ONEVOICE
Twenty First Issue Sept. 2012
A Student Publication of SJI International
A warm welcome by the bright-eyed Bamboo School Kids
The Bamboo School - On
Stable Foundations
Hair for Hope
Thank You
Card
Competition
Things to do
during the
holidays
Sports Day
Student
Council
By Aidan Sim
During the summer, I embarked on a journey with
several schoolmates that led us to the rural areas
around Kanchanaburi, Thailand. We set out with eager
anticipation that our journey would be fulfilling and
enlightening. This journey brought us to the Bamboo
School.
Established in 2000, the Bamboo School is a mission
organization located close to the Thai-Burmese border,
that aims to provide basic education to children. At
dawn, we met with Brother Victor, a Lasallian brother,
who is involved in the daily running of the school.
We meandered on the flakey, crimson soil with curious,
wandering eyes around what was a considerable sized
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ONEVOICE September 2012
2
school compound that seemed out of
place in this hilly region. Finally we
met the children of the Bamboo
School.
Their irresistible smiles carried such
warmth that could justify Thailand as
the Land of Smiles. After a brief
inspection, we were quickly accepted
by the children as friends and made to
feel at home straight away. Seizing
each of us by the hand, they took us
on an extensive tour of their beloved
campus in a flurry of excitement.
We spent the rest of the morning
sitting in several lessons run by some
of the local teachers, as well as
sharing conversations with Brother
Victor. We discovered that he has
been involved with the Bamboo School
for close to ten years now, and the
school’s aim is to arm as many
impoverished children with basic
knowledge in the core academic areas
of Language and Mathematics.
On our flight home, I reflected on our
experiences
in
Thailand
and,
Inevitably, the image of the children
of the Bamboo School remained
rooted firmly in my mind. Their warm
smiles amidst the difficult living
conditions and their enthusiasm for
learning to ensure a better future. A
form of optimism that dictates that
nothing is taken for granted, be it the
littlest things. I feel we have a lot to
learn from these young individuals.
The Bamboo School is so much more
than just an organization; it’s a
community that comes together to
fulfill the mission of the school.
With the youthful energy of the
children,
paired
up
with
the
unwavering support of a very
committed group of teachers, there
can be very little doubt that the
Bamboo School is built on stable
foundations – foundations of success.
Students learning about environmental conservation by planting trees
National Day 2012
By Benjamin Yoong
Edward Tan and Kayley Tan performed
a duet singing a mash up of ‘This is
home’ and ‘Love at First Light’,
followed by a performance on the
Chinese instrument, the Gu Zheng, by
one of our grade 10 students.
Mr Roberts, talked about this year’s
National Day logo, an orchid and a
heart in a shape of a star, known as
the orchard star and its colors
represent the diversity of Singapore as
a Nation. With the red heart
representing the love for Singapore
and the number 47 showing the age
of Singapore as a Nation.
The 9th of August 2012 was
Singapore’s 47th birthday. For the first
time we gathered in the new indoor
sports hall to celebrate as an entire
school-both the Elementary and the
High School.
This National Day is, so far, the first
where everyone in the entire school,
elementary and high school came
together to celebrate the Nation’s
birthday.
As a whole, we sang the national
anthem and said the school pledge
together.
Brother
George
then
addressed the school with a prayer
giving thanks for all the blessings we
have.
The theme of this year’s National Day
was ‘Loving Singapore, Our Home’.
Aidan, the Vice President of the Senior
Council wrote a poem about the theme
of National Day.
The Principal of the Elementary School,
Mrs Grant, addressed our school
talking about how the Elementary
School finally got to join in the whole
school
assembly
along
with
a
performance by the Elementary School
children singing a Chinese song.
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ONEVOICE September 2012
School News
ONEVOICE September 2012
School News
New Teachers
except for Africa. He is also fond of
scuba-diving and hiking although he
hates exercises and gyms. In addition,
By Louis Carlo Medina, Kim Tien Nguyen,
Melanie Leow
he loves bad jokes and the fact that he
On coming back to school on our first looks like Tin Tin!
day, we were pleasantly surprised to
We all hope that he will love the school
find ourselves with several new
and regard Singapore as his second
teachers.
home beside Australia (and if not we
Hopefully some questions, which I can always bribe him with a white Wire
know many students and teachers Fox Terrie dog (Snowy).)
have been dying to know, will be
More interesting tidbit facts also
answered.
include:
Favourite Food: Cream caramel, Sushi
Favourite Book: East of Eden (John
Steinbeck)
Favourite Movie: Rear window, Donnie
Darko
Dream Job:
Antarctica
Research
scientist
in
Favourite Language: Spanish
Favourite
Subjects:
Mathematics
Mr. Lee
Teacher
McFarlane
-
Chemistry
Chemistry,
Favourite Holiday Destination: North
Norway
Pet: 15 year-old family dog
Mr. McFarlane travelled alone from Favourite Singer: Björk and Deadmau5
Sydney, his hometown in Australia, to
Singapore. An amazing fact is that he Favourite Quote: ‘It’s better to be
hated for what you are than loved for
likes the food at our school canteen!
what you’re not’ –Anonymous
Mr. McFarlane is a convivial man who
likes traveling a lot. He has traveled to
almost every continent in the world
4
Ms. Alice Tully - Head of Biology
Have you ever wondered how your
food gets digested? If you want to
connect digestion to enzyme to
protein synthesis, until you reach the
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), then you
might want to see Miss Alice Tully.
Apart from teaching Biology, Miss
Tully's dream job is to try expensive
holidays and get paid (To those of you
who have not heard of it, this is
actually lucrative career). In line with
this, she told One Voice that she wants
to travel around Southeast Asia while
she resides here in Singapore.
Last trivia about her: given the ability
to choose a superpower, she wants to
have the ability to regenerate. This is
probably from her penchant for
Twilight books.
Before she joined SJII, she taught in
Seven Oaks School, a renowned
coeducational school in Kent, United
Kingdom. During her six years as an
educator at Seven Oaks, she taught
Miss WALSH- Biology Teacher
Biology and was a residential staff
member in the Girls' International
House, one of the boarding houses in Miss Walsh hails from London and she
Seven Oaks.
likes the local Singaporean flavor of
food and seems to have taken a liking
To all Twilight fans, Miss Tully is your
to SJII due to what I have long felt to
new best friend. She admits that The
be our best asset: nice and polite
Twilight Saga is her favorite novel
students and welcoming and friendly
series, and adds that the sequel,
staff.
Breaking Dawn, is her choice amongst
the four-part series. Aside from this, Her favorite subjects include Biology
she also likes reading Biological and English Literature and her favorite
Science Reviews during her free time. holiday destination is North India as
Well, what do you expect from an avid she feels it is a peaceful mountainous
Biology teacher?
region and the people are friendly.
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ONEVOICE September 2012
However, just because she is well into
reading scientific journals, it doesn’t
mean that you will not be able to
connect with her. Although she may
have a very keen passion for science,
she quips that she is also a 'sarcastic
genius', the kind of creative sarcasm
you will get from the fictional Dr.
Sheldon Cooper from the television
sitcom, The Big Bang.
ONEVOICE September 2012
She thoroughly enjoys travelling but Favourite quote: Only those who will
has to yet to go to America, Antarctica risk going too far can possibly find out
and Oceania.
how far one can go" (T.S.Eliot)
Something that I found a little bit
astonishing, is that she has an extra
chromosome and has not quite
seemed to master the skill of cycling
though the warm weather and luscious
green parks.
When asked what superhero she would
like to be she said Professor Xavier
from the X-Men Series (though she
also mentioned that her mother has
also been a great role model
throughout her life).
She graduated from the University of
Nottingham where she gained an
undergraduate course on Biology and
a Master in Education.
More interesting
include:
tidbit
facts
also
Now you may realise that there were
Mockingbird only three teachers introduced in this
issue and question yourself ‘I thought
we had more than 3 new teachers’ or
Favourite Movie: Pretty woman
‘Where’s my teacher in this issue?’.
Yes, you’re right.
Favourite food: Chocolate
Favourite
Roots
Book:
Killer
Favourite singer: Kareen Carpenter
Favourite Asian food: Green Thai Curry
Favourite pet: Dachshund dog
Favourite language: Spanish
Sport: Running
Favourite Singapore Place: Botanical
Garden
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Don’t feel crestfallen because the next
two new teachers will be freshly
published in the next issue.
Don’t miss it as there will be more
interesting stories about the other two
teachers that you might want to know.
Lasallian Leadership
Training Camp
By Avita Timbadia
Before our summer had barely even
begun, a group of around 20 pupils
were selected to attend the Lasallian
Leadership Training Camp, more
commonly known as the LLTC.
The 3 Lasallian Secondary Schools in
Singapore, St. Patrick’s School, St.
Joseph’s Institution and of course,
SJII organised this camp. It was
organised in order to introduce some
of their best students to the Lasallian
community. The 4 day, 3 night camp
was held at St. Joseph’s Institution.
On the first day, all of us were
extremely nervous as we didn’t know
what to expect. What group will we
be put into? Will the people be nice?
What are we going to do? Questions
kept flooding our minds. The girls
were especially worried, as out of the
160 students attending the camp,
only 10 of us were girls.
However, before we knew it, we were
all having more fun than we would
have ever imagined. We all felt
incredibly fortunate to be given the
ONEVOICE September 2012
School News
opportunity to bond with students
from the other local schools.
We did a couple of activities such as
rope courses and dragon boating.
Both activities helped us to get really
close with our group members, as
we all continuously encouraged each
other to the finish line.
At the camp, I definitely learnt about
what big impact teamwork can have
on performance. Every morning, it
was compulsory for us to go for the
morning run. I don’t think I would
have even completed half of it,
without
the
support
and
encouragement
of
my
group
members. Thanks to them, I
completed it on all three mornings. I
don’t think I will ever forget how
helpful their optimism was.
Throughout the duration of camp,
we had lectures and talks to do with
the Lasallian core values, or what
could make us a better leader. Some
of the speeches, for example, had to
do with challenging the process or
being unique and simply just be
aware of the less fortunate around
us.
On one of the days of the camp, we
went to a one-flat HDB block, where
we helped to clean out some of the
residents flats. For me, this was,
without a doubt, a one of a kind
experience. It was incredible meeting
the residents, and it really made me
realise how fortunate I am, in every
aspect.
All in all, I had a fantastic time at
LLTC. Not only do I have memories
that I will cherish forever, I’m also
prouder than ever to be a Lasallian.
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ONEVOICE September 2012
Hari Raya
By Xue Yao
At the time of sunset, and new moon
shines on the horizon, a meaningful
new day has come for the Muslims
all over the world on the 1st day of
Shawwal, the tenth month of the
Islamic calendar.
This special holiday—known as Hari
Raya Puasa in Singapore and
Malaysia, Hari Lebaran in Indonesia
as well as Eid-ul-Fitr in Arabic
nations, ends the long Ramadan
month for fasting, along with family
gathering, prayers and celebrations.
It is one of the most significant
Muslim festivals throughout the
world.
Following the lunar Islamic calendar,
Hari Raya falls on the first day of the
tenth month, and the day begins at
moonrise. However it falls on
different dates on our solar calendar
each year, usually 10 days earlier
than the previous year.
The month before Hari Raya,
Ramadan, is the fasting period for all
the Muslims. During Ramadan,
eating and drinking, as well as
smoking and lying are all forbidden
during daylight.
8
Preparation of Hari Raya starts as
early as one month before, during
which families clean their houses to
welcome relatives and friends, and
women sew beautiful new curtains
and clothes for children. The day of
Hari Raya usually begins with a sweet
breakfast with assorted fruits and
morning prayer.
Families gather together in new
costumes, offer their gratitude to
Allah in the mosque, and young
people often ask for forgiveness
from elders for their mistakes (and
surely it will be granted!). Relatives
also visit each other, and pray
together to celebrate this joyful
annual holiday.
This is similar to the Chinese New
Year tradition, elders usually give
away packets of money to children—
but the difference is, unlike the
Chinese “lucky money” in red
package, their package is green, the
holy color for Muslims.
Perhaps the greatest expectation on
Hari Raya Puasa-not only for the
Muslims who celebrate it, but also
anticipated by non-Muslims—is the
variety of traditional delicacies
served for this special event.
Ketupak (steamed rice wrapped in
banana leaves) is one of the most
popular Hari Raya foods in South
East Asia. Served with satay (chicken,
beef or lamb in skewers) or gadogado (mixed vegetables with peanut
sauce), Ketupak has gone far beyond
a main course but is now also a
popular gift and symbol for Hari
Raya.
Other local delicacies include dodol,
rendang, lemang and opor
By Joanna Chuah
Take a look at the guy next to you
with the massive eye bags. He’s just
crammed 7 months of work into 7
hours. His blood is tainted with
caffeine, and his hands stained with
blotches of ink.
with other aspects, but have a full
grasp
of what
you
need
to
accomplish.
2) Set goals
Everyone hopes to achieve the
maximum score in anything they
undertake. But realistically, bell
curves and tricky questions dissolve
that dream. We’ve all heard the
common rally to “aim high” but also
keep on the edge of your mind the
human aspect of being different.
We’re not expected to out-perform all
our
peers-we’re
expected
to
challenge
ourselves
and
set
obtainable goals so as to keep the
pressure monster in its leash.
3) Make notes and highlight
By compiling notes and highlighting
textbooks, we condense our workload
and provide a source of quick revision
right in the weeks before the exams.
We all nod our heads in mutual
Reading a six hundred and fifty page
understanding and point to him as
textbook? - Not the best option when
one of the many victims of the end of
the exams are 48 hours away. Take it
year
exams.
He
is
a
typical
from an IB student, no matter how
representation of our “mugging”
much coffee or how super-human
culture. But clearly, there are better
you claim to be there is a limit to how
ways to get 7s on our report cards.
many words you can read per hour
and a cap to the number of pages you
1) Prioritize
can flip before your lids start to
After 3pm, the bell rings and the urge
droop.
to head out for a mid-day munch with
your friends tempts you. You know
4) Practice past papers.
you’ve got a mountain of homework
The secret to success is not
and an examination to study for.
memorizing
every
word
or
Everything has an opportunity cost,
punctuation in the textbook. There
and although to some, the lines are
are other factors to consider, such as
fuzzy, during this crucial period, work
time management, technique and
comes first.
stamina. Poke your nose into your
friend’s files and beg for their tuition
Forget the satisfactory feeling of a
teacher’s exam exercises, if they
Starbucks latte in hand and image that
resist, then hunt for them on the web
linear list of A*s and 7s instead.
(Moodle). Keep these treasures in a
However, balance is important. Staying
folder that you would look at closer to
segregated from society to focus on
the exams; it’s a time capsule that
the exams might not be the best
you will definitely be thankful you
practice. The key is to keep in touch
made.
9
ONEVOICE September 2012
Revision Techniques
ONEVOICE September 2012
Ideas for a Healthy
Lunch
•Caesar salad dressing (or
mayonnaise)
By Carissa Kong
•Fresh salsa sauce (used as a dip)
Experts say that a healthy lifestyle is
equal to an increase in your
effectiveness and efficiency in and out
of the classroom.
This is why eating healthy is very
important to school life. By eating
healthy, we can all improve on our
weight
management,
mood,
concentration and learning, as well as
nutritional inadequacy. That’s right,
eating healthy could possibly make
you smarter!
Here are some lunch ideas to bring to
school that you could make at home:
How to make it:
1. Mix 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise
with the lettuce. At first, it’s like
making a salad.
2. Place the lettuce onto the tortilla
wrap.
3. Cut the chicken into small strips
(2-3 inches long).
4. Grill the chicken and add cajun
spices to give a great aromatic
flavour.
5. Put the strips of grilled chicken
breast in the middle of the tortilla
wrap.
6. Roll the tortilla wrap and cut it in
half.
Caesar Burrito
This is made up of:
•Tortilla wrap
•Grilled chicken breast strips
•Cheese
•Lettuce
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After the Caesar Burrito is done, it can
be perferably dipped in salsa sauce.
Remember, the chicken is grilled, so
there is no sign of oil and trans fat.
Even the tortilla wrap is healthy, it
contains mineral contents, vitamins,
monounsaturated fats, protein value
and calcium!
Not only is this extremely tasty, but
portable and compact with vegetables,
protein, and carbohydrates in every
bite.
By Ruru Hoong
Tuna Fish and Rice Cakes
This is made up of:
•Canned tuna fish
•Mayonnaise
•Two rice cakes (or more if you want)
•Black pepper
•Celery
•Carrots
How to make it:
1. Add 1-2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
(or whatever is preferred by you) to
the canned tuna fish and mix it
2. Grate the celery and carrots into the
bowl of canned tuna fish
3. Add a sprinkle of pepper
4. Mix the tuna fish
After making the tuna fish, you can
use it as a “dip” for the rice cake!
Rice cakes are a lot healthier than
bread as the average rice cake is low in
calories, averaging about 35 calories
per cake and they’re very low in fat.
Like bread, rice cakes are filling and
can be also eaten as a snack!
Lunchtime, August 10th: A frenzy of
Grade 10 students gathered outside
Mr. Hughes room down at the Lasallian
block, excited and unnerved as they
waited for their IGCSE Chinese or
Malay results.
One and a half years of hard work all
culminated to the May examinations,
and the results of it were summed up
in a frightening letter poised on an
otherwise blank sheet of paper.
Fortunately for the Grade 10s, this
year’s cohort surpassed expectations.
First Language Chinese students
achieved a stunning number of ‘A’s, a
stupendous feat to be proud of
considering the lack of them in last
year’s cohort.
The vast majority of Foreign Chinese
students achieved an A*, which was
expected but nevertheless an assuring
and amazing accomplishment. As for
the Foreign Malay students, all four
entrants received an A, which is a
fantastic achievement.
Congratulations to all the Grade 10s,
and good luck for the upcoming
October-November exams!
11
ONEVOICE September 2012
Mother Tongue IGCSE
Results 2012
ONEVOICE September 2012
favour of K-pop, but listening and
looking closely, ‘Gangnam Style’
definitely has in itself the LMFAO
element.
■ Books ■ Movies ■ Music ■
Music Review
By Nguyen Vu Hoang Nam
If Part Rock Anthem had done a
wonderful job promoting shuffle
dance, Gangnam Style has done an
even better job at popularizing a
weird-looking horse-catching dance,
yet still maintaining its sexiness.
The song itself is also very addictive
with its very own charisma. A mustlisten for this holiday.
Playlist of the week:
Crazy, rebellious and fun, these songs
make the perfect list for the next
coming holiday, whether you are at the
beach or in the clubs.
Prediction: Korea is going to receive a
flood of tourists this year, especially in •
one famous area.
•
Yes, it is Gangnam and the hottest
Korean song yet that the world has •
ever seen is Gangnam Style by Psy.
•
Not only is it catchy with the nowfamiliar
phrase
‘Oppa
Gangnam •
Style!!’, the song is also backed up with
a sexy and eccentric yet extremely •
humorous video.
Gangnam Style – Psy
Party Rock Anthem – LMFAO
Pound the Alarm – Nicki Minaj
Dynamite – Taio Cruz
On the Floor – Jennifer Lopez
My Humps – Black Eyed Peas
• Club Can’t Handle Me – Florida
Featuring Huyna, the beauty of
4Minute, the video has gone viral all
• Hook It Up – Vanessa Hudgens
over the world as well as Singapore, to
the extent that there is now a parody
• High High – GD&TOP
named ‘Singaporean style’.
‘Gangnam Style’ is said to be the
perfect mix between ‘Party Rock
Anthem’ and ‘Sexy and I Know It’. The
analogy may seem a little bit
unsuitable for those who are not YET in
12
• Low - Florida
The Hunger Games
By Kim Hoong
districts, where each of the
districts specializes in a special
industry, producing the basic
everyday life necessities.
Each year, the Capitol arranges a
game in an elaborate arena,
known as the Hunger Games.
Each district is forced to sacrifice
a boy and a girl tribute to fight to
their death.
Katniss Everdeen, aged sixteen
with strong survival instincts,
ends up in the Hunger Games
after volunteering to take her
sister’s place in order to protect
her. Along side her is Peeta
Mellark, a boy from Katniss’
childhood. Both Peeta and Katniss
fight 22 other teenagers from 11
other districts, and battle against
the powers exerted from the
Capitol itself.
I was skeptical of watching the
Hunger Games, until one day, my
sister dragged me to the cinema
and forced me to watch it with
her.
The movie blew my mind away.
The whole concept of a dystopian
setting in a totalitarian nation,
had me sitting on the edge at
every minute. Needless to say,
that was what drove me to read
the novel.
Panem: a nation which is divided
up into 14 different areas after an
apocalyptic event. The powerful
Capitol now runs the 12 different
Like any good story, I was
immersed
in
the
fictional
universe, that kept me captivated.
The way Susan Collins portrayed
the glamour, the lights, the
luxury and the deep secrets and
politics of the Capitol, captured
every minute of my attention.
When it came to the actual Game,
it was more of strategic planning
and survival of the fittest, rather
then a gory fight to the end. On
top of that, like many Young
Adult novels, it has romance as
well. I’m pretty sure you know
who I’m referring to already.
13
ONEVOICE September 2012
■ Books ■ Movies ■ Music ■
ONEVOICE September 2012
■ Books ■ Movies ■ Music ■
Brave
By Jeanette Ho
She has to act fast though, as the
people of DunBroch are not the
greatest fans of bears, and they will
try to kill it on sight. Racing against
time, she finds herself realizing how
important family truly is to her, and
deeply regrets what she has done in
the past. In the end, crisis is
adverted, and once again, they live
More hell then breaks loose as her happily ever after.
entire family is cursed, and she
watches as her mother turns into a This film has an uplifting message
improving
communication
bear just after eating a small slice of about
between mothers and daughters, and
cake.
it is definitely not to be missed by
She is then forced to undo the spell families with children of all ages.
herself before it is too late, and her Staring Kelly Macdonald as the voice
mother remains a bear forever.
of Merida, the princess, this movie is
definitely not to be missed!
A film by Pixar Animation Studios, set
in the highlands of Scotland, the
princess of Clan DunBroch causes
chaos in her kingdom after refusing
to marry the man her father has
betrothed her to. She then escapes
from her own kingdom, consulting a
witch for help.
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■ Books ■ Movies ■ Music ■
Upcoming Movies In September
Expendables 2
The Expendables are back with Sylvester Stallone, Jason
Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry
Crews, Liam Hemsworth and Yu Nan aboard. They are
reunited when Mr. Church enlists the Expendables to
take on a seemingly simple job. But when things go
wrong and one of their own is viciously killed, the
Expendables are compelled to seek revenge.
ParaNorman
A small town comes under siege by zombies. Who can it
call? Only misunderstood local boy Norman, who is able
to speak with the dead.
In addition to the zombies, he'll have to take on ghosts,
witches and, worst, of all, grown-ups, to save his town
from a centuries-old curse.
Premium Rush
Dodging speeding cars, crazed cabbies, open doors,
and cranky pedestrians is all in a day's work for Wilee
(Joseph Gordon-Levitt), the best of New York's agile and
aggressive bicycle messengers. Used to putting his life
on the line, he is about to get more than even he is
used to when a routine delivery turns into a life or death
chase through Manhattan.
15
Join the newspaper club!
Do you like to write? Do you want to have your
name printed on the hundreds of copies of
newspaper editions every month? Simply join the
newspaper club and write an article every month!
Meetings are held every Wednesday lunchtimesl
for, at the most, half an hour.
Please see one of the Editors below for information
on joining the One Voice Team!
ONEVOICE TEAM
Editors
Quek Siu Ming & Jeanette Ho
Reporters
Ben Yoong | Kim Tien Nguyen
Melanie Leow | Nguyen Vu Hoang Nam
Kim Hoong | Louis Carlo Medina
Joanna Chuah | Carissa Kong
Xue Yao | Ruru Hoong
Avita Timbadia | Aidan Sim
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