The Vibrant SCGS School Life by scgss ict

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION Our Vibrant School Life

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Our Vibrant School Life Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Secondary 1 Orientation SECONDARY DIVISION

he theme for this year’s orientation was Precious Gemstones. Like gemstones, every SC girl is precious and possesses her own individual talent waiting to shine through. SCGS provides the experiences and the environments through which each girl’s unique personality and abilities are developed, so that she can contribute to society. Led by the peer leaders and the prefects, the new students were organised into

eight groups – Amber, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Diamond, Emerald, Jade, Peridot and Sapphire. Through exciting activities, they were introduced to their new surroundings, as well as the school’s history and culture. These activities included the Initiation Ceremony, school tours, Co-Curricular Activity presentations, and cheer sessions, through which students had the opportunity to forge new friendships.

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At the end of the three days, the Secondary 1 students put up entertaining performances at the Orientation Concert where they showcased their dance skills and new cheers for their parents and peers. Two Secondary 1 students also shared their orientation journey, describing how they had fun adapting to the school and making new friends. Thanks to the orientation programme, our new kim geks began their journey in SC with many lasting memories and friendships.

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Our Vibrant School Life Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Mother Tongue Fortnight PRIMARY & SECONDARY DIVISIONS

iven the changing language environment, the usage of Mother Tongue Languages (MTL) beyond the classroom is critical to making MTL living languages for all our students. Together, schools, parents and community partners can play key roles in providing students with opportunities

to be immersed in an environment that is conducive to the usage and learning of MTL. In conjunction with the Chinese New Year festive season, our Mother Tongue Department organised the annual MT Fortnight programme in February with a

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range of activities to pique students’ interest in Mother Tongue Languages and culture. Malay and Tamil students were enjoyed an immersive theatre performance and various learning journeys, while Chinese students were treated to a tea appreciation experience at a tea house and a Cross Talk performance.

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Our Vibrant School Life Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Chinese New Year Celebrations PRIMARY & SECONDARY DIVISIONS

n 2019, we ushered in the Year of the Pig with joyful celebrations and activities for all students. The Couplets Calligraphy Writing and Classroom Decoration competitions were organised for both Primary and Secondary divisions. Using recycled materials, plenty of enthusiasm and loads of creativity, students from Primary 4 to Primary 6 hand-made colourful Chinese New Year decorations for their classrooms, according to the different themes given by their teachers. In the Primary Division, Chinese cultural booths were set up during the extended lunch period. Students indulged in fun activities such as Chinese Paper cutting, a

simpliﬁed version of Bean Art, dough modelling and paper puppet games. The Library Committee and the Parent Support Group also organised traditional food tasting, Chinese painting and other exciting activities. On 4 February, both divisions gathered at the beautifully decorated secondary school courtyard for a joint celebration. The Secondary concert band provided lively music and everyone enjoyed a thrilling Lion Dance performance. The celebration ended with the God of Fortune giving blessings and (wildly popular) candy treats to the students. Thereafter, the Primary Division students enjoyed a lovely concert. The items

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included Diabolo, Ventriloquism, and a Cross Talk performance by the Chinese Drama Club. Students were also entertained by a Chinese Opera performance and skit by the Chinese Language Cultural Club members, and a beautiful dance routine by the Chinese Dance CCA. Meanwhile, Secondary Division students conducted a class Lohei (Yusheng toss) and participated in a hamper wrapping competition that encouraged bonding and collaboration. Hampers wrapped by both students and staff were then sent to the less privileged families within the Pek Kio community as part of 120 Ways of Giving Back. The event was certainly a time of fun and cultural learning for the whole school.

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Our Vibrant School Life Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Sports Festival

PRIMARY & SECONDARY DIVISIONS n 25 May, we hosted our 53rd Annual Sports Meet at the Physical, Sports and Outdoor Education Branch running track. With the inaugural intertribe games and the return of inter-class swimming events, Sports Day was ﬁlled with passion and electrifying excitement. The National Cadet Corp started the day by leading

all the uniformed groups on a solemn and awe-inspiring march past. Next, our very own track star, Emily Ong from Secondary 4SE, led both the Primary and Secondary division athletes’ contingents in the recitation of the Athletes’ Pledge. Finally, once the races commenced, the girls on the stands demonstrated their full encouragement

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for our athletes, ﬁlling the air with loud cheers under the enthusiastic direction of the leaders of our four house tribes: Cairnhill, Dunearn, Emerald and Whitley. Students and teachers alike certainly brought home many cherished memories of sporting fervour, fun and fellowship that day!

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Our Vibrant School Life Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Racial Harmony Day PRIMARY & SECONDARY DIVISIONS

CGS commemorated Racial Harmony Day over the week of 15 to 19 July 2019, which was particularly meaningful as 2019 also marked Singapore's bicentennial. Themed The Singapore Connection, staff and students were brought on a journey to reﬂect on the shared experiences and values that have connected us as Singaporeans. At extended recess and lunch, the school was abuzz with activities. Students from both divisions had the opportunity to take part in a myriad of racial and cultural activities, food experiences and games, lovingly organised by our Parent Support Group. From cultural games, to food items of various races and traditional costumes, students got to experience and better appreciate the diversity of the different groups in Singapore. In the respective divisions, assembly programmes and lesson discussions

further unpacked the signiﬁcance of racial harmony and the concepts of openness and inclusivity, especially as our society becomes increasingly complex and diverse. For the Primary Division, students learnt more about the cultural beliefs and traditions of various groups in Singapore through hands-on activities led by the Mother Tongue Languages teachers and NE Champs. The assembly rose to a climax as the upper-primary students strutted down our very own 'runway' in costumes which they have designed themselves using recycled materials to showcase the melting pot of cultures and traditions in Singapore. For the Secondary Division, Secondary 1 to 3 students were captivated by a play entitled Flight, which taught the students

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that one should keep an open mind and be accepting, understanding and culturally sensitive towards different cultures. Concurrently, the Secondary 4 students had a fruitful discussion about the significance of social harmony. Students were taught the importance of maintaining racial and religious harmony in Singapore's multi-cultural and multiethnic society. It was a significant and meaningful week as students learnt to appreciate the importance of diversity and celebrate Singapore's success as a racially harmonious nation, while reflecting on the role which they play in safeguarding our unique social fabric.

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Our Vibrant School Life Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Total Defence Day PRIMARY & SECONDARY DIVISIONS

he school commemorated Total Defence Day in the week of 11 to 15 February. Anchored on the theme, ‘Together We Keep Singapore Strong’, the staff and students were reminded that everyone had a part to play in Total Defence. We offer our sincere thanks to the parent volunteers for their support in conducting immersive and engaging activities that enabled students of both divisions to experience the six pillars of Total Defence. During Wednesday’s extended lunch, students had the opportunity to participate in ﬁrst aid and CPR resuscitation simulations, a cultural

experience involving a variety of delectable ethnic cuisine, an occupation dress-up activity, as well as a target-shooting exercise. As part of our 120th Anniversary celebrations, students also contributed to a food donation drive by the charity organisation, Food from the Heart. During the Primary Division assembly period, National Education (NE) Champs shared the signiﬁcance of Total Defence Day and the students enjoyed a storytelling session entitled Story Voyages, which emphasised the importance of

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everyone doing their part. Upper Secondary students dived deeper into the concept of defence through a talk by Mr Paul Chek on ‘National Service and our Part for Total Defence’, while lower Secondary students attended a storytelling session on stories from Asia and beyond, that highlighted the six pillars of Total Defence. Throughout the week, Secondary 4 NE Champs also shared meaningful reﬂections pertaining to their personal understanding of Total Defence. These sessions deﬁnitely enriched our appreciation of Total Defence.

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Our Vibrant School Life Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

SC Day

PRIMARY & SECONDARY DIVISIONS

very year students look forward to SC Day which is held in conjunction with National Day. SC Day is a time of bonding between the Primary and Secondary Divisions. With the help and generous contribution of the Parent

Support Group and Parent Volunteers, the primary and secondary classes paired up to run stalls to raise funds for a good cause as part of the school’s 120th Anniversary celebrations. Behind the scenes, the Accelerated Leaders,

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who were the organisers, did a splendid job in organising the event. Students from both divisions had a good time of interaction with each other. SC Day was a showcase of the SC Spirit of giving and enterprise.

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Our Vibrant School Life Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

National Day Celebrations PRIMARY & SECONDARY DIVISIONS

ingapore Chinese Girls’ School roared to life on 8 August as we commemorated our nation’s 54th birthday at our school courtyard. The Primary and Secondary Divisions quickly warmed up to the ever-popular selection of National Day songs before waving their ﬂags enthusiastically to welcome our Guest of Honour, Mr

John Tan. Mr John Tan serves on the SCGS Board of Directors and we were very honoured to have him join us for the celebration. The ceremony took a solemn turn when the National Flag was hoisted proudly by the Marching Contingent made up of the representatives of the various uniformed groups. This was followed by

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the singing of the National Anthem, before our Head Prefect, Cameron Setiadi, led the recitation of the National Pledge. The crowd listened attentively to the Recollections recital about our pre-independence days. The joyous event ended on a high note with a mass singing of our all-time favourite National Day songs led by the school choir.

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Our Vibrant School Life Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Spirit of the Class A TAPESTRY OF JADE & GOLD

here was a burst of vibrant colours, excited chatter and enthusiastic cheering in the amphitheatre. This was where we held our annual Spirit of the Class competition. It was a wonderful display of creativity and synergy as the students weaved SCGS milestones and

values into their class cheers with clever pop references and slick coordination. Whenever the teachers joined in, the cheering and applause grew louder. A Tapestry of Jade & Gold was the theme of our 120th anniversary celebrations. It was a ﬁtting theme for

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this year’s Spirit of the Class as it showcased how working together enabled each class to weave a memorable shared experience, with every student bringing her talent and involvement to enrich her class.

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Our Vibrant School Life Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

International Friendship Day PRIMARY & SECONDARY DIVISIONS

n 2019, SCGS commemorated International Friendship Day by exploring the theme of Connected Communities and reﬂecting on the importance of friendship and collaboration amongst the different peoples of our globalised world. In the week of 8 to 12 April, teachers conducted special lessons in class to help girls from the Primary Division appreciate the concept of friendship between individuals, different nationalities and even between nations. The National Education Champs added some spice to the week

by demonstrating the greetings of different nations each day and encouraging girls and teachers alike to imitate them. At the extended lunch, parent volunteers offered a variety of activities – including a soccer match, street games from various countries, the traditional Philippine bamboo dance, and a K-pop mass dance – so that the girls could experience the cultures of different countries. During the Primary Division assembly period, we enjoyed a play entitled Perfect Harmony. It emphasised the importance of staying connected as a

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united community and respecting everyone’s different strengths. Through an enriching lecture series, the Secondary Division was introduced to the concept of Diversity in the global community, nation and school cohort. They were encouraged to embrace differences between locals and the international students among us. Additionally, we were enthralled by the Spirit of the Class Competition, where all classes performed exhilarating cheers that featured ideas based on Connected Communities.

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Our Vibrant School Life Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

International Students’ Activities SECONDARY DIVISION

019 has been a joyful and memorable year for all of us. We have been very privileged to receive the unending support of the school and the Parent Support Group (PSG). Aside from helping us adapt to the Singapore education system, they have enabled us to integrate with the local community by introducing to us the different ethnic cultures here through myriad bonding sessions and activities.

Additionally, the PSG helped us celebrate our ﬁrst Singaporean Christmas in a most memorable way – Christmas caroling on Christmas Eve 2018. As we went from home to home singing Christmas carols and enjoying the food the residents shared with us, we learnt about what it meant to share the love of Christmas. We also experienced, for the ﬁrst time, bringing joy to people of different socioeconomic backgrounds.

As many of us had just arrived in late 2018, the Peer Leaders organised a gathering to welcome us into the SCGS family. We played fun icebreaker games and enjoyed the engaging performances specially put up by the Peer Leaders, including a play based on school life. To show our appreciation, we came up with two impromptu song performances ourselves. We felt warmly welcomed by the school and looked forward to joining our new family.

In February, our Scholar Care teachers and the PSG organised a Chinese New Year Lohei party for us. We were joined by some Sec 4 seniors, providing a wonderful opportunity for us to build amicable relationships with each other. Additionally, ‘lao yusheng’, or the raising of the yusheng ingredients while reciting auspicious phrases, was a new experience for us – even Chinese international students – as it was not a common practice in China.

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Another memorable experience was the Values-In-Action activity at the Jamiyah Children’s Home. We served the children food when they broke their fast and also got to know them better. This taught us the value of serving those who are less fortunate than us through empathy and kind acts, which included spending time and making the effort to get to know them. Together, we have created precious moments that we will never forget and look forward to another year of adventures at the school. We are ready to experience new challenges and are sure that, with the continuous support of our peers, teachers, and the school, we will continue to ‘grow nearer the sky’ and achieve our dreams. Audrey Christie, Sec 3DG Lu Xinyu, Sec 3CO Nguyen Anh Thu, Sec 3DG Peng Xinqi, Sec 3DY

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Our Vibrant School Life Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Teachers’ Day SECONDARY DIVISION

n 5 September, we celebrated Teachers’ Day based on the theme Weaving a Tapestry of Memories, in line with our school’s 120th Anniversary theme of A Tapestry of Jade and Gold. The theme highlighted the fond memories students had created with teachers and set the stage for the creation of even more lasting memories.

The day started with students and teachers enjoying time together and taking photos at class photo booths created by the students. This was followed by a sumptuous buffet brunch for all staff members during which time the staff were entertained with performances and had fun playing games like Bingo. The festivities ended with the

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annual concert and a hilarious game of Kahoot! The Teachers’ Day Committee would like to thank everyone involved for their generosity of time and enthusiasm, without which the event would not have been a success. Janel Ng (Sec 3SY)

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Our Vibrant School Life Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Open House SECONDARY DIVISION

pen House 2019 saw more than 700 families entering our gates to better understand what the SCGS Experience would be like. Visitors to the school were warmly welcomed by our SC Ambassadors and Prefects who graciously guided visitors and shared with them the various school facilities across the campus. In the Science laboratories, our students engaged visitors both young and old in various fun experiments, including

making goo and extracting DNA from strawberries with the support from our Science Department. Environmental responsibility and sustainability were the key messages shared by the Humanities Department. Scintillating performances by our performing arts groups captured our visitors’ attention. With their enthusiasm, poise and conﬁdence, our student leaders engaged visitors, impressing parents who provided much positive feedback on yet another successful Open House.

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The day was especially signiﬁcant as it marked the official opening of the underpass of the Steven MRT station, which facilitates a fully sheltered walkway between the station and SCGS.

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Our Vibrant School Life Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Prom Night SECONDARY DIVISION

n 2019, the Secondary 4 Prom Night was held on 18 November at the InterContinental Singapore. Beﬁtting the theme, Masquerade Ball, the Secondary 4 students donned masks along with their elegant outﬁts and added mystery and enigma to the evening. The event was made memorable by the many exuberant performances, including an astounding rendition of The Phantom of the Opera by our very own teachers, a dance performance by the SC Dance

Team, exciting games and a lucky draw where many students walked away with attractive prizes. The spectacular night came to an end with a resounding ﬁnale by the graduating cohort, cheering their hearts out one ﬁnal time with the Queen of the Jungle cheer and singing the school song with pride. This night truly showcased the rich and diverse learning experiences, personal growth and strong bonds forged in SCGS. The graduating cohort seized the opportunity of the night to appreciate and

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honour their caring teachers and supportive school management who have aided them in this wonderful journey, by giving them handwritten cards and gifts. Prom Night was deﬁnitely a magical and incredible event and will certainly be remembered by many in the years to come. We wish the Class of 2019 the very best in their future endeavours! Kundala Vineeta Shankar (Sec 3SY)

Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Lim Kai Xin Chloe (Pri 1P)

Tessa Lim Jing En (Sec 2DG)

Kate Alexis Lau Kejun (Pri 1C) 130

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION Celebrating The Arts

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Celebrating The Arts Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Talentime SECONDARY DIVISION

his year’s Talentime 120: A Celebration, took place on 24 October. All Secondary 1 and 2 classes had put up creative performances commemorating our school’s 120th anniversary and honouring our unique heritage. The event was an entertaining, heartwarming showcase of student talent. Stories that communicated the importance of our school values were presented in diverse narrative forms that included dance, music, and theatre. Talentime was certainly a fun-ﬁlled, spirited event enjoyed by all! Lee Jin Han, Meira (Sec 3DG)

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OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Celebrating The Arts Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Art and Music Showcase SECONDARY DIVISION

his year’s annual Art and Music Showcase was held on 15 November in the Spice and Music Rooms. It featured creative compositions and artistic expressions by the Upper Secondary Art and Music students. The music showcase enabled our music students to display their musical strengths through performing pieces from various composers from across the centuries and their compositions. The stunning

performances displayed the students’ success in honing their musical skills with much passion and determination. The art exhibition displayed works and preparatory studies prepared by Upper Secondary art students. Gracing the Spice Rooms, the artwork represented their hard work, and exuded ingenuity and imagination. Overwhelming support from friends and families encouraged our students to strive harder in their pursuit of art.

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We would like to thank our Principal, Mrs Eugenia Lim, and our Vice Principals, Mrs Shermaine Tang, Mdm Ho Hui Ping, and Mrs Shirlene Tieh, for giving us this wonderful opportunity to showcase our compositions. We would also like to thank our teachers-in-charge, Mrs Hazel Lim, Mr Abdul Razak, and Mrs Jane Loke for their constant guidance and support throughout our journey. Janice Zhang Jia Wen (Sec 3PR) Zhu Jiayuan (Sec 3PE)

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Celebrating The Arts Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

BLOOM: A Concert In Aid of VIVA Foundation for Children with Cancer PRIMARY DIVISION

loom is an SCGS production by ﬁve Primary Division Performing Arts Groups, namely the Choir, the Dance Club, the English Drama Club, the Handbells Ensemble and the String Ensemble. This production was part of the school’s 120th Anniversary Celebrations. It is also part of 120 ways of giving back to the community. In collaboration with VIVA Singers and the Mayﬂower Secondary School choir,

the proceeds from the concert went to the VIVA Foundation for Children with Cancer, a Singapore-based charity. All Primary 5 students worked on a ceramic art piece during art lessons. Each piece was sold during the concert to raise funds for the foundation. Our school library coordinated and made a mixed media artwork which consisted of eight canvas boards for the VIVA Foundation. The project was a

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collaborative effort by parent volunteers, students, staff of SCGS, well-wishers and the beneﬁciaries of the VIVA Foundation. It was a platform for well-wishers to give their support to the VIVA Foundation. The artwork was displayed at the concert venue on 31 May and 1 June. It is now permanently displayed at the headquarters of the VIVA Foundation at Level Three of Novena Specialist Centre.

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Celebrating The Arts Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

JIP Art Camp SECONDARY DIVISION

n 25 and 26 June, art students from the JIP schools gathered for our biennale art camp. The art camp was one of the very exciting experiences in our Art journey in Secondary 3 because we were given the chance to explore a new medium: clay, and to meet new people. We started off with icebreakers, where everybody participated with great enthusiasm and we soon bonded with the students in our groups. This was a great opportunity for us to interact with other students and exchange ideas on artmaking. We were excited about using clay as a medium. This was the ﬁrst time working with clay for some of us, and we learnt a lot of techniques. It was difficult to smoothen out the clay with the potter’s wheel, but the teachers checked on our progress and helped us correct our

techniques. Although our end results were not perfect, we were really proud of them. As an art student, it is important that we are exposed to different forms of art like pottery, rather than just the canvas and paint. It allows us to appreciate the beauty in everyday objects. The main highlight of the camp was the group project where we had to design a public sculpture or outdoor furniture, from Bishan Park. The challenge with public sculptures was that they had to be practical, structurally sound but also aesthetically pleasing. We were very adaptable and motivated to try even though we had never made sculptures before. When we visited Bishan Park, we gathered as much contextual information and inspiration as we could and recorded our ideas in our sketchbooks. Recording our observation from nature was also a new experience.

After the site visit, artist Mr Richard Lim, a guest speaker, talked about his journey in pottery and what inspired him to start working with clay. He was an engineer by training, and he explained how his profession affected his viewpoint of art. He inspired us with his story on how he constantly worked to improve his craftsmanship and style. We had to pitch our ideas visually to the teachers before we could start working with the clay. After a day of working on and reworking the sculptures, we ﬁnalised our design and completed our maquettes. We presented our site studies and design rationale to the entire group and the top groups were rewarded with prizes. A lot of credit needs to be given to all the art teachers who put in a lot of effort into organising this camp and tried to make our learning as holistic as possible. We look forward to the next camp. Kimaya Wanjari (Sec 3PE)

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OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION: Celebrating The Arts Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Band and String Ensemble Trip to Brisbane, Australia SECONDARY DIVISION

n June, the SCGS Band and String Ensemble embarked on a six-day musical exchange to Brisbane, Australia. A total of 72 students, eight teachers and two instructors embarked on this enriching learning experience which saw us collaborating in music exchanges with the local schools. One of the highlights of the trip was our visit to Clayﬁeld College, where our band and string ensemble members had the rare opportunity to rehearse and perform with the students there. This was truly a once in a lifetime experience, as we soaked in a new musical atmosphere with lessons under the guidance of another conductor. Apart from picking up some tips to improve our musicality, we learnt to adapt very quickly to a new performing environment. Additionally, we saw how performing arts student groups are run in an Australian school, with shorter but

more intense practices. In the end, we had the opportunity to perform to an international audience at Dreamworld. Other than the musical aspect of this trip, we learned more about Australian culture. Visiting the Australia Zoo taught us the importance of the conservation of wildlife and the many species of animals born and bred in Australia. The Australians are indeed very proud of their wildlife and take conservation efforts seriously. Our time in Brisbane was certainly an exciting and fulﬁlling one. We left Brisbane with closer friendships forged between members of the two performing arts groups, and memories that we will cherish forever. Amelia Neo Rui Min (Sec 3DG)

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Reﬂections: Through our school visits and tutelage with other conductors, I realised that the same piece of music may be interpreted differently. I also improved on my musicality and performance standards. Christina Sun Jia Lu (Sec 3PR) I was inspired by the Australians’ openmindedness and willingness to ask questions when in doubt, both in the orchestra and classroom settings. Clarianne Effendi (Sec 3SY)

Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Bloom (Pri 4SE) Alexa Lee Jian Qi Amelia Wong Chan Keng Rui, Elizabeth Chan Yun Tieng, Alyssa Wang Zi Tian Sonia Tan Rae-En Isabelle Rachel Cheng Cherish Koh U-Han

Zhu Jiayuan (Sec 3PE)

Aisha Binti Ab Ghafar (Sec 2GR) 136

120TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

120TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

A Tapestry of Jade & Gold: SCGS Celebrates 120 1899-2019: 120 YEARS OF GRIT AND GRACE

he year was far from impressive. The roof leaked. The entire school population could ﬁt into one room of the old shophouse. The amahs who were tasked to escort their little Nyonyas to and from school every day, watched with curious amusement as the English Headmistress expounded on the importance of learning to read. In July 1899, Singapore Chinese Girls’ School opened with just seven students. Records from the historical Straits Chinese Magazine revealed that our founders, Sir Song Ong Siang and Dr Lim Boon Keng, faced heated opposition from traditionalists who thought that educated girls would bring shame to their families. Fortunately for us today, this only

strengthened their resolve to improve educational opportunities for girls, with a curriculum formed by local and cultural sensibilities. 120 years later, we are grateful for their forward-thinking, courage and conviction to stand against the prevailing cultural norms. Continuing their legacy, innumerable benefactors have enabled the school to grow from strength to strength to become the respected institution it is today. Having stood on the shoulders of giants, generations of SCGS students have received not only knowledge but also loving care and guidance and have gone on to make many outstanding contributions to society.

Our commemoration of the SCGS 120th Anniversary is therefore a thanksgiving for these countless blessings. With preparations starting as early as mid-2018, we have been busy engaging the community and raising funds for the President’s Challenge through events such as the Family Day Carnival, Homecoming, Peranakan Night and more. We rounded up the celebrations with the year-long project, 120 Ways of Giving Back, that demonstrated our gratitude through acts of service. As the school song goes, we hope all these endeavours will instil in our students a sense of thankfulness for blessings big and small, and a heart to serve and improve the lives of those around them.

120TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

120 Ways of Giving Back

hroughout 2019, the school commemorated with 120 Ways of Giving Back through Values in Action projects. Staff and students coming together to pack and deliver hampers for needy families in Pek Kio Constituency; students planned interaction activities with orphans in Malacca and seniors in the Toa Payoh Care Corners, and cleaned dog shelters at Save Our Street Dogs. It had been a fruitful and memorable journey for the school as it celebrated its 120th year.

Foundation for Children with Cancer. Secondary school students also helped athletes with special needs at the Play Inclusive, and supported persons with muscular dystrophy at the Muscular Dystrophy Association (Singapore) events.

museum tours at the National Museum of Singapore and the Asian Civilizations Museum, while teachers opened their classrooms to fellow educators from local schools and overseas, for example, the Mathematics teachers from Australia.

Our docents also shared on the Chinese culture at the River Hongbao and led

The entire school, parents and alumni also participated in fund raising activities at the Family Day and Peranakan Night. With the concerted effort of the SCGS family throughout the year, we were pleased to present a cheque of $250,000 for the President’s Challenge.

In advocating awareness of the needs of the less fortunate, the primary school students put up a concert Bloom in aid of the VIVA

120TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

SCGS Family Day

n 23 February 2019, the SCGS family celebrated its 120th Anniversary at Mediapolis@One-North, ﬁlling the space with a confetti of sights and sounds. Colourful streamers, green and gold balloons, and hand-painted stall signs set the scene for the festivities of the day. Organised by the school community, the day’s event included family-oriented activities like obstacle courses and captain’s ball tournaments. Our students graced the stage with their ethnic dance and popular song performances. Picnic baskets were sold to those who preferred a meal on the lawn. Excited alumnae basked in nostalgia as they

visited stalls selling SC memorabilia. Popular 98.7DJs made an appearance to host the mini-palm challenge – a scaled-down version of the Mediacorp’s “Subaru Car Challenge”. It was a carnival that had something for everyone, including game booths, bouncy castles and bubble-tea stalls.

beneﬁciaries at the carnival with the generous sponsorship of parents and the alumni. Senior citizens from Pek Kio Community Centre and special needs students from APSN Katong joined the party and were also treated to the anniversary concert, Being: Glad that I live, at the Mediacorp theatre.

As our way of giving back to the larger community, the Family Day carnival aimed to raise funds to support charities under the 2019 President’s Challenge. In addition, the school hosted 170

Family Day ended with a resounding school cheer that was led by the Accelerated Leaders. As the sun set, a large group picture was taken with all the attendees - a visual reminder of the bonds shared with the past, present and future SC family, and certainly a keepsake that will continue the SCGS legacy.

120TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Being: Glad That I Live 120TH ANNIVERSARY PRODUCTION o celebrate SCGS 120th anniversary, the school held its ﬁrst and biggest full-school public production at the MES Theatre at Mediacorp on 23 February 2019 that saw 300 student performers on stage. Graced by the Minister for Education, Mr Ong Ye Kung, the production Being: Glad That I Live was presented to an almost full-house theatre for both the matinee and evening shows. Reviews were hugely enthusiastic and positive:

“Think this is the best school-based performance ever. So proud of SCGS and how they have woven all the arts (CCAs) into this production.” “Really impressed with the whole production. It was professionally done. It didn’t even feel like a school concert. Well done!” “Mad proud to be a kimgek and even more so today. It was a fantastic production. All the hours of hard work have truly paid off…Well done everyone!” “Super proud of every one! Clapped until I think I bruised my hands!”

Set in the distant future, the production follows the exploration of a main character, N4, as she seeks out a musical refrain that arises from within her, to discover and learn who she truly is. The creation of the production started with a meeting with the creative heads of the performing arts CCAs, where different ideas of a collaborative concert were discussed. The ﬁnal meeting was the most ambitious, requiring much logistical manoeuvring and discussion but our wonderful conductors and instructors were incredibly encouraging and supportive. And with the strong support of the school leaders, the rest was history. The collaboration among 47 drama members, 76 dancers, 75 singers and 120 musicians from the Primary and Secondary divisions was a ﬁrst, with many outstanding items such as Vivaldi’s Winter performed by the Dance and String ensemble, Gershwin performed by Dance and Band, Twitterpated by Primary Choir and Dance, Celtic Praise by Handbells and Drama, and Urok by Secondary Choir and Drama. The

production was a huge collaborative effort of alumnae staff and students. The script was written by an alumnae and English Language and Literature Subject Head, Ms Jo Ann Lee. The theme song was composed by the SChoir director, Language Arts and Music teacher, Mrs Angela Goh. Costumes were designed by Humanities teacher Mrs Wang Yoke Gin. The production was directed by alumane Miss Denise Tan and coordinated by our performing arts CCA instructors. This brought all the performing arts groups closer than ever, as they performed together as one. In this production, our students, through their dedication and diligence, have reached new heights in arts excellence for which SCGS is known. It was truly a spectacle to the senses, a story of sincerity, generosity, courage and service. The theme song cleverly weaves the school song in its choruses, with the ﬁnal line ‘to see that we grow nearer the sky’ sung aloud or in their hearts by all in the theatre, paying tribute to SCGS.

120TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Homecoming 2019 CELEBRATING OUR HERITAGE

omecoming 2019: Celebrating Our Heritage is a journey down our treasured path of SCGS history. As it has been 10 years since the opening of the SCGS Heritage Centre, we felt it was timely to review the content of the Centre to ensure it stays current and relevant. The brainstorming of ideas started in 2018 and was completed in mid-2019, with a timely reopening while SCGS celebrates her 120th anniversary.

was graced by the Chief Executive Officer of National Heritage Board, Ms Chang Hwee Nee. Visitors to the refreshed Heritage Centre were greeted by many items of nostalgia, bringing them back to the Classroom of Yesteryears. They gained an understanding how SCGS history was intertwined with the nation’s

On 20 July 2019, SCGS celebrated our heritage with the amalgamation of two key events – Mee Pok Day and the Opening of the refreshed Heritage Centre. The celebration

history. A walk down memory lane greeted all visitors as they exclaimed at the items used in their school years as far back as in the 1950s. We were also privileged to have an alumna from the Class of 1939 visit the Heritage Centre! In the canteen and courtyard, visitors and old girls were treated to the famous mee pok from the SCGS canteen. Long, snaking queues were seen in the canteen as ah cek and his helpers tirelessly prepared bowl after bowl of yummy mee pok! There were also old school games such as longkang ﬁshing, rickshaw pulling, which entertained children at the event.

120TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Jade’s Quest for Her Heritage Jade lives in a loveless and joyless world. One day, she meets a girl who is lost. Going out of her way to help Andrea, Jade unknowingly embarks on a quest for her heritage. In her adventures with Andrea, she learns about the Peranakan culture and heritage. Most importantly, she experiences friendship and family love.

ow would you keep yourself anchored in difficult situations, and stay true to who you are? These are the very questions which Jade’s Quest for Her Heritage, the ﬁrst illustrated storybook published by the school, seeks to evoke in readers for introspection. As part of the celebration of the school’s 120th Anniversary and commemoration of the Singapore Bicentennial, Jade’s Quest for Her Heritage was commissioned. A heartwarming story of sincerity, courage, generosity and service, Jade’s Quest cleverly weaves life lessons in the adventures of the two protagonists. The story embeds nuggets of SCGS’ Peranakan heritage waiting to be found by a knowing reader, making it a delightful

read for all ages. With a captivating storyline inspired by the 120th Anniversary production, Being: Glad that I Live, and beautifully detailed illustrations, the book is a labour of love by our very own students. With contributions to the storyline by our students, the book was written and illustrated by Pauline Loh and Heng Li Ching, with our Primary division girls in mind. This limited-edition book was officially launched by our Board member, Mr John Tan, during the National Day celebrations on 8 August. Our Primary Division girls were treated to a book reading by Secondary Division girls and the insights and creative process behind the making of the book through a sharing by the author and illustrator. To their delight, girls who bought the book also got the opportunity to meet the author and illustrator at a booksigning event in September. We are thankful to Pauline Loh and Heng Li Ching for inspiring the girls and generously sharing

120TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Peranakan Night

n 14 September 2019, the yearlong 120th anniversary celebrations culminated in Peranakan Night. The gala dinner, organised by the SCGS Board of Directors, the SCGS Alumni and our parents, was a joyous gathering of kim geks across generations to celebrate Teachers’ Day.

SCGS family presented President Halimah with a cheque of $250,000 for the President’s Challenge, a result of our concerted fundraising effort throughout the year. We are grateful to our SCGS family for their generous donations in reaching out to the needy communities in Singapore.

The evening’s atmosphere was lively and vibrant, thanks to the performances by our students from Primary and Secondary divisions. President Halimah Yacob, the Guest of Honour and a fellow kim gek launched the commemorative publication Nearer the Sky: Pieces of Jade & Gold II - a coffee table book that shares how our alumnae live their lives embodying our school values of Sincerity, Courage, Generosity and Service.

Throughout the dinner, our guests enjoyed the beautiful singing of our choir and graceful steps of our SCGS dance group. Strains of musical favourites like Di Tanjong Katong and Jingli Nonya ﬁlled the air.

As part of 120 Ways of Giving Back, the

The highlight of the evening was the singing of the birthday song and cutting of the cake. The moment was accompanied by a release of colourful confetti, well-timed by the Daddies of SCGS!

The evening ended with a mass joget that got everyone on their feet dancing. What a memorable evening to close a most memorable year!

120TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Singapore Chinese Girls’ School • 2019 Yearbook

Evie Ng, Ashlyn Fu, Chloe Woon, Sarah Kum, Lee Zee Yue, Gracelynn Nicole Quek (Pri 5C)

Olivia Quek Jia Eng (Sec 2GR)

Gabrielle Tran En Xuan (Sec 2DG)