YRC 16

Issue 16 / SGD 7.50

3 Awesome Stories To Jumpstart Your Writing Resolutions

YRC Investigates Singapore’s Cultural Landscape

ISSN: 2010- 1376

Email From Great Britain

What the Coming Year Means To Me

Health & Lifestyle

Understanding Probiotics

Parents Ask, Teens Answer

Resolving Our Promises

Emilyn Foong “Life is different out there!”

Building the Next Generation of Thinkers & Writers

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TEAM Managing Editor/Publisher Catherine Khoo Editor Carlo Venson Peña Circulation Manager

Nannette Cruz Designer

Lim Soo Yong Editorial Assistants Natalya Thangamany, Jessica Grummett Editorial Advisory Board

Catherine Khoo, Vijay Chandran, Noel Chia Contributors

Jimmy Lee, Alicia Boo, Paulina Lee, Jeannette Xavier, Rodin Rod. Illustrators

James John Andres, Adeline Lim YAC Core Contributors

Kenrick Lam, Dejoy Shastikk Kumaran, Theresa Ellsworth, Ron Yap For advertising and sales enquiries

6336 8985 Education Subscription Agent

EmitAsia 6372 0330 Email: info@youngreaderclub.sg Website: www.youngreaderclub.sg All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher. Call 6336-8985 for back issues.

Printed in Singapore by SC International Pte Ltd on Lumisilk Matte Arte Paper Cover and additional photos by

Carlo Venson Peña

Time flies like a distant memory that harbours in the heart. A few more clicks and we’re done with 2012 and heralding yet another year.

This year has been tumultuous to many: natural calamities and man-made accidents and scandals; the European financial crises; and global meltdowns. But 2012 was not just a year of disdain; it was also a year of triumph: the London Olympics; a new Mars mission; a fresh batch of winners for the Young Author Awards; more libraries with the Young Author Club sessions; and new faces in YRC Magazine.

The year was a learning journey in every sense, with our magazine evolving throughout the year, seeing it being used in more schools and slowly being recognised as a premier reading supplement for EL classes in Singapore. Soon, we intend to see more of YRC all across Southeast Asia as we venture into distributing the magazine in countries around Singapore.

This issue sees these changes and opportunities as our resolutions for the coming year. Read through the Featured Stories of Shastikk Kumaran’s War and Peace, Rachel Lee’s Across the Universe, and Josh Lim’s Dragon Heroes, and you’ll know what we mean. Browse through the pages of I Can Write, So Can You and Resources to get more out of the experience.

Catch a glimpse of what’s happening among teens in Parents Ask, Teens Answer, and see how lives are being changed in Breaking Boundaries, featuring the Spastic Children’s Association of Singapore. Favourites like Singapore Insights and YRC Investigates, also make a splash for this issue.

In all, this is an issue worth reflecting on, as we close 2012 and open a new chapter for 2013. We enjoin you, dear readers, to come and take the ride with us, as we see bigger, brighter horizons for YRC Magazine in the coming year.

Happy reading!

is published by Experiences & Experiments Pte Ltd 442A Joo Chiat Road Singapore 427655 Issue 16

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features

H YOUNG AUTHORS H

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Featured Author: Emilyn Foong

Now all grown up and taking her diploma in digital animation, Young Author Awards 2010/11 third prize winner Emilyn Foong faces a new set of challenges that tests her resolution as a person and as an author.

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War and Peace by Dejoy Shastikk Kumaran

The 20th century is ravaged by two of the most devastating wars ever in history. In the Second World War, a young aspiring runner applies as a soldier. The record-holder for the Under-18 100m sprint, he thinks that he can break the world’s sprint record. But after he is severely injured by artillery fire, he wonders if he can break the record.

Read on to find out!

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Across the Universe by Rachel Lee

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Kiran’s father just got a promotion. She would be happy for him, if they didn’t have to move halfway across the world, to Cupertino, California.

Then the school musical beckons and Kiran realises that she can show Stratford Elementary School what Kiran Lee, aged eleven and three quarters, can do. Will she get through to the bullies in her school?

The Dragon Heroes by Josh Lim An army of battle dragons were sent to help the humans fight the dinosaurs. There they met the King and more of the battle unfolds. Who would win the battle? Read on to find out!

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departments

H E D U C AT I O N H

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Matters of Perplexity

Jason Phan is a philosophy assistant lecturer who likes talking about life’s little proclivities. Read this new column and see how the simple things in life are actually quite complex too.

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YRC Investigates: Singapore’s Changing Cultural Landscape

Although multicultural to begin with, Singapore is now seeing itself as a melting pot of even more cultures. How is the island-nation coping with the changing cultural landscape and further enriching itself in the process?

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Singapore Insights

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Three people, three lives, three insights on one country’s education system and beyond. See why Singapore is on the verge of a paradigm shift.

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Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota

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Email From Britain

Feisty and outgoing, a young lad from Britain shares his life at home, school and community in his town in the UK and how he plans to stay resolute to his dreams in the coming year.

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Parents Ask, Teens Answer

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EUREKA! Ideas That Changed the World

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Health: Probiotics, What’s the Fuss?

As teens grow older, they become more resolute about decisions that

they make, regardless of the repercussions or rewards these decisions

may incur. How can parents help their teens decide better? Find out here!

Mr. Shirota, you’re the first person ever to succeed in strenghtening and culturing lactobacilli! Let’s name this the Shirota strain.

Later, it was named Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota.

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Entrepreneurs have a different way of seeing the world. Read on

how these global brands have survived the test of time and the critical consumers.

There is new research that indicates the advantages of probiotics in food that we take. What is the fuss about pro- and prebiotics? Read on to find out!

68 Resources

The YRC is more than just a magazine. It’s a useful tool for learning better English comprehension and writing. Tap these useful guide questions for your next group discussion in class or at the student study area.

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H SCRIBBLES H

4 Contributors

The YRC is not made in a day, and neither would it be complete without our contributors. Keen to submit stuff to YRC? Learn how you can be part of the magazine here!

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Letter to the Editor

What do our readers say about the magazine? Do you have thoughts to share as well? Tell us here!

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TOP 10 Resolutions for 2013

We make them every year, but here’s a list of other stuff you might be forgetting.

H I N S P I R AT I O N S H

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Different Strokes

A new photographer contributes to YRC Magazine and shares how he sees the world through his lens.

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Breaking Boundaries

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In tandem with the Spastic Children’s Association of Singapore, the column takes a whole new light on cerebral palsy and stories behind it..

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OUR CONTRIBUTORS YRC Magazine recognises the talents of our regular contributors and writers. For article, illustration and photo contributions, please contact the Editor at info@youngreaderclub.sg or call 6336.8985.

Adeline Lim Educator / Illustrator What Adeline did for this issue: Featured Stories Adeline Lim is an Illustrator, Designer and Visual Artists Educator currently residing in Singapore. Experienced in both physical and digital mediums, Adeline has worked as a layout artist for magazines, as well as covered a broad range of illustrated work in ink, watercolour paints and digital collage for children’s stories.

James John Andres Graphic Designer / Illustrator What James did for this issue: Featured Stories An avid fan of K-Pop and a budding photographer, James was once part of a student news organisation as its senior graphics editor. A computer science major, he previously worked as a software engineer in an MNC. He is currently a graphic artist for a magazine distributed around Asia.

Alicia Boo Counsellor What Alicia did for this issue: Parents Ask, Teens Answer As a counsellor for Focus on the Family, a not-for-profit organisation that aims to “help families thrive at every stage and phase of life,” Alicia handles high-risk teenagers from broken and disenfranchised families. She has been with the organisation both as full-time officer and as counsellor for more than 4 years.

Ron Yap YAC Core Member, Zhong Hua Secondary School What Ron did for this issue: Parents Ask, Teens Answer As a budding writer, Ron started his stint with the Young Author Scheme, becoming a merit prize winner in the Young Author Awards.

Now at 15, Ron aspires to be a travelling author, in pursuit of his ultimate inspiration to write his bestseller.

Jessica Grummett Editorial Assistant / Intern What Jessica did for this issue: Health, Email From, Top Ten Having just finished her Masters in Creative Writing, Jessica is currently in Singapore under internship with Janus Education Services, the education arm of the magazine. Graduating from Newcastle University in the UK, Jessica hails from Garforth, a town within the City of Leeds.

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oung contributor Ambriesh comes back to YRC magazine to share his thoughts about the environment and how we can all make a new resolution to save the planet.

Dear Editor, I would like to share a few thoughts about the r e c e n t p r o b l e m o f t h r o w i n g t r a s h f r o m H D B s . Fo r me, this has become a ver y serious issue. While we c a n n o t p u t a n e n d t o t h i s i m m e d i a t e l y, o u r little efforts to educate the people about the s e r i o u s n e s s o f p o l l u t i n g t h e e nv i r o n m e n t c a n w a k e t h e a w a r e n e s s o f “c l e a n a n d g r e e n ” i n millions of hearts.

Recently I came across posters and newsletters issued for the benefit of the public to keep their surroundings clean. Incidents relating to throwing garbage from the kitchen windows and bedroom windows resulted in the chocking of drain pipes and the spreading of dengue. Several measures have been t a k e n b y t h e M i n i s t r y o f E nv i ro n m e n t to curb this serious problem.

While there are announcements for a clean and green town, there are equally a number of complaints about people who misbehave. Some inconsiderate people do not bother about the type of garbage they let out. Oil from the pickles, remains of food, half-eaten chicken wings, used and smelly diapers, butts of cigars, wiped tissues and napkins and rotten fruits are some of the debris found around our neighbourhood most of the time.

Ambriesh Karthik Editor: Strong words! Thanks, Ambriesh for sharing your thoughts. You get a copy of the Aliens & Angels Anthology and a $10 voucher from our sponsors and the YRC Team. You may claim your gifts at the YRC Office, 442A Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427655. Please call 6336-8985 and look for the Circulations Manager.

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Featured Author ...Young writers of today

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Meeting E

PROFILE

Dejoy Shastikk Kumaran, 12 St Hilda’s Primary School Heartwarmers

Hi! I am Dejoy Shastikk Kumaran. I love writing because it helps me to use my creative juices and well, it helps me with my English. I study at St Hilda’s Primary School and I love to go on holiday, such as to India. My ambition in life is to become a soccer player for Manchester United!

(I will still continue writing though...)

War and Peace 2nd Prize Winner, Young Author Awards 2011-12 Written in Primary 5 at St Hilda’s Primary School

Prologue As Raymond Jones’ eyelids desperately struggled to close, he ‘pushed’ them back up, knowing that he might not live if he allowed them to close.

As he continued trying to open his eyelids completely, dreams and visions of achieving his goal of running the 100m sprint in 9.18 seconds flashed in his head. However, Raymond knew that he would never fulfill his life-long dream. His doctors told him, when they were inspecting him, that he would remain a cripple forever. With only one emotion - sorrow - Raymond’s parents and Jeremy, Raymond’s best friend, heard the ultimate verdict on his life.

Raymond could have cried when the doctors told him that he could not even walk as his limbs could break. Not only this, as he would not be discharged from the hospital for another five years. To Raymond, it was like the doctors had just given him a life sentence in jail. He would not be able to run! As he heard the end of the fateful verdict, Raymond let his eyes close and fainted...

Illustrations by James John Andres

Winning a Prestigious Race in England Raymond was not a typical eighteenyear-old boy. He was one of the best athletes in England. There were many sporting aspirations that the country had laid on him. He was at the top of his game in soccer, tennis, badminton, and last but not least, running.

Being equally amazing at all these sports, Raymond could have become professional in any one of them. However, as the son of the famous runner, Carl Lewis, he felt it his duty to continue his father’s legacy; and that determination showed.

He was one of the fastest runners in the world, having broken the Under-18 sprint record with an amazing time of 10.16 seconds. He had won the bulk of the races in Britain. One of the few remaining races that he was yet to win was a prestigious race in his county. Even though he had not won that race for three years, he was still hopeful that he would win one day.

It was a sunny day in Surrey, Raymond’s village. He went to the Celtic Boys School, a Issue 16

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his sleep. When his father heard of the impending situation, he said that he would go to the enlisting centre as fast as he could. He changed and followed Raymond to the Surrey Police Station to enlist as a soldier. Whilst he and his father made their way to the enlisting center located in the heart of Raymond’s village, Raymond wondered what would happen to them in the war.

Enlisting for the War; Meeting Jeremy Baker Fifteen minutes later, both father and son had arrived at the police centre to enlist as soldiers for the BAF in the war. At the enlisting centre, Raymond let his father do the registration for both Raymond and himself whilst he wandered around the police centre. He was able to do this as the police officers had not learnt that a soldier could not enlist for another person because the person could then escape, they had not adjusted to the fact that the war had started. As Raymond wandered around the packed police centre filled with

men enlisting for the war, he met another boy about his age. He decided to talk to him.

“Do you like wars? Are you enthusiastic that we are going to fight the Germans in the war?” Raymond asked.

“Yes and yes. Definitely. Wars are my favourite subject by large. I want to take a course on war and human conflict in university when I grow up, but this might change as we are being called up for war! Apparently, the commander of France was right– it was only a twenty-year armistice,” the boy replied.

“Why on Earth do you like wars such as this one? What good are they, these wars?”

Raymond asked.

“Wars help England win land, dumbo!

We always triumph against our enemies such as France in the olden days and Germany in the present times. Wars also serve as a reminder to them that the British flags fly high. I used to dream that Jeremy Baker would one day fly the British flag high and kill millions of Germans in the war. Germans, in my opinion, are inhumane to torture people so cruelly, as seen in World War Issue 16

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PROFILE

Rachel Lee, 13 Heartwarmers

Rachel Lee was born and lives in Singapore with her parents, two mad brothers, a big white rabbit and eighteen hamsters. She didn’t realise her writing abilities until she continually scored the highest marks for compositions in Primary Four. The inspiration for this book was from a true story – Rachel immigrated to Cupertino when she was three.

Across the Universe Written in Primary 4 at CHIJ St Nicholas School

Chapter 1 It’s dinner time. Mum and Dad chomp their food slowly. My sister Kimberly (Kim for short, aged 12) is tickling me (Kiran, aged 11) and is causing water to squirt out of my nose.

Suddenly Mum and Dad stand up, clear their throats and say, “Girls, your father just got a promotion and so we’re moving.”

“Where to?” I demand.

Dad clears his throat again, “Across the Pacific Ocean,” he says, “To California,” he and Mum sit down.

Kim and I stand up, protesting loudly and say stubbornly, “We’re not going. We’re NOT leaving our friends!”

“Well, it’s your choice,” Dad says quietly, “We’re leaving in six weeks and not coming back for three years.”

He and Mum leave the dining room, as Kim and I stare helplessly at each other.

Chapter 2 I wait until the last day to break the news to my friends. I choose the lesson before re22

Illustrations by Adeline Lim

cess, Miss Chow’s. Then I can cry during recess.

I rush through my words, “Everyone, I’m moving.”

“Big deal,” someone says.

“To Cupertino. In California.”

Aha. I’ve got their attention now.

“Why?” forty-one voices chorus at once (Well, not at EXACTLY the same time but you know what I mean).

“My dad’s working there,” I reply.

“Oh……” forty-one voices chorus at once.

“We’ll miss you, Kiran!” Renee, my best friend since Primary Two, shouts.

“I’ll miss you too,” I say, choking up.

I run out of the class and see just who I was looking for: Kim. “I was just going to look for you!” we say simultaneously.

We burst into tears.

Right on cue, the recess bell rings and we run to the nearest bathroom.

Ten minutes and a small roll of toilet paper later, our tears have dried. My friend Jessica and Kim’s friend, Joey, come in. Joey and Kim smuggle some food from the canteen while Jessica comforts me.

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PROFILE

Josh Lim, 11

Magic & Fantasy

Catholic High School Primary I am a cheerful and sociable person. My reading range is extremely wide, so you can say that I am a bookworm. I read adventure, fantasy, thriller, mysteries, humourous stories, but amongst all my favourites, it is fantasy that I like the most because the ideas are sometimes crazy– and that’s what makes the story exciting. That is exactly why I wrote “The Dragon Heroes”, a fantasy story. I love animals, so I was inspired to write a story about animals and how the good would triumph over evil as many stories that I have read had this element. I am presently busy preparing for my PSLE. My hobbies include reading, playing board games and exercising. I take pride in being a school prefect and I hope to become a veterinarian.

The Dragon Heroes Written in Primary 4 at Catholic High School (Primary)

Dragons and Their Planet In the Zeus Galaxy, there were three planets. The biggest planet was Estorian. Estorian was green, blue and white and was teeming with life– it was the land of dragons. Etosphia was the smallest plant among the three– the land of the zombies– and was clouded by a layer of dust and stones.

Exsopia was the planet of the dinosaurs which was at the farthest end of the Zeus Galaxy. The oxygen and heat levels had been decreasing; plants were dying and the planet was becoming bitter cold. It was not the place for the dinosaurs anymore.

On the planet Estorian lived a powerful army of courageous battle dragons and their families. Estorian was a lively place with amusement parks and cinemas for the dragons to watch and play. The sun in Estorian always sparkled, the sky was always clear and tall trees that lined the roads shimmered in silvery green. Rare species of magical blooms that grew in all seasons in the nature parks would heal the dragons of any injuries. The battle dragons wore mega huge armours pro-

Illustrations by Adeline Lim

tected by force fields. The dragons also had swords, guns, cannons and fiery breath.

A humongous gold-plated sign that was carved with these words: “Welcome to Estorian! Life Begins Here!” hung in space above the landing pods for the spaceships. That was the greeting to any visitor to the planet Estorian.

It was legendary in the planet of Estorian that two hundred Estrain years ago, there was a brave dragon that fell in love with a human girl and stayed on Earth to live with her till the end of his time. Their descendents were now living among the humans on planet Earth.

So, the humans on Earth were known to the dragons as humadids. Humadids to the dragons were people with two eyes, two legs, two hands but no wings. Although the dragons could see Earth where the humans lived, the humans could not see their planet.

The planet Estorian had a powerful invisible and invincible force field powered by 50 invisible generators and 100 invincible generators. This resulted in a planet that was invisible to intruders and had protected their planet from attacks for the past fifty Estrian Issue 16

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Matters of Perplexity Of minds and hearts...

By Jason Phan

YRC magazine opens a new series about ordinary life. In each issue, we will enquire into a familiar aspect of everyday living and see if we truly understand it. No easy answers are forthcoming, and there is nothing wrong with being perplexed on the way to understanding.

Puzzle 1: The Hard Truth About Friendship?

Tommy and Xiao Ling are childhood friends. They have shared many joys and sorrows, becoming closer through their experiences. But now they face a different challenge to their staunch relationship, which threatens to shake the foundations of their tight bond.

It all happened when someone asked Tommy what the secret of friendship is.

Naturally, he thought of Xiao Ling and why their friendship has flourished. He then shared his view with Xiao Ling, who found it thoroughly unacceptable. They simply could not agree on this matter.

Tommy records in his diary: I recently told my best friend the hard truth about our friendship: I have been using her to serve my own interests. It is only because of Xiao Ling’s usefulness that I take her as a friend at all.

She shocked me by being furious at this revelation; I must say I did not expect her rage. She claimed it is fine that we use strangers for selfish reasons, so long as we fairly reward them. Certain relationships are simply for mutual benefit – that is fair. I heartily agreed with her on this. For example, my tuition teacher and I share a relationship

based on a win-win situation: I receive her careful attention, while she gets a handy sum of money.

The problem is Xiao Ling does not believe deep friendship is based on that same idea. She therefore asked me, with her intense gaze: “Would you throw away our friendship if I were no longer useful to you?”

I could have replied but it seemed insensitive then. Instead, I responded with another question: why does she value friendship? It was a little amusing to see her stumble over that. In the end, all she could say was: ‘Because you make me happy.’

Ha! If so, am I not simply a tool for her happiness? How is that any different from my view? Xiao Ling says there has to be a better answer. I doubt it.

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YRC Investigates

...Understanding how the world works Text by Natalya Thangamany Young Author Contributors: Lee Tat Wei, Dejoy Shastikk Kumaran Full version of the article can be found at www.youngreaderclub.sg

SINGAPORE’S

as to a new you travel overse e tim y er Ev u? re’ mean to yo riosity about that What does ‘cultu and fill you with cu u yo e at in sc fa e g the food, t you se d exciting in tryin country, does wha an ue iq un ng hi g there is somet ay land. Travellin country? Perhaps l sites of a faraw ica or st hi g in sit vi le and meeting the peop to in the holidays. you look forward ng hi et m so is as overse

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Singapore Insights

...Three people. Three lives. One Singapore.

I n a wo r l d w h e re change is constant and global thinking is the way to go, how do you stay resolute to the decisions you make in your life?

In this issue, follow the exploits of our three contributors as they l o o k i n t o re s o l u t i o n s fo r 2 0 1 3 and how to stick with them!

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Different Strokes

Photo by Rodin Rod

...A picture paints a thousand words

How do you paint your resolutions of freedom for yourself and others?

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Email from...

England

J Describe your typical day.

16-year-old Jack lives in Leeds, a nor thern city of England. YRC talks to Jack about his ever yday life as a British teenager in this year-end issue.

I usually get up at 7.00 a.m. get dressed, have breakfast etc. then go to college. Depending on my timetable I’ll get home around midafternoon. I then go straight to the gym for a few hours, before coming home for my evening meal. And after that, I usually go on my computer for an hour or two before going to bed. I have a part-time job working for a tree surgeon, so on a Saturday morning I get up for work at 8.00 a.m. and work until roughly lunchtime, depending on what hours I have. I spend my spare time on a weekend socialising with my friends.

J How important is education to you?

Th loo is is h k! ow

I

I feel that my education is a series of milestones I need to accomplish to get to the next stage. I am currently studying towards my A Levels in college which I need to achieve in order to go to university. This will then give me a basis from which to begin my career (though I am not certain what I want to do yet). Due to this I feel like education plays a vital part in my future, despite the fact that I don’t enjoy it 100% of the time.

t

ummet

Jack Gr

nity ommu Age:16 rforth C a G l: o Scho UK College Leeds, puter; rforth, a G : h n t e com ising n o Tow g s; Exerc s: Playin Hobbie g with friend gym in e s h li t Socia king out in r and wo

to you?

I come from a family of six. I have three sisters and a Mum and Dad. My family is very important to me; they are always there to support me and we often go on family trips to the coast and go on holidays together. I think it’s a good thing that my family and I are so closely-knit; we have lots of traditions and it’s nice to always have somebody there. My friends are also very important to me; I have a large circle of friends which consists of both males and females. My close friends have the same hobbies as me, such as going to the gym. We spend a lot of time together every day and have a lot in common.

their

My family and I eat a range of foods, not just traditional English dishes like fish & chips or pies! We often eat pasta dishes like spaghetti bolognaise and lasagna; we also eat curry dishes a lot, often freshly prepared by my dad!

My Mum does the majority of cooking in my house, although on a weekend I usually cook my own meals and make my own breakfast and lunch most days. As a family we rarely eat out, only on special occasions, but when we do, we more often than not go to an Indian restaurant

Neig

hbo

urh

ood

J What sort of foods do you eat?

Our

d in hool frien Jack & sucniforms school

J How important are family and friends

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Parents Ask, Teens Answer ...Linking teens and parents together

Time and again, t e e n s a r e constantly in search of freedom to make their own choices. In this ever growing world, they are f a c e d w i t h m a ny options indeed: some leading them to greatness while others lead them astray.

How do parents make sure their children make the right choices?

In Search of

m o d e e r F

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I’ve got it!

EUREKA!

...Ideas that changed the world

YAKULT In 1930, a strain of lactobacilli that is beneficial to people’s health was successfully strengthened and cultured. This strain of bacteria was Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota. The heartfelt desire of Dr. Minoru Shirota, the company’s founder, to make as many people as possible healthy resulted in Yakult being brought to the market in 1935.

Although there are many cultured milk drinks, Yakult is the only one marketed in 32 countries and regions around the world. About 30 million bottles are now sold globally every day (as of June 2011). By the way, do you know why the Yakult bottle is narrow in the middle?

Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. ILLUSTRATIONS BY RYUJI FUJII

I’d like a Yakult.

They say lactobacilli are effective for boosting immunity.

Lactobacilli In 1899, Minoru Shirota was born in Iida City, Nagano, Japan. Paper wholesale and silk farming, which were the Shirota family’s businesses, made his family well-off, but the villages in the Ina Valley suffered from poverty due to severe natural conditions.

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Irregular eating habits and stress can make us prone to illnesses.

Because Minoru did well in school, and at the recommendation of his father, he aspired to become a doctor.

Yakult contains the live beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota.

The Ina Valley region is poor, and many children die of such diseases as dysentery. I want to study medicine and prevent such diseases.

Breaking Boundaries ...Learning without borders

Wouldn’t it be fun to kick that ball? I always ask myself that question whenever I see a ball on the ground or when I watch my friends from the football team practice playing in the field, or when they participate in a football competition for school. Sometimes I will feel sad, at times I will feel frustrated.

All boys love football, including myself. I have tried to play football with my friends but it was very difficult, especially when I tried to save goals, tried to kick the ball for a goal, or even try to prevent an opponent from scoring a goal. All these would be the clincher to either winning or losing a game. For every footballer, scoring a goal is like a feeling of 60

pure ecstasy, like being a player in the national team. Unfortunately, this is but a dream, since I use a four-legged walking frame with wheels, called a Kaye-Walker.

I have cerebral palsy. This condition affects my mobility and movements. Many of us cannot walk independently, and have to use a walking aid, like my Kaye-Walker, to help us move around. I have a classmate who also has cerebral palsy, and who enjoyed playing football when he was little, but has stopped since. He shared with me that whenever he wanted to kick the ball to the right, it would go to the side or bounce

I Can Write, So Can You

by Catherine Khoo

Lives, Destinies He was only nine when he decided he had no freedom to study about his own motherland. In Qinghai in East Tibet, he was cloistered together with 18 others his own age. He had to wake up at 4:00 in the morning, just to make the three-hour trek to his school. School was just the caked mud, with sticks to learn writing. All they studied was the Chinese language.

Five Friends

Children of the Tibetan Children’s Village

Ignored by his teacher, ostracized by his classmates as he came from a minority, Tenzin decided he would make the dangerous trek to Dharamsala, India, to be with his Tibetan countrymen. So he packed two shirts, two pairs of pants, two pairs of shoes and took the cheapest bus fare to Lhasa. Five hundred renminbi, about S$100 was all he had. When he reached Lhasa after four days, he slept the night in a monastery. Then he looked for a job.

He had to fill his stomach. He found work in a restaurant.

No pay but he had food. He worked from 9:00 to 9:00 washing dishes.

After a month, he decided it was time to cross through Nepal to get to Dharamsala. He, together with 22 other Tibetans, travelled close to 32 days, across the Gobi desert, through the Himalayan base camp. No amount of words could describe the intense cold he felt.

His one dream of reaching Dharamsala alive kept him going. The wind and the snow hardened his resolve. They travelled under the cover of night, sleeping when they could. Night hid them from the guards who patrolled the mountains, who would shoot on-sight any Tibetan who dared brave the mountains to seek refuge in India.

Tenzin could hear the incessant howling of the wind, the silence of the vast stark white mountains adding to his loneliness. The llamas who travelled with him were kind enough to let him sleep in between them, which offered him a little respite from the biting cold.

Tenzin’s story will be one of the stor ies told in my upcoming book, Ordinary Lives. Extraordinary Struggles.

As he sits with me in a little cafe in Dharamsala, telling Issue 16

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It’s that time again when we reflect on the closing year and

So what is in store for you in 2013? YRC Maglook forward to the new.

azine is bringing you new

columns, better interaction, and more fun while you learn along the way!

Life Must Go On

By Josabelle Wong Abigail gets a serious blood disorder, leukaemia. “What on earth is Leukaemia? Why must I get it? Will I get well? Will I die? What will happen if I die?” Follow Abigail on her adventure as she tries to answer these questions in her mind and deals with her illness and tries to beat it, while leading a normal life like other children.

The Lost Twin Utapu Ruins

By Kristian Lee Pinada It all begins when a “perfect” holiday has gone wrong when the notorious Bailey twins go along with a classmate and their plane crashes, where the kids are the only survivors! Follow them on the adventure of their lives?

A Night in the Cemetery

By Shawn Tan A story about a man who spends a night in a cemetery, he ends up being chased by the undead who have risen from their graves. Will he survive the ordeal? You need to read it to find out!

Plus your not-be-missed columns and departments!

Health Matters * Parents Ask, Teens Answer * Singapore Insights * YRC Investigates Singapore’s Arts Scene * new columns coming up in 2013!