Tanglin Yearbook 2021 Promo

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Tanglin Yearbook 2021

I O N YEARBOOK 2021

MCI (P) 047/04/2021 CPE: 196100114C (7/6/2017 - 6/6/2023)

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JOB NO: 0275_21 DATE : 31.05.2021

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Year 1 Around the World Day As part of their Up, Up and Away topic, Year 1 thought global for the day, dressing up in national costume, as flags of the world or in national sports team kits to take part in a range of world-beating activities!

With Bollywood dancing, taiko drumming and Hokusai-inspired painting on the timetable, it was a day that, during the Junior and Senior schools’ remote learning period, brought Tanglin to life!

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Year 6 VE/VJ Day

Peace broke out in February as Year 6 celebrated VE and VJ Day as part of a topic on World War 2. Dressed in period costumes, including those represenƟng child evacuees and soldiers, the children had an enormously fun and educaƟonal day that saw them master 1940s dances, decipher codes similar to those cracked at the infamous Bletchley Park site, and sink baƩleships. A highlight of the day was a march around the “parade ground”, with teachers giving orders in character as drill sergeants!

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Senior School Allan Forbes, Head of Senior School With Mr Forbes due to leave our community in 2022, this year’s quesƟons – sent from Tanglin’s outgoing Head Team in April – draw on his experiences over the course of his tenure as Head of Senior School.

We oŌen tend to focus on the major achievements and highlights of the year when thinking back.

What small moments have been most meaningful to you as Head of Senior School?

I love walking around the school on a regular basis to interact with the school community. I feel a “Good morning!”, “How are you doing?” or even just a nod shows I am available and care about all our individuals, rather than perceiving the school through large groups in assemblies or staff mee ngs.

While I enjoy celebra ng the varied and amazing talents we all possess – through recitals, concerts, devised drama pieces, sports compe ons, House events, and deba ng and Scholars conferences – equally, I like to be a witness to the calm and produc ve endeavour that can be seen in lessons, and in teacher/student engagement across all ages and stages.

Would you agree that, despite the socially distanced Ɵmes we are living through, the Coronavirus pandemic has brought our school community closer together?

I can’t deny that COVID-19 has presented us with challenges in regard to community engagement; I feel that connec ons with the parent body have been most affected. However, with the support of various technological pla orms, we have explored doing things in different ways: live-streaming events, recording students in ac on, and using apps such as SchoolCloud to support parent, teacher and student feedback, and pathway evenings. Personally, I can’t wait for the me when masks can be removed and everyone can return to campus but in the mean me, the caring and compassionate nature of Tanglin con nues to shine through and remains a beacon in these challenging mes.

What advice would you give to the Class of 2021, given all we have experienced this past year?

Stay connected and in tune with your past and present as you con nue on your journey to university, Na onal Service or Gap Year. Yes, academic results and personal achievements are so important – I would never say they are not – but developing a genuine desire to care for others and support them with their personal challenges, helping to find solu ons, and realising new dreams and des na ons remain my hopes and wishes for future Genera ons of Excellence.

As life starts to return to “normal”, is there one thing in parƟcular you are most looking forward to?

This is an easy one, and I am sure the answer will be the same for all and everyone: I am so excited to see my family, my wife’s family, and reconnect with old friends and acquaintances. Technology has been a great help in these past few months, for our Sunday Night Family Quiz and rou ne catch-ups. But, even her Majesty the Queen spoke of many of us needing “a simple hug or a squeeze of the hand” and Mr Forbes – yes, your ageing and soon-to-depart Head of Senior School – would appreciate (wait for it) a hug from his nearest and dearest!

What have you taken away from your Ɵme at Tanglin, and what have been your stand-out moments as Head of Senior School?

First and foremost, I am delighted to have another year at Tanglin to engage with the community and move important projects (big and small) forward. My favourite moments o en revolve around the gradua ng classes. I will be thrilled and no doubt emo onal to see my eldest daughter, Vanessa, graduate this summer as a member of the Class of 2021 and Daughter No. 2 graduate in 2022. What a way to finish: with a huge smile on my face, and feelings of thankfulness for the many opportuni es and joys I’ve had through my seven years as Head of Senior School.

If you could change one thing about Tanglin, what would it be and why?

I o en say in mee ngs and presenta ons that “I just want things to work”. What I mean is that I am trying to find solu ons, o en involving compromise, that everyone can understand, embrace and move forward with. Tanglin is a large school with a number of stakeholders to sa sfy.

My aspira ons, despite the pandemic, revolve around Tanglin making rapid change, remaining posi ve and op mis c, and being relevant to Singapore. To achieve this, a shared and clearly ar culated vision remains essen al. I feel we are doing an excellent job in defining what this looks like as we head towards our centenary in 2025 and a new lease for our site in 2038.

How well do you think Tanglin adapted to remote learning during the Circuit Breaker period?

Ini ally, remote learning presented a huge challenge; we had never before set it up on such a huge scale. I recall feeling apprehensive during the first week campus was closed – beginning March 18, 2020, Tanglin’s 95th birthday – then reassurance once Microso Teams became our go-to pla orm for learning, in Week 2. By Week 3, feedback from students, parents and teachers indicated a posi ve mood as we con nued to learn, grow and improve in finding new and different ways of u lising the technology. I expected that, if we were required to move to remote learning again, we would be ready and prepared for it – and we were already in a strong posi on to deliver on this. As the latest period of remote learning has demonstrated, Senior School teachers

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and students are adaptable, prepared and resilient, and we remain in a strong posi on to con nue delivering high quality learning in all its forms. Well done and thank you to all, I say!

If you had to pick a song to encapsulate this past year, what would it be and why?

I have to say, first of all, that I have been so impressed by our Music department this year who, despite the challenges of small group sizes, the limita ons on singing and playing certain

instruments, and shi ing rules regarding live audiences, have somehow managed to keep tunes in various styles and genres flowing. This has involved the crea vity, determina on and sheer hard work of performers and staff alike. In terms of a song, well, inspired by the BBC’s Desert Island Discs, I have o en thought about the 10 I would take with me to my own island. James Brown’s I Feel Good would be among them, along with It’s Not Unusual by Tom Jones – although this year has been; very!

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Artwork by Pimkwan 9.8

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Head Boy Alex

Navyansh

Head Girl Munique

Milly

From my first day at Tanglin, all the way back in Recep on, I’ve been afforded so many wonderful opportuni es here. I’ve represented Tanglin in several countries as part of the rugby team and con nued represen ng the school as Head Boy. I’ll never forget the trips to India and Vietnam, but also the messing about with friends that some mes kept me going. Tanglin has taught me how to overcome obstacles and power through with perseverance. There is no be er example of this than during the Circuit Breaker period, when the school came together in the face of adversity to learn in a new way. This me only served to strengthen rela onships with my teachers and peers, many of whom I hope to know for life. Whether it was being an Eco Rep in Year 1 or Head Boy in Year 13, I’ve strived to support others; if just one person has been helped as a result of my contribu ons, then I can leave happy. This principle is what lead me to my chosen course of study at university: Psychology. While it will be strange to leave the community I’ve spent the last 14 years in, I bid it a fond farewell and look forward to stepping into my future.

When I think back to the apprehensive and uncertain 15-year-old who first stepped foot on campus, it’s safe to say Tanglin has been instrumental in shaping the person I am. I learnt just as much outside the four walls of these brilliant, lively classrooms as I did within them. I feel so grateful for the realm of opportuni es I’ve had, such as my introduc on to Graphic Design or a study period in Montpellier, France (read: ea ng lots of crêpes). Working with the Bridge Ins tute to engage with real social issues has been equally as memorable as si ng in the Sixth Form kitchen and laughing with my mates.

It’s been an honour to interact with the wider Tanglin community through ini a ves like the Christmas Card Project, and a true privilege to serve as your Head Girl. One of my favourite quotes is from the character of Andy Bernard in The Office; he says, “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually le them”. Thankfully, I have always had outstanding people around to remind me. I know for certaint that some of my best days have been spent under the speckled white Tanglin ceiling les, with the best of friends and life lessons that will follow me far into the future.

Now, I look forward to the ones that await me, and I know I won’t be alone.

As the end of my Tanglin journey approaches, I am reminded of all the experiences, memories, and friendships that have made the past six years so special to me. If you had told me six years ago that I would be part of the Head Team, I would not have believed you. But that’s the thing about Tanglin: it’s allowed me to do things I never would have imagined. From staying at school un l 10pm some nights to play volleyball, to designing the new common rooms for the school, I have seized opportuni es that have enabled me to grow as a student and leader alike. Being part of the Head Team, a member of the peer mentor program, helping to set up Design & Technology, leading Co-Curricular Ac vi es... these are all roles I hope have le a las ng impact on the school – even if it is just a frac on of the impact they have had on me. Aside from these, its the rela onships and friendships I’ve forged at Tanglin that have made the past six years so enjoyable and for which I will be ever grateful. I feel I have been well prepared for my future and will always look back on these days with fondness.

Having been a student at Tanglin for the majority of my life, I look back on the years with a feeling of immense gra tude for all the amazing experiences, friends and teachers who have allowed me to grow into the person I am today.

From ra ing down the Ganges in India to si ng in class surrounded by my peers, it is safe to say I will never forget the spirit of the Tanglin community, and the people who go above and beyond to help in whatever way they can.

I will cherish these memories long into the future. Being on the Head Team this past year has been an incredible experience; I’ve been surrounded by such driven and dedicated individuals. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to give back to the community that has given so much to me. The Christmas Card Ini a ve we started this year was a par cular highlight of mine and I was so happy to be able to help bring together the whole school in showing gra tude to Tanglin’s support staff, especially during the challenges of COVID-19. As our me here draws to a close, I look towards the future extremely excited, knowing the lessons and values that Tanglin has ins lled in us will enable us to reach for whatever we dream for in life. So, thank you Tanglin; it has truly been extraordinary!

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As I reflect on 15 of my most forma ve years at Tanglin, I am reminded of the privilege of a ending a school with so many opportuni es. From par cipa ng in na onal debate compe ons, to staging music performances in the Na onal Gallery and going on Infant School trips to Sungei Buloh, there have been so many moments I can look back on with fondness. It’s at Tanglin that I have been able to make lifelong friends, so it will feel strange not to step onto the “Big Tanglin School Bus” in the morning or see the familiar faces of students and teachers we have all been able to build such great rela onships with over the years. However, in saying that, I am also looking forward to what is to come and to pursue the future Tanglin has set me in good stead for. As someone who moved from being an Infant Student Council member many years ago to a member of the Head Team in the Sixth Form, I have seen first hand the genuine respect that Tanglin has for its students, as well as a real willingness to embrace change through the ini a ves we’ve put forward. I look forward to turning to the next chapter in my life, thankful for everything that Tanglin has given me. It will be a hard goodbye.

Kaysha

While my Tanglin journey has been a short one – I joined the school in August 2019 – it most certainly is one I will cherish forever. Tanglin has many great a ributes, but the most wonderful of all is undoubtedly its incredible community; teachers, support staff and, dearest to me, my peers. These individuals made every day at school memorable and exci ng. Reflec ng upon the vast opportuni es Tanglin has provided brings back some of my favourite roles: being an Year 8 Pastoral Prefect, an Assistant Junior MUN Leader and, of course, a member of the Head Team. These experiences enabled me to acquire invaluable skills and grow into the individual I am today. Being elected a Head Team member despite my then recent arrival was a tes mony to the welcome I received on joining this community. I leave Tanglin with a heavy heart, but with the comfort of knowing I have built lifelong rela onships here and am now forever a part of the Tanglin family.

Taha

While I only joined Tanglin in Year 10, I have always felt at home here.

Nurtured by the Tanglin community, I have grown and developed into the person I am today. During my me at the school, I have had the opportunity to represent us abroad through FOBISIA, hike in the Australian Outback, and be captain of a sports team. Being on the Head Team has taught me how to handle responsibility and lead from the front. Of all the experiences I’ve had, though, it’s the friendships I’ve made over the years that I’ll never forget and the memories of those friends that will never leave me. I am very excited for what the future holds, and I can say with certainty that Tanglin has prepared me well for it. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the teachers and support staff who have helped me become the person I am; I would not have had a chance without you.

Llinos

I’ve been at Tanglin for a li le under four years and while I’ve watched the school change in that me, I’ve also no ced a change in myself. During my me here, I’ve been able to par cipate in several clubs and ac vi es, and interact with people across the three schools; I truly feel a sense of belonging and community here. Tanglin has given me opportuni es I had previously only dreamed about: helping to run a major charity event, introducing Women’s Week to the school – and of course, being a member of the Head Team, my greatest honour. Dr Seuss once wrote, “Don’t cry because it’s over.

Smile because it happened.” That’s something I will do as I look back – at the Year 10 trip to Thailand on which I broke my nose; at making and stringing up Christmas decora ons with friends in the Sixth Form Centre; at the Senior Drama produc on of A Christmas Carol in which I played Fat Businessman No. 3! Being at Tanglin has allowed me to build rela onships that will last me a life me and to become the best version of myself. So, all I can say to the staff, support staff, students and my peers at this point is “thank you”.

Thank you for allowing me to be your student, representa ve and friend.

Thank you for the memories and the smiles. It’s been fun.

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