Issue 1 /March 2022
THE BROOKSIAN TIMES Latest news from Northbrooks Secondary School
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE By Mr David Lau
Dear parents and the Northbrooks community, New Beginnings. The theme of this newsletter could not be more apt – 2022 being my first year as Principal at Northbrooks Secondary School (NBR). New Beginnings – we also take this opportunity to welcome our latest batch of Secondary One students to NBR. Thank you for making NBR your school of choice! New Beginnings ... what is my wish for all Brooksians? That is, to reframe the negative beliefs we once held about ourselves. The way we think has a
significant impact on our lives and on our mental wellbeing. Allow me to illustrate through a short story: A man was passing through an elephant camp when he noticed that the huge elephants were not being kept in cages or held by the use of chains. All that was holding them back was a small piece of rope tied to one of their legs. It was obvious that the elephants could easily break away from their bonds but for some reason, they did not. The man was completely confused as to why the elephants did not just use their strength to break the rope and escape from the camp. Those huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their back leg. He asked a nearby trainer why those magnificent animals just stood there and made no attempt to escape. The trainer smiled and replied, “Well, when they were very young and much smaller we used the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never even try to break free.”
Dear Brooksians, like the elephants, how many of us go through life hanging onto the belief that we cannot do something, simply because we failed at it once before? How many of us are being held back by old, outdated beliefs that no longer serve us? How many of us have avoided or stopped trying something new because of a limiting belief? Worse, how many of us are being held back by someone else’s limiting beliefs? New Beginnings … what is my wish for all Brooksians? Break the false belief system and start working towards your dreams and goals. The false fears, obstacles and challenges should not stop you from getting the success and happiness that you deserve. So break free from your “ropes” and try no matter the outcome. The first step towards success is the simple decision to try. “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” – Henry Ford
FACES OF NORTHBROOKS
Featuring Ahmad Mikhail Rauff By Nurfalisha Adryna Binte Heriady (4I) Qatikah Ayumi Binte Mohammad Zamri (4I), & Sabrina Binte Amirul Haque (4F)
community at Northbrooks, he also served in the Youth Assembly with North West Community Development Council where he volunteered his time at childcare centres and elderly homes. He also participated in the Hair For Hope fundraiser in 2019 and 2021 for the Children's Cancer Foundation and Relay for Life 2021 for the Singapore Cancer Society.
April 2020. Just as Ahmad Mikhail Rauff was easing into his new role as Student Council President of Northbrooks Secondary, Singapore entered an unprecedented Circuit Breaker monthlong lockdown due to Covid-19. This marked the beginning of a challenge that would last throughout Mikhail’s presidency but the optimistic student leader remained unfazed by the Covid-19 pandemic and continued to rally his schoolmates together in novel ways. In a bid to raise the morale of his schoolmates as well as build school spirit, Mikhail mooted and organised a Call Of Duty gaming competition in the school hall that involved over a hundred students across the school, all in keeping with safe-distancing measures.
“I am immensely grateful to have had that platform to strengthen the bond between students in spite of our circumstances,” recalled Mikhail, now in his first year at Eunoia Junior College. Throughout his time as a student leader, Mikhail had also aspired to be a servant who led and a leader who served. Apart from serving the school
Mikhail says that he lives by the quote, ‘If you don't step out of your comfort zone, you won’t grow’. This quote has motivated him many times to take a leap of faith and make the best out of any situation. For example, Mikhail had represented Singapore in the Asian Junior Youth Orienteering Championship in Japan in 2019. Although his time in Northbrooks' Outdoor Adventure Club had taught him many hard skills, the competition was Continued on page 3.