The English Newsletter of YPICA Lee Lim Ming College
February 2017
DIVERSITY: WHY IT MATTERS
Majestic Mainland
4-Day Study Tour in Guangzhou, Foshan and Zhaoqing, China
Cruising Taiwan
5-Day Cruise Trip
Haunted Snapchat
Avoid the Horrors of Snapchat
Mr Ma’s 4 PETs on: PUNCTUALITY
INSIDE
Volume 2, Issue 1
February 2017
2 Teacher’s PETs Professional Expert Tips (PETs) from your favourite teacher. 6 Sports Day Surprises The sweet scenes that made us smile. 3 Cruising Taiwan Career Life Planning aboard a ship! 4 Cover Story Diversity: Why it Matters Winter Fun Two Homes, One Family Picnic 6 Majestic Mainland 4-Day Study Tour 7 Haunted Snapchat Avoid the horrors of Snapchat! 8 Hearts in Harmony
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his issue, Spring debuts a new series called Teacher’s Professional Expert Tips or Teacher’s PETs. In this column, we’ll get the best advice from the experts to help us improve our performance in school. Our first featured teacher in Teacher’s PETs is Mr Ma. Love him or fear him, you know that he only wants the best for you.
Being punctual is a skill everyone can master. It doesn’t take any special talents or abilities. You can develop it if you feel it is an important trait. Know Why You Want To Be Punctual You need to be very clear on the reasons why you want to be punctual. Stop thinking of being punctual as something your parents arbitrarily asked of you. Instead, you should think that being punctual is really a sign of keeping your promises and having respect for others. Own up to the Problem If you are not very punctual, you may find that you are always making excuses for your lateness by blaming certain circumstances even if you face those same circumstances every day. Therefore, the first step in overcoming lateness is to quit the
rationalizations and take responsibility for the problem. Give Yourself A Time Cushion Give yourself some extra time in case of unexpected events. Although there is nothing new under the sun, we should understand all matters are not always predictable and going to run smoothly 100% of the time. Correct your Magical Thinking and Misperceptions about Time Those people who are always late have trouble determining how long it takes them to perform different tasks. They may struggle with being late, feel that time moves slower than it does, or that they can get done more in a period of time than they realistically can. If you fall into this category, you should set up reminders that you can time yourself. Failing to plan is planning to fail, therefore, everyone should be punctual and plan for everyday.
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Surprises!
Surprise #1: Dipesh Takes a Rest! When the big race started, Dipesh ran with all his might and established a big lead. However, he ran out of breath after the second lap and took a much-needed rest. He eventually got back up to finish the race.
You were there. You know who won. But sometimes you just couldn’t be in two places at the same time. So, in case you missed it, here are some pleasant surprises from the 30th Anniversary Sports Day.
Surprise #3: Five Will Do! Red House showed they can still pull off an impressive cheerdance routine despite having only five dancers. Imagine what they can do with more cheerleaders!
2 Surprise #2: Look Up! Our Olympic celebrity guest had all eyes on her simply because you can’t ignore her height. Not only is she tall, she is also a truly kind and awesome person. We became fans right away.
Surprise #4: Pink Panthers! Who would have thought that our boys would rock this colour?
Surprise #5: White House Woes! There aren’t enough white stuffed toys. While the other teams are loaded with cartoon characters, White House brought pillows to the stand. We feel your pain, White House. We’ll be on the lookout for Snoopy.
Surprise #6: Secret Weapon! Perhaps one of the biggest surprises this year if not the biggest was Mr Thomas Lee’s dance moves. He may not be the next Psy but he’s a real gentleman.
Scan the QR Code for More Photos
Scan the QR Code for More Photos
CRUISING TAIWAN
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n 1999, Music Television or MTV produced the final season of its reality TV series Road Rules and dubbed it as “Semester at Sea”. In that show, a bunch of teenagers joined a study program on board a cruise ship. The students learned their lessons on the ship while travelling the world! They went to the Bahamas, Cuba, Brazil, South Africa, Kenya, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan and they even reached our shores here in Hong Kong. Back then, Semester at Sea was every kid’s dream. It was the perfect school and every lesson was filled with adventure. Last October, 15 of our students went on a 5-day Career Planning study tour aboard Voyager of the Seas headed to Taiwan. On the ship, students attended different talks where they learned about various careers available in the cruising industry. They learned that aside from the sailors, engineers and captain, a cruise ship also needs a service crew similar to a hotel’s crew. There are also entertainers on a cruise ship. Perhaps the most eye-opening moment the students had was when they talked with the
cruise staff members. Working in the cruising industry can be rewarding but there are a lot of sacrifices. For example, you would need to be away from your home and family for long periods. There can be long hours in the ship as some guests can be demanding. On the upside, seafarers get to travel to different countries for free. The salary can be competitive too. Cruise ship workers get to meet a lot of people from all walks of life and different nationalities. After learning on the ship, the students were able to explore Taiwan where they visited the National Sun Yat-sen University. They learned about further studies in Taiwan. Their trip may not be as adventurous as Semester at Sea but it was an adventure nonetheless. Sailing back to Hong Kong , the students were filled with optimism as secondary school life is coming to an end. After all, there’s no better way to assess your future than being on a ship where you can chase the wide horizon ahead with the vastness of the sea reminding you that the world is full of possibilities.
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DIVERSITY:
COVER STORY
WHY IT MATTERS
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Winter Fun
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ot all of winter is cold and dreary. A cool but sunny winter day is perfect for a picnic and that’s exactly what the YPICA Lee Lim Ming family had in mind last December. Sai Kung Country Park was the perfect setting. The BBQ pits were ready for our roast goodies and the playground was wide enough for our party games. The Principal, Miss Tang, teachers, students and even parents had a blast running in relay games, putting together puzzles and working as a team in completing tasks. Everyone’s favourite part was the food. Nothing beats families
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or over 15 years Hong Kong has carried the moniker “Asia’s World City”’ due to the vast opportunities offered to foreign workers. However, Singapore has caught up and is ready to be the new Asia’s World City. Nevertheless, it is hard to deny that we still live in a multicultural Hong Kong and it is very evident in our school. We have more than a dozen nationalities in YPICA Lee Lim Ming College. It is common to see a group of friends from different cultural backgrounds and it is heart-warming to know that their friendship transcends race, nationality or religion. Some students say that they don’t mind their classmate’s cultural
background at all. “If you click, you click,” Chloe (5B) said in an interview with Spring adding that what is important is that you like the same things because then there’s a foundation for friendship. But would cultural differences hinder friendships in the long run? “Not if you speak a common language like English,” said Chloe pointing out that there may be times she needs to adjust when it comes to eating out especially when she is with her Muslim friends.
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I think that students in our school know more about different places and people and are, most of the time, tolerant which means a lot nowadays in preparing future citizens and good human beings.”
Now all of these squad goals may seem sweet but how does it benefit a student’s learning? “We all learn the same lessons in class so we have the same opportunities but what we do learn that might not be actually taught is social awareness,” Harold (5B) chimed in during the group interview. Our NET, Miss Angela Lazaro, has taught in Portugal, Italy, Spain and Germany but she has never seen such cultural diversity as in our school. “I think that students in our school know
more about different places and people and are, most of the time, tolerant which means a lot nowadays in preparing future citizens and good human beings,” Miss Angela said in a statement. Harold and Miss Angela may be on to something. In an article published online by The Century Foundation, they found that “Students can learn better how to navigate adulthood in an increasingly diverse society—a skill that employers value—if they attend diverse schools. Ninety-six percent of major employers say it is “important” that employees be “comfortable working with colleagues, customers, and/or clients from diverse cultural backgrounds.” (Wells, Fox, Cordova-Cobo, 2016) Miss Angela added that by learning in a multicultural environment, students learn about each other’s cultures, traditions and countries so they know more than a usual teenager would know. Students who learn in multicultural environment find it easier to learn new languages as well. In a Huffington Post article, writer Eric Cooper wrote: “Data clearly suggest that students who learn in integrated school programs develop the critical and creative thinking and the problem-solving skills needed to accelerate achievement — both cognitive and interpersonal. It is one thing to do well on tests or master rigorous content, but quite another to learn how to build friendships and working relationships across socio-economic levels, cultures and races.” (Cooper, 2014) So while we should be lucky that we have diversity in our schools, we still have
to make more effort to be more inclusive. We do have mixed groups but it is still common to see an exclusive Pakistani, Nepali, Filipino or Chinese group. The sooner we include other nationalities in our circle of friends, the sooner we gain the benefits of peer learning and social awareness that diversity readily offer. After years of studying in a secondary school and possibly in university, joining the workforce is the next step and an international city such as Hong Kong demands more than high grades to deal with customers and businessmen. It might be your understanding of the diverse cultural landscape of Asia’s World City that can make you an invaluable asset to a company.
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Ninety-six percent of major employers say it is important that employees be comfortable working with colleagues, customers, and/ or clients from diverse cultural backgrounds.”
5 sharing food as moms not only get to taste other dishes, they also share recipes! Before the day was over, everyone gathered for the Family Bingo and Lucky Draw. While some were lucky enough to bring home prizes, everyone else felt like a winner that day because it’s always fun to be surrounded by family.
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Majestic
MAINLAND A
s Mainland China continues to embrace the bustling tourism industry—the recently opened Shanghai Disneyland is proof of this—the natural beauty of the countryside vies for attention and longs for lasting care from visitors. Participants of the 30th Anniversary 4-Day Study Tour to Guangzhou and Foshan got to experience the majestic natural wonders of the Mainland. An electric cab ride through the vast country park in Zhaoqing revealed serene backdrops that were a refreshing break from the busy Hong Kong life. Students, teachers and even the Principal, Ms Tang, took a lot of photos as each hill, bridge or nook offered an unforgettable sight. Past caves and waterways, the country park has so much to offer and
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without the crowds of Disneyland, nature has a chance to flourish. In Foshan, the students were treated to a night cruise along the third longest river system in China, the Pearl River. The luxurious boat— one of the many tourist boats that navigate the river—offers a grand view of the colourful Canton Tower. The tower serves as a reminder that development along the Pearl River cannot be stopped. In 2007, a huge effort in cleaning up the river through sewage treatment resulted in improved conditions for both marine and human life. By 2013, the Pearl River has greatly recovered from its degrading state from previous years. The rest of the places visited by the students had certain hints of how important the environment is to our
way of life. Museums, for example, displayed different remains of animals that have long been extinct or currently endangered. One museum was solely dedicated to a natural irrigation system used by settlers centuries ago but has since dried up. Scientists have always warned of the Earth’s “point of no return” or the time when any effort to save the environment would be deemed insignificant. However, our study tour to Guangzhou and Foshan has reminded us not to lose hope and continue to help keep these natural wonders in the Mainland majestic.
Haunted Snapchat
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eenagers are at the forefront when it comes to social media. It seems that the average teenager can’t get enough selfies. Facebook, Instagram and now, more famous amongst teens, Snapchat have kept our students busy twisting their necks in hopes of getting that perfect angle for a photo. You’re probably too busy to even know the name of Snapchat’s logo. It’s called Ghostface Chillah. And just like the ghost, those seemingly harmless selfies you took can come back to haunt you. Read up on how to keep you and your friends safe while still looking fab in those puppy filters.
Keep it Clean The image you want to show the world should be something that your parents can be proud of. If you took a selfie that you can’t possibly show to your parents then maybe you shouldn’t post it online either. Screen Capture is a Thing No matter what Snapchat promises—that your posts will be deleted, gone like a ghost after 24 hours—the fact remains that it only takes one second to screen capture your post for others to share. So keep in mind that even if you intend for your post to last a day, someone else online might decide to keep it forever. Be a Cool Snapchatter People follow Snapchatters who have a story to tell about their day, not some random shots of people around them. If you’re the kind who takes embarrassing photos of your friends, not only are you going to annoy them, you’re also going to annoy your audience for your uncool behaviour. No Snaps in Class! We know you want to take Snaps of the silliness that goes inside the classroom but this can get you into trouble. Not only are you invading the privacy of your teachers and classmates, you are also violating school rules by using your smartphone in the classroom. So take Snaps outside the school. The lighting is better outside anyway. Viral is Original You’ve probably imagined being the next viral video superstar. Just remember that these viral videos are original ideas. If you simply copy the latest challenge or the newest meme, you won’t be noticed. Stop being a sheep and set the trend instead with your own creative ideas.
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Snap Safely! Above all else, we have to make sure that we live another day to make another Snapchat story. So forget about dangerous stunts and harmful pranks that can hurt you and everyone else around you. At the end of the day, a viral video is not worth it if you’re watching it with your friends in hospital.
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YPICA Lee Lim Ming College 2461-8818, 2467-0652 2467-0775 Shan King Estate, Tuen Mun, N.T., HK school@mail.ypicallmc.edu.hk http://www.ypicallmc.edu.hk SPRING is the official English Newsletter of YPICA Lee Lim Ming College. It is published by YPICALLMC. For more information, visit our website.
Volume 2, Issue 1 February 2017
Editorial Board Advisor: Ms Tang Yin Ping The Principal
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Chief Editor: Mr Japheth Imperio Editor: Mr Samuel Moyani, Jr Typesetter: Mr Chan Yiu Kuen Mr Chan Siu Wing
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