SINDA Connections - Oct 2012 by SINDA

MICA (P) 096/09/2012

OCTOBER 2012

Mmmm... is for Maths! Youth Seminar Inspires Again SINDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S Pride Youths Contribute!

Exclusive

Sonya

Madeira Stamp 04 fashion fund-raiser

18 testimony of courage

21 ZOOM-O-MANIA CONTEST

Contents Watch videos on your smartphone! Look for Quick Response (QR) codes in this issue.

A QR code looks like a black square pattern on a white background and can be read using a camera-fitted smartphone or tablet. Here’s how it works: 1. Make sure your 3G/Wifi network is activated. 2. Download a free QR code reader from your mobile applications store. 3. Launch the application. This will activate the camera on your device. 4. Point the camera viewfinder over the code and open the link.

• Partners in Progress • Temple Donates • Corporate Friends Reach Out During Eid • SINDA-nominated Youth Leader Recognised

• SINDA Celebrates Our Volunteers

è 10

12–19

• Mmmm...is for Maths • Starting Off with Fun • Getting Ready with Maths & Me

• Fashion Fund-Raiser • Let’s Get Active Together

• Carnival Capers • All Fired Up • Optical Mayhem with Mad Science

• Teen Spirits Soar at Camp Arise 2012 • Extra Boost of Inspiration • Facing the Future with Flair & Finesse

• A First Step to Success

• Holiday Highlights • SYLS Inspires Again

• Youths Contribute

08 • Joint Tuition Awards 2012

09 • SINDA’S Pride • Outstanding 437

• Zoom-O-Mania

• COVER STORY Sonya Madeira Stamp

• CEO’s Note

• Out of the Classroom and into the Sun • Students Score with Study Seminars • Be > Your Potential • Jumanji! An Unconventional Camp • Science Superheroes • Wordy Wizardry • Project Teach – Now in Secondary Schools • Parents Tackle Child-Raising Concerns • Testimony of Courage • Fanning the Flame at Tutor’s Forum 2012 • SINDA Students Embrace Online Learning

Publisher Singapore Indian Development Association EDITORIAL TEAM Corporate & marketing Division, SINDA advisor T Raja Segar, CEO, SINDA Chief Editor Ravindran Nagalingam production Editor Dhana Narayan design & layout Green House Design + Communications Pte Ltd printer Stamford Press Pte Ltd License No: L022/04/2012 TO SUBSCRIBE SINDA CONNECTIONS To receive SINDA connections, send your home or office address to connections@sinda.org.sg To inform us of a change in mailing address, send your new address to connections@sinda.org.sg SINDA E-NEWSLETTER Send your email address to e-news@sinda.org.sg TO CONTRIBUTE towards the SINDA CPF Fund: (to start contributing or increase contributions) Tel: 1800 295 4554 www.sinda.org.sg

At a Glance Partners in Progress The Indian Muslim community engaged in a SINDA-MENDAKI dialogue on 22 June at SINDA. 51 participants representing 29 Indian Muslim organisations were happy to have a platform where avenues for collaboration and progress could be explored, besides discussing challenges facing the community.

Temple Donates On 15 July, SINDA received a cheque for $10,000 from the Sri Arasakesari Sivan Temple at the Onam Sadya held at the Chong Pang Community Club. Presenting the gift was Mr N. Karunakaran, the temple President, with Mr K. Shanmugam, MP for Nee Soon GRC and SINDA Life Trustee, witnessing the event.

Corporate Friends Reach Out During Eid Eid this year was all the more joyous for 300 Muslim families, with SINDA’s annual Celebrate! 2012 gift distribution. On 4 August, five volunteer companies — Singapore Kadayanallur Muslim League, Aflaaq Stars Educational and Cultural Society, Sai Action for Family Relief of Needy, Credit Suisse AG Singapore and DHL Global Mail, South East Asia — stepped up to present the gift packs from SINDA to the needy families. Each pack contained supermarket vouchers worth $100.

SINDA-nominated Youth Leader Recognised Congratulations to Mr Aaron Maniam, SINDA Executive Committee member and Chairman of the SINDA Youth Club, who was conferred the Singapore Youth Award 2012 on 24 June at the Istana. Mr Maniam was cited for his “inspirational service to others and passionate commitment to transform today’s youth into tomorrow’s leaders”. He currently serves as the Director of the Institute of Policy Development at the Civil Service College. PHOTO: COURTESTY OF NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL

CEO’s Note

Reaching out with you I have a request with this edition of SINDA Connections. Please help us to reach out to more students, youths, parents and families. Your assistance in spreading the message is essential. You can help us reach out to many more that could benefit from our programmes and services. This is an urgent appeal. Why? First, allow me to describe briefly some key programmes and our plans for 2013.

STEP Tuition Programme

Our longest running programme has benefited thousands of students. As at 2012, we have 20 centres island-wide with about 3,500 students from Primary 1 to Secondary 5. The objective of STEP is to supplement school curriculum and enhance students’ understanding of key concepts. We offer Primary- and Secondarylevel English, Mathematics and Science and selected Secondary subjects. We have 450 tutors (either MOE-trained or experienced) in STEP with a tutor-student ratio of 1:10 on average. Students receive supplementary resources to suit their competency level. Learning journeys, workshops, seminars and holiday programmes are conducted to enhance their learning. E-learning resources, educational portals and interactive teaching methods have been introduced. We also constantly revise our curriculum, in consultation with education professionals, tutors and students to keep it relevant.

Project Teach

While STEP is centre-based, Project Teach is a schoolbased programme. Students are identified by the school and classes are conducted either before or after school. Currently we have 59 primary and secondary schools with about 1,200 students enrolled. Essentially, the same Primary level subjects as STEP, and Secondary Math are taught. The strength of the programme is that students are from the same school and the strong partnership with the school helps in addressing the underperformance of the student. The student enrolment in Project Teach depends on the number of schools allowing us to conduct the programme. There may be Indian students in schools offering Project Teach who may not be enrolled for some reason. There is capacity for another 500 students in 2013. Again, please spread the message and encourage parents to enrol their children in the programme. A list of Project Teach schools can be found on SINDA’s website.

Our student cost per head at STEP is about $130 per month. We collect between $5 and $20, depending on income, number of subjects and level of study; which is subsidised 85% to 97%. I am confident there is no other programme in the market, as value-added as STEP for the community. The capacity in STEP is 4000 but our current enrolment is only 3500 students. Our target is to reach 4000 students in 2013. Spread the good word. Encourage parents and youths to enrol.

Project Teach students with Ms Indranee Rajah, when she visited Huamin Primary School in April this year.

Pre-School Awareness

This has become a hot topic nationwide. SINDA started two new divisions this year, namely, the Children Division and Parents Division. Both divisions organise motivational and informative workshops, seminars and activities for the respective target groups. The Children Division ensures that more of our Indian children attend nursery and kindergarten regularly. This decision to send the children to pre-school belongs to the parent. It is the responsible thing to do and you can never start too early. Give your child a head start through pre-school, to acquire numeracy, literacy and social skills, interact and understand the dynamics of a classroom. Parents shouldn’t deprive a child of this opportunity. There are many schemes to take care of funding. Apart from government schemes, there are SINDA schemes that are available as well. Approximately 4,000 Indian children are born here annually. MOE data shows that 88% of each cohort is enrolled in K2. For the remaining 12%, it is uncertain if they attend classes regularly or whether they started with K1. The percentage that started with nursery education is much lower. It is crucial that learning starts as early as possible. Even with a stimulating home environment, there is no substitute for a social setting at a pre-school. Parents with children 3 years of age should enrol their children in nursery. A strong foundation in K1 and K2 helps in Primary education. Help us increase this awareness among parents that you may know. Community based outreach goes a long way beyond what SINDA alone can achieve.

Youths

We need to reach 1,000 youths annually to motivate and engage them in activities that will guide them better in making the right decisions, handle set-backs in life and persevere towards success. Our SINDA Youth Club engages many promising youths who are role models for many others. Being part of SINDA’s youth programmes will improve their outlook in life and help them build valuable networks. There is always someone influential in a youth’s life — if you are that person, please direct them to our programmes, which develop character and build resilience.

We at SINDA are your partners. We are reaching out, but we need your assistance and support to extend our reach further. Please note the information below. There are many ways to reach us. Please key in the numbers in your phone immediately. Drop us an email, SMS or just call the hotline. Let’s act in unison to create a brighter future for our community together. Reach us through: è SINDA Hotline:

1800 295 4554

è Email the CEO:

ceo@sinda.org.sg

è SMS the CEO:

9853 3429

è SINDA Website:

www.sinda.org.sg

è Magazine email:

connections@sinda.org.sg

Parents

The Parents division aims to reach out to Indian parents who need guidance and support. We want both parents to be involved in the education and lives of their children. We want to tell them about the education system, the importance of Mathematics, and to help them communicate with their children and teenagers. Fathers are very important role models for the children. We want Indian fathers to be more involved in their children’s lives and play a greater role at home. Involvement includes both educational and social growth of children. More fathers should attend parent-teacher meetings, and monitor their children’s homework and examination results. Help us once again engage the fathers.

T. Raja Segar CEO

Fashion Fund-Raiser They came, they sashayed, they sold… Stunning Indian haute couture was not only on display at a charity dinner on 25 August, pieces were also auctioned off to raise funds for worthy causes. Organised by the Tanglin-Cairnhill Citizens’ Consultative Committee (CCC) and SINDA,

“Bollywood Cutting Edge — The Trilogy” brought together the richness of various Indian cultures through fashion. Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam was Guest-of-Honour, while Ms Indranee Rajah, Member of Parliament and Grassroots Adviser for Tanjong Pagar and SINDA President, surprised guests with songs in Tamil and Hindi. $100,000 from the sum raised at the event held at the Mandarin Oriental Singapore will go towards funding of SINDA’s programmes.

Let’s Get Active Together B

esides looking after the nutritional needs and mental well-being of our children, parents should place equal importance on their physical fitness. With endless electronic games to distract them today, it is important that parents consciously incorporate physical activity in their children’s daily routine. Regular physical activity helps children grow and build strong bones and muscles. At the same time, children develop motor skills that are crucial for their health and development. When they play with their friends, they also learn social skills like teamwork and sharing. Here are some ways you can get active as a family! Walk the Talk Make time for physical activity with your child. Plan an active weekend as a family. Try kite-flying or exploring a nature trail. Learn a new activity together Try out new activities such as swimming or playing Frisbee with your children.

Learn a new activity together If your child enjoys drawing, go on a short hike before stopping to draw the scenery. Encourage your child to vary walking with other actions such as skipping, running, hopping or walking sideways. Buy gifts that promote physical activity, such as inflatable balls or in-line skates, to get your child excited about sports. Most importantly, motivate your child to be active by engaging in fun activities together. Mix fun with fitness and bond with the entire family! This article is brought to you by

A First Step to Success A generation ago, the first kindergartens were only just being introduced in Singapore. Now, pre-school centres are being set up at an increasing rate in every neighbourhood, and you may find yourself wondering, what’s the fuss about? Does my child really need this?

Watch the video here

he fact of the matter is, as last year’s SINDA 2020 Review revealed, that challenges still remain in the progress of Indian students, which are best addressed at a young age. As SINDA CEO Mr T. Raja Segar emphasises, “Early intervention at pre-school will give Indian students a strong foundation and, hence, a head-start towards better academic performance.” Don’t let financial issues affect your child’s future! SINDA offers a Pre-school Bursary Scheme on top of existing government subsidies and Centre-based Financial Assistance Scheme for Children (CFAC) and Kindergarten Financial Assistance Scheme (KiFAS) subsidies. It’s part of our strategy to offer Indian children a stronger footing to succeed in the future. So make the right decision and give your child that firm foundation that will be an advantage in the many years of learning to come. SINDA looks forward to partnering you in your child’s education. For more information, please call 1800 295 4554.

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Youths Contribute At SINDA, we are proud that among our 1,351 volunteers last year, a great many were youths ‘yet to arrive’. These young people are proving that volunteers make a difference, no matter what their background. Read on to see how some of them are enriching not only the lives of those around them, but their own as well.

01 02

01 Divya guides students as they assemble furniture at a beneficiary’s home 02–04 Youths helping with renovation efforts

GAME ON! Divya Pillai is 22. The mentor with GAME, SINDA’s Guidance and Mentorship programme, says, “If we don’t help each other, who will? “The biggest problem Indian students face, in my opinion, is the social stigma surrounding them,” the psychology undergraduate muses. She offers two perspectives of unmotivated youths which she noted during the Renov-aid project recently concluded in July. The programme guided 15 youths who accomplished mini home-makeovers for two low-income families.

On the one hand, Divya saw well-to-do teens unmotivated to help because they were so used to being helped themselves. On the other hand, there were underprivileged teens who had a ‘cannot do it’ mind-set stemming from their troubled backgrounds. She believes, “Indian youth today need to forget what people think of them and just give it their all, try their best and they will definitely succeed.” Divya hopes to see more Indian students contributing: “When it comes to volunteering, very little goes a very long way.”

05 The core team behind the success of the SINDA-ITE Youth Showcase: Second from left is Barkathnisha, fifth from left is Sheila. Kanesh and Mavin are in black and blue respectively. 06 Guest speaker Mr Subhas Anandan shares his views on success with the audience 07 The dance competition as part of the SINDA-ITE Showcase received rave reviews

ITE Youth Showcase Sheila Manokaran is all of 18 years old and has already directed a major event, the 2012 SINDA-ITE Youth Showcase, the first time the programme has been organised by youths themselves. Sheila said, “I’m glad that I could make a difference. After all, I am just ordinary! Nothing is impossible if you put your heart and mind to it.” Echoing the message was her team’s Secretary and Assistant Director, Barkathnisha Bte Mohd Anifah, 21, who proclaims, “If we in the team could do it, so can you.” The team consisted of ten Indian students from ITE College East who attended SINDA’s events management workshop. Together they pulled off an amazing showcase featuring guest speaker, renowned lawyer Mr Subhas Anandan, as well as an Inter-College Dance Showdown.

18-year-old N Kaneshvara, who was in charge of the dance-off noted, “Today’s youth are unmotivated because they dare not try; they tell themselves that they cannot do it. Indian youths must show ourselves up, show that we can achieve things; then we will bring up the name of the Indian society.” As for Mavin Niketan Mandalia, 17, the Programme IC says the experience “drives me to be the person I want to be and inspires me to make a difference in others’ lives.” Mavin adds, “I believe that only through involvement do students realise that their contributions matter, and that they play a part in how successful their lives are.”

“Putting U in the CommUnity” SINDA offers flexible and meaningful opportunities to create positive change.

Most importantly, all made themselves available to support, care for and guide those in need.

In 2011, 350 new volunteers stepped forward to share their time along with our more experienced volunteers. Some nurtured a love for reading among young children, mentored youth, befriended families, imparted IT skills and provided free legal advice. Others helped in administration, logistics, design and photography for events. We had 632 volunteers engaged in long-term projects, while 719 others joined us for ad-hoc projects.

Whether you feel more comfortable working with children or adults, or even behind the scenes, there is always something you can do to make a difference. Find out more through www.sinda.org.sg/volunteer. Do give us a call at 1800 295 4554, or email volunteer@sinda.org.sg!

SINDA’s Pride They had never passed a Mathematics exam before enrolling in SINDA’s STEP tuition.

o when the ‘O’ and ‘N’ Level results were released, Tashvinny Pillai and Muhammad Shafiq Khan were ecstatic that their efforts had paid off. Both earned B3’s in the subject, besides significant improvements in other subjects like Combined Science, in which Tashvinny scored an A1. Along with PSLE achiever Vinoshini, Tashvinny and Shafiq were among SINDA’s most improved students at this year’s Self-Help Groups Joint Tuition Awards (JTA) ceremony.

JTA 2012 brought together 400 students from SINDA, Yayasan MENDAKI, the Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC) and the Eurasian Association on 25 August to celebrate their academic success through the self-help groups’ tuition programmes. The awards have spurred the ambitions of SINDA’s trio. Vinoshini sees a future as an ophthalmologist, while Tashvinny hopes to be a psychologist, and Shafiq aims to be an aerospace engineer. SINDA looks forward to partnering them in their endeavours!

Outstanding 437 437 different students from different schools and different disciplines, embracing different passions; all focused on one single vision: achieving excellence in their chosen fields.

hese top Singaporean Indian students in academics, sports and the arts were feted at the 21st annual SINDA Excellence Awards on 8 September. The Guest-of-Honour, Mr Chan Chun Sing, Acting Minister for the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports & Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Defence addressed the recipients, saying, “Each of you has demonstrated that aspirations and ambitions can be achieved.” He encouraged students to reflect on the support received from family members, teachers, and others who have been and are part of their journey, and how they may give back to the larger society.

sort of aspirations our Indian students hold today,” he said. “They are fired up to excel in their chosen fields at any cost.” In his speech, valedictorian Jeevaraj s/o Suppiah on behalf of all award winners, dedicated their success to their loving parents. He urged his coaward recipients not to forget the ‘ABC’ of success — overcoming Adversity, Bravery to follow their hearts and Caring enough to give back to society. All award recipients received certificates and book vouchers.

1,200 attended the prestigious event at Nanyang Polytechnic to celebrate the success of these students, including parents and distinguished senior officials from various civil service sectors as well as community and business leaders. SINDA CEO Mr T Raja Segar noted that this year saw a significant increase in the number of students receiving awards. “This is a clear indication of the

Watch the video here

Sonya Madeira Stamp Sonya Madeira Stamp, 39, started her PR career at Genesis Burson Marsteller in 1995 and now leads her own agency, Rice Communications. In over 17 years of experience, she has worked with leading global clients such as Discovery Channel and Microsoft. She loves puzzles (the bigger, the better!) and dreams of working with animals someday. SINDA Connections gets to know this gogetter who came to Singapore more than a decade ago. How were your growing-up years? My parents separated when I was very young and my mother moved to New Delhi soon after. I spent a number of years shuttling between my grandmother and mother. Eventually, my mother remarried and I moved to New Delhi to live with my parents where I finished my studies and started working. My parents and grandmother are a great source of inspiration to me. My parents now live in Melbourne and my dad wakes up at 4.30 am to work in a bakery while my mother travels 1.5 hours to get to work. My grandmother used to sing in Hindi movies in the 60s and still gives live performances so she can put my cousin brothers through school in Singapore. They have been a very supportive family and know what I do is important to me. They have taught me to be whole-hearted in my endeavours and to do my best to help people, and build relationships.

Why did you choose public relations as a career? I was interested in ad sales but was convinced to try out public relations before deciding. That was in 1995 and I haven’t looked back since. I enjoyed then and still appreciate the research and planning that goes into winning and keeping a client. Starting Rice has been my most challenging experience, not knowing which way it would go. I took a leap of faith and it’s been an amazing ride. Ten years on, my friends joke that there are few people in Singapore I don’t know.

As a woman, have you had to work extra hard to prove yourself?

How do you feel about receiving the CMO Asia and DBS-SICCI awards?

Fortunately Public Relations is an industry with more women than men in general. That said, it is a very competitive industry with very strong talent in Singapore, both local and foreign. I am passionate about what I do; I believe that has helped. Also, an optimistic outlook, patience and tenacity have helped me survive as an entrepreneur.

It’s been great. One was an individual award and the other was for the team. Recently, we won the IPRS PR Consultancy of the Year award, which was also great. But there is still a long way to go, so we keep dreaming and work towards our goals. The biggest rewards I have are happy teams and clients.

I would say to be successful in any line regardless of gender, you have to prove yourself. It’s figuring out what your best traits are and making that work to your advantage.

What have been some life-changing truths? If you trust blindly, you are bound to be disappointed. Try to be self-sufficient and stand on your own two feet. Remember everyone has good days and bad; be positive — the bad things will pass.

“Ten years on, my friends joke that there are few people in Singapore I don’t know.”

What advice do you have for people who are torn between doing what they love versus something more grounded? We spend more than eight hours a day earning a living, so if you are not enthused about it, you’re going to find it difficult getting out of bed in the mornings. Practically speaking, although you may want to change the world or visit 100 countries, you will still need to work to pay the bills. Whatever work you do, be committed and give it your best. Save up money for your dreams, but live with no regrets. If today were my last day, I want to feel I’ve done my best.

You’ve been in Singapore for over a decade now, how has it been? When I arrived, it was with a view of being here for a couple of years and moving on. Singapore grew on me and I’ve put roots down. I think of Singapore as home now. It’s given me a lot and I would like the opportunity to give something back.

If you could sum up your life and experiences in a phrase? My motto: The only way is up!

“Remember everyone has good days and bad; be positive — the bad things will pass.”

Mmmm…is for Maths A

whole month of Mathematics? Not madness — Project Teach (Primary) amazed almost 500 students during the mid-year holidays, by turning mundane practice into merry learning and mustering morale especially for the PSLE cohort through its “Maths Month”. Making progress with students in 50 schools so far this year, Project Teach will multiply by 2013. Help kids metamorphose into Mathematics Masters! Programmes can be customised. Want to know more? Call Ms Kiran @ 6393 7232 and marvel as your students go, “Mmmm…Maths!”

Starting Off with Fun Since March, 30 pre-schoolers have been enjoying a head start in Mathematics with the “Fun with Maths” programme.

he fun comes in the form of colourful, attractive manipulatives which capture the young ones’ imaginations, at the same time introducing basic numeracy concepts. The threeto six-year-olds have certainly enjoyed these 24 sessions, developed by the Association for Early Childhood Educators (AECES) for SINDA.

Getting Ready with Maths & Me I

n preparation for the PSLE, 195 Primary 6 students primed themselves with SINDA’s 12-week intensive Mathematics programme Maths & Me, held at 13 STEP Centres island-wide. The specially-tailored curriculum equipped students with smart tips and mastery of key techniques. These kids will surely have faced the exams with confidence!

Carnival Capers W

here can you go fishing, count spiders, learn origami, make pizza and bounce huge balls about? On 1st June, the Phoenix Park Kindergarten in Tanglin Road hosted some 60 three- to six-year-olds for a fun-filled afternoon involving such activities. Members of the Jurong Green, Bukit Panjang and SINDA Reading Circles, the children and accompanying adults were delighted with the variety of entertaining and educational activities at the carnival. Stories came alive with puppets, music and dance, and the kids came away with better reading and numeracy skills, and self-made friendship bands and goodies. SINDA staff Kalpana Veerappan said, “The volunteers and kids all had a wonderful time. The pre-school teachers and organisers at White Lodge were so enthusiastic. I loved seeing the kids dressed up in their chef’s aprons and caps as they made pizza!”

All Fired Up

Many thanks to White Lodge Education Group Services for sponsoring the entire event, and bringing joy to so many!

“Excellent. Fantastic. Mind-blowing!”, enthused Asika Thahsin. Hers was a typical response from the 124 Primary 5 & 6 students who attended the “Exam Avengers” workshop at SINDA on 14 July.

he speaker who inspired them this much was Mr Pugalenthii, MEDALS CODE creator and Life Coach, who is also a best-selling author. In imparting his MEDALS CODE, he aims to inspire winning mind-sets and instill mental fortitude in students preparing for the PSLE. He describes the programme as “highly experiential, fun, informal, exciting, sometimes thrilling and occasionally emotional” — which certainly seems to have hit the mark. “The workshop was very exciting and I feel more confident and eager to learn even more,” said Sindujaa Natania Ruma. She felt that the learning strategies and exam management techniques shared with participants would certainly be useful. Vineeta Priya from Tampines North Primary School probably spoke for many when she described it as “best motivational talk ever!”

Optical Mayhem with Mad Science T

hings got all topsy-turvy for 50 Primary 1 and 2 students who attended a Mad Science workshop on 14 June. Through thrilling optical illusions, the children learnt about the amazing science of optics and the biology behind sight. They even got to make their own Mad Science Periscope to take home. “I am more interested in Science after this!” was their unanimous response to the experience.

Teen Spirits Soar at Camp Arise 2012 O

n 7 June, 185 Secondary 1 and 2 students pitched their tents at HomeTeamNS @ Bukit Batok Adventure Centre, roughing it out under the guidance of the Centre for Affective Management, Experiential Learning and Outdoor Training (CAMELOT). For three days and two nights, the teens, mainly from our STEP Centres, immersed in challenging activities such as bridge building, a rope course, rock-wall climbing, abseiling, zip-lining, catapulting and Laser Quest as well as dragon-boating. This SINDA-organised camp culminated in an exhilarating campfire on the second night. Following this, the Camp Arise alumni can look forward to booster programmes on Social Etiquette, Time & Anger Management and Speech Delivery, among others.

Extra Boost of Inspiration C

amp Arise held in June was such an inspiration that 63 participants made their way back for a second helping of fun and bonding on 25 August. This first of four booster sessions to be held this year engaged the students on issues close to them, such as how to cope with distractions. Besides being motivated by guest speakers and entertained with dances, they also picked up presentation skills and learnt more about responsibility.

Facing the Future with Flair & Finesse D

o you worry about making the right impression? 12 youths in their mid-teens got to boost their confidence and self-image during the June holidays, when they attended SINDA’s social etiquette and grooming seminar, “It’s Personal!” Besides polishing their social graces, the course on 11 June also equipped them with essential communication, presentation and interview skills. Now these youth will get noticed for all the right reasons!

Holiday Highlights The month-long June holiday was an active one for SINDA youths.

n 5 June, a stimulating Drama Lab got 20 Secondary 1–5 students exploring body language and creative expression with the renowned Ravindran Drama Group. Having picked up the elements of forum theatre, the participants applied their newly acquired skills to give a rousing performance in this thoroughly enjoyable workshop. From 12–15 June, 12 SINDA youths joined the annual Camp Kathiroli to explore their prospects at various post-secondary education institutes. Co-ordinated by the National University of

Singapore Indian Cultural Society (NUS-ICS), the camp was a good motivator for the young students to strive for success. While honing their decisionmaking skills, they squeezed in plenty of fun, including an adventure excursion to Sentosa! Most memorable for 48 secondary students must have been the three-day F1 Workshop on 20–22 June at St Andrews Secondary School. Participants not only built their own F1 race car models, but raced them in an exhilarating climax, while learning fascinating aspects of Mathematics, physics and engineering along the way. This workshop was endorsed by AsiaPac Distribution, the official partners of Formula One.

SYLS Inspires Again In what is now touted as the SINDA Youth Club’s signature event for the year, the second edition of the SINDA Youth Leaders Seminar (SYLS) was held on 1st June at the Singapore Sports School.

“Today’s youths are the leaders of the future. The leadership skills we pick up here are very important.”

hemed “Reshaping Our Future”, the dynamic 3-day-2-night residential programme saw 186 student leaders from various post-secondary educational institutions spiritedly exchanging views and ideas.

The keynote address was by Guest-of-Honour Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, and the seminar ended with a dialogue with Ms Indranee Rajah, President, SINDA. Guest speakers also included Mr Inderjit Singh, Member of Parliament, who challenged the youths to realise their visions for our future.

Participants gained new perspectives and lent new dimensions in deliberating the concerns and aspirations of the Indian community and nation as a whole. It was an exercise in leadership that inspired many. As Vanitha, one of the participants, shared:

Participant Yugendran was clearly motivated. He has this advice for his peers, “Why wait to grow up to know more and do more? We can start now!”

Students Score with Study Seminars Preparations for the ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels are intensifying, and SINDA is here to help.

n 14 July, 64 secondary school students gathered at the SINDA Auditorium for the 2012 “Math-O-Mania” workshop, where they had their doubts about Mathematical concepts resolved. Rathini of Yusof Ishak Secondary School shared, “I found the seminar very useful. We were given many useful tips on how to revise for the upcoming exam.”

Out of the Classroom and into the Sun

fter being cooped up in school for half a year, what better way to start the June holidays than to troop outdoors! That’s exactly what 66 students from Primary 3 to 6 did when they embarked on a nature trail in Sentosa on 30 May. Armed with only their observation and inference skills, the kids sought out fascinating scientific facts about plants, animals and human impact in the “Sentosa Nature Discovery Journey”. In the process, they touched on diverse subjects such as science, geography, social studies, history and Mathematics, making it a truly memorable out-of-classroom learning experience.

Meanwhile, the ‘A’ level cohort brushed up on their Mathematics, General Paper and Economics at the NASCANS R3 Programme. Held on 19 May at Yio Chu Kang Secondary School, the seminar reinforced concepts and fundamentals, while delivering useful tips and strategies. With such good preparation, the participants can, as the course poster stated, “feel relaxed and happy at the end of the exams!”

‘A’ L evel s s ‘O’ Level

> Your Potential

“Where do we go from here?” might be a common refrain among youths in JCs, Polytechnics and ITEs round the island.

n 4 August, 12 of them gained insight into various industries, and motivation to aspire towards their dream jobs.

Project PEAK kicked off with the seminar, “Careers with a Purpose”, at the Civil Service College, where participants learnt ethical decisionmaking skills. Adding a new dimension to the process, they reviewed their values and life maxims to discover the noble purpose within their career choices. Following that will be another seminar, “Project Aspire”, to be held at a later date. Project PEAK will culminate in SINDA’s first-ever Career Festival in December, where visitors will be able to meet professionals from invited companies, and attend talks by industry experts. Stay tuned for more information!

Jumanji! An Unconventional Camp Camping is always an experience to remember, and when you throw some Mathematics into the equation, you get all the fun plus unforgettable lessons, to boot!

n a first-of-its-kind programme, 69 Primary 4 and 5 pupils settled in for three days and two nights at Hill Lodge in Mount Vernon Road for “Camp Jumanji: Road to Change”. It certainly made a difference to these kids’ attitudes towards Mathematics, for who would have imagined the subject could be so fun? From 20–22 June, they cooked with Mathematics, embarked on a geometry-themed treasure hunt, strategised their way through an “Amazing Race” and tackled real-life scenarios through role-play. In between, they attended workshops on Mathematics and study skills, and still found time to collaborate on a fabulous “Fun Night” session. The camp was a resounding success by all accounts. Said East Spring Primary School student Brijesh Chaube, “It was fun and engaging because we got to play games that involved Maths. If you don’t forget the games, you won’t forget the Maths!”

Science Superheroes Never fear, help is near, as 50 Primary 3 and 4 students recently joined the ranks of the “Science Avengers”.

Wordy Wizardry Similes, metaphors and idioms came alive on 29 September for over a hundred Primary 4 and 5 students at the Radin Mas Community Club. The fun-filled session even had them momentarily transformed into game pieces on a giant, colourful game board in an exciting race!

et to the story of The Wizard of Oz, this “Vivid Vocabulary” workshop made good use of games and worksheets, costumes and props to expose the pupils to good writing. The aim was to expand the students’ vocabularies to better express themselves, and prizes were awarded for effort in using new words learnt that day.

or five Saturday mornings from 28 July to 25 August these kids embarked on their journey to become champions of Science in yet another collaboration between Raffles Institution Junior College’s Indian Cultural Society (RIJC ICS) and SINDA. The 15 mentors from RIJC ICS went to the three participating schools (Anderson Primary, Nan Chiau Primary and Yio Chu Kang Primary), covering key Science topics in fun, engaging sessions.

Project Teach – Now in Secondary Schools Yes, that’s right — leveraging on the success of our Primary School classes, Project Teach is now available at six secondary schools, with 110 pupils from secondary 1 to 5 already enrolled!

o check it out to optimise your child’s Maths potential. With its small group size, intensive instruction and experienced tutors, the programme will be a boon for upper secondary students working towards the ‘N’ and ‘O’ Levels. Classes are conducted after school hours on school premises so no time is wasted on travel.

Schools currently with the programme are: Bartley Secondary School Bendemeer Secondary School Chong Boon Secondary School East View Secondary School Punggol Secondary School Queenstown Secondary School Riverside Secondary School If you’d like to see Project Teach Secondary at your school, do contact Ms Hema @ 6393 6301, or refer to www.sinda.org.sg/project-teach-secondary.

Parents Tackle ChildRaising Concerns For some of us who have been facing trials as we raise our children, answers came in the form of our Parents Division’s pilot Modular Parenting Workshop in July.

he workshop followed a unique format with a participant-suggested focus for each module. Parents in this programme broke into discussion groups before the resident expert evaluated the discussion points and presented specific skills and tips to help. A follow-up discussion at the next session had parents sharing how these were subsequently implemented in their families. Facilitating the workshop was Mr Halbert Louis from Fei Yue Community Services, who holds a Master’s degree in Counselling, with 20 years of speaking experience under his belt. The feedback has been unanimously optimistic. It’s a very good programme,” homemaker Mrs Selvi, proclaimed. “We realise we’ve been making some mistakes and are more aware of parenting pitfalls. Talking to other parents also gives me new ideas to follow.”

Testimony of Courage He has been lauded in the newspapers and hailed as a national hero; now the Indian community has come together to fete young Dr Kumaran Rasappan, the first Singaporean Indian to reach Mt Everest’s summit.

n 27 June SINDA, Narpani Pearavai and the Singapore Indian Association jointly celebrated Dr Kumaran’s success at the Grassroots Club. Dr Kumaran, 31, is certainly a source of inspiration and a role model, especially for the young. His mountaineering feat not only raised funds for the Tan Tock Seng Community Charity Fund, but also facilitated the upgrading of a healthcare post in the poor Sherpa village of Phortse. For demonstrating such concern for the welfare of communities both at home and abroad, as well as sheer grit and determination, Dr Kumaran became the first-ever recipient of the Abdeali Tayebali Lifetime Achievement Award. The inaugural award, presented by Mr S R Nathan, 6th President of Singapore, was instituted by humanist Mr Ameerali Abdeali this year and comes with an annual award of $5,000. This award is named after his parents.

Fanning the Flame at Tutor’s Forum 2012 They’ve worked tirelessly and selflessly with our children and even when they are not teaching, they are still on the job!

n 23 June, some 140 tutors from SINDA’s various programmes, including STEP and Project Teach, and STEP Centre principals and reading programme volunteers came together at an interactive seminar at Republic Polytechnic.

Taking the opportunity to share their strategies as well as concerns, the tutors also benefitted from tips from Prof. Berinderjeet Kaur and Dr Charles Chew from NIE and the Academy of Singapore Teachers. Overall, it was an invigorating session with participants more inspired than ever in their quest to instil the passion for learning in their students.

SINDA Students Embrace Online Learning A new generation of students is benefitting from modern methods of learning, not least our pupils at SINDA.

n 27 August, 50 Primary 4 and 5 STEP students competed in teams in the interactive E-Learning Day held at their schools. The fun and engaging Math tasks on the lite-speed portal also exercised their time management and collaborative skills. Thanks to Shuqun Primary School, Pasir Ris Primary School and Ping Yi Secondary School for hosting this initiative! New technology in the form of digital smart pens was also utilised at the ICO Lab session on 3rd September. The portal allows students and tutors to interact ‘live’ using a variety of online tools, including real-time audio. 15 Sec 1 to Sec 2 (NT) students were involved in this project held at Woodlands Ring Secondary School.

SINDA Celebrates Our Volunteers W

hile people her age spend their free time with family and friends, 65-year-old Mdm Elizabeth Perumal spends her leisure hours reading to her young charges in Project Read. “It may not be easy and may be very time-consuming, but I feel that it is the least I can do — enable children to gain confidence and stand on their own feet,” she says. Mdm Perumal was one of 75 SINDA volunteers who, on 7 July, received various awards for their consistent service and significant contributions. That day, about 500 volunteers — old, young, entire families, schools and corporations, Singaporeans and expatriates — attended the biennial Volunteers’ Tea at Nanyang Polytechnic, where SINDA performers paid tribute to these resourceful and dedicated persons. In his address, Guest-of-Honour Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean thanked them for contributing their “time, resources and energy towards the collective vision of building a strong and vibrant Indian community together”. This year, SINDA’s many new and enhanced programmes and services, implemented as part of the SINDA 2020 review recommendations, have been rolled out with the help of our volunteers. Truly, volunteers are the Heartbeat of SINDA.

Did You Know…? SINDA’s oldest volunteer is 78 years old! Our youngest volunteers have been volunteering at SINDA since 10 years of age

Zoom-O-Mania Calling all primary school children! Take a good look at these zoomed-in images and see if you can guess what the two objects are. Three correct entries will each win a $50 voucher. The winning correct entries will be picked in a draw.

Name:

The judgesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; decision is final. Winners will be contacted by SINDA to collect their prizes, and the winnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; names will be published in the next issue of SINDA Connections.

BC No: Contact No:

School Level:

Please submit your entries together with your particulars to Zoom-O-Mania c/o Children Division, No 1 Beatty Road Singapore 209943 by 20 November 2012.

School: Address:

Object A is:

Object B is:

Congratulations to the following winners from our previous contest! School with the most entries: CHIJ (Katong) Primary School Winners will be contacted by SINDA.

Pa. Achyyuthan, Primary 3, Queenstown Primary School

ABOUT US VISION To build a strong and vibrant Singaporean Indian community together MISSION To build a well-educated, resilient and confident community of Indians that stands together with the other communities in contributing to the progress of multi-racial Singapore VALUES Respect, our culture Integrity, our foundation Service, our promise Excellence, our pursuit

Rahul, Primary 1, Park View Primary School

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Patron Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong Chairman, Board of Trustees Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam Life Trustees Prof S Jayakumar Mr S Dhanabalan Mr S Chandra Das Mr J Y Pillay Mr Sat Pal Khattar Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam Mr K Shanmugam Dr N Varaprasad Term Trustees Mr Inderjit Singh Ms Indranee Rajah Mr Haider M Sithawalla Mr Bobby Chin Yoke Choong Mr M Rajaram

Bhaskar Megaanandhi, Primary 5, Radin Mas Primary School

Mr V Shankar Mr Ravi Menon Mr R Jayachandran Mr Hsieh Fu Hua Mr Girija Pande Mr Gautam Banerjee MG Ravinder Singh Advisors Dr Vivian Balakrishnan Mr S Iswaran Mr Hri Kumar Nair EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President Ms Indranee Rajah Vice Presidents Mr Viswa Sadasivan Mr Shabbir Hassanbhai, PBM Secretary Mr Sarjit Singh, BBM

Treasurer Mr Subramaniam Iyer Members Mr V P Jothi Mr R Rajaram Mr Aaron Maniam Mr Naseer Ghani Mr Puvan Ariaratnam Mr P Thirunal Karasu, BBM Dr Joshua V M Kuma Resource Panel Members Mr K V Rao Ms M Nirmala Mr P B Desai Dr Sivasankaran Subramaniam Mr Mohamed Abdul Jaleel, PBM Ms Sabanitha Shanmugasundram Mr Sajen G Aswani