still managed to give out our tokens of appreciation to all of our teachers and it definitely felt good that we had pulled this off.”

The student-initiated booths were well-received by the teachers. Ms Lena Koh (Education Consultant/Student Development) said, “I appreciated the time and effort that students took to set up the carnival. Visiting the different booths provided lots of fun and laughter and it gave me insight into the games and activities that students enjoyed and wanted to share with the teachers to show their appreciation.”

The High School Council Publications Committee, too, was busy, publishing a special edition of their termly inFocus magazine for Teachers’ Day, thanking the teachers with messages of appreciation and respect. Quoting from inFocus Head Editor Wong Yi Hao’s Editor’s Note, “It is said that a good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others… This issue of inFocus is therefore a gift to all of our teachers, consolidating tributes and messages from students to the pillars of strength who have made such a huge difference in all of our lives.”

All in all, the Teachers’ Day Celebrations was a major success, with the teachers very much enjoying their students’ efforts in showing their appreciation for them. We end with a verse from a poem written by Mr Eugene Chua, Director of the iSpark Consortium:

“So in 10 years I will tell my students“I make no difference”is a lie, and“Teachers are everyday heroes.”I realise this may be a shock butI can change the worldand I refuse to believe thatI am part of a lost education

”

3232CELEBRATION

CELEBRATING PROJECT WORK

Teo Ming Fong 2P2

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It was the 18th September, a day of glory. Students proudly walked up on stage to receive their trophies. Their hard work over nine months had paid off and it was now time to recognise the fruits of their labour. It was the annual Projects Day Prize-giving Ceremony, which celebrates and recognises excellence and effort in completing Project Work.

Hwa Chong Institution's Project Work is a challenging nine-month journey. In spite of obstacles such as heavy commitments, some groups managed to emerge with a score above 80. These are the High Distinction Winners and their projects run the gamut of Categories, ranging from Category 1, Experimental Research, to Category 11, Engineering Science.

Project Work seeks to enable students to become global, independent life-long learners. This is achieved by providing them with a platform to tackle real-world problems and by working in a group. Their collaborative experience will help to improve their ability to work with others.

Kavan Tay of 1I2 tells us that teamwork is essential for any team to function together. “I learnt that teamwork is important. If our group had not worked together, we would have found it impossible to complete the task at hand. Especially when we realised our product was falling to pieces, we had to calm each other down, analyse the situation and think about the best way forward.”

2 Mr Pang Choon How (Principal/HCI) presenting awards1 Category 4 finalists Nature Fusion presenting their product

Notable for Projects Day 2018 is a change in the Projects Day logo. Designed by Mr Matthew Lim Ke Wei of the Art Department, the new Projects Day logo is an isometric grid inspired by the shape and structure of the Hwa Chong Torch logo. The logo, therefore, relates to an interactive thinking process between the conceptual and the material – between thinking and making. The intertwined “P” and “W” represent an upward movement which symbolises progress.

The Guest-of-Honour, Professor Ng Huck Hui, is the Executive Director of A*STAR Graduate Academy and Genome Institute of Singapore; he gave everyone present invaluable advice and three tips on how to face the world. First, he spoke of the importance of being passionate in what we do. He also reminded everyone to never give up, to never say die. And lastly, he ended by saying that the world is huge and that one can take something away from every occasion, no matter what it is; one can always learn new things.

However, while the award recipients have worked very hard to get to where they are, their success would not have been possible without the patience and understanding of the teacher mentors and parents. When asked about who he wanted to thank for aiding him in his Project Work journey, Ernest Tan of 1I1, replied, “My parents. They guided me along my learning journey and gave me suggestions and advice.” The parents and teacher mentors have certainly been working behind the scenes to help all students in their own ways.

When the ceremony came to an end, the students left the Auditorium with their glittering trophies in hand, along with their parents who were visibly bursting with pride. Such marks the end of Projects Day 2018. Panorama would like to say a big thank you to all the teachers who made this possible and wish everyone good luck with Project Work in 2019.

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3434CELEBRATION

中秋相约在黄城

唐泰然 18A14

人影交织，中央广场的人数看似翻了几倍，意外遇到熟人的机会可高了。说不定在下一个转角，

你就会见到一张张熟悉而又亲切的面孔：同班老同学、课外活动社团老朋友、曾教导过你的老师……

无论是否与人约好见面，罗安淋（13A10）都会选择在这一天重返母校：“因为一踏进校园就会给

我一种回家的感觉，大家不约而同地回来，走到哪里都会遇到熟人。”她说的正是我校的长寿大型节庆

活动——一年一度的中秋晚会。只要是师生、校友、家长，都知道每年的农历八月学校大门将会敞开，

欢迎所有人回来团聚。2018年的中秋节庆祝会订于9月15日（星期六）举行，主题是“今逢佳节喜相

聚，心系黄城共此夕”。由“今”和“心”组成的“念”字，有怀想、思念、惦记之意。赏月、品茗、

聊天、叙旧、唱歌、跳舞、拍照……，充分感染欢快喜悦的气氛，感受浓厚美好的情谊。

中央广场是活动的中心，人群越聚越多，气氛也越来越热闹。一系列精彩表演在金黄色的落日余晖

里掀开序幕，华乐团与古筝的典雅旋律先为观众的赏月酝酿好情绪，而中华武术与华族舞蹈则为整体氛

围注入动感和激情，同学们落力演出，就是希望能将最好的节目呈献出来。华族舞蹈团唯一的男舞者姚

一民（18S75）受访时道：“虽然排练了很久，但上台前还是十分紧张，很多动作没有做好。毕竟这是

我第一次表演，就当做是鞭策自己继续进步的动力。”

文娱演出结束后，人们都涌到邵仁枚纪念堂，只见礼堂正中央悬挂着一溜儿灯笼，众人边谈天、

边浏览挂在灯笼上的留言和祝语。此外，也有挂着灯谜的灯笼，像是在挑战享受着美味月饼瓜果的

宾客：不要只顾着吃，快来尝试射虎吧！

亮灯仪式即将开始，散落在校园各角落的人陆续回到中央广场，A座马蹄形教学大楼的两侧走廊围

满了一批又一批前来赴约的校友。曾担任学生理事的阮豪义学长（96S66）回忆21年前办活动时的情

景：“非常难忘，我刚告诉孩子说现在学弟妹们制作的布景装饰和喷水池，都是延续当年的传统。”

8点一到，喧哗声突然停止，广场上空悬挂的百多盏灯笼随着音乐亮了起来，喷水池喷洒的水珠显

现出“念”字，把现场的气氛推向高潮。仰头望着绚丽别致的彩灯，无论是记忆中的黄城，或是此时此

刻的华中，就是让华中人倍感温馨的家，这感觉是如此真实、贴心、动人！

1 相聚自是有缘，且珍惜在一起的时光 2 璀璨的彩灯把夜的黄城装点得分外迷人

3 中秋团聚的优良传统在我校代代传承（陈奕蓉摄，18S6A）

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INSPIRATION36

LEADING WITH OPEN HEARTS AND OPEN MINDS THE 12TH ASIA-PACIFIC YOUNG LEADERS SUMMIT

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1 APYLS delegates together in front of the Istana 2 President Halimah Yacob in dialogue with a student delegate3 Integration at the cultural exhibition

Ignite: Rekindling Our Dreams. The theme of the 12th Asia-Pacific Young Leaders Summit (APYLS) perfectly encapsulated its purpose — to enable young leaders to share their hopes and aspirations for the future, and to encourage open-minded and fruitful discourse. Last year, 79 students from 28 schools and 13 countries came together as global citizens to discuss a multitude of pressing global issues. Over a period of six days from 22nd July to 27th July 2018, student delegates participated in a variety of activities that urged them to embrace different cultures, mindsets, and opinions.

On the first day, Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry, served as the Guest-of-Honour at the summit’s opening ceremony. His keynote address stressed the importance of having conversations in a time awash with change and division, encouraging delegates to become torchbearers of their time, regardless of age.

The inspiring ceremony was followed by a Cultural Exhibition at the Inner Plaza, in which delegates showcased their respective country’s cuisines and activities. Students from vastly different cultural backgrounds mingled with ease, participating actively in the icebreaker games and even exchanging childhood snacks. Such meaningful interaction contributed substantially to the vibrantly inclusive atmosphere.

A key highlight of the conference was the visit to the Istana, where President Halimah Yacob graced the event. Students from India, Japan, and the Philippines had the honour of presenting their research on social issues such as social welfare, the inequality gap, and ageing populations, prompting candid discussions with the President herself. The visit ended off with a group photo, in which their budding friendships were permanently captured.

Throughout the rest of the summit, delegates took part in a number of dialogues hosted by reputable speakers such as Mr Bilahari Kausikan, Chairman of the Middle East Institute, and Mrs Tan Ching Yee, Permanent Secretary (Finance). Topics for discussion ranged from geopolitics

to cyber security - no issue was too complex for these young leaders to grasp. These productive discussions exposed participants to diverse worldviews, imbuing them with a better understanding of their country’s position on the global stage.

When asked about her experience at APYLS, Peggy Su Yuanying of Guangdong Shunde Desheng School noted, “In this summit, I realised…the most important and essential thing in being a global citizen is to be open-minded.” Each and every participant brought with them unique personal experiences and insights, but what truly brought them together was their shared ability to embrace differences and approach every interaction with an open heart and open mind.

Panorama congratulates all participants on a successful APYLS.

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INSPIRATION38INSPIRATION38

BUDDING JOURNALISTS VICTORIOUS! THE NATIONAL YOUTH MEDIA COMPETITION 2018

Iann Tan 2I1

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On the 4th and 5th of September 2018, 13 teams went head-to-head in the National Youth Media Competition (NYMC), a youth journalism competition hosted by the Straits Times in partnership with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). The 24-hour event aimed to promote media literacy, as well as train future generations of journalists in skills necessary to the profession.

Our Hwa Chong team, comprising Ang Ben Wei (1I1), Ian Lee Yi-En (1I1), Lim Hong Yi (1I1), Lin Zongkai (1I1), Reyes Liong Kai Rui (1I1) and Yiu Yi Hin, Kinsey (2O3), battled it out with their peers, covering the topic of problem gambling with two products: a three-page newspaper fashioned in the style of the Straits Times, and a short video about problem gambling. Sudden assignments, such as social media posts and updates, were also introduced during the competition, so the teams had to be quick on their feet as they tried to stay on task. An additional challenge came in the form of the duration of the competition – in a simulation of real-life journalistic deadlines, the competition took place over a full 24 hours.

The NCPG held a mock event on the day itself, inviting the “Ah Boys to Men” actor and NCPG youth ambassador Mr Joshua Tan to give a talk about problem gambling, as well as to accept interview questions from the young journalists. It was then up to the teams to compile the information and resources they had gathered into a complete, final product.

In the end, our Hwa Chong boys’ efforts paid off, coming in second place in the competition. As expressed by a member of the team, Zongkai, “We were not aiming for a first place or anything… we just came to enjoy the experience.” He further elaborates on their shared experience, saying that “some of us had not pulled an all-nighter before… and conflicts did occur, but at the end of the day, we managed to get the final product and have a good time here.”

1 From left to right: Team leader Ang Ben Wei, and team members Lee Yi-En Ian, Lin Zongkai, Lim Hong Yi (all from 2I1) at the prize ceremony

2 Our boys receiving their prizes from Mr Nathan (extreme right)

This experience will come in handy, regardless of whether the students decide to pursue a career in journalism or not. Mr Dominic Nathan, Managing Editor at the Straits Times, said about the goal of the competition: “Well, I will be very selfish and say, actually, we just like to train future journalists, we like to get them started young, thinking about a profession that maybe they might want to join in the future… but, from a community standpoint, we also do want to get people thinking about broader issues, and I think this year, in a very engaging way, we used things like gaming, which young people would be interested in, to try and dig into a more important, national, community, social issue of problem gambling… we are quite happy that we achieved what we wanted.”

All in all, the event brought insight into the world of journalism, and helped to expose our youths' minds to larger issues affecting today’s society. Ending off with a quote from Mr Nathan, “Journalism is the art of being a storyteller…putting together something that helps tell an important story or get the message across in an engaging, effective way... to help the average guy out there tell the difference between what’s fake and what’s real.”

Congratulations to our team and all the best to aspiring Hwa Chong journalists!

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INSPIRATION40INSPIRATION40

TO THINK, TO LEARN, TO PHILOSOPHISE


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These humble ideals formed the foundational principles from which the Hwa Chong Invitational Philosophy Olympiad (HCIPO), Singapore’s first pre-university level philosophy competition, was built upon. On 4th August 2018, 12 teams comprising more than 40 students from 12 junior colleges congregated at Hwa Chong to kick-start a day of tenacious argumentation, and a thorough assessment of humanity’s most baffling enigmas.

For Zhao Ziqi of Team Cardiac Arrest from ACJC, it was an opportunity to “meet many great people, learn from their perspectives, and get inspired.” Being assigned to a group of four, Ziqi collaborated with like-minded peers to craft a written proposal addressing the topic “Ethics and Justice in History: Remembering, Forgetting, Forgiving”, prior to the conference. The other topic, “What is Truth?” was no less intimidating. Armed only with sample essays and a suggested list of online resources, completing the task would be no mean feat, especially while also juggling a hectic school schedule.

Establishing positive team dynamics was another initial challenge to contend with. Ziqi’s teammate, Natasha Khoo Mei Hui from VJC, admits that while working in her group proved to be awkward at first, the “kinds of interests and ideas that we can bounce off each other” nevertheless challenged their preconceived notions, causing them to “re-evaluate how we think.” Such critical thinking was evident in their meticulous writing, enabling Team Cardiac Arrest to clinch the prize for best written proposal in that topic.

However, the best had yet to come.. turn the page for more!

1 From left to right: Joshua Yong Zhi Hao (Raffles Institution, Team Bentham) looks on as Li Chang (Raffles Institution, Team Jabberwocky) presents his argument

2 The Olympiad participants engage in light-hearted banter during the networking session

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INSPIRATION42

The highlight of HCIPO was undoubtedly the two rounds of verbal discussion – each lasting 90 minutes – that took place during the conference. Seven distinguished guest judges from five universities presided dutifully over the various exchanges, together with disciplined student moderators. With their air of professionalism and finesse pervading the seminar rooms, the stage was set for the free, constructive presentation of ideas between the participants.

Discourse proceeded as such: each round consisted of short four-minute speeches given by each member of both teams, interspersed with quick-fire, 60-second Q&A sessions for the clarification of contentious positions. At the 20th

minute, the floodgates were opened with a 30-minute, free-for-all discussion.

The discussions that followed saw seamless transitions to various fields and domains of knowledge that exposed all participants to a variety of ideas and argumentative styles. Antagonistic ideas clashed head-to-head, with furious debate both between teams and even amongst team members. Impassioned speeches offered essential justification and elaboration of their propositions, with analogies as diverse as whether the accomplishments of Olympic athletes should be celebrated by citizens who had hardly contributed to their success, to colour-deficient individuals perceiving objects differently leading to multiple subjective versions of truth. Even spectators were able to have a little taste of the action, being given just as much opportunity to contribute to the thoughtful conversations.

One judge, Associate Professor Matthew Walker (Ph.D. Philosophy, Yale University), was particularly impressed by the “high level of discussion” and the “strong philosophical muscles” of the Olympiad participants. He particularly commended the care and attention students brought to their presentations. ‘It’s nice to see that [students] actually haven’t been daunted by these abstract questions...that people haven’t been scared off.”

“In fact, they have been approaching them pretty reasonably and respectfully, and with openness to what other people might think”, he highlighted.

Such sentiments were reaffirmed during the Panel Discussion, where judges took the stage to share their thoughts on the proposals and discussions that they had assessed. Confidence, enthusiasm, and passion were keywords used to laud the quality of content presented throughout the conference. However, they also stressed the importance of grounding the questions participants tackled in everyday phenomena, and giving special care to the considerations that bear on them. “At the early stages of inquiry, it is better to have small, mundane examples which are manageable and allow one to tease out the different dimensions of the question," Dr Winnie Sung (Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Nanyang Technological University) added.

Our principal, Mr Pang Choon How, was glad to have graced the event, witnessing firsthand the intense discussions unleashed by the ardent participants. Having once studied a little philosophy himself, he praised the Organising Committee for “[helping] to bring together a community of like-minded students who are passionate about philosophy across different schools”, and hopes that the Olympiad will “inspire your juniors to organise student-initiated programmes for the benefit of others.”

As the conference drew to a close, and a montage of the day’s events played, a deep sense of fulfilment and satisfaction did indeed dwell in the heart of this reporter. Ultimately, the 1st HCIPO stayed true to its vision, bringing together like-minded students with a penchant for philosophy to nurture open-mindedness, inquisitiveness, and multi-perspective thinking with logical rigour and effective communication.

3 From left to right: Presenting at the panel discussion are Professor Matthew Hammerton (Assistant Professor, Philosophy/Singapore Management University), Ms Alex Serrenti (Lecturer, Psychology/University of Wollongong [SIM Global Education]), Professor Loy Hui Chieh (Associate Professor and Deputy Head of Department, Department of Philosophy/National University of Singapore),

Cui Zizai (17A15), and Professor Matthew Walker (Associate Professor Humanities [Philosophy] Department/Yale-NUS College)

4 Spectators observe the unfolding discourse. Included among them is Mr Pang Choon How (Principal/Hwa Chong Institution), seated second from left

5 Feng Yuxin (17A11) enjoying the thrill of the debate

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INSPIRATION44

The Combined Sports Meet 2018 was off to a soggy start.

The day started off with rain, threatening to stop some of the outdoor sports activities in their tracks, even the much anticipated Campus Run originally meant for all Hwa Chong Institution High School students.

However, despite the rain, the activities continued, with students from Hwa Chong Institution, Hwa Chong International School, and Nanyang Girls' High School actively participating in events such as the Inter-Class Table Tennis and Badminton competitions.

1 The B Division boys running the final lap of the Relay Race2 HS Councillors and mascot JTiger cheering up a storm

3 Students from all three schools taking part in the dance challenge4 The dance booth makes its return at the clock tower

The Combined Sports Meet 2018 also saw the return of the popular Dance Booth, where students from both schools got to dance to the latest K-Pop songs at the Clock Tower. The Dance Booth drew a large crowd, which, forming a circle around the participants, buzzed in support of the dancers, who executed their moves with energy and finesse. At the most exciting moments, the crowd cheered wildly, and the Clock Tower was filled with a lively vibrancy.

Eventually, the rain came to a stop, allowing the original relay race events, the heart of the Combined Sports Meet, to continue. With students from all three schools lining the terraces and cheering their hearts out, participants took to the track. Even the parents took part, through the parents' relay race. This year featured a record eleven teams from Hwa Chong Institution and Nanyang Girls' High School. The relay races proved to be an exciting affair, as the runners challenged themselves to better

each other's timings. Excitingly, the event was graced by Guest-of-Honour Mdm Tang Pui Wah, Singapore's first female Olympian.

Other welfare initiatives students could enjoy were the food and drink booths at the top of the terraces and the Milo™ Van outside the Clock Tower, which saw a long queue form for everyone to get themselves a refreshing cup of Milo™. JTiger, Hwa Chong’s beloved school mascot, also made an appearance, interacting and taking pictures with students along the way.

At the end of the day, prizes were given out to the winners of all the sports events of the Combined Sports Meet.

Although the day started off with uncertainty, it turned out to be a fun and fulfilling experience for all the students, teachers and parents involved!

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COMBINED SPORTS MEET 2018

Soh Yong Xiang 3H1

46PASSION46PASSION

Soon Kai Hong 18S73

THE SPRINT TO SUCCESS

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1 Mr U.K. Shyam (Lecturer/Knowledge & Inquiry) still sprints after having retired from competition. Credits: Danny Toh

2 Mr Shyam participating at the 19th Commonwealth Games in Delhi, 2010 as a Team Singapore athlete. Credits: Sport Singapore

Many recognise him as a Knowledge and Inquiry teacher, but few realise that he is also the fastest man in Singapore.

Mr U. K. Shyam’s (Lecturer/Knowledge & Inquiry) journey in athletics had its humble beginnings in a Physical Education lesson. Observing the lesson, a teacher invited him to try out for the athletics team – an invitation first met with hesitation as he believed he “would never be good enough.” The idea of mastery over the human body, to be a faster, stronger version of oneself, however, compelled him to further explore the interest he had in watching sprinters, and to take that passion to another level.

As with all journeys, Mr Shyam’s was fraught with hardship. Being less economically well-off, he had to work as a waiter while training. Despite the challenges, he remained ever-committed to striving for excellence. The ambition of being the fastest man in Singapore spurred him, but more than anything, Mr Shyam wanted to prove himself. Thailand and Japan had established an Asian presence in the global sporting scene, but Singapore – encumbered with problems that led to the loss of much sporting talent – had not yet done the same. A defiant Mr Shyam refused to accept that Singapore could not achieve what their neighbours could.

The breakthrough came in 2001 when Mr Shyam won a silver medal at the 21st SEA Games, with his 100m Men’s sprint timing of 10.37s equalling the national record he himself had set barely a month before. The feeling, as he described it, was “overwhelming”, and not just because he had broken a national record that had stood for 33 years. The achievement signified Mr Shyam’s triumph amidst an unconducive system, and was the culmination of many years of training which even saw him defer his National Service. It was hence with much relief that Mr Shyam realised that he won, and to see his parents, who had divorced for nine years, in the spectators’ gallery talking was an experience that was nothing short of “surreal.”

Such rich experiences have gone on to shape Mr Shyam as a person, providing him with a sense of identity, and compelling him to be an advocate of the local sporting scene. Cognisant of the importance of supporting home-grown talent, Mr Shyam has joined the Chiam See Tong Sports Fund; and has detailed his experiences in the biography “Running on Empty: The Story Behind 0.01s”, which also examines sports in Singapore from a sociological angle.

When asked if he had any advice for the aspiring sportsperson, Mr Shyam remarked, “Sports is a metaphor for life and doing it to the best of our ability will make us better. Train consistently, have self-belief and be meticulous in your training.”

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THE ART OF MIND SPORTS HWA CHONG’S MIND SPORTS CHAMPION

Chen Yueting 18A11

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1 Mr Loo Choon Chou, a member of the Men’s Team that won gold in Contract Bridge in the 2018 Asian Games

2 The Asian Games 2018 Gold Medal that Mr Loo won

Whenever events such as the Asian Games are mentioned, the first things that come to mind for most are sporting events and large crowds. One would not think of card games dealt in conference rooms, played in palpable silence − but that is exactly what Mr Loo Choon Chou (Lecturer/Mathematics) won the gold medal for at the 2018 Asian Games.

Contract bridge is a mind sport many have not heard of before, and Mr Loo describes it as a game of logic with an artistic side. It differentiates itself from other mind sports in its need for cooperation between a team of players who must understand each other well and be able to communicate non-verbally in order to succeed. “It’s a game AI can’t crack,” he says. “There’s a psychological element of bluffing and deduction to it…it’s like a mixture [of] science and art.”

Mr Loo’s first official foray into contract bridge was during his junior college years when he joined mind sports as a co-curricular activity. He quickly became captivated by the uniqueness of the game. He went on to represent Singapore professionally during his time in university and even after he took up teaching, going on to win three silver and two bronze medals during the 2011 SEA Games. In 2014, the opportunity came for him to represent Singapore for the Asian Games. Having taken a leave of absence to train for the Games, he has since returned to teaching. Mr Loo says that one of the biggest highlights of his career was being able to meet different athletes and international sports stars at the Games, citing it as an “eye-opening” and “humbling” experience.

For Mr Loo, one of the most fulfilling takeaways from playing contract bridge is in the process of training to get to the top. As there is no easy way to get better at the game, he has learnt to think creatively and to constantly look for better plays after hitting a wall. While it is impossible for someone to constantly achieve good results, Mr Loo feels that the process of training to do better has taught him much more than just winning strategies, and is grateful to have been able to pursue his interests while still managing to find balance in his work life.

For students interested in mind sports, Mr Loo urges them to pursue their passion and not to give up on their hobbies. He believes that everyone can find some form of enjoyment and value in playing mind sports, be it intellectually or recreationally: “It can help to make you more complete as a person, in a sense.”

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HCI CELEBRATES CHINESE!

Teo Ming Fong 2P2

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Hwa Chong’s annual Mother Tongue Festival (母语节) has arrived again this year. This year, the festival provided students with the opportunity to take part in many interesting activities, such as lantern riddle guessing contests (华中灯谜大会), the Asian Chinese Youth Forum (亚洲青年华语论坛), exhibitions of student work (华中学生作品展) and many more!

The organisers hope that through these exciting activities, students will deepen their understanding of the Chinese language and culture, and that learning Chinese will be more enjoyable for everyone.

Hwa Chong Institution is a school under the Special Assistance Plan (SAP), which had been introduced by the Singaporean government in 1979 to cater particularly to academically inclined students who are well-versed in both their Mother Tongue as well as English. Thus, as Hwa Chong students, the organising team of the Mother Tongue Festival stated that “We should regard our Mother Tongue as a part of our daily life, and a part of our identity, too. The Mother Tongue Festival offers all kinds of enriching activities. We hope that through these activities, students will learn to appreciate the profound beauty of Chinese.”

One of the main activities, called the 华中大比拼, was a contest which challenged classes to answer a weekly question that tested their teamwork and knowledge on a broad spectrum of Chinese topics. This year’s competition included eight major topics, ranging from translation, to culture, to poetry and more. Every week, a new question was posted on the Electronic Message

1 Asian Chinese Youth Forum 20182 Collaboration at the Asian Chinese Youth Forum

3 Lantern Riddles hung up at the Oei Tiong Ham Hall

Board, and classes had to work together to figure out the answer. The class that accrued the largest number of correct answers by the end of the eight weeks received a “big surprise package” prepared by the organising team. The contest began on July 30th and ended on August 10th.

Another major activity that involved fun quizzes was the 华中灯谜大会 or lantern riddle guessing competition. This year, our school joined hands with the Singapore Lantern Riddle Association to let students appreciate the beauty and wit of lantern riddles and have a taste of creating lantern riddles themselves. From 20th to 24th August, an exhibition area and lantern riddle platform was set up at the Oei Tiong Ham Hall, where dozens of lanterns with riddles written on them were hung up around the area. Students got a chance to try solving some mind-boggling Chinese riddles and scanned the QR codes on the lanterns to submit their answers. Once again, there were attractive prizes provided.

One participant of the 华中灯谜大会, Justin Tay from 1i1, commented, “I found this activity immensely interesting, and it has definitely fuelled my interest in the Chinese language. I felt that the Mother Tongue Festival is a great opportunity to learn Chinese outside of the classroom while having fun at the same time, and I hope that more of such activities will be organised in the future.”

As Hwa Chong students, we must learn to appreciate and enjoy the Chinese Language. The Mother Tongue Festival was a great opportunity to do so. Hopefully, next year's Mother Tongue Festival will be an even greater success!

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办演唱会为世界厕所组织筹款

陈贤熠 18A15

为了提高公众对世界卫生危机的认识，并为世界厕所组织（World Toilet Organisation）筹款，我

校一个由学生主导的服务学习项目“ProjectHathaway”的筹委会，订于2018年8月15日在新加坡艺

术学院表演厅举办筹款演唱会“Atarashii”。2001年在新加坡成立的世界厕所组织是一个国际性非盈

利组织，而“Project Hathaway”就是与它合作，致力于推广全球厕所卫生，倡导清洁干净的厕所，让每

个人无论何时何地都能使用安全卫生的厕所。

演唱会的节目丰富精彩，有歌唱、舞蹈、乐队演奏及诗歌朗诵等，表演团队来自几所初院与中学。

年轻的学子在台上各显其能，从酷炫的机械舞到浪漫的怀旧曲，让在场400多名观众如赴一场文化飨

宴。其中深受欢迎的诗歌朗诵是由筹委会成员呈献，他们声情并茂的演出揭露了全球性的卫生危机。

表演者之一王威智（18A13）说：“我们要借这个平台唤醒大家正视全球厕所危机，让问题得到广泛关

注、讨论和有效解决。”

当晚主宾是人称“厕所先生”的沈锐华先生。他在致词时介绍当年自己创办世界厕所组织的艰辛，

因为相对于其他全球性问题，世界厕所危机一直被人有意无意地回避，从而导致解决的程度始终有限。

沈先生提醒观众世界上尚有许多地方还不具备有水准的卫生环境，他最希望的是让最穷的人也能够用上

符合卫生条件的厕所，而不再被迫露天便溺。为此，他尝试运用社会企业的理念来解决这个社会问题。

“ProjectHathaway”的组长盛健恺（18S7J）受访时也指出：“因卫生条件不足而引发的危机日

益增加，有近10亿人每天只能在田野、河边、树林或其他暴露的空间排便。要对付这一棘手的问题，

必须汇集众人的力量才能解决。我们把演唱会叫做‘Atarashii’，这个日语有'新'的意思，象征着生活

在贫困地区、居住环境简陋的人即将看到希望的曙光。为了保证演唱会的质量，筹委会早在5月便投入

工作。准备过程并不容易，但是为了传达卫生乃基本人权的信息，一切都是值得的。”

出席者在演唱会后，确实了解并支持世界厕所组织的远景。观众萧恩豪（18A14）说：“我现在才

知道全球还有26亿人是没有厕所可上的，身为学生的我们应有强烈的世界观，它促使我思考如何去帮

助和改善那些却从未使用过冲水马桶的人的卫生状况。”

1 演唱会后，全体表演者与可爱的吉祥物“大便先生”合影(宋凯杰摄，18S6F)

2 三名女生的美妙歌声深深打动观众的心（陈奕蓉摄，18S6A）

3 德明政府中学舞蹈团DMVMT呈献嘻哈舞（陈奕蓉摄，18S6A）

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54PASSION54PASSION

初心化成飞扬的音符

代铠瑒中三双文化一班

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2018年7月5日，由中学华文部、音乐部联办，高中未央中文词曲创作社协办的“写一首歌给你”

中文词曲创作大决赛在戏剧中心拉开帷幕，成功吸引了400多名师生前来热情捧场。选手们依次上台表

演，呈献倾注了自己才华、感情与希望的创作，观众也不吝惜掌声为表演者打气鼓舞，现场的气氛活跃

融洽。

这项比赛的消息在年初传出后，全校的中文音乐爱好者都兴致勃勃，纷纷响应；值得一提的是南中

才女也受邀参赛。组委会把主题订为“初心”，首轮选出20多首完整的中文音乐作品，再根据比赛规定

与要求，从中学组和高中组各选出5首优秀作品晋级决赛。

“我多想飞去那片永远不会落雪的星空我多想追一个能永远都不落空的梦”

——《飞雪》（代铠瑒中三双文化一班）

“I’m dreaming about that one day, One day my song will be on the karaoke，即使接下来的道路不

好走也不好受能不能坚持不回头”——《OneDay》（梁伟伦17S63）

入围决赛的作品风格各异，有的轻快活泼、有的悠缓抒情，共同点是旋律动听、歌词优美、意境

深远、积极向上。由本地资深音乐人吴剑泓、黄宏墨和陈炯顺三位先生担任的评判团，面带笑容仔细

聆听，最终选出前三甲、优胜奖、最佳作词和作曲奖，并给予专业点评。

“写一首歌给你”中文词曲创作在学生群里引起强烈的反响，让不少人爱上中文词曲创作，有效地

提高年轻人对华文的兴趣与应用。吴蕴迪（中四双文化一班）是其中之一，他认为活动给学生带来学好

华文的动力，更给华文爱好者表现的机会，他期待有更多类似活动在校园开展，让中文创作蔚然成风。

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1 陈乐萱（17S65）的创作获得高中组冠军及最佳作词奖

2 学生设计的比赛宣传海报

3 黎岩泰的钢琴伴奏让学姐陈乐萱的演绎锦上添花

56PASSION


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SHINING THROUGH AT BERLIN’S FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

Towards the end of last year, the Singapore Embassy in Berlin invited Singapore artists and students to submit artworks for a light art showcase - Berlin’s Festival of Lights 2018.

1 Li Yi’s winning design brightly projected on the Embassy of Singapore in Berlin, Germany

2 Publicity banner for the 2018 event from the Festival of Lights website3 Li Yi working on her laptop with a drawing pad and stylus pen

Every year, the façade of various buildings in Germany’s capital is lit up in a stunning array of multi-coloured lights, depicting designs by creators across the globe. This is the 14th year of the festival, with the overall theme being “Connecting Cultures”, in an effort to draw people from all walks of life closer together. The international festival attracts over two million visitors every year, and remains one of the best known light art events in the world.

Among the 10 selected submissions by finalists from Spain, Romania, Hungary, Germany and Singapore was Li Yi’s (18S60) tessellation-like piece. The figures of a man, a hibiscus, a dog and a robot are formed by intertwining line work that flow in an unbroken stream across the image.

After the finalists’ works were put to a vote, Hwa Chong is proud to announce that Li Yi has emerged the winner. As someone who does not take art academically, this is a momentous achievement for her, especially since the event’s submission period was just before the promotional exams. What attracted Li Yi to participate was the challenge of having to consider how the design would appear both as light against a building’s surface, and as a two-dimensional drawing. Her artwork was projected onto the Singapore Embassy, located at Potsdamer Platz, from 5th to 14th October 2018, the entire 10-day duration of the festival.

The contest’s theme for the year was “City of the Future”, an appropriate and fitting moniker for a metropolis like Singapore, which has often utilised technological advancements and the diversity of its citizens to spur the nation forward. Here is what Li Yi had to say about the ideas and concepts behind her artwork:

“When I think about “City of the Future”, it consists of four elements: Human, Technology, Greenery and Animal. As we are progressing, dealing carefully with their interdependent relationships and interconnectedness is of paramount importance, so as to have a bright and harmonious future.”

Emulating famous Dutch artist Maurits Cornelis Escher’s use of repetition and geometry under the advice of friends and guidance of art teacher Mr Ho Zhen Ming, Li Yi successfully captured a sense of continuity and unity among the four different components she sought to bring together.

Upon receiving the news that she had won the competition, Li Yi expressed that she was very surprised, but also extremely grateful and honoured that her work gained such recognition in another country.

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Soh Yong Xiang 3H1

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ENGLISH DRAMA ANNUAL PRODUCTION

“It was definitely not easy, but we did it as one united club”, said Nicholas Xie (3H1).

The annual English Drama production, When Persuasion Becomes Deception, took place on 3rd August, starting with a performance of Dara Murphy’s "They Eat Sunshine, Not Zebras". On a platform across the middle of the stage, the performers stood, each one representing a blade of grass. They talked about their concerns and fears; they worried about birds, about being taken out by a lawnmower.

Soon a dandelion appeared at the centre of the row of performers, and the ostensible leader of the grass was quick to denounce his difference. Taking care to emphasise every word, he declared the dandelion’s existence “non-standard behaviour,” a term that continued to appear intermittently throughout the play as a kind of condemnatory catchphrase.

1 Confronting issues like father-son relationships in The Wasps 2 Ostracising the dandelion in the first play of the night3 The Wasps

“It was our coach who suggested this play”, Nicholas elaborates when asked about the choice of plays. “Some of us thought it was childish at first, but the coach told us that the play had a deeper meaning. He wanted to bring out the theme of ostracism, in particular.”

Watching the play, this goal was undoubtedly achieved. The actors’ passionate presentation of their characters’ deeply-rooted points of view (for the grass, the rejection of difference; for the dandelion, the desire for acceptance) brought out the underlying fears driving both parties, and forced the audience in the Drama Centre to question their own perspectives – whether they were the dandelion or the grass, or even both.

This message of inclusivity was also at work in the second play, Aristophanes’ "The Wasps", which closed out the evening. Nicholas explained that one of the reasons why the play was chosen was because of the Greek chorus that features quite prominently – that way, everyone in the club would have a role to play in the production.

This presented some challenges, however.

“The chorus was extremely difficult as it involved over twenty people having to say the lines and perform the actions simultaneously. Considering the fact that the chorus had so many lines, it was quite difficult to pull off a synchronised performance”, Nicholas mentioned.

Therefore, in order to prepare the club for the material, the coach took time out to teach them about Greek drama, allowing the performers to better appreciate and convey the ideas of the play. The seniors also helped the other members of the club to overcome the difficulty of the material by having one-on-one sessions with them to ensure everyone could remember their lines.

Ultimately, the English Drama club’s performance of "The Wasps", just like the earlier performance, was a resounding success, keeping the audience hooked at all the most dramatic moments of the play.

When the curtains were finally drawn, the audience cheered and applauded.

The evening was a powerful testament to the contradictory consequences of difference and the ways we deal with injustice, and for this, this year’s English Drama production brilliantly presented a platform for us to enjoy, question and learn.

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60PASSION

Liong Kai Rui Reyes 1I1 and Lin Zongkai 1I1

A HEALTHY END TO THE YEAR HWA CHONG TABLE TENNIS CHALLENGE 2018

1

As the hectic school year drew to a close, on 25th

October, the Secondary 1 students took part in the Table Tennis Challenge, an event organised by the PE Department as part of the Sports For All initiative. On this day, the Secondary 1 students eagerly sparred with each other in a series of table tennis matches, with 15 medals in total awarded to the top players. Said Mr Ken Toh, head organiser of the event, “to have a large number of participants in this activity is the main target.” He added, this target was selected because it is important to ensure that as many students as possible have the opportunity to try out different sports. The target has definitely been achieved, with 240 participants taking part in the competition. This is the second year in which the Table Tennis Challenge has been held, riding on the success of last year’s edition. The competition had the ProEd and iSpark consortia taking on Aphelion and Ortus consortia, ending with ProEd and iSpark narrowly claiming the Challenge Shield, with eight medalists to seven from Aphelion and Ortus. The students were very eager in their participation, giving their all, and it is clear the Table Tennis Challenge was well received by the participants. For medalist Chung Wai Keong (1i1), this was “a fun and relaxing event.” For Leow Yi Yang (1A2), the event is important because “it gives us a chance to hone our table tennis skills.” Inspired by their students’ eager participation, many teachers also took to the tables and had a go. Mr Charles Low, the Director of Student Development, who was engaged in action despite being in office attire, said, “we just wanted to enjoy the fun too.” Mr Mervin Cohen, who attended the event as a form teacher, said, “the participation rate is high... there is reason for continuity.”

1 Mr Pang Choon How (Principal/HCI) presenting the plaque to winning teachers and students

2 Mr Pang in action

3 Sec 1s eagerly awaiting the start of the challenge

Even our Principal, Mr Pang Choon How, who was present to give out the prizes, turned up in sporting attire and played with a group of students! It is certainly not an everyday thing to see the Principal interacting with students in such a friendly way. Chua Rui Heng (1P3) commented, “he’s not a Principal who gives off a high and mighty air…[it] makes him feel closer to us.”

Mr Pang also said, “I am heartened to hear from students that they often play table tennis at the area near the canteen.” The school has provided this space to encourage students to play the sport and the initiative has evidently succeeded. Mr Pang added, “[I am] very happy that our table tennis team organised the event, and hope that other CCAs will also run activities to engage the student body.” All in all, the table tennis challenge brought to a close a busy year in wonderful fashion. Mr Ken Toh says the challenge will continue to be held next year for our new batch of Secondary 1 pupils. He also wishes to “get more teachers involved” next year. We certainly look forward to another year of table tennis fun for the whole school.

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数学世界的探奇之旅

俞舒怀中四数理一班

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2018年8月13日，新加坡数学协会于国大数理附中礼堂举行了全国系列比赛的颁奖典礼。在全国

奥林匹克数学竞赛中，我校代表从众多参赛学校中脱颖而出，拿下初级组、高级组及公开组的多枚金、

银、铜牌，实至名归地摘取团体金牌，取得令人瞩目的成绩。

在数学论文赛中，魏玮德、邓天智和曾威杰的小组论文《密码技术在电子付款中的应用》荣获

低年级组论文第一名，陈威良、黄靖杰、董伟恒的《掌握密码学之要诀》则获得第三名。至于高年

级组，人文一班的袁伟耀、苏勇翔、黄伟铭合写的论文得第二名。此外，在数学专题作业大赛中，高年

级组也收获两银一铜、低年级组收获三铜。

代表我校出赛的数学精英当中，不少来自苏格拉底学会。每个星期五下午，在制服团体和各个社团

在紧锣密鼓地开展训练时，苏格拉底学会也不例外。会员在纸张与数学公式之间开展一次次的脑力冒险

之旅，或者马不停蹄地准备着即将到来的竞赛。他们把历届题目列出来，进行认真的整理和分析，纸上

密密麻麻地写满复杂的解题过程和演算要点，难怪在争分夺秒的比赛中他们能胸有成竹，应付自如。

副主席尤一程（中四汇聚三班）解释这个和数学有关的学会为何会取名“苏格拉底”：“古希腊哲学

家苏格拉底是西方哲学的奠基者，他开创的辩证法被后世广泛应用在治学和研究上。我们希望会员像先

哲那样，在解决数学问题上能够勤思，养成批判性思维，在学习中思考，在思考中学习。”

苏格拉底学会是学术性强的小众团体，由于性质特殊，感觉上活动不是特别“多姿多彩”。尤一程

认为这恰恰是其优势，会员虽不多，但凝聚力很强。活动时大家都有机会提出难题，并一起动脑筋。

比赛来临前，每个人都积极投入培训，随时可以上阵。

数学究竟有什么魅力？相信所有会员都会告诉你：是从毫无思绪到突发奇想，从束手无策到柳暗

花明。破解奥秘时，那无法言喻的满足感便是数学带给他们最大的乐趣与魅力所在。

1 会员之间彼此切磋，收益颇丰

2 颁奖典礼后部分师生合影留念

3 国际奥数金牌得主黄宇鹏(18S6B)感谢中学部苏格拉底学会所给予的扎实训练

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64PASSION

花中君子初养成

钟嘉杰施届苇中二聚英三班

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文质彬彬的黄天泰是我们同班同学，跟同龄人不同的是，他不把时间浪费在电玩、手游上，而是在

种花、卖花、送货、与专家切磋中度过课余时间。两年多以前被朋友送的一盆胡姬花激发了兴趣后，他

便开始到图书馆借阅书籍，不断钻研。为了累积经验，他还经常去花圃和花展上结识同好。后来母亲帮

他在蔡厝港的一家花圃找到做义工的机会，这些实际经验让他学到不少胡姬花的实用知识，为日后培育

新品种胡姬花奠定基础。

家中的阳台是天泰的乐园，这里种满胡姬花。“胡姬花有几万种，而我只种了80几种，大多是蝴蝶

兰，约650朵。”他如数家珍。接触胡姬花一年左右，天泰便开设了面簿和Carousell 专页，售卖起胡

姬花。除了自种，他也通过花展和网络认识国内外花商，再进货转卖，目前他月入有数百元。

父母是天泰追求兴趣的精神支柱，但他的独立性很强，从种花、买花、卖花、送货，都一手包办，

甚至连处理进出口花卉的繁杂手续都应付自如，让成年人望尘莫及。黄妈妈说：“他以前很文静，接触胡

姬花后改变很大，现在卖花也不是为了赚钱，主要是锻炼胆量，学习如何待人处世。”

栽种胡姬花可不容易，不但要熟悉不同品种的特性，还要有足够的耐心。天泰对胡姬花了如指掌，

这跟他的好问精神分不开。作为东南亚胡姬花协会最年轻的会员，他总是虚心向前辈请教，每月参加协

会办的讲座，一有疑问也会立刻上网查阅资料。

胡姬花从幼苗到开花需时数年，有的甚至长达十年。等待开花的过程虽漫长，但盛放后的美丽让天

泰非常有成就感。他种植的两盆蝴蝶兰曾获得东南亚胡姬花协会冠军。他还希望能尽快培育出新品种做

为百年校庆的献礼。天泰勇于追梦，勤于圆梦，俨然具有企业家的精神与魄力，真令人钦佩。

1 种植胡姬花的过程中，黄天泰不仅得到了乐趣，也陶冶了情操

2 胡姬花高贵优雅，但种植不易，需要花心思照顾

3 黄天泰种的小青蛙兜兰，长得小巧可爱

2 3

66PASSION

在活动中遇见不一样的自己

郭晓斌 18A12

1

年终考季终于结束了，紧张忙碌的学习生活暂告一段落，校园里处处弥漫着轻松愉悦的气氛。

为了纾解学生的压力，同时又能让他们快乐地学到新技能，育人处特地把2018年10月5日划为

“精选活动日”，给全体高一同学安排了超过40项精选活动，如：街头魔术、外语速成、迷你模型、

皮革缝制、巧克力制作、瓶中景布置、皮划艇、咏春拳、防身术、保龄球等等。不管你是哪种性格，

肯定能从中找到自己钟意的课程。

说到室内活动，毛线玩偶手作坊（Amigurumi Crochet）便特别受文静女生的青睐。一开始，要

不谙针线功夫者用毛线勾织出萌样十足的小狗，无不手忙脚乱的；但聘请来的外校指导老师毕竟拥有

10多年的丰富经验，在她的细心教导下，大家逐渐得心应手，编织的速度也愈来愈快。令人想不到的

是单单小狗的身体就需用上千针才能织出，而这还是较简单的，要织出狗尾巴、狗鼻和耳朵，难度更

高。过程中，同学们频频出错，不时要举手请老师来“抢救残品”。编织活儿是对耐心极大的挑战，

但辛苦一天后换来的可爱小狗公仔还是让人心生满足，疲惫俱消。

运动类中，箭术课程（Archery）人数爆满，可见其受欢迎的程度。18S6K的石馨瑶表示自己从

未体验过射箭，所以毫不犹豫地报名了。当天精彩刺激的射箭让她在大汗淋漓中将学业的压力抛到脑

后，另一收获是结识了许多志同道合的其他班同学。

滑水（Wakeboarding）也是另一热门课程。据知在下水前，教练曾反复示范滑水的基本技巧。

但知易行难，参加者廖旌成（18A12）说他一下水就慌了，脑中重复着教练的指示，但身体却绷得太

紧，摔了N次才逐渐掌握如何平衡：“我先是蹲着等船提速，待滑板上水面后，开始试着站立。正当我觉

得滑水其实还蛮容易时，打来的浪头使滑板颠簸了一下，下一秒我就泡在海里了。”虽然喝了一肚子海

水，全身酸痛得快散开来，但他还是非常感谢学校提供这难能可贵的机会，让他挑战自己体能的极限，

尤其是体验到滑水的莫大乐趣。

短短一天的精选活动日不仅让莘莘学子在考后放飞心情，实际更蕴含了校方深深的用意。通过寓教

于乐的方式，同学们以兴趣为师，充实和提升自己，发现自己的另一面、让自己拥有更有趣的灵魂，这

便是华中教育的特色。在问到对精选活动日的看法时，参加瓶中景制作（Terrarium Making）的林汶

瑩（18S7B）表示，把小巧的微景观浓缩在精致的玻璃瓶中让她真正静下心，从烦躁的琐事中解脱出

来，为生活增添色彩。陈健（18A12）也总结道：“活动让我们发掘个人兴趣，我在没有压力的情况下

学烘焙（PuffPastry），实际体验，亲自接触，这难得的经验将永远留在我的记忆深处。”

1 要做出酥香可口的点心，先得学会擀面皮 2 韩国文化课程让大家体验异国风情，开拓了视野

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EXPLORATION68

王吟可 18S6K

在广州感受华新园的企业文化

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1 Ulcont是超高性能的混凝土，除了应用于建筑幕墙，亦可制成精致的工艺品

2 领引书吧是心灵的休憩地

3 宽敞明亮的会议室让创业者催生出新点子

2018年11月19日，双文化浸濡团到访位于广州的华南新材料创新园，充分感受其朝气蓬勃及

“以人为本”的企业文化。2013年运营至今，华新园善用行业资源和产业优势，探索出“用平台选

商、用服务留商、用资源助商”的孵化器创新发展模式，搭建起集“创业苗圃－孵化器－加速器”于一

体的完整产业生态链，形成了高科技服务、新材料、电子信息、生物医药四大产业集群，是目前中国规

模最大的科技企业孵化基地和众创空间。

华新园对中小型科技企业的扶持不遗余力，不仅提供投融资服务，也提供昂贵的机械器材；

以“精准服务”为宗旨，帮助企业创新与成长。华新园管理层若认定一家企业具有较强的创新能力和发

展潜能，便会将租金转为股金，入股该企业。讲解员余春秀小姐很形象地解说道：“与其把华新园比作

科技企业孵化器，不如说更像一所学校——我们是老师，创业者是学生，大家其乐融融，我们积极酝酿

合作友好的氛围，这样才能一起走得更远。”为了让创业者互相熟悉、充分交流，园区经常举办各式活

动，如：促进创业者内部交易的“华交会”、打造熟人社会的“BOSS下午茶”、音乐会、趣味运动会、

大龄青年相亲等。

占地160亩的园区，设备齐全，方便华新人在下班后找回自我，管理层用心良苦地“搭平台、做红娘”，

如：不时更新课程供创业者进修，一些单身男女甚至通过参与活动找到人生伴侣。藏书颇丰的“领引书

吧”不仅有创业相关的书籍，更有大量文学作品，能满足创业者工作外的精神需求。书吧还附设儿童读

书室，育有年幼孩子的创业者需要超时工作，可放心把孩子寄托。此外，环境优雅舒适的会议室，供刚

起步的创业公司免费使用。

华新园对创业者的人文关怀，印证了“创业孤独，但在华新园绝不寂寥”的口号。参访结束前，

浸濡团师生获得了与园区刘崇孝总经理对话的宝贵机会，学到许多书本上无法获取的知识。梁乐宜

(18S6F)说：“刘总热情的分享加深我对其运营模式和企业文化的了解，也知道这家民企对社会及经济方

面所做出的贡献。”

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EXPLORATION70

戴楷臻 19S66

双文化课堂的跨国延伸

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1 天南地北的聊天方式能快速增进情谊

2 美国伙伴熟练地示范陶艺拉胚手法

3 耶鲁大学以其哥德式建筑风格闻名，是一些小说及电视里经常会出现的场景

去年的11月假期，在2位老师的带领下，17名中四双文化奖学金得主到访美国康涅狄格州西港

市的StaplesHighSchool，展开为期2周的浸濡。这种课堂的延伸方式有助于学生亲身感受所学到的理

论与知识，体现了我校重视培养学生的文化理解能力。双文化奖学金得主一般上会在中三时先到亚洲

城市，中四时再到西方国家浸濡。杨慧茹副校长表示，希望通过浸濡带出不一样的学习特性和好处，培

育理解他国文化并融会贯通的学生。

为此，校方安排了一系列活动，包括寄宿家庭、随堂听课、参观历史古迹等。平日里，同学跟随

美国伙伴一同上课、生活、游玩，近距离观察两国教育、生活及文化的不同。除了参与Staples的广播

课、影片制作课、陶艺课、厨艺课、珠宝制作课以及华文课，体验这所康州最佳公立高中灵活多元的

课程，浸濡团也到访常春藤盟校耶鲁和哈佛，感受一下这两所在国际上享有顶尖声誉和影响力的大学的

魅力。

周末，浸濡团前往各大博物馆，如：纽黑文皮博迪自然历史博物馆、波士顿茶党船博物馆及纽约市

大都会艺术博物馆，穿梭于不同时期的展览品和艺术品之间，是令人难忘的经历。作为体育强国，美国

人对运动的热衷举世皆知，浸濡团特地去了一趟芬威球场，这里是刚获得由美国职业棒球大联盟举办的

世界大赛冠军“波士顿红袜队”的主场，借此了解体育在美国文化中的核心地位。美国是个不同移民组

成的国家，因此形成别具特色的饮食文化，同学们到不同风味的餐馆吃饭，品尝美式、法式、意式和德

式菜肴，大饱口福。

和往年不同的是，本次活动更注重与美国伙伴的互动交流。何俊汉（19S6K）说：“在美国看到非常

不同的文化，让从小成长在较为传统家庭中的我大开眼界。这也能佐证课堂学到的知识，对了解异国文

化至关重要。”其实从活动中获益的又何止我们？美国朋友BenjaminHoward也赞同：“交流过程不只

让新加坡学生了解美国文化，我本身也加深了对新加坡文化的了解。我发现虽然两国文化有很多不同，

但也有相似之处。”

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EXPLORATION72

MAKERSPACE OPENING

Tng Guang Hong, Zak 1I1 and Oh Rui Heng 1I1

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Myriad bizarre devices were dotted around the inventor’s grotto; on a rack to one side, multiple screwdrivers and cogs were arranged neatly according to their size. A mix of teaching professionals, non-teaching staff and guests, along with our principal, Mr Pang Choon How, milled about in the classroom-sized Makerspace, the latest in Hwa Chong’s facilities opened to cater to students’ holistic learning.

The encouragement of creative thinking and making follows recent trends in local and overseas schools. During the Grand Opening of Hwa Chong’s Makerspace, Hwa Chong students had their chance to shine as educators and guests from the Ministry of Education marvelled at their novel projects. The Guest of Honour was Mrs Chia Ban Tin, Superintendent of the W6 Cluster. Among other projects, there was the Inventions Category Winner, Clo Thes Hanger, and the Modular Wheelchair Cart, designed to aid the elderly.

The Hwa Chong Makerspace was designed to stimulate students’ creativity and allow them to create their own projects during their free time. The Makerspace is not only helpful for students in the Inventions Category looking to make a prototype, it also serves as a place for teachers to conduct workshops for the student population. Anyone interested to participate in these workshops would simply have to reply to online school-wide messages sent out about upcoming workshops. These workshops are organised by the teachers-in-charge, sometimes calling on outside vendors to help with teaching interested students, and other times inviting passionate teachers to share and teach in their areas of expertise.

1 From left to right: Kent Cheong, Lecturer in the Infocomm Studies department, Guest-of-Honour Mrs Chia Ban Tin and Principal of HCI, Mr Pang Choon How

2 Guest-of-Honour Mrs Chia Ban Tin (Superintendent, W6 Cluster) cutting the ribbon to open the Makerspace

3 Student volunteers demonstrating how the machines work4 Student volunteers explaining their creations

Students present during the opening expressed their excitement about using the Makerspace. Lee Yi (1i1) of the Modular Wheelchair Cart group said that the Makerspace “can inspire their creativity”. His groupmate, Justin Tay (1i1) also said that they “can learn a lot of skills” from workshops conducted by teachers in the Makerspace.

One teacher who supported the idea of a Makerspace and organised the opening was Mathematics teacher and Makerspace teacher-in-charge Madam Tham Siang Wah. Madam Tham hopes that students will be able to “turn on their creative juices to do whatever they want within the constraints of safety”, fully utilising what the Makerspace has to offer.

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SPOTLIGHT… ON SUSTAINABILITY7474

拯救地球从一支吸管开始

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邵馨宁 18A15

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1 洪欣怡在盛港图书馆分享人与自然和谐共生的重要性 2 洪欣怡的宣导让环保概念深耕校园

现代生活忙碌，外食族暴增，从高档餐馆到最草根的小贩中心，人们几乎每天都会用到塑料吸

管。这小东西真正有用处只在你喝饮料的那几分钟，用完后被当作垃圾填埋在地里，几十年，甚至几

百年后，它仍旧存在无法被分解。正是这个原因驱使18S6E的洪欣怡发起“零吸管运动”（Straw Free

SingaporeCampaign）。

细心的欣怡注意到人们大量使用吸管的现象，就在思考问题的症结：人们并非真正需要用它，

而是餐饮业者主动供应所导致。如果从源头抓起，是否可以减少使用率，进而完全不用？于是她登录

Change.org写请愿书，呼吁樟宜机场的餐馆少提供吸管，目前已收集到15,000个支持者的签名。这

是一切的开始，但很快欣怡就看清楚一封请愿书是不够的，需要做更多，她开始印制宣传贴纸分发给餐

厅和学校食堂，同时自动请缨到一些小学去演讲。她形容自己的首次演讲因紧张而表现“一团糟”，但

反而激发她提升口语表达技巧的决心。

欣怡坦承运动推出后并非一帆风顺，她寄出的呼吁电邮多数石沉大海，即使收到答复，对方也声

称“目前无法改变经营模式”；有人在她的面簿留言：“世界上需要解决的问题超多，别浪费时间去关注

是否多用了一支小小吸管”；更有人为了表示对这运动的不认同，故意在饮料杯里放进一把吸管，拍照

放上网炫耀；她甚至听说有朋友去小贩中心提出不要吸管时，却被奚落“地球不是这么救的”。

遇到众多阻力的确让人难过，但是欣怡坚定地说：“我投入很多时间和心血，不想放弃成为运动失败

的理由。”她表示自己一般不会理会恶意中伤的话语，但对于理智提出反对意见者，她则会据理力争地

给予解释。如：有人曾指出一些残障人士需要用吸管喝水，禁用会给他们带来不便。对此，欣怡的看法

是：“这是人性化的运动，目的是鼓励减少使用吸管，而不是剥夺真正需要者的使用权。”

让人欣慰的是，机场20间餐馆已接纳她的提议，只在顾客主动要求时才提供吸管。双胜

Swensen’s自响应运动以来，在短短一个月内就省下20,000支吸管，一年下来有望省下240,000支，

而这只是一家餐厅的努力。欣怡乐观地笑道：“10月份，快餐汉堡王全岛42家店和圣淘沙名胜世界内所

有餐馆，都已宣布停止为堂食顾客提供吸管，希望接下来的一年内能达致1000,000支的目标。我打

算联系更多餐饮业者，继续到学校演讲，并和一向重视环保的城市广场购物中心CitySquareMall合

作，加大运动力度。”

一路走来，欣怡很庆幸遇到理解并坚定支持她的老师，给她打了强心针：“人类的生活方式从很多方

面来看都是在毁灭地球。如果不从小处改变，最终必须面对后果的是子孙后代。我相信这项运动是有意

义的，哪怕只能减少一支也值得。”对于那些因摄入塑料品而死亡的动物，少用一支吸管就是多一分生

的机会。拯救地球生命的任务从来不属于超级英雄，而在于平凡的我们，且是从一根吸管做起。


SWAPPING FOR A CAUSE


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1 Students looking through the vast collection of donated clothes to bring home

2 Green Council’s quiz and games that educate students about the effects of fast fashion

3 The bustling of people looking to find ‘new’ clothes for Chinese New Year

Did you know that 95% of your clothes can be swapped, recycled or upcycled? On the 30th and 31st of January 2019, a clothes swapping event was held in Hwa Chong Institution. For this event, participants submitted clothing in exchange for points that could be used to swap for clothing that other participants had submitted. The goal of this event was to allow students to refresh their wardrobe with new clothing while reducing the environmental impact that arises from the textile industry. One participant, Lucas Peck Hoe Hin (18S72), said, “I personally find this event very exciting as it [had] never occurred to me to look to second-hand clothing for new clothes.” The clothes swapping event changed his perception of second-hand clothes. He originally had the misconception that second-hand clothes were dirty and worn-out, but has found that second-hand clothing now appeals to him. “[It] feels good to not be contributing to the fast fashion industry. This event has allowed me to contribute to environmental conservation while upping my fashion game!” The event was very successful and organised, with a great many students bustling around the inner plaza swapping clothes. The clothes were arranged on stands and tables according to size, making it easy and convenient for students to quickly find clothes that fit them. In addition to the clothes swapping, infographics containing information on textile wastage were placed around the area so that shoppers and passers-by would be able to increase their knowledge of environmental conservation. There was even a quiz to evaluate one's own fashion habits, increasing awareness of the harmful fast fashion industry and providing tips on how each individual can do his or her part to save the environment. With Chinese New Year just around the corner, there was an added festive feel to the event as participants searched for new clothes to enrich their wardrobes for the holidays.

An organiser of the event, Feline Yeo (18S72), spoke about her motivation in planning this event. “I was actually inspired by the owner of Swapaholic, a company that specialises in swapping clothes. I interviewed them for my Project Work last year and got to know about clothes swapping and the detriments of the fast fashion industry.” Feline was very satisfied with the execution of the event, especially after receiving messages and emails from participants who enjoyed the event and thanked her for organising it, giving them a chance to get new clothes without spending any money. The remaining clothes are to be donated to charity organisations for the less fortunate. Feline would also like to thank Swapaholic for sponsoring equipment for the event and for their assistance in facilitating it.

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Wong Zi Ling 18A14

OUTDOOR EDUCATION INAUGURAL CONFERENCE

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1 A group photo of the day's guest speakers, teachers-in-charge, and student facilitators. In attendance was our Deputy Principal/Student Development, Dr Melvyn Lim (second from right)

2 PE teacher Miss Chen Phi Fern giving advice on how to tie a belaying knot for rock climbing

3 Mr Loh Chee Hwa conducting the Leave No Trace Workshop about man’s impact on the environment

This year’s Outdoor Education Sharing Session, pioneered by the 4th Outdoor Education Student Committee (OESC) with the aim to “engage speakers who are experienced in the outdoors and in outdoor education to inspire future outdoor leaders from around Singapore”, and revolved around the theme of Outdoor Stewardship.

Outdoor stewardship concerns the responsible use and protection of the natural environment through conservation and sustainable practices. Given the worsening impact that climate change has had on our planet, this topic is perhaps relevant to us now more than ever before. The forum opened with specialists and educators who shared their own experiences in the outdoors. From photos of wildlife in Singapore to the mountains of Nepal, the speakers brought students along with them on their journeys to discover the wonders of Mother Nature. Weaved into these personal stories were lessons regarding the cultivation of sustainable habits and the importance of empathy. Perhaps the most significant lesson shared was the importance of awareness, which was introduced by Mr Loh Chee Hwa, Master Educator of Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. He explained that humans’ interaction with the outdoors will leave “unintended consequences on nature” if people lack awareness of the impact of their actions on nature, leaving the audience with much food for thought.

The conference also featured a talk delivered by our very own student and environmentalist, Ang Zyn Yee (18S6E), who shared about her own journey in starting the Straw-Free Singapore movement. The room observed an awed silence as Zyn Yee shared the hardships and challenges she faced in order to build the campaign into the success it is today. The passion she had for the environment was tangible throughout her presentation. Seeing a peer embody outdoor stewardship only fuelled the audience’s passion and love for the outdoors. It was all the more special for our own Hwa Chong OESC members, listening to a peer who reflected the 自强不息 spirit on top of outdoor stewardship.

The forum ended with hands-on activities such as the Leave No Trace workshop led by Mr Loh, who highlighted methods to mitigate detrimental impacts on the environment and a rock climbing session for OESC members, who were craving for some strenuous physical activity before the day concluded.

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From this forum, there is something we can all take away when it comes to protecting the environment. This was best put by Dr Chua Siew Chin, Lecturer for Environmental Sustainability in NUS Ridge View Residential College, during the panel discussion. “Start small and gradually influence others around you. Don’t be afraid of doing something different.”



GOING GREEN WITH THE GREENEST PERSON ON EARTH

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1 Matthias Gelber captivates the HCI audience, recycled pencil case in hand

2 Mr Gelber shares an air quality app on his phone. The number in red depicts the worryingly high Carbon Dioxide level in the room

3 Mr Gelber and Tey Wan Teng, Rachel (18A14) in deep conversation about how to better implement sustainable policies around school

The greenest person on the planet. The lean, green man with a dream. He who lived in Malaysia without a car and boasted a monthly electricity bill of US$10. Matthias Gelber’s many epithets and feats have cemented him as an international celebrity as far as environmental advocacy is concerned. On 7th March 2019, Mr Gelber conducted a talk at Hwa Chong, regaling us with his life stories and advocating for a greener lifestyle.

Armed with a light green shirt, a “trashionable” bag made out of old car tyres and a juice carton disguised as a pencil case, Mr Gelber certainly looks the part of a green living advocate. Along with a carefree attitude and a quick, sharp wit, the audience was engaged from the start, enamoured by his charisma and humour. However, underneath his jovial exterior lies an unmatched, fiery passion for the environment. Having grown up in the small German village of Burbach-Lippe, surrounded by forests, Mr Gelber developed a strong connection with nature and got involved in environmental campaigns from an early age. He realised that humanity was producing too much toxic pollution and so he believes that spreading the message of environmental conservation is his “calling [in] life”, his mission.

Mr Gelber provided valuable insights into environmental problems plaguing us today. For instance, many people think that the haze is caused by the slashing-and-burning of forests; however, 95% of it is actually a result of draining peatland, a natural carbon sink, which causes peat soil to burn and release the pollutants. Furthermore, Mr Gelber opines that “climate reliability has completely gone out the window.” In his youth, Mr Gelber was blessed with three to four months of snow in his village during winter. Now, his brother’s kids only have a week to go skiing. In Malaysia, locals would plant rubber trees according to seasonal patterns, but now the clear, rainy and dry seasons have all but disappeared. All these issues are affecting everyone on a global scale, so how are we to be of help?

For Mr Gelber, the question is not “who wants change”, but “who wants to change”. Thus, no matter how small our actions may seem, it is important that we become the change we want to see. We need to recalibrate our lives, to become connected with nature. Mr Gelber also emphasises that to get our ideas across, one needs to ensure that the message is relevant and understood by the audience. To that end, forming connections with the audience is often better than simply giving a lecture. Indeed, Glenda Woo (18S65) from the Green Council remarked that the Council was encouraged “to re-evaluate how we approach environmental advocacy.”

Upon hearing of our school’s green initiatives like Zero Waste in the canteen and “Swap, Don’t Shop!”, Mr Gelber gave his approval but stressed that there is always scope for improvement. For starters, he suggested that the school works towards reducing our carbon footprint in order to achieve climate neutrality. In all, Mr Gelber’s talk was eye-opening and as Pierce Toh (18S6D) put it, “very inspiring”.

Panorama congratulates the Green Council for all of its efforts in raising awareness of sustainability issues to the school. In the words of Mr Gelber, we hope the “want to change” around campus is growing.

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