YRC Issue 19

Issue 19 /

SGD 7.50 ISSN: 2010- 1376

YRC Investigates

Singapore’s Local Labels in Global Markets

Breaking Boundaries

Personifying Social Responsibility

Singapore Insights

Global Communities Abound

Core 101

Seeing Global: The Youth Speaks

Bryan Ong Our Featured Author of the Month “Singapore has always been global.”

Building the Next Generation of Thinkers & Writers

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YRC TEAM Managing Editor/Publisher Catherine Khoo Editor Carlo Venson Peña Circulation Executive

Christina Del Mundo Designer

Lim Soo Yong Editorial Assistants Natalya Thangamany Editorial Advisory Board

Catherine Khoo, Vijay Chandran, Noel Chia Contributors

Alicia Boo, Paulina Lee, Gibson Les Paul Illustrators

Adeline Lim, Natalya Thangamany YAC Core Contributors

Kenrick Lam, Lee Tat Wei, Theresa Ellsworth, Ron Yap, Ee Chonghui, Woon Kaiqin, Fiona Tan For advertising and sales enquiries

6336 8985 Education Subscription Agents

ILoveReading.SG 9007 8361 Emit Asia 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

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

It is the middle of 2013, and pretty soon, we would see ourselves counting down the last few weeks to welcome the New Year. This issue is no stranger to the changing tides, as many of us at YRC can attest. As the world slowly becomes virtually smaller, with the onset of communication tools, it is obvious that in the not-so-distant future, our global backyard will become a reality.

As we prepare for that day to come, we need to look at the changes that are happening now– and the movers who make them happen. The influx and impact of global trends has sent many to transcend from local setups to global arenas, some with a blind hindsight, others with a foresight far greater than their peers.

This issue looks at how those who have started locally and have succeeded in making a niche for themselves in their fields on a global landscape, whilst not forgetting where their roots are. As they say, it’s the first step that’s always woozy, but these movers took the leap anyway, never looking back, and instead smiling at the future ahead of them.

Our Featured Stories showcase the innovations of our local young writers and how they redefine storywriting, while our favourite tenets like YRC Investigates look at locallyinnovated brands such as Charles & Keith who have made their marks on international palates. We also have features on innovators who had the vision to go beyond our shores, bringing with them the unique Singaporean mark of excellence.

Not to be missed for this issue are regular columns like CORE 101 , Parents Ask, Teens Answer, and I Can Write So Can You, which underline the transitions that our readers– youths and parents alike– go through in order to make themselves more responsive to the call for globalisation, whilst maintaining a local heart and mindset. In all, an interesting take on local versus global, as seen in the eyes of the youth who will shape the next generation.

Happy reading!

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YRC Investigates

8 Featured

23

Author

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Featured Stories

features 8

Featured Author: Bryan Ong Growing up in the craft literally defines Bryan’s adventures from the Young Author Scheme. Joining the class at 10, Bryan returned to the programme time and again to constantly improve his craft. Read on to find out how he has used what he has learnt to hone his craft further.

12 Boulders by Andrew Teoh

A boy named Louis finds a stone which turns out to be a Boulder– a mythical creature made out of rock.

He meets Bron while he is hunting and together with him, Louis tries to stop King Garlshwartz, who

wants to take over the world.

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

34 Email From Belgium

Spritely lass and young author Huang Wenyi shares her experiences in Belgium now that she’s moved

there for good. Read to find out why she enjoys the beguiling country of chocolates, the Atomium and travel.

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ANTHOLOGY 101 Veteran author and editor Catherine Khoo is launching a new book about becoming the woman that she is now, and the potential that each girl can become.

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13 O’clock Tales by Fiona Tan Follow Kristin Tan, a fun-loving girl, as she goes through a tough and arduous journey of getting a snow globe, where she earns her own money day by day. Her amazing adventures bring her to see a lion spitting out gold, a proud little cherry blossom, a cute water droplet and the fight between cats and tigers. Her family lives almost in poverty, but she is determined to get a good grade for the assignment her strict teacher gives.

national education 23

YRC Investigates: Singapore’s Local Names That Went Global Local names going global is nothing new, but these names are sure to ring a bell. YRC looks at local brands that have made it into the global markets, and interviews people who have become the innovators among their contemporaries, in this issue that looks at transcendence from starting local to going global.

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Matters of Perplexity Jason Phan is a philosophy assistant lecturer who likes talking about life’s little quirks. Read this last installment of his column and learn how the simple things in life are actually quite complex too. Join him in this instalment of his lifelong search for answers to life’s biggest simple questions.

45 I Can Write

CORE 101

So Can You

27 Singapore

Insights

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Parents Ask, Teens Answer Parents are always mum about their teens’ plans to move out of the house, let alone to another country! Read what our experts say about helping teens take full responsibility over their plans to stay overseas permanently.

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I Can Write, So Can You Veteran author and editor Catherine Khoo takes you on another writing journey that leaves you inspired to write snippets of your own sojourns.

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Breaking Boundaries: D.O.T. A Singaporean discovers more than just beautiful sights and sounds in a trip to India, and realises where her real passion lies: helping other women to become more independent and self-sufficient. Discover the Daughters of Tomorrow in this special feature on the plight of young girls and mothers.

66 Resources

The YRC is more than just a magazine. It’s a useful tool for learning better English

comprehension and writing for both primary and secondary students. Tap these useful

guide questions for your next group discussion in class or at the student study area, which

are coupled with resource sheets available for schools and parents!

inspirations 38

Different Strokes Another junior photographer shares a view of the world with this new contribution.

CORE 101: Teens’ Voice As the world improves connectivity in more ways than one, its virtual boundaries are shrinking and the concept of the global community has arrived. How do individuals transcend from localised mindsets to a more global perspective? Here are some expositions from our resident CORE writers.

40 The World As We See It by Woon Kaiqin, Canberra Secondary School 64

The Global Citizen by Ee Chonghui, National Junior College

CORE 101: Points of Views Global transactions with local mindsets. Does this do any good or any harm, as we undergo the process?

How do we prepare for the coming of the global backyard, and are we even prepared for it? Read what our young thinkers have to say.

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All Roads Lead to the Internet by Lee Tat Wei, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)

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Of Fads and Foes by Fiona Tan, Singapore Chinese Girl’s School

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 who is 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 b ro a d r a n g e o f illustrated work in ink, watercolour paints and digital collage for children’s stories.

Fiona Tan Student, Singapore Chinese Girls’ School What Fiona did for this issue: Core 101 Fiona is a merit prize winner in the 2011/12 Yo u n g A u t h o r Awards, and has began contributing to the magazine starting this issue.

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

Paulina Lee Student, University of Adelaide What Paula did for this issue: Singapore Insights Pursuing a degree in health sciences in Australia, Paulina was once the health columnist for YRC magazine. Now all grown up, she spends most of her time on her studies and in documenting travels she often goes to.

Ee Chonghui Student, National Junior College What Chonghui did for this issue: CORE101 Herself a merit winner in the Young Author Awards when she was still in primary school, Chonghui is now currently contributing to YRC magazine and pursuing her studies at the National Junior College.

Kenrick Lam Student, AngloChinese School International What Kenrick did for this issue: Parents Ask, Teens Answer The most senior of the YAC Core, Kenrick is a romantic at heart and an objective writer by training. He won second prize in the 2007 Maybank Young Author Awards and has been writing for the magazine since its inception in 2010.

Theresa Ellsworth Student, Singapore American School What Theresa did for this issue: Singapore Insights Even before winning a merit prize in the 2 0 1 1 / 1 2 Yo u n g Author Awards, Theresa has shared her writing dexterity to YRC in snippets of contributions that underline her love for writing and her dream of becoming a published author in the future.

Lee Tat Wei Student, Anglo-Chinese School Independent What Tat Wei did for this issue: CORE 101 A senior member of the YAC Core, Tat Wei wrote his first book of 27,000 words when he was 11. Now in secondary school, Tat Wei is a football goalie at school, but is just as hard-hitting as a contributor for the magazine.

Woon Kaiqin Student, Canberra Secondary School What Kaiqin did for this issue: CORE 101 A finalist in the 2012/13 Young Author Awards, Kaiqin is currently a student in Canberra Secondary School.

Jason Phan Associate Lecturer, Singapore Institute of Management What Jason did for this issue: Matters of Perplexity His background in mass communications has actually strengthened Jason’s inclination to pursuing a master’s on philosophy. Now a lecturer at SIM, Jason uses his prowess in understanding life’s simple complexities and helping young adults to meet their full potential.

Alicia Boo Counsellor, Focus on the Family What Alicia did for this issue: Parents Ask, Teens Answer As a counsellor for Focus on the Family, a not-forprofit 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 around four years.

YRC has identified an errata on the previous YRC 18 issue concerning Khor Jie Lin’s current school. She is now studying at Crescent Girls’ School and not Holy Innocents High School.

At YRC Magazine, we ensure that stories are kept at their most original form, yet there are times that content is abridged to suit the magazine’s readership. Stories featured in YRC Magazine are abridged as necessary, to fit page constraints. The YRC is a literary magazine that conforms to the reading palate of 10-16 year olds.

Once a story is featured in the magazine, it is at the discretion of the editor to copyedit articles to a certain extent, to suit the target audience.

The views and opinions of the contributors do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of YRC magazine and its staff.

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YRC Magazine

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Here are letters from students like you. Send yours to info@ youngreaderclub.sg or snail mail it to our address!

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Khaneesha Zahranita Asia Fauzi New Town Primary School

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Featured Author ...Young writers of today

Text by Natalya Thangamany Photos by Carlo Peña

t candidate for a g comes across as the nex ile he is shy and On an Bry -old ear n-y tee Six looks and edgy clothing. Wh he is passionate boyband, with his boyish wledgeable about the things not a huge talker, he is kno ‘O’ Levels this year, Bryan still makes time his g and following about. While studying for advantage of through writin es tak he ich wh f, sel him for anese and gaming. his interests in all things Jap

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ryan may not have been a finalist in the Young Author Awards (yet) but he has one thing in common with all the Young Author Awardees who have graced the covers of Young Reader Club magazine– an interesting story, plenty of determination and a huge passion for writing.

PATH TO ANOTHER WORLD For Bryan, the drive to write derives from the writer’s joy of having readers enjoy what he has written and the pleasure of writing to express oneself.

Prior to joining the Advanced Young Author Scheme during the year-end holidays last year, Bryan had already tried his hand at writing a few stories (he refers to them as ‘books’) that were at least a few thousand words but has not finished them. “I tried writing a lot of books,” he said.

“But I didn’t manage to finish them. They were around

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a few thousand , but I never re ally completed them . I had a few id eas but never really developed them .”

His story, a goth ic-action-advent ure entitled ‘Not Ye t Dead’, was on e of the story ideas he had before joinin g the Advanced Yo ung Author Sche me and one he m anaged to deve lop further during th e course.

“I ha d th e id ea be fo re th e course,” he shar es. “But I made a lot of changes.”

He mentioned th at initially, the story was suppos ed to be longer an d that story length was something he hoped to develo p further should he have the ch ance to rewrite his story.

The inspiration fo r his story ‘Not Yet Dead’ came from a manga (Japanese comic) he enjoyed reading entitled ‘Full Metal Alchemist’, which he considers himself a big fa n of; through reading manga, he was able to develop the plot and action in his story. However , he story was too rush felt the ed to develop it furth and hopes er should he have the opportunity.

PROFILE

Andrew Teoh, 12 Catholic High School Magic & Fantasy

I have loved writing since I was small. I find it entertaining and enjoyable to have a way to immerse myself in a fictional world and as well as to create one; to escape from reality and to forget about logic. I guess I first started writing somewhere around when I first started loving to read. My favourite author is Roald Dahl.

I feel that he is able to literally paint a picture with nothing but words, so it was very inspiring for me to try and write like him. My story is basically about a fantasy world that a bored nine-year-old me was trying to create, but looking back at it, I find the way I used to write as amusing, knowing so much more about writing now than back then.

Boulders Written in Pri 3 at Catholic High School (Primary)

Chapter 1 Louis shot his arrow at the deer, narrowly missing it. “Oh, darn!” he exclaimed, chasing after it.

After a while the deer stopped. Louis shot again, only to miss yet again. Louis continued chasing it, but soon it was out of sight. Suddenly he noticed a rounded square box made out of rock along the stream. He picked it up, examined it and found that it was hollow! He rapped on it and heard an echo. He then slid it in his pocket and brought it home.

Back home, Louis was saddened to tell his uncle that he had not hunted down any animals, but instead had found a hollow, rounded stone box. His uncle was fuming.

“What good is a stone block to us

Illustrations by Adeline Lim

when we need food to survive the winter?

If it was at least something of value we could sell it for money to buy food! This!

This will not help us in the least way!”

Louis had to agree with his uncle.

He could not use the stone block in any way. If only it was made out of a jewel or gem......

Louis wandered through the small village, updating himself on the latest news.

He had bought a hamburger and was eating it when suddenly he saw a poster displaying the words: A REWARD OF 5000 GOLD PIECES WILL BE AWARDED TO ANYONE WHO CAN FIND A ROUNDED AND HOLLOW SQUARE BLOCK MADE OUT OF STONE! IF YOU DO FIND IT, PASS IT TO THE TOWN MINISTER! YOU WILL THEN RECEIVE YOUR REWARD!!!

– KING GAELSHWARTZ –

Due to the length of the story, YRC has created an abridged version of the story. Catch the full story at www. youngreaderclub.sg. under Resources.

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YRC Investigates

NATIONAL EDUCATION

By: Natalya Thangamany

...Understanding how the world works

O

nce upon a time, people used to believe their country was the only

place on the globe, and that they were the only ones in the planet. Life beyond their shores was a strange idea to them, and anything and anyone different from them was frightening. And then, people started to explore the great unknown. Technology started to advance, and trains and boats were invented to bring people outside of their country.

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Mr Charles Wong and Mr Keith Wong Founders of “Charles & Keith” Home-grown fashion label Charles & Keith specialises in shoes, while also selling bags and fancy accessories such as belts, sunglasses, scarves, bracelets and collar-necklaces. The brand is not just found here in Singapore though, but also in countries in Asia and the Middle East– a sign that Singaporean fashion is starting to go global and reach other countries.

The owners, Mr Charles Wong and Mr Keith Wong, started out helping their parents at their shoe business, ultimately realising more could be done for shoes to reach the Asian market.

“We worked at our parents’ shop at Ang Mo Kio Central and saw a good business opportunity as most imported shoes were too costly and do not fit Asian feet well,” they told YRC Magazine in an interview.

The brothers then set up the first Charles & Keith store in Amara Shopping Centre in 1996 to launch a fashion line 26

of shoes made for the Asian feet. Since then, through slowly branching out, the brothers have over 320 stores in around 33 cities, with plans to open three more stores in Japan.

In year 2010, the private equity arm of French luxury label Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH), L Capital Asia, took up a co-partnership with Charles & Keith. For the brothers, it was a huge opportunity to learn more about the global market.

“The partnership has allowed us to gain valuable knowledge through L Capital Asia’s expertise and advice, especially in the area of market expansion,” they said. “It enables the brand to move to more international markets at a quicker pace, providing our customers with an immaculate retail option.”

Charles & Keith sees that Singapore will change for the better as it connects more with the world, bringing better prospects for their business and keeping Singaporeans up to date with the changing field of fashion. “Singapore is definitely becoming an increasingly global city,” they said. “We notice a significant change in customers’ attributes and preferences. Singaporeans, especially fashion followers, are quicker to respond to trends. We seek to create and sustain a competitive advantage by delivering up-to-the minute fashion in a short cycle time.”

Transcending from a localised mindset to a more global perspective may not be as easy as it sounds. It requires a whole lot of courage and determination and also an open mindset to top off the list. It will do both harm and good to both the people and the country on the economic status, and social status.

As a Singaporean, I would say that Singapore is in the least bit prepared for the global community, in terms of the people’s mindset, but it is ready in terms of its economic capability.

foreigners and the fuss over minute issues such as the public transport being late by five minutes. All these happen everywhere in the world and it is about time we accept it and understand that it is part of globalisation.

There are little that Singaporeans can accept in terms of open mindedness, possibly because of the upbringing and conservative culture that we are forced to adopt from young.

With the education system, we are encouraged to only have one target in mind and that is to do well in school and that will lead us to the top. Little emphasis is given to creativity and innovations, making us lead lives enclosed in our own little red dot.

Economically, Singapore would definitely benefit with the ‘hot money’ that comes in with the investment in properties by the foreigners who wish to participate in Singapore’s development into an economic hub.

We are not encouraged to venture out to explore the world outside of our four walls. This has, in its own way, caused many of us to be so tied up and afraid to accept new things. When I read the news and see reports of the influx of foreigners to Singapore and how much reaction and unrest there is, it proves to show how ready Singaporeans are for a global backyard.

As the news have shown, Singaporeans’ negativity towards the idea of a global backyard may just about bring more harm than good to this situation at hand. Having petitions to stop

On the other hand, I am sure Singaporeans will be ready for whatever life throws at them because Singaporeans are resilient and works hard to make things work!

Paulina Lee is a former health columnist for YRC Magazine.

She is currently working towards a degree in Health Sciences in the University of Adelaide, Australia.

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Matters of Perplexity

By Jason Phan

Of minds and hearts...

The Right to the World’s Oil and Coal Saudi Arabia has plenty of oil. Canada has heaps of forests, minerals and metals.

Elsewhere, people in the sub-Saharan regions suffer barrenness and cannot migrate to enjoy the natural riches. Is this fair?

YRC contributor Jason Phan explains the concept of open borders, in this last installment for the column.

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CORE 101... Points of View

By LEE TAT WEI, Anglo-Chinese School (independent)

All Roads lead

to the Internet

As the human race progressed from the caveman ages to our current postindustrial modern society, we have always strived to improve connectivity and interaction with each other; through trade and conflict as with the ancient civilisations, to the diplomatic relations of today: the intangible roads between people. In this digital era, no longer do all roads lead to Rome. In our generation, where all physical roads have been built; where all bridges have been constructed– all roads lead to the internet.

It is a vast, limitless canvas for our thoughts and ideas– freedom of expression that has no boundaries; instantaneous connectivity between people across the globe.

In this day and age, we are no longer defined by our status as lords or peasants; we are now defined by the way we interact on the virtual reality that is the internet– where all thoughts, criticism, respect and ridicule gather in a black 32

hole of current affairs.

Our localised identity fades as it trickles into the ocean that is now the global community. But are we ready for the perils that this ocean may bring? Are we prepared for the tidal waves of global unrest; the whirlpools of international anger that threatens our society?

Are we ready to welcome this new ocean into our seven seas?

In my opinion, yes, we are ready to embrace the global community brought about by the internet. Aside from the usual online gaming and social networking benefits that the internet brings is the irrefutable benefit of cross-border and cross-cultural interaction. Perhaps it is not felt as much by us Singaporeans, with the multicultural society that our nation has been built on, but for many other countries’ citizens the internet reveals new cultures and ideas from different places; all at the convenient click of a mouse. It can be the simple reading up on online articles on current affairs to watching videos originating

omium in gium

F E AT U R E S

Name: Huang Wenyi Country of Origin: Singapore Current Country: Belgium Hobbies: writing, drawing, dancing, video production My name is Huang Wenyi. I am Singaporean. I live in the south of Brussels, the capital of Belgium and I am 12 years of age. I enjoy writing, drawing, dancing, and video-making. My family and I moved to Belgium in January 2012, because of my father’s job posting.

I enjoy living in Belgium. I am living in a continent that is entirely new to me, Europe.

Before I came here, I have never travelled out of Asia Pacific. And you know what? I really like it here.

Antwerp

Young Author Award finalist Huang Wenyi migrated to Belgium in early 2012. In this issue of Email From, she shares how it’s like for a Singaporean to become a resident of another nation.

I used to study in Rulang, a local primary school in Singapore. Now, I study in St John’s International School. It is huge, with prekindergarten all the way to high school. All the students come from all different nations, from Korea to Africa to Canada. The diversity of nationalities is great. I have made many new friends here, all of them coming from different countries.

The school curriculum here focuses more on the development of our speech and presentation skills. There are more projects

Brussels

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Different Strokes

rtesy of G Photo cou

Paul ibson Les

...A picture paints a thousand words

>>>

“One day there will be no borders, no boundaries, no flags and no countries and the only passport will be the heart.�

- Carlos Santana, Music Legend

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CORE 101... Points of View

By WOON KAIQIN, Canberra Secondary School

The World As We See It

Many of our adults today see our generation as useless, lazy, too dependent on technology and social media to do anything realistic for the world, yet here I am, surrounded by people I know will do their part to make the world a better place, present or future.

As a Singaporean student, we are often told that we are the “future of society”, yet we are being judged 24/7.

The kid who is just sitting there, scrolling through his social networks, he is slowing learning about our global community. What we think, what we do, how we do, he is learning.

Interacting with people around. An individual shouldn’t need to travel around the world to look at the world with today’s technology.

A localised mindset. Honestly, it does not do us any good. We should be more 40

“out there” and not focus so much on our local mindsets. Whether it is school or work, some way or another, we get to be connected with the global community and just continue to interact with others.

Why do people settle for the least when they want to be far out into the world? Do something different for a change.

Audition for a movie, write a song, start a blog, make videos online.

The possibilities are endless.

It doesn’t matter if it’s about materialistic rewards, we just have to put ourselves out there and just experience the world. You could be simply playing a video game and still be interacting with other gamers. It is just that simple to view the world with a global perspective. Everything we do, it is just somehow related to the things all

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

Taki ng Fligh t Everyone dreams of spreading their wings and visiting many places all over. But if you were a parent and your teen asks that they wish to emigrate to another country for good, would you allow them to?

Mrs Peters from Jalan Chempaka writes: My daughter has always been independent. She has breezed through primary and secondary school with good grades and intact values. Recently, she has aired her intentions to leave the country, to study and permanently reside overseas. I am afraid that she might lose her identity if she does. How do I advise her so that she reaches for her dreams and yet not lose her identity in the process?

Our senior YAC Core member Kenrick Lam takes on the question first. He says the problem faced by Mrs Peters is a perennial one that the youth of today struggle with. With a greater awareness of the opportunities to study, work and reside overseas, youth of this generation, he says, have increasingly the ambition to acquire an overseas education or migrate. Self-identity is a cumulative assessment of one’s values, 42

personality and past experiences which shape how an individual will act and develop in the future. It is formed by the past and present and determines the future. In this case, Kenrick says, the issue for discussion is whether the aspiration to study and reside overseas affects personal identity and if so how that should be prevented.

First, he says the strength of personal identity is determined by the depth of experience and firmness in values. Depending on which country the teen wishes to move to, the values and societal norms will vary in different ways. Depending on the consistency with their personal values, it can have an effect of enhancing a teen’s personal identity or breaking it down. By strengthening the teen’s personal value system when she is still growing up under the parents’ care would help to reinforce these values and prevent subsequent erosion by overseas study and residence.

NATIONAL EDUCATION

I Can Write, So Can You

It’s that time of the year again! Yes, May 25

is the day when we award the best in writing talent. As I reflect on the Young Author Scheme and the reasons why I created it, these past ten years have seen many a young author prove that Kids Can Write! Not only that, they can weave stories that leave you wondering how much talent there is in our young. I’d like to devote this month’s column to my young talents and figure out why do they write and what makes them write. Below are a few thoughts from some of this year’s finalists: Abigail Chen CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School (Singapore) Writing helps me to stay sane. Sounds weird but it’s true.

It keeps my insanity and boredom at bay. I have written anything from compositions to advertorials to hypotheses. I don’t know why but ever since I could pick up a pen, I started writing.

Cheyenne Leow Mayflower Primary School (Singapore) I love writing as it always brings me happiness and I feel like I am in my own little world, able to create and mould the characters with imaginations. It gives me security, unlike the real world where things are rocky and uncertain. My aim is to bring the same joy I get from writing to my readers.

and not just that, but to record down our thoughts in many ways. That’s what it means to me.

Arkan Ichsan High Scope International School (Indonesia) What makes me love writing? It gives me a way to pour out my feelings and opinions. It gives me a chance to show my imagination without anyone criticising my work. It’s like therapy, calming me from bad situations.

Dilys Chua Jurong West Primary School (Singapore) I love writing because I get to stretch my imagination.

I’m a typical student, which also means I don’t lead a very exciting life, but writing stories takes me into another world where everything and anything could happen. From writing compositions in school to writing short stories for my own amusement, I love it either way because I don’t have to follow any rules; I write whatever I want to. In other words, it is freedom in its own way.

Aisha Shakila Chua Chu Kang Primary School (Singapore) Writing carries me away from the hustle and bustle of my busy life. It takes me to a place where I reign supreme. I can do whatever I want, be whoever I fancy. I love writing.

Daksha Jhajharia Queensway Secondary School (Singapore) My love for writing has been enhanced since my trip to the United Kingdom with my school. Seeing children younger than me win writing competitions and definitely with the help of my teachers, my love for writing has grown throughout the years.

Alexander Yean Raffles Institution (Singapore) Gertrude Stein once said, ‘To write is to write is to write is to write is to write is to write’ There’s no better way to sum that up– writing helps us communicate,

Taylor Burdett Tanglin Trust School (Singapore) I love writing because it lets my ideas flow and I can express my feelings within it. I believe that reading is the spark of brightness; the seed of creativity.

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YRC Magazine’s publisher, author and veteran editor Catherine Khoo, is launching her very own book in June 2013! Intended to inspire women and their daughters, Love! Live Dangerously! And Have Fun! shares her insights on being a daughter, a mother and more!

Subtitled A Mother’s Lessons on Love, Hope, Loss and the Gifts of Life, it goes through Catherine’s personal journey through life, highlighting her wild teenage days, her marriage at an early age of 24, her three children, and other life-changing events that many mothers would be familiar with.

“I’ve come to terms with my life. I met the Dalai Lama at 48, and realised that life is about celebrating each day, embracing what it offers me.

I’m thankful for the people that came into my life. From each I learnt a valuable lesson,” reads a snippet from Catherine’s book.

With forewords by three women, each an inspiration to women worldwide, the book lends strong credence to her journey.

Frances Yip, the international superstar, writes in her foreword, “Catherine worked very hard in her career and is now dedicated to teaching the young. I admire her courage and determination.”

To pre-order the book, please email books@ catherinekhoo.sg or call 6336.8985 for more details.

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...Learning without borders

Full article on www.youngreaderclub.sg

NATIONAL EDUCATION

Breaking Boundaries

Selfsufficiency For A Life Of Dignity D.O.T. Founder and social entrepreneur Carrie Tan shares us yet another sojourn of her endeavours in helping young girls and women discover true empowerment and independence from the shackles of poverty.

We had just returned from a recent training trip in February to Lalitha Women’s Cooperative in Kadapa, India, and I am saddened by the new case stories we got in touch with, and also heartened by the lives we managed to touch.

The craft training process was an arduous one, and taxing on the spirit, at least initially.

In the first two days, the volunteers who came with me to teach the women to make the crafts were very frustrated. We sat on the floors with the women, and the hours were spent going over and over again mistakes and corrections in their work.

The weather was hot and we were uncomfortable sitting on the floors. There were resource problems as well– some of the women who came for the program had scissors and needles, some of them did not have any.

On the second night, my volunteers sounded out to me their frustrations– they felt that the women have bad attitude, and had no initiative– they did not even bother to bring their tools! Were they even interested in being

helped? Why did some of them turn up only for the mornings, and left by lunchtime?

Why do some of them have scissors and some didn’t even bring needles?? How can it be that they do not have something as basic as needles, which every household is bound to have?

They asked me, “We spent so much time and money to come here, and only two or three out of a group of 15 women seem like they have the aptitude and attitude for this work.

Is this effective, they asked? Is it worth it?”

They had so many questions and doubts. I felt all their expectations weighing in on me, and I was worried. This was not going well. I needed to address our volunteers’ frustrations. So the next day, I decided to field their questions to Aunty Sandhya, the founder of the orphanage and women’s cooperative.

Only then did the truth come to light.

It turned out that while the women in the programme received sewing kits for their previous four months of basic tailoring training, they had to return those kits since they were then passed on to subsequent batches of Issue 19

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ag with YRC M The Goblet of Diamond by Yen Zhi Yi

Corrine and I were adopted by a wealthy couple after our parents died. They took us to a huge mansion. We thought everything would be perfect, but one day, everything changed. Our stepmother was in a trance, cursed by Lecellvis, the master of darkness, who wanted us to find him a goblet and a diamond. If we could not do this by the twelfth stroke of midnight on the twelfth of December, we would be cursed. Can we find the goblet of diamond before time runs out?

The Adventures of Shu Parl the Duck and Wu Wu the Tiger

by Sheyuan Yeo Neptune and Venus aliens attack Tigerland. Shu Parl, Stu Parl, Gu Parl, the Piyos and the Special Tigers try to stop them. Will they succeed in defending Tigerland, or will they fail?

P LU S O U R N O T-T O - B E - M I S S E D C O LU M N S A N D DEPARTMENTS: National Education * Singapore Insights * YRC Investigates * CORE 101 * Email From * Breaking Boundaries * Inspirations

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