CJC Flame Issue 2 2018

CJC NEWSLETTER ISSUE TWO

Hearts Ablaze:

One Flame, One Family

JULY 2018

Principal’s

Dear CJCians, The College theme “Hearts Ablaze: One Flame, One Family” represents the collective vision of our student body to strive to help every individual uncover their areas of passion, develop their talents, and to provide opportunities for all to excel in their academic and co-curricular pursuits.

Over the course of the last term, our JC1s and JC2s have performed well at the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) and ‘A’ Division Games.

Many student leaders sacrificed their time and effort to guide their teams to excel in teamwork and performance. All CJCians who participated in the SYF and ‘A’ Division Games faced challenges, disappointment and joy, and forged strong bonds with team mates. In the process, you learnt and grew in your leadership journey.

Many teams have banded together to face challenges and savour the victories of this year’s sporting and performing arts season. You will read in this issue how Drama went against the odds to achieve their well-deserved Distinction in the SYF Arts Presentation. Beyond Sports and Performing Arts, CCAs such as Interact Club, St Vincent de Paul, and Film, Sound & Video Society continue to serve both within and beyond our CJC family, and are also featured in this issue.

Message

CCAs and pass the flame of leadership to their JC1 juniors. JC1s, continue to acquire knowledge, lead and serve in your CCAs, Houses, and committees. The time for you to discover and hone your strengths as leaders of the college has come with the baton of leadership. The teachers and I are excited to see what you will accomplish given your dreams and aspirations for the CJC community.

JC2s, as you reflect and gear up for the exams, do know that your leadership journey is not done yet. The whole class of 2018 must succeed for the ‘A’ Level

Examinations. The CCA groups that study together, pace each other and help each other deepen understanding of concepts excel in the national examinations. I urge you to apply the leadership skills you have acquired in your CCA and student leadership roles to the coming exams.

With this, I wish all CJCians all the best in your pursuit of a full and rich experience in your leadership journey at CJC. In Veritate et Caritate.

Mrs Phyllis Lim Principal

Our student leaders have honed their leadership skills in Term 2 through the planning and execution of college events including Rockafella and Sports & Aesthetics Carnival.

These events brought the college community together and help define the unique CJ experience.

Term 3 marks the time when our JC2 seniors step down from their

Editors Aprilene Goh Huishan Nur Liyana Mohamed Tahir Daphne Tan Li Wen Aster Goh I-Mei Suzie Yanti Jumadi President Lim Bi Hui Vice-President Franklin Angela

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Contributors Amanda Pei Charlotte Low Charmaine Hong Clare Lai Cynthia Tan Dhylan Singh Sheena Edrina Risson Elizabeth Tan Faith Cheong Franklin Angela Gerald Hong Jonathan Seah

Jonathan Woo Jovan Aw Yong Lim Bi Hui Lim Howie Lisa Francis Lorenzo Rubio Nadiah Hisham Nadya Pang Nicole Teo Nicole Wang Odeta Frente Tibern Perry Lim Rachael Lim

Sandrie Lum Seow Hui Qin Stephanie Cheng Vesper Khoo Vinessa Martin Zecary Tan Photographers Anansit Ta Einstein Chan Ethan Loh Fan Syong Zhi Ferry Chandra

Fiona Goh Joie Lam Jonathan Tay Lu Wenjie Marcus Pang Wang Qi Mrs Lee-Xu Yifang

Athletes To Watch Text By: Nicole Teo (2T24), Edrina Risson (2T29), Gerald Hong (1T01), Sandrie Lum (1T05) and Nicole Wang (1T08)

Golf

Golf is an incredibly challenging sport. With every game lasting up to a few hours, one needs a high level of skill and determination to play it well. Although the past few months of training were extremely taxing, our golfers’ efforts have most definitely paid off, with one of them, Lee Jen Chye (2T09), ranking fourth at the National School Games (‘A’ Division) Golf Championships 2018. It was certainly no easy feat as their competitors were strong, and the golfers have once again achieved excellence, bringing pride to CJC.

Jen Chye (2T09) posing with his medal

Zac Liew (1T06) showing strength and grace on the still rings

Gymnastics

Being an athlete is never easy; it requires one to summon everything he has to achieve the best of results. Likewise, it took fortitude for Zac Liew (1T06) to accomplish his milestones.

Juggling school work and training proved to be a feat, as he trained six times a week for a draining 4.5 hours each session. However, Zac obtained the all-around Gold medal for the Men’s Pommel Horse, Rings, and Parallel Bars at the National School Games (‘A’ Division), proving that hard work pays off.

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Judo

The day of the National School Games (‘A’ Division) Judo Championships was one of the rare instances where almost the whole Judo team took part in a competition, notwithstanding injured members. Despite the stiff competition from schools such as Hwa Chong Institution,

Captain Marcus Tay (2T21) and Vice-Captain Alyssa Siow (2T27) clinched the third position in their respective categories.

Although the sport is individual in nature, the close-knit team shows that this can be argued otherwise. The many hours of gruelling training pushed them forward and pulled them closer as a team. Strong bonds were also forged as they cheered their teammates on during matches, and encouraged and helped each other to develop better techniques during training.

Swimming

All smiles as Swimming finishes their races for the day

Track and Field

CJC’s Track and Field have outdone themselves this year, with the majority of the team making the cut for the National School Games (‘A’ Division) finals. There were multiple notable

The many weeks of intense, almost painful practice paid off when the boys’ relay team from CJC Swimming managed to clinch fourth place at the National School Games (‘A’ Division). After all, as Captain Loh Choo Teng (2T05) puts it, “If you think that playing a sport is difficult, imagine doing it while holding your breath!”. Competing against swimmers who have represented Singapore at regional and international competitions was nerve-wrecking, and some swimmers on the team had never competed before. Despite this mammoth challenge, the team managed to keep their cool and even made friends with fellow competitors in the changing room.

The team has also grown into a tight-knit family and reaped the fruits of their labour.

performances by individuals, with many pushing beyond their limits to attain success. Tiffany Pong (2T06) performed remarkably well, doing the college proud by placing fifth in the 3000m walk. Jorden Chong (1T16) and Jon Patric (2T01) also clinched fourth and fifth in the long jump event and 100m sprint respectively. The many months of hard training and discipline finally paid off and the team did CJC proud.

Track and Field at the National Stadium

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The

‘ Ultimate’ Experience

Text By: Stephanie Cheng (2T06) and Edrina Risson (2T29)

Samuel Tjong (2T29), focused and ready during the game

Sweat runs down his face as he dashes across the field. He glances at his teammates - fire burning in their eyes, their passion evident. They will not go down without a fight.

Perfectly in sync, his team moves at full tilt, cheering one another on from time to time. To Captain Samuel Tjong (2T29), this is what true unity, passion and liberation mean. This is Ultimate Frisbee.

Ultimate Frisbee, more affectionately known as Ulti, is an enigmatic second co-curricular activity reputed for their unwavering team spirit and full commitment to the sport.

However, many still see Ulti as more of a recreation than a sport. As Samuel puts it, “Ulti has constantly been compared with games such as Captain’s Ball, and not as an actual sport.”

Ulti is assumed to be child’s play due to trainings being held only once a week. This is echoed by player Tarsilla Lee (2T06), who jokingly adds, “I always hear people saying frisbee is a dog sport, because we just run after a piece of plastic”. Yet Samuel believes otherwise. “I think that the sport is quite exhausting and not easy to play. It requires a certain level of physicality.”

The Ulti team posing for a picture as a family

On top of that, being a self-refereeing sport, Ultimate Frisbee relies greatly on the players’ integrity. They strongly believe in ‘the spirit of the game’—Tarsilla explains that players are expected to practise mutual respect for their teammates and opponents and enforce the rules of the sport without any malice or bias. This falls perfectly in line with our college motto, In Veritate Et Caritate.

“respect each other on the field and keep the sport enjoyable for everyone”. CJC Ultimate Frisbee team, with their airtight bond and a passion for the sport, will certainly do the College proud.

With the upcoming Inter-Junior College Ultimate Championship, the Ulti team has been practising for arduous hours to give their all. No matter how demanding and exhausting training sessions are, Samuel hopes that the team will continue to Tarsilla Lee (2T06) and her friend, Lee Xing Hu (2T10) celebrating after a long day of matches

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United By

The Blade and Racket Text By: Franklin Angela (2T21) and Vinessa Martin (1T34)

With their hearts in their throats and sweat pooling on their brows, the CJC Fencers and Tennis players stood before their daunting opponents at the National School Games (‘A’ Divisions). It seemed that on the fencing strip and tennis court, hopes of victory weighed on them alone - they had to make it or break it.

Contrary to the belief that a sense of team spirit is rarely established in these sports, the Fencing and Tennis players cannot go far without help from each other. Inexperienced players who are new to the team rely heavily on their more experienced peers, who patiently help to build their foundation and groom them into capable competitors.

Captain of the Fencing team, Leong Jun Xiong (2T21), shares, “To have the knowledge that you led and trained with such an outstanding person since their first time playing marks excellence in learning and mastering the techniques and styles of the game.” Even non-competing Tennis players have a part to play in the ‘A’ Divisions, by training to become umpires or linesmen.

Naturally, it is hard to create cohesiveness in sports that focus so deeply on the idea of the individual battle, but relationships between team members are built and reinforced through the many bonding

activities planned by the sports’ Executive Committees. For instance, the teams often go out for meals together after strenuous training sessions and grueling competitions to keep spirits high, and to facilitate greater communication between the members.

The value the teams place on teamwork is evident in how they find joy in the victory of their teammates. It is this attitude too that propels them forward to greater heights and pushes them to strive for excellence.

Alka Arun Daney (2T04) putting up a fight against her opponents

What about the times when their teammates lose and set the team back in the competition? As Jun Xiong puts it, “If there’s a chance that we could be victorious elsewhere, we must give our full support.

The knowledge that your whole team is supporting you no matter the outcome really propels us forward to greater heights previously thought unimaginable.” CJC’s sense of family is exemplified by these two teams, and there is definitely a thing or two we could all pick up from them.

Fencer giving her all despite facing a tough competitor Tennis team being a pillar of support to one another during the matches

Athalia Yeo (1T08) playing her best for the team

Fencers representing CJC at the National School Games

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CJCians posing for a group photograph

CJCians joining the fight against the stigma against autism

SVDP cheering with the migrant brothers

Speaking

For The Unheard

Interact Club changing mindsets one person at a time

Text By: Seow Hui Qin (2T02), Howie Lim (2T10) and Charmaine Hong (2T20) Lessons had long ended for the day but Dylan Lee of the Interact Club was not heading home. Instead, he was off to another meeting, ready to discuss a project with his fellow clubmates. Meanwhile, Javen Leo (2T15), President of St Vincent De Paul (SVDP), was doing the same.

Despite being from different co-curricular activities (CCAs), both of them had the same goal in mind - they saw not only a need to make their projects helpful to the beneficiaries, but also to change the minds and hearts of their fellow CJCians.

Knowing that CJCians still harboured misconceptions about autism, the Interact Club hosted an autism awareness campaign called ‘Autism Speaks, CJC Hears’ in April.

Their aim was straightforward yet powerful: to think twice before harshly judging people with autism. The Interacters faced various challenges, such as having to juggle both the campaign and academic work, but the heartfelt responses of their peers made the time and effort spent worth the struggle.

“Despite nearing the examination season, we were heartened to see the number of people who took the time to visit our booth,”

commented Joanne Joseph (2T16), and the rest of the Autism Awareness committee.

Droves of students took the time to come down, listen to the morning reflections and wrote down pledges to help mitigate the stigma against autism. Indeed, the voices of CJCians could be heard clearly through their active participation, reflecting the college spirit of inclusiveness and open-mindedness.

Meanwhile, to educate CJCians on the struggles of foreign workers, SVDP hosted the Breadbasket Project. The Catholic society worked with the Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of

Migrants and Itinerant People (ACMI) to give students insight into experiences they could take away from serving their migrant beneficiaries. During the event, members put in much effort to keep spirits high by cracking jokes or spurring others to interact with the migrant workers.

“I believe my CCA has helped to encourage greater social awareness of the migrant workers’ plight. The donations signify their passion to help the underprivileged in our community,” said Javen.

Both the Interact Club and SVDP do more than just serve the less privileged in our society. They encourage each and every one of us to participate and use our voices to create change. By including everyone in these meaningful campaigns, CJCians develop not just into Thinkers with a Mission, but more importantly, Leaders with a Heart.

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Capturing

The Captains with His TheHouse unsung heroes and whoLeaders work tirelessly Grace Archbishop William to support college eventsGoh

Your Moments

Text By: Amanda Pei (2T27) and Vesper Khoo (1T20)

In the gym, Fan Syong Zhi (2T16), Head of Sound of the Film, Sound and Video (FSV) Society, has the morning operation under control. He checks the sound controls twice to ensure that the national anthem will play and starts the track as soon as the command is given by the parade commander. Relief washes over him when the process has been executed seamlessly. Such is the daily stress of members from FSV Society.

As Syong Zhi says, “The first thing that really comes to mind about FSV is service.”

Every member of the performing arts cocurricular activity (CCA) is expected to offer their service to the College. Sacrificing time, sleep, and participation in events in order to perform their duties with quality requires the commitment to serve and a selfless mindset. It is also through this journey of service that members of the FSV society form strong ties with one another.

Despite the stresses of ensuring that they deliver quality photography, FSV members

are a lively bunch. As Aye Phyu Thant (2T14), President of FSV, puts it, “Our CCA is full of passionate people who want to learn.”

Through the use of different media, such as photography and video animation, members of FSV are constantly exploring novel ways to showcase the vibrancy of college life. Drawing inspiration from online tutorials as well as intensive brainstorming sessions, the FSV team works tirelessly even outside of CCA hours to come up with creative ways to present their work to the

college community, such as publishing a termly photo-essay in this CJC newsletter.

FSV members feel tremendous pride in their creative effort. Filbert Cia (2T29) explains, “We get to share our work with others, so why won’t we be proud of it?” To them, being able to experience the joy they give to others is a joy in itself.

It is all too easy to gloss over pictures in the college publications, focusing on pictures of ourselves, our friends or teachers. Perhaps if we look a little closer, we might just be able to spot the hardworking members of FSV in the background, capturing our best moments and memories in CJC.

Hardworking members of FSV equipped with cameras, all ready to capture the day’s events

FSV with their own photobooth at CJC’s Open House 2018

Capturing others’ moments of joy

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Raising

CJC Drama coming together as one big family to stage a riveting performance

Our Voices

Text By: Lim Bi Hui (2T02), Charlotte Low (1T05) and Clare Lai (1T33)

Muhammad Aizat Bin Alzahar (2T05) and Hnin Oo Wai (1T25) staging the climatic scene in “Found You” as Chief and Maly.

Each beat of her heart caused her body to tremble.

Anxiety gripped her small frame as Natasha Chew (2T02), script writer and director, watched her Drama members stride confidently to their places, patiently waiting to start the play.

When the results for the SYF performance were released, Natasha’s eyes instantly narrowed in to CJC’s results, secretly hoping that they would be awarded the prized Certificate of Distinction. Her face immediately illuminated and she was overwhelmed by euphoria as she huddled with the Drama members, almost shedding tears of joy - CJC Drama was given a Distinction this year!

This was in stark contrast to the struggles that they faced in their preparation for the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Arts Presentation.

Innumerable changes were made, and with only a few weeks left to the presentation, each change made them more apprehensive and anxious than the last. And when they had finally settled on a script, not everyone agreed with the new version.

As one, they had beaten the odds and endured insurmountable difficulties to rise like a phoenix and emerge in a blaze of glory.

Yet, the show must go on. And it was the Club’s incredible tenacity and unyielding passion that captivated the audience, who eagerly sat at the edge of their seats, anticipating the possible developments of the play.

CJC Drama staging their original play ‘Found You’

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To Express, Not Impress Text By: Stephanie Cheng (2T06), Elizabeth Tan (2T27) and Faith Cheong (1T28)

The flautists putting their best foot forward in performing a lively piece

As a cramp shoots up his leg, he continues his dance routine, his movements unceasing. Despite being gripped with aches, he works late into the night to complete his assignments for the day. This is the reality for not just Dance Treasurer Keith Tang (2T06), but for students across all performing arts CCAs. As Keith puts it, “this is a matter of pushing our physical and mental limits.”

Unknown to many, the path to perfecting CJ Celebrates is extremely challenging—it’s much more than just a tuneful melody, a vocal harmony, a few fleeting pirouettes in the spotlight. Through intensive preparations, many lasting friendships are forged and many valuable memories are made in exchange for the hardships faced.

After the Mid Year Examinations, the Performing Arts CCAs were in a race against time to assemble a scintillating performance. Guzheng President Wong Yuet Yen (2T06) shares, “Most of our JC1 members have little music background and time was tight in building up the fundamentals to prepare for our performance.” Through

additional practices planned during their short June holidays, they worked towards ensuring that all members had the opportunity to be in the limelight during CJ Celebrates.

Nevertheless, support from fellow team members have made practices more bearable. As Guitar Secretary Stephanie Tan (2T06) puts it, “One of the best things I got from Guitar is definitely the bonds forged.

The feeling of trust and affirmation from the encouragement makes me feel like I belong, and I’m extremely grateful for that.” Although practices can be tough, the strong support

The dancers striking their final pose as they finish their performance

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system in Guitar Ensemble has eased the pressure of the preparation, as they knew they are not alone and that someone would always have their back; they were one big family preparing and performing together.

reciprocal respect and encouragement, Patricia has definitely felt closer to Choir.

Additionally, interactions with her Choir members have helped Patricia grow more as a team player and in her own character.

Elizabeth Wee (2T06) puts it, “We’ve learnt a lot about one another and our abilities; a CCA like ours really helps you recognize that everyone has talent as we work towards this big common goal.”

This same gratitude is echoed by Choir Vice-President Patricia Tan (2T06), who shares how her CCA members have changed her for the better. She reflects, “My Choir members are always open to suggestions to improve our pitch or pulsing.” Through their

For the Symphonic Band, the journey towards their performance at the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre and CJ Celebrates has allowed the the team to grow into a family, not just a group of people coming together to play music. As Symphonic Band President

Indeed, our performing arts do more than just to impress - they focus hard on working as a team, just like accompaniments in a music piece providing harmonic support.

The Guitar Ensemble absorbed in their rousing performance

The Guzheng Ensemble preparing to perform their piece

Donovan Lim (1T21) fervently belting out the finale piece to close CJ Celebrates

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In Sudore

Text by: Jonathan Seah (2T04) and Jonathan Woo (1T31)

Et Sanguine

Spearheaded by the Student Council, the College theme ‘Hearts Ablaze: One Flame, One Family’ was a call for unity and mutual support for each other among the student body. And even though the discussions that ensued among the student leaders were heated, the hard work bore fruit, with the very theme engraved in our hearts today.

Like all great initiatives, the success of the theme did not come overnight. “People were not taking it seriously. There was also

CCA Leaders leading their members to take The Athletes’ Oath

confusion about the purpose and importance of the theme,” says Preethi Renganathan (2T29). The difficulty of integrating the theme into CJC’s culture placed the entire Student Council under immense pressure. However, in spite of the monumental task, they rose to the challenge, launching several unique initiatives such as the ‘Ablaze’ booth which encouraged various Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) to write letters of encouragement to each other, as well as holding a ceremony with all the CCA leaders to galvanise the students for the competitions they were participating in. Despite the many administrative obstacles they faced, the Student Council displayed an admirable show of coordination in tackling them.

With each passing day, the heart of the student body can be seen to grow warmer and more receptive towards the College theme. Not only had the theme been successful in forging a deeper and more intimate CJCian identity, it has also given us all a fond memory to look back upon. As President of the Student Council Kiven Singh (2T29) reflects, “The theme is more than just a slogan, it is a goal that the Student Council constantly strives towards for ourselves and the College.”

The House Captains and Student Council President leading CJCians in the College Cheer

The Student Council’s unwavering dedication to foster unity amongst the student body is unparalleled. Their immense effort over the past few months has become the building blocks of CJC’s legacy - and to that we express our sincere gratitude.

House Captains and the Student Council President, Kiven Singh (2T29) opening the ABLAZE campaign

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An Unexpected

Union

Text By: Odeta Frente Tibern (1T08) and Lim Jia Rui Rachael (1T01) Previously known as Speaker’s Ink and the Political Science Society, these two entities are now subsumed under the Oratorical Society. However, the beginnings of this union was not without some teething issues.

Each with its own unique identity and history, the merger was between two Co-curricular Activities (CCAs) that were traditionally rivals. “While both Speaker’s Ink and Political Science Society are ‘speaking CCAs’, there are differences between the two wings, now known as Debate and Model United Nations (UN) respectively,” Vice-President of Oratorical Society Zane Siak (2T02) shares.

One of the clearest disparities arise because of the differing natures of their work. Members of the Debate wing tended to be more comfortable with group work because of the team-oriented nature of debates, while the individual nature of Model UN speeches shaped members of the Model UN wing to rely on themselves more when it comes to intellection.

Additionally, the skill sets of the respective groups differed, which made it harder for them to assimilate as one. Hence, joint CCA sessions were introduced, and with some training, each wing is now able to attend the competitions that were

Vice-President Zane Siak (2T02) at UN Security Council, representing Model UN Wing

previously reserved for the other wing.

These sessions promoted understanding between the two wings and provided members with more opportunities to interact with and warm up to one another.

Today, the newly formed Oratorical Society has succeeded in creating a more cohesive group of members. As members learn more about the other wing, they are able to complement each other’s weaknesses, learn from each other, and grow together. Like a newly formed bird with two wings of different origins, the Oratorical Society may stumble in its beginnings as it learns to fly, but as time goes by, there is no doubt that though different, these wings will eventually fall into a smooth rhythm that is uniquely Oratorical Society’s.

Vivek Sebastian Thomas (2T10) from Model UN wing presenting his argument at the River Valley Model United Nations (MUN)

Tok Jun Wei (2T11) speaking at a mock conference on behalf of the UN Development Programme

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Tips for an

A

in

Project Work

Text By: Cynthia Tan (1T03), Jovan Aw Yong (2T11) and Zecary Tan (2T21)

The Flame speaks to two groups to discover their challenges during the Project Work (PW) journey, and how they overcame them together.

What are some challenges that your group faced during the process of PW? How did you manage to overcome them?

Some challenges that we faced were time management and teamwork.

Having to submit many drafts before the final one, the amount of time we had for other academic subjects was greatly reduced. In addition to the multiple tasks we had for PW, we also had co-curricular activities and examinations to cope with.

Different people have different characteristics, which made understanding each other and working together as one group challenging. Initially, we had difficulties communicating with each other as we did not know each other well. However, we are glad that we fostered stronger bonds with each other as time passed and managed to overcome this tough journey together.

Chee Ning, Goh Wan Yong, Kylie Lau, Yen Kai Yoong, and Jordan Lim from 2T20

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What are some key factors that allowed you to get an A?

Which component in PW do you think strengthened your grade?

Some key factors that led to our success are:

The Written Report (WR) and Oral Presentation (OP) helped pull our grades up. For the WR, we successfully worked together as a team and had intense discussions on every single detail that we added into the report. As for the OP, having had enough practice, we managed to deliver our presentation with confidence.

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orking together as a team by W encouraging each other and articulating any ideas that we have so that nobody’s idea is compromised

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aking the feedback we T received from our PW teacher, Ms Melissa Olsen, very seriously and making sure that we made changes to the draft such that it would be better than the last

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eing responsible and doing B our fair share of work so that everyone shares an equal workload

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F inding each other’s strengths so that everyone’s capacity is maximised

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Lastly, treating every draft that you submit very seriously so that the final one is your very best.

What are some things you wished you could have done better?

We wished we had spent more time practicing for our Question and Answer session during the Oral Presentation as it was not as simple as we expected. More exposure and practice to the different types of questions could have helped us. We also wished we had more reflective sessions as a group where we can share thoughts and feelings towards each other. We were keeping in all the frustrations and exhaustion we were feeling about our group members due to the overwhelming workload and accumulated stress. This led to some tension within the group even though we managed to resolve them through understanding and caring for each other in the end.

Jolin Kan, Zane Siak, Seow Hui Qin and Cynthia Andrea Wong from 2T02

What are some challenges that your group faced during the process of PW? How did you manage to overcome it?

One of the challenges that we faced was the inability to voice our ideas to each other during PW sessions. To solve this problem, we decided to meet up every week to work on our project. During the first few sessions, we had a difficult time deciding on what problem to work on. The initial problem we were working on was actually focused on the elderly, but that didn’t really work out.

We overcame this challenge by consulting our tutor many times, and by genuinely internalising and listening to our tutor’s advice on what we should do.

What are some key factors that helped you to succeed?

Not giving up despite struggling a lot with PW initially. Instead, we persevered and worked together to improve our work using the feedback our teacher gave us.

Our group also put in a lot of effort in researching for our problem. We even interviewed Mr Andrew Soh, the Assistant Director of the Down Syndrome Association, for two hours straight! It took us a long time to transcribe the interview, but the knowledge we gained from it was irreplaceable and helped us a lot with our WR.

What is your advice to the JC1s?

Make use of each other’s strengths and don’t be selfish! It’s always best to work together in order to produce the best results.

Everyone thinks differently. We will have our own opinions and ideas on how things should be done, and hence your group needs to use that to your advantage.

Don’t let that be the factor which divides your group. Be supportive of each other as well, but don’t be hesitant to point out mistakes when necessary.

Lastly, start early and don’t leave everything to the last minute. It may seem as if there’s still a lot of time, but there really isn’t if you do not pace yourselves well.

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Rocking in CJ spirit Text by: Perry Lim (1T27) and Amanda Pei (2T27)

Reverberating screams and roars boomed from the Auditorium, resounding throughout the College. It was a sight to behold—hands outstretched in the air, and countless heads bobbing up and down to the beat of the music. The frenzied excitement of Rockafella XIV could not possibly be rivalled by any other college event.

Rousing the crowd was veteran alumni band Repressed Dolphins with Lasers. Having come back multiple times since they graduated, they needed no advice on how to work the audience. On why they continuously return to play at Rockafella, Trevor Martens Wong, alumnus from the class of 2013 and leader of the band, says, “It’s really good for CJCians to see that their seniors are still making music and having fun on stage. The music in CJ really brings everyone together.”

Waiting backstage was another band with familiar faces. For Mrs Daphne Chua—one of the lead singers from the Teachers’ Band— it was her first time participating in Rockafella. She comments, “Rockafella is one of those things that will build culture. The concept of Rockafella where student bands perform voluntarily really works in bonding the whole crowd.” Furthermore, having been in CJC for

Alumni band Repressed Dolphins with Lasers

Ang Zhen Yue (2T11) and Regine Seah (2T22) showing off their musical talents on stage.

only a few months prior to Rockafella, performing in the Teachers’ Band helped her strengthen her relationship with her students.

Rockafella continues to be an event which brings the CJC community together, be they students, teachers or alumni. Withstanding the changing times, it remains one of the highlights of every CJCian’s college life, as evidenced by the outstanding attendance every year. It is on this night where everyone is able to let loose and enjoy themselves, all while being surrounded by friends and music.

CJC Teachers’ Band after a spectacular performance

CJCians raving to the music

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Illuminating

the Road Ahead

2 3 1

Text by: Lisa Francis (1T31), Dhylan Singh Sheena (1T05) AND Nadya Pang Qingrui (1T05)

Mr Viren Shetty

Some tips from our alumni who returned to pass the torch on.

Think Careers and Higher Education Fest, held on 17 May 2018, was an opportunity for CJCians to interact with industry professionals. Amongst the speakers were alumni members who also came back to CJC to share some valuable advice and to generously give back to CJC.

Refine your social and networking skills.

Mr Viren Shetty, (T22, Class of 10/11), CEO of Plus Margin and a member of Asia’s Forbes 30 under 30 list counsels, “Building your EQ, networking skills and risk-taking abilities are important.” This is incredibly vital in today’s context as these assets would help to improve your relationships with your peers here in CJC and forge valuable connections that may advance your future career.

Grades aren’t everything.

The speakers also emphasized the fact that grades aren’t the only factor that matter in attaining a stable job in today’s competitive society. The fear of failure often forces students to focus excessively on grades but success can also be attributed to other factors in life. Mr Stevanus Satria (T11 Class of 11/12), Engineer working for Works Applications says, “Education in CJC is very holistic, it focuses on personal growth.” Mr Satria’s time in CJC has led him to work for Works Applications to help improve the lives of people around the world through engineering. He wishes that CJCians would value the college’s style of teaching more as it has unequivocally helped him develop his leadership potential.

Utilise the opportunities provided to contribute to CJ effectively.

Both alumni speakers had one thing in common, and it is that they were both given numerous opportunities as CJCians. Mr Satria shares, “CJC provides many opportunities for students to gain exposure”. Mr Shetty also reflected, “CJC helped me explore my passions through enrichment such as the Reach-Cambridge programme.” Participating in extra school activities allows students to contribute back to the CJC family and make a significant difference to the school community. It sparks strong, authentic community connections which is the key to school spirit and a close-knitted family in CJC. Our alumni have returned to remind us that to embark on the journey towards our goals and dreams requires bravery. To remain on that path requires courage. The bridge that merges these two is commitment. We have been fortunate to have them share with us tools of the trade and nuggets of information on how we too, can meet our aspirations.

Invited guests sharing their industry experiences with CJCians at Think Careers and Higher Education Fest

Mr Stevanus Satria

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Ethan Loh (2T28)

Wang Qi (1T18) Einstein Chan (2T20)

Lu Wenjie (1T09)

Einstein Chan (2T20)

Jonathan Tay (2T18)

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Anansit Ta (1T09)

Hearts Ablaze

Our CJ family. It is with members of this beloved family that many of us have shared our hopes, our joys, our sorrows and our triumphs. True to our ethos, CJCians never walk alone.

We are sustained by the comfort of each other’s companionship, and the stresses of college life seem to be that much lighter because we are all in this together. Successive generations of CJCians inherit the burning passion to serve and fiery enthusiasm to make an impact on the lives of others. With our hearts ablaze, we conquer our challenges, nurture our passions, and strive to make a positive impact in our communities. Even as the years roll on, our CJ family shall walk steadfastly together, onwards, always. - Amanda Pei (2T27) Marcus Pang (1T02)

Einstein Chan (2T20)

Joie Lam (1T23)

Einstein Chan (2T20)

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