Westwood Secondary School Yearbook 2016 by Phoenix Design

Always learning, always serving

Westwood Secondary School

Rooted to Soar

VISION MISSION Rooted in Character and Skills to Soar for the Nation

Nurturing Westwoodians to be anchored in sound values, to have the necessary knowledge and skills to face the challenges of the future, and to be driven by the desire to make a difference. 1

Letter

FROM THE EDITORIAL TEAM With every step we take and every word we speak,

compassion and the will to help others. In the

we live out a beautiful story. It is a story that is

words of Martin Luther King -- to serve, you only

unique to us, with no other quite like it, each

need a heart full of grace and a soul generated

crafted and shaped by our beliefs.

by love. When you have a heart to serve others,

it unlocks something in you and in doing so, you

Like any good story, there are the highs and the

grow as a person.

lows, and some seasons easier to go through than

others. But one thing is certain, we are not alone in

Westwoodians, as we close off 2016, let it be a

this journey -- for in every season, there are people

year filled with overflowing grace and love. Let

specially placed to walk the journey with us.

us enlarge our heart to seeing the greater things

in life, beyond self. Let us learn to cherish what

As we fulfill our roles as students, equipping

we have, the people around us and give thanks. In

ourselves with knowledge and skills, let us also

doing so, we count our blessings and our hearts

be reminded to fulfill a greater purpose that is

are full.

larger than life -- making a difference in the lives

of others. As Albert Schweitzer would say, the

Let our beautiful story unfold.

purpose of human life is to serve, and to show

EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Mrs Diana Kang

EDITORIAL PANEL Ms Danielle Zhang Danlu Mrs Natasha Teo-Wong Liru Mr Neo Jin Ping Ms Priscilla Quek Mdm Nur Rakeezah Bte Abdul Rahim Mdm Farhana Bte Moktar Mr Joel Tan Ms Lim Daixuan Mdm Suziana Selamat

E NT CO S NT

002

EDITORIAL MESSAGE 006

PRINCIPAL’S FOREWORD 008

STAY POSITIVE

• Andre Seah, Valedictorian 2016

010

ALWAYS LEARNING, ALWAYS SERVING • Lim Wei Jie, Class of 2014

012

2016 HIGHLIGHTS AND FEATURES • The Westwood Gallery • Indoor Sports Hall Official Opening • Exercise Rhinos • An Innovative Mind. A Social Entrepreneurial Spirit • VIA - Make A Difference • Arts for Life

028

LIFE @ WESTWOOD • Learning the fun way @ Westwood • Life a Cycle • House Rivalry • Catering to Diverse Interests • Grooming Future Leaders • Strive Today, Thrive Tomorrow • Once a Westwoodian, Always a Westwoodian • A Man of Diverse Hobbies • Plastic Painting

050

THE WESTWOOD CONNECTION

• Connecting with the Community • The Global Citizens • Resilience is the Secret to Success • Learning with Smiles

060

THE WESTWOOD FAMILY • Voice from our Graduating Students • Graduating Class Photos • Non-Graduating Class Photos

PRINCIPAL’S FOREWORD Greetings All! 2016 has been an eventful year as it marked the beginning of a new phase of school development. As we seek to strengthen the school’s culture and sense of affiliation among its stakeholders, 2 significant facilities were opened this year – the Indoor Sports Hall and The Westwood Gallery. While the former serves as a welcome addition to the sporting facilities in the school as well as a focal point for community efforts to encourage an active lifestyle, the latter seeks to highlight the significant milestones in the school’s history, as well as highlight the school’s place in the larger community and beyond. Both emphasize the importance the school places on creating a culture of learning and a mindset of service. In keeping with this, the theme for the school this year is an apt one. “Always Learning, Always Serving” is a clarion call to all Westwoodians to continually embrace the opportunities given to them to expand their knowledge and skills, and then to utilize what they have learnt in service to others. The Westwood Brand of Education provides the platforms and opportunities for learning and

growth in all domains of development â&#x20AC;&#x201C; physical, intellectual, moral, social, emotional, as well as develops leadership and an appreciation of the aesthetics. In addition, just as many opportunities are provided for students to hone their sense of service, and to instill in them a desire to make a difference to others. This yearbook captures all of these. And even as we wish our graduating students all the very best in their future endeavors, we also want to them to remember the education they have received in Westwood, the expectations we have of them to contribute back to society, and the confidence we possess that they will indeed make their mark in future. Indeed, these are also my last words to all current Westwoodians staff and students, as I will be leaving Westwood with effect from 15 December 2016. Throughout my tenure here, I have always believed in providing as best as we can, multiple opportunities and platforms for students and staff to learn and grow, to develop talents and interests, to gain insights and convictions, and in turn, contribute in service to others. I believe from going through this publication, I have succeeded to some extent, and even as I go on to serve another school, I wish for all in the Westwood Family, to continue â&#x20AC;&#x153;Catching Dreams, Growing Aspirationsâ&#x20AC;?, and making a difference. Goodbye Westwood. Warm regards, Ms Sandra Gwee Principal 2011-2016

STAY POSITIVE Andre Seah Yong Hui, Valedictorian of GCE O-Level Examination 2015

The Westwood Journey is something both you and I share, yet the experiences that we go through are unique to each and every one of us. For me, Westwood was an eye opener. Brought up in an environment one might consider ‘elitist’ in Primary School, Westwood showed me a diversity that I had not experienced prior. Many people who know me would probably say that I’ve had quite a pleasant and smooth sailing experience in Westwood. I was doing decently well in studies, and held leadership roles in both the Student Council and my CCA, Choir. Numerous opportunities were given to me and it allowed me to grow tremendously. However, I also had my share of setbacks. Secondary Three was the the toughest period for me. Having assumed two leadership roles meant that I shouldered heavy responsibilities. Coupled with the transition to Secondary Three and the greater academic

conflicts arose between my friends and I. It wasn’t until I

demands, it was a lot to take in at once. I had to learn

had severely damaged a certain friendship that I began to

how to manage these responsibilities and studies

see that something wasn’t right. It was only then I began

quickly. Under all that stress, I started to lose a sense

to reflect on myself and my actions. I realised there was

of myself. Differentiating between work and social life

a need to make changes as I was harming myself and the

was something that I did not manage well and inevitably,

people around me.

Through this experience, I have learnt important life lessons that I still hold close to myself – proper management of my thoughts and emotions and cherishing the people around me more. Of course, the support that my friends and teachers gave me were essential to overcoming this setback. Eventually, I was able to recuperate and get back on my feet, stronger than before. Westwood also helped me realise a passion that I had not known before, and that is singing in a choir. Singing with a group of people who share the same passion is a very special feeling, at least for me. After graduating from Westwood, I was able to further indulge in this particular passion by joining The Youth Choir. There, I met many ex-students of the school, many of whom I’ve made connections with in the past. I have also forged numerous new friendships, to which I am tremendously grateful.

With the Youth Choir, front row, 5th from the right

In all our journeys, there will be good and bad times. Conflicts and setbacks are things that all of us will encounter, one way or another. How we overcome these obstacles is important. The things that we learn from them are lessons that will grow us as individuals, shaping us for the better. Cherish the joyous times you share with the people around you for secondary school life doesn’t come twice. Never Falter and Press On! 9

ALWAYS LEARNING, ALWAYS SERVING

Lim Wei Jie, Class of 2014

“Always Learning, Always Serving”. A few years ago, this would not have resonated with me, but here I am in 2016, with a better appreciation of the quote, and attempting to explain to you, what it means to me. Background My journey with Westwood Secondary started back in 2008, when I was enrolled into the Normal Academic stream. Everything was fine until Secondary One. It was a crucial year as students would choose the subjects they would study for the next two to three years. I, however, wasn’t fortunate enough to make that choice. In fact, I was to choose between being retained a year in Secondary Two or advancing on to Secondary Three in the Normal Technical stream. Turning Point At this low point in my life, I was fortunate enough to meet Mr Ali, my Physics teacher. He was one of the teachers who saw potential in me. Through his countless efforts, sacrifices and encouragements, I picked myself up and was determined to do my best. Which I did. I proceeded to complete GCE ‘N’ Level and obtained a score of 17, which was a huge improvement for me. I was really happy with it. It was also the first time I passed my Mathematics with a grade of B4. I went on to do my GCE ‘O’ Level the following year. It was something I regarded as a challenge to myself, to prove to the many out there that I could do it. Unfortunately, and not very surprisingly, I did terribly for the examination. I could only manage a score of 35. Miraculously, I 10

found another teacher who encouraged me to press on, and not give up. She is Ms Nadia, my English teacher in Secondary Five. Worthwhile Journey From then on, I decided to give myself one last chance. I knew I had to do something in order to not let my family and teachers down again. I removed myself from people who were not supportive of me and kept people who were always encouraging me and had faith in me close by. I believe in the quote, “If you want something you never had, you have to do something you have never done”. I stepped out of my own comfort zone that very day. I recalled all the lessons and experiences I had when I was in Westwood Secondary school from the many different activities I went through such as the Westwood

Bazaar to holding a leadership position in NPCC. I decided to use them to my advantage.

making a change. I am truly thankful for everyone who was on the journey with me.

Things started turning around when I was in ITE College Central. Two years might seem like a long period of time, but it went by in the blink of an eye. Because I had such focus and discipline during the two years, I was able to make the best out of it. I joined various programmes like the ACE Programme and even the Student Council.

Learning Points After a long journey, I have come to understand that hard work does pay off. It really does. Always remember that if you really want something, go get it. Always keep your motivation close to you, so that when you need them they are in sight and they can keep you going. Remember why you first STARTED and that you have come thus far.

Outcome During my time in ITE, I was elected as the President of Student Council by my peers in school. That kickstarted my hectic schedules of meetings and countless events. Every event I went to was a fulfilling one because I knew they didn’t come easy, not for me. I took every day as my last and strove for excellence. It paid off, so much that it overwhelmed me. Today, I am a proud graduate of both Westwood Secondary School and ITE. Without them, I would not be the Valedictorian of my Business School Cohort, Top Student of my course (Nitec in Business Services) nor would I have achieved various awards like the Lee Kuan Yew Gold Medal, Lee Hsien Loong Outstanding All Round Award and Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship to Encourage Upgrading. I am tremendously proud of the results I have achieved by putting in my best every single day, pushing boundaries and having the confidence in

With that, I would like to bring back “Always Learning, Always Serving”. I have learnt a lot during the past two years and I will continue to learn and to serve. I aspire to serve my Alma Mater by providing all the help I can and serve my juniors so that they can be the best they want to be. I strongly encourage all of you to never stop learning and come back to serve whenever and however you can! I wish you all the best in your journey with Westwood Secondary School and your examinations! Start identifying your goals and make the best of every day! Never see setbacks as failures, but take it as a lesson learnt and move on!

“

Paint your life the way you want it, as though it is a white spotless piece of paper!

” 11

HIGHLIGHTS OF

2016

THE WESTWOOD

GALLERY

On 1st April, Westwood Secondary School together with support from the School Advisory Committee (SAC) organised a fundraising dinner. This was done to raise funds for the building of Westwood’s heritage gallery.

It was a night of laughter and fun, graced by Dr Amy Khor who was the Guest of Honour. The theme for the evening was “A Night of Classics”, a throwback to the good old days and most fitting, given that the objective of the night was to raise funds for Westwood’s heritage gallery. The event saw a good turnout, with SAC members, grassroots leaders and staff from the school attending. As part of the fundraising efforts, both staff and students from the school contributed personal artworks for the auction. The various paintings, sculpture and photos were well received and contributed to the fundraising efforts. Students and teachers also put up performances and belted out old time classics, enlivening the evening. The fundraising was a huge success, and with strong support from the School Advisory Committee and the community, more than SGD 90,000 was raised. With the funds, the school began the construction process. Fundraising Dinner

Completed Gallery

The Westwood Gallery Official Opening The Westwood Gallery was officially opened on 8th August 2016 by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, and Ministry of Health, in conjunction with the school’s National Day celebrations. Guests included Cluster Superintendent, Mr Lee Seng Hai, former Superintendent Mr Dawson, SAC Chairperson Ms Melissa Tan, Bollywood Veggies’ very own Ms Ivy Singh and former staff of the school. The day started with the National Day Parade commemoration, followed by class activities. Students gathered at the hall where they were able to watch the live streaming of the official opening of the Westwood Gallery. The key purpose of the gallery is to promote in Westwoodians, past, present and future, a feeling of pride and sense of belonging to the school, by capturing the school’s history, key features and achievements. It also serves as a reminder that we belong to the larger community and therefore have a responsibility to contribute to it.

Gallery Opening

INDOOR SPORTS HALL OFFICIAL OPENING On 24th May 2016, two very special events took place in the evening. Our Indoor Sports Hall was officially opened by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources & Ministry of Health. It was an evening filled with exhilarating performances put up by our students from the various Sports CCAs, Houses as well as Upbeats, our cheerleading team. The programme began with our Basketball boys having a friendly charity match of wheelchair basketball with our friends from the Singapore Disability Sports Council. It was a good opportunity for our students to learn to empathise with our para-athletes through this match and created an excellent learning and interaction platform for both teams which is in line with our school’s theme for the year, “Always learning, Always Serving”. We proceeded to the school hall for our annual Awards Day ceremony to commemorate the efforts and successes of Westwoodians, past and present, as well as to give our thanks and show our appreciation to all those who have helped make the past year a good one for the school.

EXERCISE RHINOS Westwood Secondary School has successfully conducted Exercise Rhinos, a full scale Emergency Exercise, on 15th February 2016. The exercise was a collaborative effort with MOE’s Security and Emergency Planning Office (SEMPO), the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF), based on a scenario of a fire emergency in the school compound.

In preparing for the Exercise Rhinos, staff of the school

underwent two half-days of emergency training in January of this year, conducted by officers from SEMPO. An “explosion” with smoke billowing out from the Chemistry Laboratory at 10.00 am, followed quickly by the activation of the emergency siren, signalled the start of Exercise Rhinos. In the next one and a half hours, staff learnt how to evacuate students, rescue and manage casualties, care for traumatised students and fellow colleagues, manage anxious parents and respond to the media. The school also had the opportunity to work with the SCDF and SPF who deployed their personnel and equipment in support of the exercise. The chaotic scenario was successfully simulated through realistic role playing by our own students, staff and parents. Through the exercise, students and staff were reminded of the need to remain vigilant at all times and prepared to handle unexpected emergencies in the school. The exercise ended with debriefing sessions for all students and staff. The school received a certificate for the successful completion of Exercise Rhinos from SEMPO and was awarded the Civil Defence Ready Schools Programme Certificate from SCDF.

AN INNOVATIVE MIND. A SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT. Spearheaded by Applied Learning Programme Committee

Main Highlights:

in collaboration with Values in Action Committee (VIA),

Environment Committee and adopted social organisations

Committee, Secondary One students are imparted basic

(SPCA, Singapore Association for Mental Health, Bizlink

marketing knowledge on AIDA (Attention. Interest. Desire.

and Friends of Disabled Society), Westwood Secondary

Action) to assist them in designing marketing posters

School aims to raise awareness of under-met or emerging

that communicate the importance of conserving the

social needs locally and regionally and inspire students

environment while encouraging the school population to

to innovate and embrace social entrepreneurial spirit to

support environmental efforts.

collaboration

with

both

VIA

and

Environment

address those needs. Also, Secondary Two students have undergone a Anchored by the Design Thinking methodology and

series of Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship (ISE)

with a developmental approach that takes place over

programmes and activities in preparation of the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

three years, students are equipped with the necessary

inaugural Pushcart Challenge to develop their ability to

competencies, skills and knowledge to conceptualise

empathise and to cultivate their social entrepreneurial

ideas and business solutions to resolve social needs

spirit. Students are equipped with basic financial literacy,

through five main phases. (1) Empathise (2) Define (3)

budgeting knowledge, four Ps (price, promotion, product

Ideate (4) Prototype (5) Test.

and place) of marketing and basic business management

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Global Student Challenge 2015

Industry Visit 18

Cultural Immersion

skills to assist them in running a

are

national

Sales Pitch in the National Pushcart

pushcart business with a heart within

competitions involving innovation and

Challenge 2015. In 2016, our students

the school from 16 – 18 August 2016.

social entrepreneurship.

also won 2nd Runner-Up in the

selected

enter

The proceeds from their pushcart

Singapore Management University

business would be given to their

Making Big Splashes on the National

Youth Innovation Challenge 2016.

adopted beneficiaries.

and International Scene:

Internationally, a group of students

Our students’ innovative mind and

also qualified and competed as

Furthermore, using Design Thinking

social entrepreneurial spirit have

the semi-finalist in the Hong Kong

methodolgy,

Three

been making big splashes on the local

Polytechnic University Global Student

students are tasked to develop an

scene. Late last year, the students won

Challenge 2015 held in Hong Kong

innovative business solution to solve

the Social Entrepreneurship Category

while another student was selected

an actual social need in Batam,

in Design for Change Challenge

to represent Halogen Foundation

Indonesia, in relation to their Overseas

Singapore 2015, 1st Runner-Up in

Singapore

VIA Camp held from 7 – 9 March

the Marketing Innovation Challenge

Showcase held in New York.

2016. Quality business solutions

2015, a Bronze Award and Best

Secondary

“

the

- Robert Louis Stevenson.

Global

”

Junior Achievement Company of the Year 2016

Token of Appreciation

National Pushcart Challenge 2016

Westwood Pushcart Challenge 2016

Design for Change 2015

Youth Innovation Challenge 2016

Media Interview

NFTE

Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you sow.

National Financial Literacy Competition 2015

Competition Venue

Group Shot with the Students

VALUES IN ACTION

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

(M.A.D) JOURNEY 2016 By Values in Action Committee

2016 was a year to remember as Westwood Secondary

“Education seeks to cultivate the range of latent skills and

School celebrated and reflected on their community

attributes within the individual. It aims to create a complete

involvement as active contributors to society. Over the

person, one who can channel his energy – simultaneously

years, various programmes and activities have been

– towards altruism and to his own personal needs for self-

planned to develop the spirit of service learning and

enhancement.” – Associate Professor Muhammad Faisal

inculcate positive values which will strengthen the

Ibrahim, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education

students’ socio-emotional competencies. As a whole-

and Ministry of Social and Family Development.

school approach, both staff and students have also reached out to the community in many new and creative

Inaugural Secondary Three Overseas VIA Level Camp

ways. The school hopes that the VIA experience would

2016 (Batam, Indonesia)

help develop learner-centered values and a positive sense

This camp stems from the school’s goal to provide both

of student, teacher and school identity.

students and teachers with a unique opportunity for

both personal development and international exposure

school facilities, decorate the learning environment, and

through an overseas immersion experience. While

collected educational materials for usage in classrooms.

engaging a local community in Batam, both teachers and students managed to explore different facets of service

Although it was only three days and two nights, both

learning which include planning and execution of the trip.

teachers and students had certainly left a deep imprint in

This experiential learning programme has also allowed

the lives of the local students and villagers.

them to experience working independently and in teams to create meaningful learning experiences.

“Simple Joy. Simple Happiness. Back to Basics” – Yusri, 3C

For this inaugural Overseas VIA Camp, both students and

“If I have the ability to help, why should I just stand by and

teachers worked closely with five local village schools from

watch?” – Claudia Tan, 3F

the local community. They helped to construct and repair

Project Love:

Small Steps to Make a Big and

Meaningful Impact The school embarked on Project Love in 2016 as a wholeschool approach in making small steps to make a big and meaningful impact. This project encompassed the love for elderly, disabled friends, environment, animals and those who are less fortunate in our community. It involves the cross-collaboration of different communities and CCAs, including Environment Committee, House Committee, CABIN and many more. Our Secondary One students designed environmental awareness posters to be placed around the school while the House Committee organised recycling drives to communicate the importance of conserving the environment. Students also volunteered for the National Tray Return Campaign to help keep food outlets clean and as an act of social graciousness towards cleaners and fellow patrons. Furthermore, our Secondary Two students participated in the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inaugural Pushcart Challenge and ran a mini business to raise funds for their adopted beneficiaries (SPCA,

HCA Hospice, SASCO, Thye Hua Kwan, Fei Yue Community Services and Singapore Association for Mental Health). They also organised visits and recreational activities for these beneficiaries. In addition, our Secondary Four and Five students were involved in making a meaningful difference through their involvement in providing meal services and spring cleaning services to homebound residents in the Jurong community (Touch Home Care). They also collected food items for the less fortunate (Food Bank Singapore) and raised public’s awareness of a social enterprise, Bizlink Cafe. Besides that, in collaboration with Friends of Disabled Society (FDS), the students displayed their creative flair by designing mosaic tiles which would be sold by FDS. Overall, the school has made great strides in nurturing a culture of care and active contribution to the community. To share a quote from the American humanitarian, Ms Harriet Tubman: “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”

ARTS FOR LIFE! Westwood’s Learning for Life Programme Through the Arts for Life programme, Westwood Secondary hopes to nurture students in an informed and life-long appreciation of the Arts. The school has in place numerous programmes to provide students with ample exposure to the various arts, including dance, music and theatre studies. These programmes are underpinned by the school’s core values of Resilience, Integrity, Compassion, Innovation and Continual Learning, and with careful mapping against knowledge, skills and social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies such as self and social awareness, self and relationship management and responsible decision-making, students will receive Westwood Secondary’s unique brand of education.

Outdoor Stage The outdoor stage serves as a platform to allow students from the various performing arts and interest groups to showcase their talents and in the process foster a greater sense of self-confidence and resilience.

Cajon performance by students from the Cajon interest group

Arts for Life! â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Inaugural Westwood Arts Festival The inaugural Westwood Arts Festival kicked off on 18th July, heralding a whole week of exciting performances and activities. Students were treated to a wide range of performances and even a puppet show from the Scape Invasion, The A Cappella Society, the Duo Jackson as well as the Oneheartbeat. It sure was lively! Besides these hall performances, workshops provided hands-on experiences for students too! Students drew, sang, danced and beatboxed. The exciting week was capped off with the TGIF Arts Market and the official launch of the outdoor stage. Students showed off their entrepreneurial spirit by peddling their wares and skills. It was TGIF at its best, right in Westwood!

Manga workshop

Henna-Making booth

A Cappella performance by The A Cappella Society

Arts Market booth

Beatbox workshop

Cajon workshop

Intermediate hiphop workshop

Puppet show by The Fingers Players

Inch Chua from Scape Invasion

Sand Animation Workshop

Arts Fest Workshops

LIFE @

WESTWOOD

LEARNING THE FUN WAY Elective Modules 2016 The Elective Modules (EM) was successfully concluded at the end of Semester 1 for the Secondary 4NA and 4NT students. Through this module, the students had the opportunity to explore possible career paths as well as see the link between what is taught in the classroom with real world applications. This year the EMs offered to the students covered a broad range of industries from the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) sector to the Hospitality, Tourism and Service sector. Students were allowed to choose the sector which appealed to them the most and get a taste of its demands, challenges and opportunities. The exposure provided has enriched them and would allow them to make 3, 2, 1, Go! better connections between their present curriculum and the courses which appeal to them at the tertiary level.

Students having a go at the Changi Flight Simulator

Science Day 2016 This year, the Secondary Two students had the opportunity to experience the learning of science through hands-on and experiential learning activities by participating in teacher-led workshops and competitions during Science Day 2016. Programmes such as Science Enigma Challenge, Soap-Making workshop, Lemon Battery and Electroplating workshop, as well as Balancing-Toy competition were specially designed to stretch studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ability and cultivate their passion towards the learning of science, and hence see the subjectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relevance in their daily life. Wong Yuxuan, Class 2F 2016 We learned how to make telescopes, and experimented how the distance between the two pieces of glass can make the telescope function better, and get us a clearer view of the objects that are far away. Although my group was not among the top 10, I had a great time making the telescope with my friends. It was really an amazing and fun experience for all of us!

Learning about the mechanisms that makes a car move

Mother Tongue Fortnight 2016 The Mother Tongue Fortnight activities aimed to promote

Malay Language as well as opportunities to interact with

the love of learning and appreciation of Mother Tongue

one another, that will educate them to respect and value

Languages by providing authentic learning opportunities

different cultures. As part of their final assessment, this

for students to experience the culture. These activities

year the Secondary One students put up a short skit in

such as Puppet-Making, Traditional Food-Making, Mask-

both Chinese and Malay to showcase what they have

Drawing, Traditional Dance and Traditional Instruments-

learnt during the CCM lessons.

Playing workshops, and other teacher-led workshops such as Traditional Master Games, Lyrics Appreciation

Tee Jia Hong, Class 1E 2016

and Mother Tongue Quiz competition provided platforms

I had fun in learning Conversational Chinese-Malay. As

for students to actively learn Mother Tongue Languages in

a Chinese, I was instructed by a Malay teacher to learn

a fun and engaging way.

Malay Language with the rest of my Chinese classmates. Our teacher was gentle and kind, and her lesson was so

Ng Jasmine, Class 2G 2016

interesting. We came up with a short skit as a group and

This year we learnt how to make and perform Chinese

competed among the whole cohort, and my group was

shadow puppets. The instructor taught us the history of

chosen to perform on the stage during Racial Harmony

Chinese shadow puppets, followed by showing us how to

Celebration. We practised day and night to ensure our

do a play using these puppets. The character I got was the

performance would impress the school. And we did

Monkey King of Journey to the West, and I am still keeping

it! I am now more confident, and I really appreciate the

it in my room till now. It was indeed a great experience and

teachers who taught us and dedicated their time and

we had a lot of fun throughout the activity. Not only did I

energy to guide us.

gain knowledge about shadow puppets, I also had a great time with my classmates. Mother Tongue Fortnight taught

Kendrick Koh, Class 1D 2016

us more about our traditions, and also got us to appreciate

I have learnt how to coordinate with my teammates in the

the history and origin of our culture.

short skit we performed. I have also learnt how to speak simple Malay and have been more closely bonded with my

Sponsored by MOE, every year the Secondary One

friends after the programme. Overall, this is a really fun

students take Conversational Chinese-Malay lessons as

experience and I enjoyed it a lot!

part of their enrichment programmes. It aims to provide students with some knowledge of functional Chinese or

Mother Tongue Language and Cultural Fiesta 2016 & Inter-Secondary School Chinese Calligraphy Competition Mother Tongue Language is important as part of our

during the Cultural Fiesta. The questions asked were very

cultural heritage, and the way to improve on our Mother

interesting, and although we did not manage to get first

Tongue is through real life application. In Westwood, we

in the competition, we had fun and most importantly, I

consistently train students to be able to think critically

learnt a lot of new words that I had never seen before. It

and communicate their ideas confidently in both written

broadened my horizon, and enhanced my understanding

and spoken forms of the Mother Tongue Language. A

of the meanings in different words.

group of our upper secondary students participated in the annual Mother Tongue Language and Cultural Fiesta

Goh Shu Ning, Class 1F 2016 (Participated in the Chinese

hosted by Boon Lay Secondary School on 22nd July 2016.

Calligraphy competition)

The quiz tested the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; knowledge on the culture,

We learnt about the different skills and types of Chinese

idioms and the ability to translate words from English

Calligraphy writing during Higher Chinese lesson for 10

to Mother Tongue Languages. On the same day, a group

weeks. When my HCL teacher chose me to participate

of our Secondary One Higher Chinese students took

in the calligraphy competition I was shocked, as I did

part in the Inter-Secondary School Chinese Calligraphy

not think that I could do well. But my teacher insisted

Competition held in Xingnan Primary School. Both groups

and encouraged me to do my best. I thank her for it

achieved excellent results.

now, because I became more confident in myself after the competition. We are so proud of ourselves, as all six

Yeo Mingrou, Class 3E 2016 (Participated in the Cultural Fiesta)

of us who went for the competition had won trophies in

I had lots of fun when trying to answer the questions

different categories.

Talent Development Programme The

Talent

Development

Programme

Oo Wei En, Class 4I

Committee in Westwood Secondary School

Being a part of the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Talent

regularly prepares and sends students

Development Programme has given me

for prestigious regional and international

the chance to learn new skills beyond

conferences. Students are trained in their

the curriculum. I was able to take part in

critical and analytical thinking skills, as

different prestigious conferences, which

well as their public speaking skills through

was an eye-opening experience for me.

intensive debates over world issues, so as

I was able to discuss global issues while

to equip them with the ability to develop

roleplaying as a delegate of a country. This

sound solutions to tackle 21st Century

conference has given me the opportunity to

problems as socially-minded leaders

make friends from different schools, and

of the world. The Raffles Model United

helped me to build up my public speaking

Nations Conference and the River Valley

skills and learn to speak with flair when

Model United Nations Conference are two

making a speech. I am deeply honoured to

such conferences that our students have

be a part of it.

attended this year.

LIFE A CYCLE Ahmad Zaki Jamal, Graduate of Year 2012

My team members and I, along with our Class Advisor Mrs Yu, after presenting our Final Year Accounting Project, featuring our Financial Report.

A New Beginning I attended Westwood from 2009 to 2012. Why Westwood? Well, one main reason is Westwood had what I needed back then, a Special Needs Officer. I’m dyslexic and I got through my PSLE with a mere two digit aggregate. I can never forget how difficult it was to go to Primary school every day, facing teachers who didn’t understand my situation, and simply labelled me. Westwood, as I told myself after I was accepted, would be a turning point in my life. Indeed, it was. In Secondary One, I found my academic interest in English Language through Ms Marzuki’s ever fun and enriching lessons, and I swore then, I would make English Language my forte. My grades in Westwood were beyond comparison to my grades in primary school. In my opinion, I have excelled tremendously. I was made Class Chairperson for 1A by my form teacher, Mr Lee. Through that role, it gave me confidence and certainty as an individual. Mr Lee also recommended me to the Westwood Student Council, where I served as councillor for two and a half years. With these diverse learning experiences, Westwood has moulded me to be who I am 34

today, a person who treasures every learning opportunity, and contributes back.

Ups and Downs After graduating from Westwood, I attended ITE for 3 years. I did my NITEC in Service Skills (Office) and Higher NITEC in Accounting. I graduated from NITEC with very good grades that allowed me to get into a professional course, accounting. But, things began going downhill again for me, as accounting was very quantitative in nature, unlike my previous course of study. I struggled through my two years in accounting, with average grades, and my interest in accounting slowly faded. Nonetheless, I graduated, with a modest GPA. I joined the Student Council of ITE College Central, and served as councillor for a year, and then, the council’s General Secretary. Serving as both councillor and General Secretary was far different from serving as councillor in Westwood. We had ten thousand students who looked up to us, and our college Principal, Dr Ang Kiam Wee, had high expectations of the Student Council. One challenge I faced was understanding

A discussion with Mr Shanmugam at the SG50: Past, Present, Future event at ITE College Central

My mentor, MOE staff, Lin Teck and I during the US Alumni Mentoring Programme at NIKE Singapore.

my councillors and students. Of course, each one of us is unique. And through this challenge, I’ve learnt to understand and appreciate the people I meet.

New Outlook The Student Council gave me opportunities to represent ITE College Central to meet ministers during ministerial dialogues, which allowed me to have a broader perspective on issues, and think critically. In the same year, I had the privilege to be a mentee in the US Embassy Alumni Mentoring Programme. It was the best opportunity ITE had offered me. The programme gave me an exposure to a sea of scholars, from all sorts of industries. It showed me a whole new different approach to life and my studies. My main takeaway from the programme was from a session we had at Bloomberg. In life, things are never certain. It is through these uncertainties that we grow to be who we are or who we will be in the future. So relax and go with the flow. With all these beneficial lessons I’ve gained, I chose to return to ITE, to serve the college as a mentor to the

This was taken during the Tanya AP Anda (Ask your MP) event, hosted by Ria 89.7FM at the Old Parliament House.

college’s SPARK Mentoring Programme initiative. Through this, I’ve discovered a new interest - enriching lives.

Go with the flow Today, I am a student reading law, with the Stansfield Law School - University of London. I am pursuing a Certificate of Higher Education in The Common Law for a year, and after this I hope to be able to study for an LLB. I’m enjoying what I’m doing now, and looking back at how far I’ve come, I realise I will never be here, writing, without the assistance, love and encouragement from my parents, the Westwood family, the ITE family and my mentors. To end off, what I’ve learnt from the past seven years is this: life is a cycle. There will be days when you’re sky high, and there will be days when you’re down low. It’s all right. Go with the flow, appreciate its many ups and downs, as these opportunities are where you’ll learn and gain the experience to grow.

HOUSE RIVALRY

Start-it-right: Intra-house bonding session At the start of the year, Secondary Two to Five students

It also helps to form positive bonds between House

embarked on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Start It Rightâ&#x20AC;? programme to start

members and teachers as everyone contributes to their

school with the right tone and mindset. During this

Houses by participating in recycling. During the recycling

programme, a segment was allocated for House Masters

drive, students identified places where recyclable

to bond with their members, to reach out to their House

materials such as plastic bottles, cans and newspaper

members and furthermore, as a platform for all the

could be found, sorted and disposed of rubbish into

various House leaders to come together and plan a

respective bins designated for papers, cans and bottles.

school-wide programme for their fellow House members.

Students also got to demonstrate the ability to handle

This helps to cultivate inter-House camaraderie as the

materials suitable for recycling.

students work with their peers from the other Houses. Gizelle Mei Jamelo Alarcon, Class 1F Prior to the intra-House bonding session, student leaders

After joining the House Committee, I get to help out

came back during the December holidays to brainstorm

in various school events with the rest of my committee

on game ideas, source for station facilitators and carry

mates. One of the most exciting and memorable activities

out game trial sessions.

would be the Recycling Drive. This activity has taught me about the importance of recycling. We collected

Inter-House Recycling Drive

newspaper, bottles and cans from the school as well as the

The Inter-House Recycling Drive aims to help students to

community, washed the used bottles and crushed cans. It

understand that a small act such as recycling newspaper,

was a fun experience even though sometimes it could be

bottles and cans can help to save the Earth.

really tiring. All in all, we really enjoyed ourselves.

Sports Meet The Westwood Secondary School Sports Meet was held at Jurong West Sports Stadium on 13th April 2016. This year, there was a difference as the event was held in the evening. The weather was really much cooler then, and made things more enjoyable. Encapsulating the Olympic Spirit, our students displayed their sporting talents in the various short and long distance events. All participants tried their best to earn honour and glory for their house and the audience were treated to a tremendous sporting spectacle. Wong Yi Gin, Class 2G I thought the Sports Meet this year was better than last year because it was held in the evening instead of in the morning, so the weather was cool and more suitable for running. The relay events required us to work together as a team in order to win. It helped us learn values such as teamwork and perseverance. Overall it was really fun, because everybody was cheering and supporting their Houses. Khor Gin Kai, Class 1B Being a member of the House Committee, Sports Meet was not an easy job for us. We had to assist teachers in

Nea Tray Return Project Westwood Secondary School participated in the Tray Return Campaign launched by National Environment Agency (NEA). Selected students were appointed as the campaign ambassadors where they encouraged patrons to return their trays. The campaign was conducted during the first half of the 2016. Participating outlets included Koufu Foodcourt, Mcdonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, KFC and Subway in Gek Poh Shopping Centre. It was a meaningful programme and it gave students opportunities to communicate with the public and promote the habit of returning trays after a meal. As Singaporeans, everyone has an equal responsibility to keep Singapore a gracious and beautiful garden city!

running the event, managing the crowd, lead the House cheers and even had to stay back to clean the stadium. Even then, I still enjoyed my experience in the House Committee as I got to know more people and make friends. We had a lot of fun bonding with the rest of the students in our House and cheering for the runners.

Recycling Drive

CATERING TO DIVERSE INTERESTS

Dance Mania 2016 As part of the curriculum, all Secondary One students go through a dance programme where they learn basic Hip Hop moves and also choreography from dance instructors from Arts Culture. A small group was selected from each class to represent the dance in the school’s dance competition “Dance Mania”. Iris Yap Mun Hui, Class 1F I have always had an interest in dance, and this dance programme gave us an opportunity to learn different types of dance to compete with other classes. Even though not all got through to the finals, we were glad to have our friends cheer for us. It was then I understood the true meaning of sportsmanship. Nadya Shakira, Class 2G It was extremely tiring when we first choreographed our own dance moves. We were so caught up in making this enjoyable and perfect, 38

but we were really having fun working with each other. Most importantly, we tried our best while performing! Dance Interest Group: Elemental Rage Crew In hoping to expose students to varying levels and skills in Hip Hop, and at the same time, to add vibrancy and variety to Westwood’s Arts scene, the Dance Interest Group ‘Elemental Rage Crew’ was formed this year. Various platforms were provided for this group of talents to showcase their dance skills both within and outside of school in events such as the “SYF Celebrates: TranscenDANCE 2016” and “SYF Celebrates: Dance Extravaganza 2016” held at Esplanade Outdoor Theatre. Cultivation of values, selfdiscipline and creative expression of the self through dance is encouraged to ensure holistic development of students.

INTEREST GROUPS

Apart from the Dance Interest Group, we have other exciting activities to ignite studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; passion and interest in various domains.

Basic Archery Workshop The Basic Archery Workshop was held in April where students had a hand at shooting arrows onto target boards. For many of them, it was a first time experience and they learnt a new skill. A few students even went on to learn archery outside of school. Cupcake Baking Workshop On 11th August, we held the Cupcake Baking Workshop in the Cookery Room, taught by our own F&N teachers. Students had a go at baking their favourite cupcakes and also learnt to frost them. Many were excited with their bakes and were going to give it a try at home with their family. Bubbleball Soccer On 18th August, we held the Bubbleball Soccer at Offside Futsal Park. 37 students took part in this exhilarating soccer experience where students got to play soccer in a bubbleball. The students sure had fun bouncing off their friends during the game while trying to score goals.

GROOMING FUTURE LEADERS At Westwood Secondary School, we provide our student leaders with various platforms to sharpen their leadership skills. These include the leadership training and communication workshops which were run by us for the primary schools, such as Corporation Primary and Westwood Primary, and events run by external organization such as “Ngee Ann Poly Youth Leadership Camp” as well as “National Junior College Leadership Symposium”. Such training serve not just to develop leadership capabilities, but are also platforms for the student leaders to interact with their peers from other schools. They also contribute in organizing school events such as the National Day celebrations and the official opening of the Westwood Gallery. Apart from the student leaders in the Student Leadership Board, student leaders in other school committees also play a part in running school events of different domains, such as the National Education Ambassadors who are in charge of school events relevant to National Education, and Environmental Champions who organize activities regarding environmental preservation. These acts of service, and more besides, are ways in which we educate our students to look beyond themselves, to be appreciative of the learning opportunities they have, and to pay it forward in service to school and to society.

Student Leaders Camp

Student Leadersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Investiture The Student Leadersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Investiture took place on 20 April 2016. 207 student leaders made up of students in the Student Council, CCA Heads, Class Leaders and House Captains were formally

invested,

having

shown

passion and commitment to serve in their respective areas. Of these, 10 student leaders selected from the various segments were recognised as the 2nd Student Leadership Board, led by President Pyae Phyo Kyaw.

Level Camp (Secondary One and Two) Rachel Valencia Ong, Class 2B 2016, Student Councillor To be a student leader means to commit and serve as a leader, and to be a role model for others. Being a student leader, we must first learn to be courageous and have passion to serve in order to lead others. As student leaders, we are expected to be at our best behaviour at all times. We need to work hard to meet the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expectations, and to assist teachers in enforcing school rules and regulations. Syasya Adriana, Class 3D 2016, Vice-President of Student Council â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Student leaderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is a very big title to me. It comes with different roles and responsibilities. A leader has to guide his or her peers to become a more reliable person for themselves and society. Besides that, a student leader also needs to delegate tasks fairly. It is a very challenging position, but it will definitely develop strong character. Pyae Phyo Kyaw, Class 3F 2016, President of Student Leadership Board Being a student leader is not easy. Things will not always go our way as no one is perfect. That is why we should always have backup plans to solve problems quickly. We should also be more understanding towards our peers so that we can forge positive relationships, which will in turn allow us to work together efficiently and effectively to achieve group goals. I have also learnt that by being very good at what we do, we can inspire others to follow us and trust our judgement. By gaining trust from others, and working together as a team, we will be able to achieve a lot more than by ourselves. 42

Secondary One Orientation Camp

Farisha Low Rui Qi, Class 3E 2016, Captain of Cedar House Being a leader takes a lot of courage because I need to speak up in order to influence others. It also helps me to identify my true self and personality. Each individual has his or her own weaknesses and strengths. Through the various leadership camps, I have gotten greater insight about my weaknesses and strengths. I have also learnt that I have to listen to other perspectives to improve myself, to create a better environment in school, and to develop a joyful atmosphere. It takes more than just effort to be a true leader. Without teamwork, things will not run smoothly. Ng Zhiqi Aiki, Class 2G 2016, Class Chairperson When I was younger, I was very conscious about myself and my surroundings due to the fear of being judged. Being a student leader has changed that as it requires me to do things that are out of my comfort zone and exposes me to things that I would never have done. Now, not only am I less apprehensive to try new things, I have also become more confident in expressing myself. Previously, I had trouble being motivated and driven to put in my best efforts. Being a student leader has forced me to overcome my laziness, lack of selfcontrol and self-discipline. I am now more efficient, productive and effective, because I know I need to set a good example as a student leader. 43

STRIVE TODAY, THRIVE TOMORROW

Ser Chih Kang Daniel, current Boys’ Brigade Officer, Westwood Alumnus A teacher once told me: “If you are able to gain admission into the school, you are qualified to compete with the rest of your peers.” This was his advice to me as I contemplated my next school after receiving my O-levels results. Prior to his advice, thoughts like “How can I compete with my peers who came from much more reputable schools with lower cut-off points” betrayed a sense of inadequacy and automatically closed doors to opportunities. Not only did I gain admission into the school, I did better than most of my classmates and now enjoy what I am studying!

Daniel, 5th from the left

I speak not for myself, but also for my fellow ex-Westwoodians, many of whom have done exceptionally well in their respective fields regardless of the route they have taken. What then accounts for the success of many ex-Westwoodians? And by success, I do not refer to merely academic success but in achieving their life’s aspirations. This, I believe has much to do with character development and the sacrifices of many teachers, both past and present. One should not underestimate the education that each student receives at Westwood, for it is at Trip to Perth with classmates in year 2009

Westwood where foundation is built and seeds planted. A crucial part of my foundational years was spent as a Boys’ Brigade Boy. I have to admit that I was not particularly fond of being in the Boys’ Brigade in Secondary One because of all the regimentation and strict discipline. It was a culture shock for me! But as I progressed through the ranks and the years, Boys’ Brigade 9th Company became a place where I could grow through tough discipline, enjoy my boyhood through its outdoor activities and yet discover my own identity. In fact, I still meet up regularly with my former Boys’ Brigade officers who continue to speak into my life. It is through these life skills and guidance from both my Boys’ Brigade officers and teachers that have empowered me to overcome the many

Boys’ Brigade, 9th Company

storms I’ve faced. Where does this leave current Westwoodians then? Each Westwoodian is unique in their own way and each has their own story. Yet, one thing is certain, and that is to overcome life’s challenges, we have to stand on a solid foundation. A tree with shallow roots will either be toppled by a big storm or dry up under scorching conditions.

White Water Rafting Primers Challenge in year 2011 44

My time in Westwood and in the Boys’ Brigade has taught me that we are not shaped by circumstances but by our response to it. Therefore this is my encouragement to you. Face and overcome every challenge to build your foundation and grow strong roots for Westwood stands you in good stead to do so. I wish you all the best, and may you be rooted in character and skills to soar for the nation.

ONCE A WESTWOODIAN,

FOREVER A WESTWOODIAN

Sin Xueyi, current Girls’ Brigade Officer, Westwood Alumnus “Whose name is Westwood?”

“OURS,” we would roar. This would always be a topic of conversation between me and my fellow Westwoodians. Many of us would recall being instructed to greet the teachers “Sir” or “Mam”, to tuck in our blouses so that the waistband can be seen and to keep even strands of hair off our faces. Those days, together with the care and concern showered by my teachers, moulded me into a person with character. Westwood was well-known for the strict discipline that all students had to adhere to, and for that, I am proud to be a Westwoodian. With strict discipline and immense support from teachers, I grew to become a confident, resilient individual with self-control. These qualities started to develop in me during my upper secondary days when my grades were took a hit as I succumbed to excessive gaming and use of social media. When I was on the verge of dropping a few subjects, teachers provided constant encouragement and support, got me to persevere and advised me on possible solutions for my problems. Indeed, Westwood is a place we call our second home where hearts are big and teachers care. Westwood also gave me numerous opportunities to practise my leadership skills through the CCAs which I was involved in. Ideas and opinions were heard, constructive feedback and suggestions were given, chances were provided for us to take the stage and lead our fellow schoolmates. Today, I am privileged to be given the chance to continue serving the Girls’ Brigade, both at school and at national level. These opportunities have enabled to me develop life skills which stand me in good stead for future success. Westwood has definitely moulded me into a person with character, and this would not be possible without the constant support from passionate teachers. Take every moment in Westwood as a learning opportunity, whether it be a struggle or success, as it will no doubt transform you into a better person. Because ultimately, “WHOSE NAME IS WESTWOOD?”

A MAN OF DIVERSE HOBBIES Mr Dexter Sim, Art teacher

I am a man of diverse hobbies, spanning from comic book and toy collecting, to more adventurous outdoor activities like fishing. Toy collecting I have been a Star Wars toy collector for the past 8 years. I became hooked when I got my first glimpse of the first Star Wars movie, A New Hope, back in the 1980s. It blew my mind away and I have been a Star Wars fan ever since. The storyline about the inter-galactic battle between good and evil, the light and the dark, and of course, the iconic Darth Vader in his black suit and rasping voice pronouncing death to all Jedi. You can find me at China Square on some Sundays scouring through the flea market, consisting of mainly toys, to look for a good bargain. My most impressive collection so far is the weapon of choice for the Jedi, the Light Saber. As the Jedi master Obi Wan Kenobi would say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or random as a blaster. An elegant weapon for a more civilized age.â&#x20AC;? The first collectible light sabers were produced by Master Replicas back in 2002 and a mint condition replica these days can fetch up to a thousand dollars. Toy collecting allows me to connect to my childhood, to reminisce about the movies and cartoons which I grew up with. 46

Fishing/Angling My passion for fishing began back in the 1980s. I recall landing my first fish when I was just 6 years old, a 1kg red tilapia caught on a basic wooden bamboo pole with a line and hook attached to it. Back in the 80s, my grandparents, aunts and uncles were still residing in one of the last remaining kampongs in Singapore, located at Serangoon Road. There were a few fish farms in the vicinity and my Dad would take me out with him on his fishing trips to the nearby freshwater ponds. Fishing was always a family affair, especially with the old kampong folks, my grandfather would often organise overnight trips to Bedok Jetty during the weekends, where the whole family would spend the night there. The men would be casting line after line into sea while chatting and sharing stories about the one that got away while the women would be sitting on raffia mats passing out plates of warm delicious home cooked food. Those were great and memorable bonding times for the whole family. My interest in fishing went full blown while I was pursuing my degree in Tasmania in the year 2000. The pristine waters off the shores of Tasmania offered an abundance and variety of fishes, and it helped that my University was conveniently located along the wharf, a stone’s throw to the

water’s edge. Due to the strict fishing laws in Tasmania, where bag and size limits are enforced, I learnt to fish responsibly and to only take what I need from the sea to ensure a sustainable future for the eco system. That’s why it irks me when I see people catching juvenile fishes here and tossing them straight into the bucket instead of releasing them. My fishing experience progressed during my two years in NIE, where I joined the NTU Anglers Club as an Executive Committee member. We organized events for the public like the annual fishing competition at Nanyang Lake as well as fishing clinics for upcoming enthusiasts. I got to learn new fishing skills and went on regular overseas fishing trips to Indonesia, Thailand and Australia with the club. Upon graduating from NIE and joining the teaching fraternity as a full-fledged teacher, I am able to use fishing as a teaching experience/moment for students. During CCE lessons, I share with my students about the inspirational/motivational story about an American angler by the name of Clay Dyer. Similar to the popular motivational speaker Nick Vujicic, he was born without limbs and had to overcome many challenges in life to achieve his dream, to be a professional angler.

PLASTIC

PAINTING Mr Neo Jinping, English Language teacher

I first dipped my fingers into the world of scale modeling when I was in junior college. I was hooked to a racing game, Gran Turismo, and I fell in love with some of the cars. So I went out to buy the car models, and built my first plastic model kit. It was a Nissan Skyline R33. Poorly painted, with a galore of mistakes and glue marks. But I was a kid and a happy kid at that. I remember holding the car in my hands, grinning foolishly and beaming with pride. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what a hobby is about. Happiness. Scale modeling is a hobby that cultivates patience, and an eye for detail. The hobby requires you to deal with small, delicate parts and finesse is a requirement. Then there is the painting process. It is like painting on a 3D canvas. You can play it safe, and follow the paint schemes provided for you. Real world subjects demand that. However, with sci-fi subjects, you can really get creative, and create a truly unique piece. This is why the hobby is so interesting for me. There is a whole range of subjects to work on, from military subjects such as tanks and aircrafts to sci-fi subjects such as robots and 48

ogres. You cannot ever run out of subjects to build and

to make adjustments, rectify misaligned parts and so on.

paint. But that’s a double-edged sword - you cannot stop

Considering that a tank can involve nearly a thousand tiny

buying model kits! I swear someday my wife will throw

parts, there is a great deal of problem-solving involved,

my growing stash of model kits (or me) out of the house.

especially with poorly written instructions! This is why this hobby isn’t a walk in the park. A great deal of

When I was younger, this hobby provided an outlet for

patience, perseverance is required. Personally, I feel this

creative expression, allowing me to recreate subjects

is something precious in today’s context, when so much of

that captured my imagination. Often, these came from

our lives are “on-demand” and transient.

my obsession with anime, as well as video games. Now, a decade later, with work and all the accompanying “adult

Ultimately though, a hobby is meant to be fun. What I

things”, scale modeling has taken on a therapeutic role.

have learnt from this though is that “fun” doesn’t always

The process of building and painting is all-engrossing,

equate to having a smile on your face. Sometimes you

and brings a quiet focus to the daily rush. You are always

want to pull your hair out from frustration. Sometimes

“in the moment”, and time simply flies by.

you feel so weary you cannot imagine why you ever started this project. Yet, at the end of the journey, you will beam at

A piece of work can take months to complete. Assembly,

your creation, knowing that all those hours, were worth it.

even with straightforward subjects require careful sanding and cleanup. This isn’t like Lego, where you simply put the pieces together. Oftentimes, you will need 49

THE WESTWOOD

CONNECTION

CONNECTING

WITH THE COMMUNITY Dancing with the community Year 2015 saw the greatest and grandest birthday

celebration

for

our

country—

Singapore’s 50th year of independence. To commemorate this event, Westwood Secondary School partnered with Hong Kah North Community Centre in one of the biggest mass dance sessions ever, involving a record number of 2000 participants. All Secondary One to Three students were involved in this massive

SG50 MASS DANCE

event. There were training sessions as well as

mass rehearsals. In a show of support, Senior Minister of State, Dr Amy Khor even joined the students in a rehearsal. Now that’s being game! On Sunday, 2nd August, students and staff of Westwood Secondary School traveled to ITE College West and joined with residents of Hong Kah North, sang National Day songs and danced away in exuberant celebration. The event was graced by Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister of Health, who launched the MediShield Life Welcome Booklet. Now that’s a celebration!

THE GLOBAL CITIZENS Westwood’s Internationalisation programme aims to develop in students the 21st century competencies of global awareness and cross-cultural skills and sensitivities. Students and educators from other countries visit the school through the year, and there are opportunities for Westwoodians to travel overseas to visit their counterparts as well. Through interaction with students from other countries, Westwoodians have ample opportunities to hone their communication skills, becoming confident communicators in the process. At the same time, through greater exposure to other cultures and societies the programme seeks to to create in students an awareness of Asia and Singapore’s position in the world and deepen their commitment and rootedness to Singapore.

Overseas Immersion Trip 2015 to Fujian, China Students and teachers visited schools within the Kong Chian School Campus in Fujian. The students experienced an immersion programme in the Guo Guang Junior Middle School where they joined local students for music and calligraphy lessons. The group also had the opportunity to tour the campus of the Guo Guang Junior Middle School. The students and teachers visited the Nan’an Industrial School (Public), a special arrangement for the students to learn about industrial and vocational education in China. They also visited Lee Kong Chian’s Residence and Tan Kah Kee’s Residence to learn about their childhood lives and their successes in building their business empires, as well as to know their contributions towards society and the nation at large. Other places of interests which the students and teachers visited included a ‘Tie Guan Yin’ tea plantation, a porcelain factory in Dehua prefecture (where students learnt the making of porcelain wares), the oldest mosque during the ‘Marine Silk Road’ period, Kaiyuan Temple (the oldest temple in the Fujian province which was built during the Tang dynasty more than 1300 years ago) and the Lee Seng Tee Public Library and the Gulangyu Island.

Notre Dame College HK School Visit

Lin An Jincheng School Visit

Sendai School Visit

Vietnamese Educators Visit

RESILIENCE IS THE SECRET TO SUCCESS

Lay Jia Han and Bervyn Lim, class of 2012, Alumni, Karate practitioners

There are many core values I learnt in Westwood that guided me throughout my life, be it academically or recreationally. Jia Han: I still remember the five core values: Continual learning, innovation, integrity, resilience and compassion. The greatest take away I have is resilience. No matter what we do, we must have the resilience to persevere. No matter how many fights we lost, how many exams we failed, how much difficulty we faced and how many tough training sessions we had to go through, it all came down to resilience, and how quickly we recovered and bounced back stronger.

My experience in Westwood was a very memorable one.

training. My friend Jia Han and I joined the same dojo,

Learning from all the passionate teachers, hanging

and we were fortunate to be given the chance to compete

around with my classmates. There were many memorable

at both national and international tournaments. We are

experiences that we continue to reminisce even now. It

very grateful to our passionate instructors as they are

was a turning point in my life where I decided to study

constantly organising tournaments so that we are able

hard and became more disciplined.

to gain more experience and improve ourselves. We also participated in a seminar in Japan where shinkyokushin

While studying, I took up Karate as a hobby, with one of my

practitioners from around the world gathered. It was an

classmates, Bervyn. Karate is a martial art which instils

eye opener for us and a great takeaway for us.

discipline and respect within ourselves. The tough training strengthened me mentally and told me to never give up.

My experience in Westwood was fruitful and memorable.

In time, Bervyn and I got stronger and more skilled. We

Meeting a bunch of good friends, studying for our N and

competed both at national and international levels. We

O levels and having fun together. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m grateful for the

even participated in a seminar conducted by the World

teachers who have taught me, and stayed back during

Champions at Mt. Fuji. All these experiences helped to

our night study programme to help us, sacrificing their

develop our inner strength, and sharpen our resolve. We

time for us. Without them I wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to do well, and

may have failed several times, but as long as we keep

get into my desired course. I want to thank them from the

going, we will definitely get to our desired destination.

bottom of my heart.

Finally, to all my juniors out there, keep telling yourself

To all my juniors out there, enjoy your secondary school

not to give up, keep working hard. I know it is easier said

life as it will be one of your best period in life, with many

than done, I know it is tough. But a failure today does not

precious memories. Some of your friends will be your

mean you will fail tomorrow. If you put in the effort, your

lifelong friends. While you should enjoy yourselves, also

results will definitely come! You are the one to decide your

remember to study hard so that you will not have any

own destiny! Good luck!

regrets when you graduate. All the best!

Bervyn: Karate is a disciplined martial art that trains both our body and mind. I have fought at both national and international tournaments, and I can say without a resilient spirit, be it in my personal life or in karate, I will not be where I am today. During a tournament, having integrity is the same thing as good sportsmanship. Even if you lose, you will still gain respect for not using illegal techniques and fighting at your best. Shinkyokushin karate is a full contact sport. It is a karate that rooted in a philosophy of discipline and hard

LEARNING WITH SMILES

Staff Overseas Learning Trip At

Westwood,

teacher

education

has

always been the key to improved student processes and outcomes. Teachers attend regular workshops, retreats and even study trips to share and reflect on school practices and pedagogy. On 1st June 2016, a group of 34 staff members from Westwood Secondary School embarked on a 3-day, 2-night study trip to Bangkok ,

Westwood staff being warmly welcomed by students of Matthayom Watnairong School

with the aim of learning about the education system in Thailand, its best practices in the areas of school culture, student and staff development, as well as initiatives by non-governmental

organisations

(NGOs)

and other support groups to help the less

privileged in Thailand.

Students from Matthayom Watnairong making presentations to Westwood staff

Group photo in front of Nightlight Foundation & Nightlight Design Co., Thailand

Observing an ongoing art lesson at St Andrewsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; International School

Cooking Class

River Cruise / Culture Show / Silk Factory

St Andrews International School

Matthayom Watnairong School

THE WESTWOOD

FAMILY

LIVE AND LEARN Cody Lew, Class 4F 2016

Cody, 3rd from the left

Although the four years I spent in Westwood Secondary School have been full of ups and downs, I certainly enjoyed every moment of it. Together with my friends, I have made many precious memories that I will treasure. All of us have grown a lot in these four years. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m thankful that Westwood has given me many opportunities to experience and learn new stuff, especially the chance to be a CCA Leader. Leading is not an easy task as it requires a lot of patience and passion. Being able to communicate and work well with teachers and CCA mates was the most important factor, because I had to ensure that information was passed down to the students correctly, and so that they would be able to share their views and feedback with me. Conflicts might happen occasionally, but as a CCA leader I told myself to understand the situation from different points 62

of view and find the best solution. When I had to work with the planning committee, I must ensure that every suggestion is heard before reaching a fair and agreeable conclusion. Although the whole planning procedure was tough, looking at how my CCA mates enjoyed and bonded together during the activities proved to me that my hard work was all worth it, and at the end of the day, it was definitely satisfying to see the positive end results. Four years passed by in the blink of an eye. It feels like I have only just started school, and I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe I am going to graduate soon. My secondary school life is coming to an end, and more challenges await me. To my fellow school mates, bring what you have learnt in Westwood into the future. As for juniors, work hard and cherish the good times you have with your friends in Westwood!

Being the facilitator for Sec 1 orientation 2016

Service learning at Salvation Army

DARE TO DREAM BIG Xavier Tan Jiang Hoe, Class 5B 2016

Westwood always provides the platforms and opportunities for its students to discover their strengths. Running my own business in the future has always been my life target, and school has provided me with ample opportunities to gain relevant experiences through various workshops and business camps. Just last year I was still dreaming about becoming a successful entrepreneur, but this year I am thankful for the fact that I already am a young entrepreneur with a new start up at the tender age of 18. The guidance that Westwood has given me has pushed me to step out of my comfort zone, achieve my dream and become who I am today. Westwood is significant to me because it has provided me with many opportunities to sharpen my leadership capabilities. Through the planning and execution of school events, I was enabled to connect and work with people from different backgrounds. This has greatly allowed me to develop my interpersonal skills, and at the same time, boost my confidence level and management skill. I believe that the learning environment in Westwood has provided us with the best opportunity to experience and grow. The school programmes are well planned to help the student to learn and develop various important life skills. Moving forward, I will be joining the Westwood Alumni Committee to contribute back to Westwood after my graduation. I hope that I will be able to guide my juniors with the experiences I have gone through, so that they may also achieve and excel. 63

STAND FIRM IN THE FACE OF CHALLENGES

Sarah Leong Mei Ting, President of 1st Student Leadership Board, Class 4F 2016

With student leaders during Sec 1 Registration on 23rd Dec 2016

Four years in Westwood has changed my life. It made me realise that life isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t all about academic achievement. It is also about your character, how you set your goals and achieve it. It is indeed not easy to achieve your dreams, but nothing is impossible if you set your heart and mind to it. The various experiences I have had in Westwood has taught me that no matter what setbacks I face, I have to face them positively. Being given the opportunity to be the Netball Captain and President of the Student Leadership Board has made a great impact on my life. I learnt how to be a good role model to my peers and juniors so that I can be a positive influence for future batches. Of course, there are challenges along the way and I did crumble and wanted to give up. However, with the strong support from my teachers and friends, I picked myself up from where I fell and I came out stronger than before. My

With student leaders during Sec 1 Orientation on 4th Jan 2016.

teachers gave me the comfort of opening up have to be big lessons. It can be small to them about the problems I faced and I got things because taking small steps to make a the assurance I needed from them to help difference is what I truly believe in. myself overcome the obstacles that I met. Always take the chances and opportunities Leading will never be an easy job. You given to you, because they are always shoulder the responsibilities given to you useful. Maybe not now, but in the future, and you have to get the task done right in you will thank your younger self for having order for an event or project to run smoothly. taken the chance. Through events such as the Secondary One Registration and Secondary One Orientation, My journey in Westwood has made

I gained the confidence and the courage to a stronger person and to all my fellow lead and to encourage my team to put in all Westwoodians, I hope you will cherish the our effort to get the job done.

values you learn in school because they will bring you far in life.

I believe these experiences will be helpful to me in future as these are lessons that I To end off, I would like to share a quote that can put to good use, be it in my work-life I live by each day â&#x20AC;&#x201C; You can never cross the or studies. To me, learning never stops. ocean unless you have the courage to lose Whatever age you may be, you will always sight of the shore. be learning something new and it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

ROW 1: Jolina Toh Si Yee, Nur Aisyah Bte Mohammed Zahar, Nur Athirah Bte Fauzi, Nur Sakinah Bte Hanafi, Nadirah Natalia Bte Azmi, Mr Caleb Lee, Ms Maria Marzuki, Lai Wei Xiang, Nurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;antasha Aliqah Bte A A S, Nurul Batrisyia Bte Hassim, Siti Nursuhannah Bte Suhaimi, Guo Hang ROW 2: Fadzhil Anis B Mohamad, Mohamad Firdaus B Eska, Harith Danish B Asli, Muhammad Afiq B Misnawi, Dexter Wong Yi Yuan, Nur Sarah Emilia Bte Hamdan, Ngek Jia Ying Carine, Shazreen Kaylif D/O Mohamed A, Pramesh S/O Thatsinamurthy, Syakhir Alif B Mohd Zainal, Muhammad Danish B Mohd Shamsi, Adam Uzair B Al-Rashidi, Muhammad Iswandee B Md Azman ROW 3: Yu Yi Shong, Ong Jia Yuan, Mohammad Irfan B Abdul Rahim, Syahirul Haziq B Raman, John Peh Chong Han, Muhammad Shukry B Ramli, Seah Yong Jie Nicholas, Mohamed Nur Fattah B Azmi, Nur Muhammad B Sulaiman, Lau Jiawei, Chua Wen Hao Keith, Muhammad Zikry B Shadian NOT IN PHOTO: Nur Hasrilah Bte Ibrahim, Jeffery Tan Han Long, Tasswin S/O Vijaykumar

Dear 4A, This will be my final message to the class, so here it goes... It has certainly been a fantastic 3 years with this class. Having known you all since you were in Secondary Two and now that you are about to graduate, I am immensely proud of having witnessed your growth and maturity over the years. Teaching the class is always fun and exciting, especially so with certain individuals! It will also be difficult to forget the memories that we share as a class, in particular the Level Camps and the VIA Jakarta trip. I wish all of you the best in your future endeavours as you move on and pursue your interests. Well, life will always be difficult but if you keep trying to the best of your abilities, you will reap the rewards you desire! Gambatte!! - Mr Caleb Lee

ROW 1: Yu Zihan, Khaw Hui Hui Celine, Tang Si Ying Stephanie, Sayyidah Nabilah Bte Mohd P, Mdm Goh Sok Fern, Mr Mohammad Redzuan Bin Jalafar, Mdm Suziana Selamat, Muhammad Khairulazmi B Mohd I, Chua Yuan Lin, Nur Nayli Jazimah Bte M J, Nur Emylia Bte Mohamad Anazri ROW 2: Lee Zhi Yi, Chang Hui Xian, Goh Jarui, Tan Elaine, Irsyaduddin Syahmi Putera R, Muhammad Elsyaifi B Jalani, Mohamed Muhaimin Danish B M M, Thian Hur Yun, Muhammad Aliff Amirul B M A, Muhammad Iqmal B Muhammad, Nurulhakim B Kamsani, Raden Syahid B Md Ari, Faiz Humaidi B Muhamed Husaini, Chew Jian Wei Anson ROW 3: Muhammad Shahryn B Abdullah, Sayed Mohamad Iqhmal B S M I, Ahmad Zakir Ahmad Yahaya, Brandon Chua Jun Yuan, Li Xin, Neo Yu Heng, Jaryl Lim Yong Hwee, See Thoe Hui Jie Joshua, Amin B Adenan, Tan Pin Song Bryce, Trophimus Sng Yao Wei, Lee Nethan, Muhammad Hafiz B Jomari, Muhammad Sufi B Mohammad Ali NOT IN PHOTO: Lim Si Yin, Lydia Lyanna Bte Mohammad F, Muhammad Syahmi Ibrahim

Dear 4B, Thank you for being such a warm, wonderful and welcoming class. Although it has only been less than a year, I feel like I have known all of you for a long time! I hope that no matter where your future takes you, you will continue to learn and seek knowledge. Thank you for all the memories, good and bad. I sincerely wish each and everyone of you the best of what life has to offer. Remember to dream big, be grateful, laugh lots and love generously. All the best for your Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s! Stay fearless. - Ms Suzi

ROW 1: Nurul Shahirah Bte Suderman, Janelle Lim Hui Zhen, Koh Hui Wen, Tay Siew Rui, Liew Qing Le, Ms Madeline Teo, Mr Neo Jin Ping, Mohamad Syazani B Mohamad T, Nur Aliah Zakirah Bte M R, Nur Hafidzah Bte Busari, Nur Elyssawati Bte Isnen, Siti Nur Syafiqah Bte Miswan ROW 2: Fauzan Shauki B Mahmood, Joe Ang, Bryan Toh Jun Jie, Yap Zhi Jie Brandon, Gan Shijie, Javier Tan Jia Jie, Keith Lim Liang Yi, Muhammad Edry B Ahmad, Tee Kheng Khang, Chin Ju Ming, Raynor Heng Ten Hong, Foon Kah Jun Nigel ROW 3: Stanley Goh Jia Jun, Toh Yong Zhe, Muhammad Adl B Mohamed Ismael, Russyafudin B Isman, Lim Yi Xiang, Jeroen Tay Yu Zhuang, Ameer Rahimi S/O Firoz, Amirul Adli B Abdul Hamid, Muhammad Ali Hasraf B Hamit, Seng Qi Ming, Win Tun Nyan Thu Aung

Dear 4C, You have a long journey ahead of you. Be humble, be confident. Don’t be afraid to set your sights high up. In all probability you will encounter challenges and failure. But failure is a prerequisite to success. You cannot improve without coming face to face with your faults. So, if you want success, however you define it for yourself, you will need to work at it. It works, if you work it. Finally, energy is earned. We have more of it when we do the things we feel good about. And you can’t feel good about something unless you work at it. Put in the work, and you’ll feel energized. Impossible is nothing. If you think it’s impossible, you get nothing. - Mr Neo

ROW 1: Nur Hazatul Humairah Bte H, Haw Yu En, Nur Rafidah Bte Tumiran, Siti Syafiqah Bte Rosli, Akid Mikail B Zulfikri, Ms Nur Rakeezah Bte Abdul Rahim, Mr Chan Chi Thio, Randy Kwok Zhen Zhou, Woo Shuet Lye, Teo Rui Yi, Filzah Insyirah Bte Mohari, Hou Hui Qing ROW 2: Mohamad Nufail B Mohamad Noor, Low Zhi Yuan Oscar, Chua Yi Ken, Wong Jing Hui, Syafiqah Husna Bte Shahul H, Farah Farhanah Bte Mohamed M, Koh Si Ning Raquael, Ong Shi Hui Felice, Chua Si Ting, Polonia Vats, Mardhiah Bte Rosman, Siti Khairiyah Bte Mohd Rusli, Ng Chu Ling, Sakinah Bte Nasri, Korene Ng Zi Ning ROW 3: Lee Jie Hao, Ng Jian Zhi, Tham Jia Jun, Lee Chai Le, Chai Zhen Yu Bevan, Jerald Tan Jin Jie, Foo Cher Yao, Bryan Tan Han Feng, See Kit Jun Alastair, Donavan Er Hong Wei, Mai Yi Ming, Lim Wei Xuan, Ong Wei Jun Damien, Chiang Jun Long Nicholas NOT IN PHOTO: Jie Zhiyi

Dear 4D, “Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations” (Anonymous) Indeed, success does not come easy. You need to put in a lot of hard work and most importantly, you have to believe in yourself. I have always believed in you and I will always do so. Each one of you is a gem in your own way so do not give up and continue to polish yourself and pave your way to your goals. You have always been a class who angers me as quickly as you cheer up my day. I treasure all our moments together and may these memories be etched in our hearts for a long way to come. To the class who loves bandung as much as they love me, I wish you all the best in your N’levels and I am sure you will do yourself proud! - Ms Nur Rakeezah Dear 4D, No one ever said the last part of your journey in Sec Four was going to be easy. But if you are willing to give it all you have got, you will certainly reap the fruit of your hard work. May you all be able to give your very best for the upcoming N levels and achieve your goals. - Mr Chan Chi Thio 69

ROW 1: Siti Nur Fatihah Bte Ramzi, Kwek Hwee Yee, Joey Chua Hui Min, Nursolehawati Bte Mohamed Y, Cheung Shaun, Mr Lua Wen Liang, Ms Lee Chen Yen, Justyn Yeo, Low Jue Lin Jonell, Woon Ting Ting, Adlin Haziqah Bte Shaiful E, Sitti Nur Juzailah Bte Joehari ROW 2: Ng Ryan, Mohammad Izzudin B Aziz, Nicholas Yeo Chih Chow, Tan Jun Feng, Nur Yasirah Bte Othman, Zoe Lim Li Xuan, Simranjit Kaur D/O Melagar S, Doris Tay Hui Xin, Koh Ji Yeng, Lew Hor Cheng, Khadijah Bte Hassan, Foong Xin Ping Jaslyn, Tan Miaow Luan, Clementia Lee Kai Xin, Wong Jing Wen, Leong May Ting Sarah, Wong Shi Ting Calista ROW 3: Amirul Hakim B Noorhisham, Brandon Tan Zhi Liang, Seet Wei Sian Jasper, Lim Xiang En Terry, Adam B Zamri, Mohamad Ezzat Danial B M A, Lin Hao, Elmer Tan Jun Ler, William Yak Wei Ren, Chua Wen Xiang, Chen Chunze, Khairil Anuar B Othman, Clifton Sim Sin Yue, Yow Jun Yuan Darren

Dear 4F, Even though there were difficult times, I am glad that you guys pulled through as a class. When resilience and trust were needed, you people showed up. And that is what is important. Because there will be times when you will face setbacks, seemingly insurmountable challenges, and your will, your selfbelief, will be needed. Believe in yourself, in your friends, and go forward. - Mr Lau and Ms Lee

ROW 1: Nurul Sofea Bte Endy Supanti, Glenda Tan Si Jie, Soh Giat Jue (Su Jierui), Ryan Goh Jit Hong, Nurhanny Nabila Bte M N A, Mr Douglas Mueller, Ms Jennifer Yeo, Darius Boey Jun, Nur Dyana Bte Nordin, En Pei Qing, Lim Chen Yi, Chan Xing Ping ROW 2: Mavis Lee Zhi Wei, Eyn Jinn Phyu, Goh Song Lin, Chong Rae Enn, Soh Xian, Wen Liuqing Evelyn, Sam May Kwan, Ong Jie Ying Miyuki, May Myat Thwe, Chrisaintsya Adheline Lisianto, Liong Xuan Yun, Chua Qin Ming Estelle, See Wen Qi, Chua Chok Yin, Wong Minxuan Alarice, Melisa Ng Peter, Chan Qing Ru ROW 3: Ng Qi Xin, Umar Hamzah B Yusoff, Jerald Ang Yuliang, Sia Zi Kang, Loh Yi De, Goh Yong Kiat, Koh Kang Yik, Wilfred Lee Kim Chye, Chin Wei Hao, Yiak Zi Qing Rom, Tai Yu Heng, Zhang Yu, Tan Zong Hin John, Lendl Yeo Ting Zhe NOT IN PHOTO: Nurul Ain Bte Mohammad Ayub, Tan Koh Leong

Dear 4G, Months have quickly flown by and now your O Levels are coming. Remember that dreams do not work unless you do! Nothing ever comes easy. All your struggles, efforts, late nights will come to fruition! I believe that you can achieve whatever you want in life as long as you put your best foot forward and believe that you can. - Ms Yeo Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. - Mr Douglas

ROW 1: Guan Yu Jia Yuka, Natalie Ng Mei Ting, Tan Min Yi Megan, Catherine Tan Chai Xian, Serphy Ng Yi Wei, Mr Clement Huang Kai Sen, Mdm Sim Lay Ling, Jezlyn Ang Ruyu, Chua Sweet Ning Sandra, Citra Nursharyn Bte Sahmawi, Lee Jia Min Shermaine, Chua Jingxin ROW 2: Nicholas Kong Wai Kit, Tan Loon Sing Amos, Siti Nurbahiyah Bte Mohd Z, Lim Jie Min Jermayne, Stacey Lim Yan Qi, Haw Wei Yi, Neo Shu Mei, Ng Xianling Lynette, Pulipati Sharunya Keerthika, Wong Hai Yun, Jolene Ang Hui Ling, Tan Yi Xuan Charmaine, Rebecca Leong Z Kae, Hayley Lau, Nafisah Bte Jamalulaid, Eunice Zhou Yu Ying ROW 3: Cedric Lim Jun Jie, Marcus Ang Jianwei, Tang Yi Meng, Oei Zheng Yong, Bryan Pay Ting Zhang, Haikel Azhar B Sadali, Goh Eddy, Lim Jie Min Jermayne, Wang Chengyu Pierre, Peh Yu Ze, Jay Lim Jun Xiang, Lim Kar Hao, Tan Zhai Sheng Dylan Sean, Goh Chee Kiat NOT IN PHOTO: Chong Ching Quan, Lee Zhi Hao Jonan

Dear 4H, It’s been 2 years since I started teaching you, and it’s been a most enjoyable journey. I know that I always scold the class, and there was even a joke last year that the first 30 minutes of every In-touch and Home@westwood would be used for our twice weekly scoldings, but I really just do it for your own good. Despite all the frustrations and angst I experienced in 4H, you are still the most wellbehaved and most fun class that I had. I wish every single one of you best of luck in all your future endeavours. And perhaps one day, you will look back on your life and say to yourself: “There, I am successful now, and I have proven Mr Huang wrong.” - Mr Clement Huang

ROW 1: Ma He Yun Lynelle, Nurul Rosyidah Sajaa Bte Rosli, Ching Min, Siti Nurhanisah Bte Shariff, Rizaldi B Osaini, Ms See Yeo Sin, Mdm Armarjit Kaur, Choong Min Han, Serene Chua Min Hui, Jocelyn Ong, Sabrina Nicole Algarme De La Torre, Tan Jie Ni ROW 2: Chiam Xuan Quan Sherman, Yeow Yi Wei, Lee Ron, Phang Jia Xuan, Oo Wei En, Estelle Lim Yuan Yi, Lee En Hui Grace, Pay Xin Ni, Yu Jinyao, Wong Kar Yee, Lim Zi Yan Vanessa, Lim Ye Joon, Khor Xuan Ting Clarissa, Tan Pei Yi Michelle, Tan Xiao Hui Constance, Ng Kai Ting, Low Jing Hui ROW 3: Chuah Boon Long, Jonathan Loh Jun Long, Gan Rong Yi, Ang Zhen Siang Charles, Jonathan Ng Jun Han, Joseph Lim Hin Kit, Kim Sun Hong, Koh Wei Yuan, Timothy Lim Wei En, Khairul Anwar B Isham, Yeo Jun Jie, Sim Yong Sheng, Neo Yong Peng, Jordan Leong Choon Hoong, Huang Xin

Dear 4I, “A champion is never one who never fails but one who never QUITS.” It can be disheartening sometimes when you constantly experience failure despite all the hard work you have put in. But remember, many great men and women experienced failures countless times before they eventually succeeded in life. So as you embark on this final lap, press on and don’t give up. Remember your class motto? Impossible is nothing as the word itself says I”M POSSIBLE. You can do it. All the best guys. - Ms Destiny See

ROW 1: Chee Wan Qi Valerie, Jessy Chua Xue Jun, Reynard Cheng Tian Yu, Miss Priscilla Quek, Miss Zhang Yi, Choy Qi Yi, Yeo Shi Yan, Wong Yu Hui ROW 2: Teoh Khai Sheng, Lim Xing Fang, Nyo Jing Ying, Teketi Sumasree, Chua Jing Yuan

Dear 5A, You guys have held on to personal attributes and were a delightful bunch despite the challenges you all have on your own. I believe you have taken away more than you have expected from your secondary education and have more to receive in the new journey ahead of you. As we go through life we gradually discover who we are though the more we discover, the more we might lose ourselves. Don’t let anyone take away your joy and keep striving for the better. 5 Alamaks, you guys can make mistakes, get lost midway and feel that life is tougher than expected. BUT, that’s when we want you to remember, let that be a learning point, say “Alamak!” and keep moving forward. I believe in all of you! Love you guys - Ms Priscilla Quek

ROW 1: Nur Khairiana Bte Nor Sam, Tan Lindsay, Nurfyana Bte Azman, Nyke Liana Bte Salam, Mdm Hajar Binte Sam’on, Mr Syed Ali Bin Mohamed Alhabshee, Tan Jiang Hoe, Nur Izzati Bte Shukor, Lim Si Jie Nysha, Pina Chan Sze Wah ROW 2: Low Jasmine, Ang Wei Lin, Tan Yi Lin, Siah Sin Rui, Chong Wee Swien, Putri Faramita Bte Atan, Nur Fasihah Bte Kamin, Lenice Png Yi Zhen, Tan Hui Na, Siti Soleha Bte Sahrom, Ang Zhi Yin, Wong Yi Ying Phyllis ROW 3: Rossyazzrulnisy B Rosman, Lee Yong Wei Favian, Beaven Neo Jun Hao, Chong Ming Jie Joe, Dave Koh Jun Hao, Tan Jia Wen, Muhammad Nurizz Dini B M D, Sean Tan Jian Yang, Kelvin Lim Zhi Qiang, Mohamad Nazrul B Mohamad Zaini, Ellery Peck Jun Zhou, Lau Zi Xiu, Deric Lau Zhan Yuan NOT IN PHOTO: Siti Zahara Bte Zainal, Khong Qi Xing, Yip Yang Xing Yann

Dear 5B, It has been a really nice experience getting to know all of you. Though I only had the chance to take your class for a few months, I have learned that there are so many talented individuals in the class. I hope that the short time together has been purposeful and meaningful and that you have learned to be stronger and more resilient individuals. I would like to thank the class committee in taking the lead in managing many of the class matters and to all of you for giving them your fullest cooperation. Do stay cool and awesome and work hard towards your goals. Remember that ‘everything is difficult before it becomes easy’. - Mr Ali

A Nod to Our Principal

A Visionary Leader

Opening of the Westwood Gallery

... who imagines the future and possibilities for Westwoodians, Ms Gwee has spent the past 6 years as the Principal of the school, working with different stakeholders to actualise the school’s vision “Rooted to soar for the Nation”. Under her leadership, Westwood has transformed into a learning hub which has moulded the lives of many students and teachers alike. In her years as Principal of Westwood, her tireless energy in paving opportunities for teachers and students has allowed the school to move forward with the current educational landscape. As Warren Barren has aptly said, “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality” and Ms Gwee is testimony to these words. Ms Gwee began her work with the management team and teachers to articulate the Westwood Brand of Education, aligned with the school’s mission. This led to the development of the Learning and Behavioural Outcomes of a Westwood Brand of Education – A Westwoodian possesses an international outlook, knows when and how to take risks, has the courage to be different and is socially responsible. These outcomes have served as the backbone for all our staff to mould allrounded Westwoodians.

In Aristotleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s words, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.â&#x20AC;? Ms Gwee, a firm believer of Character education, has always embraced the importance of good character and emphasised on a school wide values-based education, ensuring a balance of affective skills and cognitive ones. Over the years, students were given a plethora of opportunities to serve the community and make a difference in the lives of the needy and underprivileged. It is without a doubt that Ms Gwee displayed her passion by ensuring a unified commitment in helping her young charges become responsible, caring and contributing citizens.

Not only did she create platforms for

Westwoodians to work with the local community, Indoor Sports Hall

but being a resourceful leader she managed to forge ties with overseas schools which gave rise to several key internationalisation programmes under her leadership. This paved the way for students to embark on learning journeys and cultural exchange programmes beyond Singapore to countries like India, China, Indonesian and Japan, a golden opportunity which students have treasured as enriching and eye-opening experiences. Westwood also opened her doors to host many overseas visitors from as far as Sweden over the years. Visitors were always impressed by the brand of education we offer

Homecoming Dinner

Talent Development Programme 88

to Westwoodians under the guidance of Ms Gwee.

SLB Investiture

Rainbow Loom Band Making

Internationalisation

Unveiling of House Banners

In her attempt to instill an appreciation

honed the teachers’ craft but also

create knowledge for themselves.

for the Arts in each Westwoodian,

developed them as confident and

In line with this, Assessment for

over the years students were given

competent educators. As a strong

Learning (AfL) became one of the key

ample opportunities to pursue their

advocate of continual learning, Ms

pedagogical tools in our classrooms.

interests and talents in this area.

Gwee supported staff who wished

Students were exposed to different

Examples include staging our first

to pursue professional development

modes of assessment ranging from

ever musical titled “Fame” where both

opportunities and paved pathways

authentic performance tasks to oral

teachers and students displayed their

for teachers to collaborate with

assessment tasks. Key AfL strategies

artistic talents, students performing at

educators from tertiary institutions to

such as effective questioning were

Sydney Opera house and putting up art

widen and strengthen their knowledge

used in the classroom by teachers

exhibitions at the community events,

base. During her stint, our teachers

to provoke students to think and

all of which culminated in our Learning

were involved in a number of projects

reflect. Harnessing information and

for Life Programme – “Arts for life”.

with tertiary institutions such as the

communications technology (ICT) to

National Institute of Education and

engage learners was another area

Growing and empowering teachers to

worked closely with them on areas

that Ms Gwee believed will develop

deliver a quality Westwood Brand of

from teaching and learning to social

students’

Education has always been close to Ms

and emotional well-being of students.

supported teachers who came up with

Gwee’s heart. The many professional development

opportunities

curiosity.

She

readily

innovative ways of using technology

and

To quote Albert Einstein, “Education

in the classroom by providing them

platforms our staff were offered is

is not the learning of facts but the

resources to purchase ICT gadgets

testament to it. Opportunities such as

training of the mind to think.” Ms

and software and to experiment with

presenting papers in both national and

Gwee has always challenged her

them. Teaching and learning definitely

international conferences, embarking

teachers to facilitate the learning

centered around students - to engage

on staff study trips to countries in the

process in the classroom instead

them and develop them into thinkers,

region and learning from professionals

of merely providing knowledge so

learners and contributors.

during in-house workshops not only

that students will think and co-

Westwood Snapshot

Autographs

Westwood Secondary School 6792 9737

6792 9738

www.westwoodsec.moe.edu.sg 11 Jurong West Street 25 (S) 648350