HUMANITAS A publication of gratitude for the donors and supporters of St Joseph’s Institution International School 2013
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HUMANITAS
WELCOME This publication highlights the individuals who have made a memorable and considerable impression on the lives of others. Humanitas honours you – our parents, benefactors, friends and alumni – our community – who have put your confidence in St Joseph’s Institution International (SJI International) School and given your unwavering support. You are the reason that the School is not just excellent, but exceptional. It also showcases the impacts of your gifts and how they have enhanced the SJI International experience and provided students with life-changing opportunities. Your gifts have enabled us to attract the best and brightest minds from around the world, who enhance the classroom learning experience with their variety of perspectives, backgrounds and ideas. It is with the support of your gifts that SJI International is able to provide a truly holistic education regardless of financial background. Your gifts have also provided students with an improved environment and the facilities that allow them to thrive and reach their full potential.
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“Enabling youth to learn how to learn, and to learn how to live, empowering them to become people of integrity and people for others.” — Mission Statement, SJI International
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TABLE OF CONTENTS page 6
FOREWORD page 10
SOURCES OF KINDNESS page 12
PURPOSE OF KINDNESS page 14
IN GRAVIA – the impact of support
page 20
COMMUNITY AND GIVING page 30
PARENT INSIGHTS page 32
OUR CIRCLE OF GRATITUDE page 38
ABOUT US
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Brother George Van Grieken FSC Brother President St Joseph’s Institution International
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“The greatest reward for everyone is when we see our students transform a perspective of personal scarcity into one of abundance.�
FOREWORD
Schools such as ours come alive through the generosity of others. SJI International is able to flourish because of the generous donors who have made it possible for us to pursue our Lasallian mission and shape an educational community that is culturally, religiously, economically, and academically diverse. Without such support, this school would never have been able to develop its present scope, vision, and composition. You would be very impressed with the students and staff who are the heartbeat of this campus. Anytime, anywhere, in any part of the campus, they shine as individuals and collaborative groups. The facilities, programmes, and people that enliven each day in virtually every room of the school are able to do so because parents, grandparents, relatives, and a wide variety of donors make the conscious choice that this is something that is worth their investment. Here is a place where lives are quietly changed in small, incremental
steps that build intellect, character, resilience, a sense of self and an appreciation for others. Our gratitude for our donors extends beyond the cards that we send and the statements that we make. The greatest reward for everyone is when we see our students transform a perspective of personal scarcity into one of abundance, an approach based on fear of failure into one of success after a set-back, and a preoccupation with themselves into an intentional outreach towards others. When they walk across the stage at graduation, they are new versions of themselves, moving into their lives with everything that the school has been able to provide. This is the greatest thanks that we can receive. It is something that your generosity has made possible, and we are all blessed as a result.
FOREWORD
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Our success relies on your support
—Mr Bradley Roberts
Principal of High School St Joseph’s Institution International SJI International has always been very fortunate to have the support of a large group of benefactors, from its earliest days. As we enter our eighth year, our school has grown to a new record number of almost 900 students, with just under 350 students in the IB Diploma Programme. Over the past two and a half years our Advancement and Communications Office (ACO) has undergone a rapid growth of its own. 2014 will see this team, led by Mr Vincent Anandraj, grow to four full-time members of staff. One of the foci of this team will be to further enhance the support and communication given to our network of alumni, parents and friends. The team will also seek to expand the network of SJI International supporters who might be prepared to help us push forward with our mission as a top-tier Catholic, Lasallian international school. The 2013 contributions towards the various development activities totalled $3,980,687; clearly showing the fantastic level of support SJI International has received – this included the extremely successful inaugural Charity Golf event. The funds raised will provide bursaries and scholarships to students who would, otherwise, have been unable to take advantage of the high quality holistic education we offer here. From the outset, the SJI International community has benefited from the influence of talented young men and women from all parts of the region who have laid the foundations of our distinctive ethos.
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Many of these early scholars are now undergraduates at prestigious institutions such as Oxford, Harvard and UBC or, closer to home, at NUS and SMU – and, most recently, our first ever Chinese scholar was accepted into Cambridge. They are our ambassadors and we are proud to have them as our representatives in the wider world. We have recently set an ambitious goal: to increase the percentage of Scholarship students to 20% of our IB cohort. This will only be possible with the continued support of our benefactors. At the same time, we are continuing to focus on bringing in students (both local and foreign) from homes where the SJI International educational experience is completely unaffordable. The past year has seen us working closely with the Lasallian brothers in Thailand (1 student) and Sri Lanka (2 students) to identify scholarship students that match our goals of providing a top quality education. We hope to further expand this by linking with our Lasallian family in the Philippines in 2014. Our ambitious Scholarship Programme is only possible with your support. We look forward to continuing to make a real difference to the lives of our scholarship students – and to your continued support.
Believing in the mission for excellence
—Mr Vincent Anandraj
Director of Advancement and Communications
In the short space of seven years, we have given out more than $12 million dollars in scholarships and have touched and transformed the lives of close to 160 students. None of this would have been possible without our donors’ belief in SJI International’s mission. None of this would have been possible without the legacy of our Founder, St John Baptist de La Salle. Belief made the past possible and believing will make the future a reality. SJI International is truly an extraordinary institution, a stand-out academic institution that prides itself on its values-centred holistic education which is delivered within the warm embrace of support and encouragement of dedicated teachers. Many remark on the true sense of family that is evident on our beautiful campus. Families are drawn to SJI International for a variety of reasons: rigorous academic programmes delivered by world-class teachers who care deeply for their students, exceptional character-development initiatives that foster leadership and a sense of caring for others, an unswerving commitment to our core Lasallian values of Faith– Service–Community, and the powerful sense of pride and belonging that quietly resonates across our School. While we’re proud of what we’ve created, we know that excellence is never static. Staying at the forefront of holistic values-centred education requires us to anticipate and respond to the changing educational, cultural and economic environment around us. We want to continue to be able to deliver this unique educational opportunity to as many students as possible and not
allow someone’s financial background to be a factor. To support this aspiration, we have a very successful Scholarship Programme which enables students from the region to study with us. The Scholarship Programme also affords our local students the opportunity that their financial background would not. SJI International is a charity that does not receive any funding from the government and the School must raise all of its much needed funds through its own means. Funding is needed for both our Scholarship and Bursary Fund and our Building and Development Fund. The highlight of our fundraising activities for 2013 has to be the Charity Golf event which saw a full complement of 144 golfers taking on the 18 holes of the beautifully-challenging Tanjong Course at Sentosa Golf Club. At this inaugural event, we managed to raise close to S$400,000 for needy students. The sum raised far exceeded the School’s initial target of S$150,000. As always, we thank our current donors and welcome conversations with those exploring the idea of getting involved in our various programmes.
FOREWORD
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“We make a living by what we get. We make life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill
SOURCES OF KINDNESS DONATIONS IN 2012
$22,814
Alumni & Alumni parents
$51,500
Board
$769,031
Friends & Misc
$571,080
Parents
$18,963
Staff
Total amount raised in 2012: $1,433,388
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DONATIONS IN 2013
$35,344
Alumni & Alumni parents
$24,000
Board
$3,524,150
Friends & Misc
$378,100
Parents
$17,425
Staff
$1,668
Students
Total amount raised in 2013: $3,980,687
SOURCES OF KINDNESS
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“Sometimes a small thing you do can mean everything in another person’s life.” — Anonymous
PURPOSE OF KINDNESS Gifts to the Scholarship and Bursary Fund $22,814
Alumni & Alumni parents
$45,500
Board
$341,621
Friends & Misc
$571,080
Parents
$18,963
Staff
$34,844
Alumni & Alumni parents
$23,000
Board
$3,277,935
Friends & Misc
$205,000
Parents
$17,425
Staff
$1,668
Students
DONATIONS IN 2012
DONATIONS IN 2013
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Gifts to the Building and Development Fund $6,000
Board
$427,410
Friends & Misc
$291,090
Parents
$500
Alumni & Alumni parents
$1,000
Board
$246,215
Friends & Misc
$173,100
Parents
DONATIONS IN 2012
DONATIONS IN 2013
PURPPOSE OF KINDNESS
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IN GRAVIA
THE IMPACT OF SUPPORT
“Blessed are those who can give without remembering, and take without forgetting.” — Elizabeth Bibesco
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Willing the impossible, thanking the immeasurable Hoang Ngoc Hieu
SJI International Alumnus (Class of 2013) Recipient of the Khoo Teck Puat Scholarship International Baccalaureate Score: 41 points
“Where there is a will, there is a way.” Never in my life have I understood this simple yet meaningful and encouraging proverb better than during my time at St Joseph’s Institution International. I have learnt that the joy of life is when we overcome adversity. In Vietnam, English-language learning is theory-based. While students explore grammar and vocabulary in great detail, little attention is paid to using the language in real life conversation and in writing. Having no experience in academic English rigour, I came to Singapore linguistically unprepared. I was mindful that proper pronunciation should include clear final sounds, but I kept assuming it was no big deal. Little did I imagine that nobody would understand me! At school, I could not express myself, while at home or in a Hawker Centre, starting a simple conversation was also difficult. I may have known many different words and grammatical structures, but I could not link them together to state my ideas. Reading was another problem. I still remember, in my first English class, studying Richard III with Mr Anandraj. Although I read the first scene over and over again, I could not understand any of Shakespeare’s ideas – while my classmates were ready to discuss imagery, setting and characterisation. Mr Anandraj decided that it would benefit me to complete grammar exercises in the library instead. My sadness and disappointment could hardly be expressed in words: I felt isolated from everyone around me. However, there were strong motivations that kept me trying. My family gave me all they could financially and emotionally – I could not let them down. Here in Singapore, I had the continuous support from many kind teachers and friends. One of them was Ms Jones, my tutor and Physics teacher, who spent every free lesson teaching me vocabulary one-on-one. Above all, I reminded myself, this was my chosen path and I had to be responsible for its challenges. For 15 years, I had lived under the tender protection of my family, now it was the time to face the real world as a responsible young adult. With this in mind, I left no learning methods untried. I folded up my nervousness to converse as often as possible, with anyone and about any topic, from homework to canteen food. I observed and made improvement on parts people found difficult to understand, whether it be a sound, an intonation pattern or a misused word. I spent several hours a day studying pronunciation videos on Rachel’s English – a great online learning portal – in addition to a pronunciation book I bought in Vietnam. To better my reading and writing, I employed a combination of vocabulary expansion (both general words and terminology), learning from others and personal practice.
IN GRAVIA
THE IMPACT OF SUPPORT
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I enjoyed every small advance, the way a bricklayer is satisfied with every humble row he builds, knowing they will eventually add up to a giant wall. As I had to repeat myself less and less, so my confidence grew. I could not only create simple question-and-answer conversations but also present a complex Geography topic. The turning point came at the start of Grade 11 when I challenged myself to do the English A – Language and Literature course instead of the usual option of English B, which caters for second-language learners. My class only had three foreigners, while the rest were Singaporeans, but I was not afraid. I confidently applied the skills I had acquired to class discussions, presentations and essays. My performance was not very good at first, but slowly it improved. At the same time, I discovered that I love writing essays and reading literature. I will never forget William Shakespeare, Wilfred Owen, Angela Carter, and Henrik Ibsen, the four authors we analysed in depth. The results were beyond my expectation. At the Grade 12 Farewell Assembly, I could not believe my ears when I heard my name read aloud: I was one of four nominees for the English Prize, given by the school to the top achiever in the subject, and eventually went on to win this honour. When Mrs Newman congratulated me and said, “You have worked tremendously hard, so you deserve a celebration”, I almost cried. Another joy came when the IB results were released in January: I achieved level 6 for my English course, and was awarded the Bilingual Diploma. I would like to express my immeasurable gratitude to the many people without whom I would never have been able to achieve success today. First and foremost, to my family who always loves and supports me; to my hostel guardian Auntie Josephine; to my teachers and friends, whose dedication stood the test of time; and to my benefactors, the family of Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat, whose generosity enabled my studies in Singapore. To conclude, my journey to improve has been a great learning experience. I have learnt to face challenges with courage and determination and to appreciate love and kindness from the people around me. Life is not a road filled with roses but a stone pathway across a wide river: those who believe in stepping ahead will reach the destination of success.
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Excellence inspired by devotion Lim Dao Han
SJI International Student (Class of 2013) Recipient of the Charity Golf Scholarship International Baccalaureate Score: 45 points
Before joining SJI International, I was never a top tier student. I had never been the first in class and was on the borderline of pass and fail for most of my tests. Ever since I joined the School, my teachers have been pushing me to strive and to achieve the best that I can. For example, my greatest academic weakness was English literature. Yet, with the guidance of my amazing teachers, I was able to achieve the highest score possible. The SJII Charity Golf Scholarship has boosted my confidence in my own abilities and showed me that if I set a goal and work towards it, I can achieve it. Being an SJI International scholar meant that I had to be a model student and that was not just in academics. As a scholar, I felt the need to excel in all aspects of school life, from academics to CAS; to my activities outside of school.
SJI International has helped me in countless ways. Instead of only teaching us the syllabus, my teachers showed me how to learn. They nurtured my love for learning. Aside from the classroom, I constantly found myself in the library or on the net searching for things that had no relevance to what was going to be in the next test. This is one of my favorite aspects of SJI International, as the lessons we learn extend beyond tests, beyond the classroom. We were never forced to work hard at SJI International
— it is a testament to our teachers that we do. At School,
I was motivated to learn, to go the extra mile. At one point, I had activities four out of five days after school, and I loved it! SJI International and the hard work of my teachers provided me with the opportunities to take part in all sorts of activities and trips. The way I see it, there is no school like SJI International, where teachers give so much to their students.
IN GRAVIA
THE IMPACT OF SUPPORT
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A dedicated hub for the Senior School The IB Lounge opened its doors in September 2013 with an intimate celebration, graced by the Guest-of-Honour Mr Edwin Tong, Member of Parliament, members of the Board, the Senior Student Council and teachers. The room provides an oasis of comfort and respite for students in the midst of their busy lives and provides the perfect climate for peer discussion and group work. The greatest benefit of the room is its function as a hub of senior school student life, student welfare and student activity. Senior school students now have a place within school where they can socialise, study and relax whenever they need to. For all this, we have your generous contributions to be thankful and grateful for. Joshua Fung (Class of 2014), President of the Senior School Student Council 2013-2014, says, “Thanks to your continued support, the quality of student life and level of student welfare has never been higher.�
IN GRAVIA
THE IMPACT OF SUPPORT
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COMMUNITY AND GIVING
“Never get tired of doing little things for others, sometimes those little things occupy the biggest parts of their hearts.” — Anonymous
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The inaugural Charity Golf event 2013 A full complement of 144 golfers took on the 18 holes of the beautifully-challenging Tanjong Course at Sentosa Golf Club to raise an astounding S$370,000 for needy students at the inaugural SJI International Charity Golf event. The sum raised far exceeded the School’s initial target of S$150,000. The money raised will go towards the school’s Scholarship Fund, which enables outstanding students to benefit from an SJI International education regardless of their financial background. Since opening its doors to its first cohort of 104 students in January 2007, SJI International has disbursed 132 scholarships, equivalent to over S$12 million. The School’s enrolment currently stands close to 1,600. Mr Bradley Roberts, Principal of SJI International High School, said, “From the very beginning of our school’s existence, the Scholarship Programme has been an integral part of what we constantly strive for. Through the Programme, we are able to offer places to both foreign and local students, who would otherwise never have been able to attend our school.”
Mr Roberts adds, “SJI International is a totally private institution which receives no funding from the government. We thus rely on our community to support this Programme. The Charity Golf event is the latest initiative to garner support from our parents and friends. As always, the generosity of our community has been overwhelming!” Parents of students and staff pulled together and toiled through the arduous tasks of planning, organising and executing the event. Mr Ken Khoo, parent of a Grade 11 student, who helped with the event, said, “I believe we are all put on this Earth to help others and to be charitable. My daughter has the benefit of receiving an excellent education at SJI International and I think it is important that this privilege is available to other young people too, regardless of their financial backgrounds.” The day proved to be the first in 10 days when players were able to complete all 18 holes without play being called off due to inclement weather. The golf was followed by a dinner where Guest-of-Honour, Mr S R Nathan, former President of Singapore, presented the cheque to Mrs Lyn Sen, Chairman of the Charity Golf 2013 Organising Committee. Mr Vincent Anandraj, Director of Advancement and Communications, said, “We are very grateful to the parents, SJI Old Boys, supportive organisations and friends of SJI International, who remain the backbone of our success in providing an exceptional educational experience for our students. This critical support ensures that access to an excellent education is determined by ability and not financial need.”
COMMUNITY AND GIVING
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The Art Show Auction 2013
Event Co-ordinators: Elementary School parents – Jenny Lettich, Juliette Smythers-Lim, Beatrice and Kerry Allen. The Elementary School community came together for its biggest fundraiser of the year in May 2013: The Art Show Auction 2013. Each class, together with their Class Representative and Teachers, spent many months coming up with a concept, design and producing their pieces of art that were later put up for auction at the school’s Assembly Hall on 17th May 2013. There were 29 pieces of art that were put together with much enthusiasm, creativity and love. Some of the art pieces were inspired by great artists such as Dali, Kandinsky and Klimt; other pieces found inspiration from our virtues or from our beautiful Singapore landscape – just to name a few of the sources of creativity.
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The event was a great success thanks to all our supportive families and friends. The funds raised went towards the Elementary School’s Global Initiatives, Elementary School Playground Improvements and other ongoing projects by the Elementary School Parents Support Group. The Elementary Parents Support Group (EPSG), along with the ES Consultative Committee and Class Representatives, involves a large body of parent volunteers who coordinate a range of events for the Elementary School. Key activities in 2013 included the Chinese New Year Celebrations, Elementary School’s 5th Birthday Celebrations, Easter Egg Hunt, Teachers Appreciation Tea, Christmas Fair, and Movie Night. Fundraising efforts go towards the School’s Global Initiatives extra-curricular programme that develops the values of Service and International Mindedness. The programme currently benefits four adopted charities: The Child is Innocent (Uganda), Unity in Diversity (Indonesia), First Hands (Cambodia), and Dog Owners Guidance Support (Singapore).
Compassion for Others through Service The vibrant culture of community and giving across the Elementary School and High School would not be possible without the collaborative support and generosity of the Elementary Parents Support Group (EPSG) and the High School Parents Support Group (PSG). Both groups contribute immeasurable amounts of their time, creativity, and commitment to the school – volunteering for class activities and school events, providing consultation and insights, and participating in fundraising efforts. Through our SJI International parents’ initiatives, the school community is supported by a range of activities that develop a dynamic school spirit, while building the core values of service and compassion for others – be it within the classroom or beyond our shores.
COMMUNITY AND GIVING
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FROM TOP LEFT TO RIGHT SNOWFLAKES NICOLE CHEW G7/8 A LOTUS PERSPECTIVE VINCENTIUS WIDIANTORO G9 LONESOME RIAN WATANABE G10 BEYOND AND UNDERNEATH SABRINA CAECILIA G11
2 nd Photography Competition and Auction In February 2013, the Advancement and Communications Office (ACO) organised the second SJI International Photography Competition. Many amazing entries were received and the judges had the challenging task of selecting the top 5 photographs in each category. It was illuminating to hear the Guest-of-Honour, Mr Kevin Ou, talk about the winning entries and explaining how he had arrived at his decision to pick the Grand Prize winning entry Beyond and Underneath by Sabrina Caecilia (Grade 11SMc). Kevin said: “I love how grand this image is. It shows us truly how small we are, in the grand scheme of the world. I love the perspective of seeing both people and the clouds. The only thing missing are some angels with wings and harps flying above the clouds. The first thing that gets you is the impactful colour, followed by the sheer amount of detail in the image. Your eyes get stuck in the image for several moments, trailing each line and uncovering more and more details as it goes along. This is a piece that I would love to mount as a huge centrepiece in my living room.� It is particularly pertinent that Sabrina won the Grand Prize as she is a Peter Lim Scholarship holder and all $2,000 raised from the evening will go towards supporting our Scholarship Fund.
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Why I give “I give to SJI International in gratitude to the school for a well-rounded educational programme and a desire for other children, who may not be able to afford the fees, to have the same experience.” — Ms Patricia Lim, SJI International parent
“I love that the school embraces and values the parent contribution. SJI International understands that parents are busy so volunteering can be as simple as being a Mystery Reader in your lunch break or as time consuming as organising an Easter Egg Hunt for 300 little ones to as complicated as the annual Christmas Fair .... whatever it is, the school is flexible and appreciates your involvement. But there is NO pressure!” — Anonymous SJI International parent
“I am happy to be able to help out in the Scholarship Programme. There should be no limit to what we can give to our children, especially when it comes to education.” — Mr Chiang Siew Kay, SJI International parent
“Family. We live as a migrant population, on the fringes, worried that our children may never have the kind of childhood that we had — filled with family and friends, who were stationery and never migratory. School allows my child a place to grow links and bonds and it allows me as a parent to make those links stronger. It gives me a chance to show my child the importance of giving back/ participating in the larger community.” — Anonymous SJI International parent
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“My son joined SJI International from age 13 and I have seen him develop from a little boy to a fine teenager who enjoys going to school, is impressed with many of his teachers, is very motivated in his studies and is always wanting to excel. I can only attribute that to the positive and nurturing environment created by the school and its teachers. My humble donation to the school is just my way of expressing my gratitude and thanks to the school. Thank you SJI International and keep up the good work!” — Mrs Angela Tan, SJI International parent
“Educating my child is an investment in their future so it is rewarding for me to be able to share in that. It is equally as important, personally, for my children to see me enjoying being actively involved and engaged in their development other than with their homework!!!!” — Anonymous SJI International parent
“I love being involved in my son’s education. Being in school lets me in on his routine and allows me to see how the school works. In addition to this, I truly enjoy being part of an amazing community of parent volunteers working in partnership with the school for the benefit of the children. A big plus: the way my son’s face lights up when he sees me around school is priceless.” — Anonymous SJI International parent
“I believe we have a responsibility to give back, and what better way than to help the next generation.” — Mr Jim Yap, SJI International parent
Student leaders give back with creativity Aditi Timbadia (Class of 2014)
President of the Student Advancement Board 2013-2014
The Student Advancement Board (SAB) is a committee of students that give their time and creativity to promote the school, and carry out different projects and events for the students. Examples of the events and creative projects by the SAB in 2013 included: • • • •
The Photography Competition 2013 The ‘Where are you from?’ video – a video that shows the diversity of the school and its multinational community that is shown in the reception area of the High School A video on Sports Day – Sports Day is a very competitive, yet fun, day in which students represent one of four houses in various sports A Flashmob – an unexpected dance broke out in the middle of the canteen and was filmed to show the nature of our school and how open we are to the different talents of all students.
Our work, however, has not been limited to projects within the school. A big project that we have done outside school was to perform in a National University of Singapore event. The event was a marathon and at the same time, representatives from the school performed various songs to cheer the competitors on. Organising and taking part in these different events has really benefited the members of the SAB. Meera Mathialagan, one of the members, says, “Being in the SAB has given me the opportunity to express my creative side through pitching ideas as well as being more confident in stepping up and accepting responsibilities. Furthermore I have also developed new friendships and have met people who serve as mentors to me.” Nelson Jong, SAB Vice President and Head of Information Technology, also commented, “The Student Advancement Board has given me the opportunity to challenge myself with the wide variety of videos that I have had to produce.” The SAB allows people of different talents to come together and work harmoniously towards one purpose. We value each and everyone and everyone is useful. Therefore together as a unit, a team and also as a family, we hope to be able to promote the school better and help take it to new heights.
COMMUNITY AND GIVING
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Alumni voices “I give because I know education is one of those indisputably good things, and my experience at SJI International was testament to that.” — Ian Ernst Chai, SJI International alumnus ʼ09
“The truth is, I did wonder what difference my little donation would make, in comparison to official sponsorships. Nevertheless, I gave what I could, simply as a way to show that I care. I care for SJI International: I reminisce about my old days there, I cherish our community, and I am greatly optimistic about SJI International’s flourishing. My token sum might be inconspicuous, but it’s a sincere expression of my care.” — Hilda Foo, SJI International alumna ʼ09
“I chose to give to SJI International because I believe that the teachers do a great job in educating students, and I’d like more students to be able to experience that.” — Carmen Chee, SJI International alumna ʼ09
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COMMUNITY AND GIVING
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“That’s what I consider true generosity. You give your all, and yet you always feel as if it costs you nothing.” — Simone de Beauvoir
PARENT INSIGHTS FIONA RANKINE AL-JUNIED
LYN KIMSON
“As a founding Elementary School parent, I’ve seen the school “I loved SJI International the moment we first visited and was grow from a few classrooms in the High School to a community keen to get involved in the school as I’d heard such positive of over 600 children in the Elementary School today. Despite things about the community. I am honoured to represent the the growth, the strong sense of community remains and the parents through the Consultative Committee and I hope I can virtues thrive, with our children as their best ambassadors. We use my experience and dedication as a class mum to contribute are a community with heart, that cares and wants to make a back to ensure that the school remains the special place that it difference. This is what makes us special and I am committed is for our children.” to the school and preserving its ethos.” GENEVIEVE SCHUSTER “I love the sense of community. I felt welcome even before we joined the school. It is this spirit that inspires me to give back to the community and remain active. The ‘can-do’ attitude and the virtues of the Elementary School community motivate me to be actively involved at a class and school level.”
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JACKIE WEN SINGH “Having experienced schooling in 4 different countries, I truly appreciate the Elementary School’s IPC Curriculum laced with Singapore Maths and Mandarin and feel I can contribute by sharing from my experience. I am active because I want to make a difference and I am an SJI International stalwart because I know we have a special community!”
Faith will move mountains
Mr Francis Lee A grateful parent
With great fervour, enthusiasm, determination, and not the least, great Faith, each of us went through an adventure, a journey, in fact, which resulted in our precious child enrolling at SJI International. For many of us, it seemed like the heavens opened up, the seas parted and some may even have thought they had struck the first prize in our “Big Sweep Lottery” draw when we were told our charges had found a place at SJI International. Our belief that SJI International is the ideal learning institution that would help mould our child to be a good person and citizen in society was what drove us and our charges to jump through so many hoops just to be accepted at SJI International. As each academic year rolls by and our precocious teens grow in confidence both academically, and more
importantly, as people, many times we wonder, “What is the secret sauce that makes them seemingly so happy to go to school each day?” This wondering in our minds converges on our good fortune of having our children in SJI International and our gratitude to God and to the living cast of characters who make SJI International such a great organisation. And upon greater reflection, our Faith in SJI International was well founded. As grateful parents we must now act to ensure that this great learning institution continues to be the place where parents like you and I place our Faith for a great education and for our children’s development. The commitment and sponsorship for SJI International must not waiver, so that SJI International continues to be amongst the best. Let our continuous generosity be one of the legacies we and our children leave behind. Your faithfulness will move mountains!
PARENT INSIGHTS
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OUR CIRCLE OF GRATITUDE
We would like to honour all our donors, including those who have given anonymously, who believe in the mission of SJI International and whose philanthropy has enabled the School to continue providing an exceptional education to our students. We would particularly like to recognise our donors in the following circles. Please note that these are based on cumulative donations from 2011 when the Advancement and Communications Office opened.
VISIONARY CIRCLE $25,000 and above
Shaw Foundation Culindo Livestock Pte Ltd KMP Private Ltd Salim Group Estate of Khoo Teck Puat Lawrence da Silva Mia Hardjasatya Ezra Holdings Anonymous Kevin Wong Heng Ning Far East Management Jenny Lee Sin Neo Anonymous Tsquared Cardiology Wong Boon Huat Goh Yew Lin Lee Foundation David Loh Kim Kang Tote Board Lim Seng Bee Derek Loh Eu Tse Yong Oi Ling Anonymous SymAsia Singapore Fund - Chan Family Foundation
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lan Tan Chu En Kevin Hangchi Lim Wei Wen John Wilson Roger Chia Kim Piow Esmond Choo Cheong Sae Peng Lim Chee Onn Peter Seah Lim Huat Sim Giok Lak Joseph Teo Pei Sing Edmund Tie Philip Yeo Glenndle Sim Soon Ngee Chiang Siew Kay Anonymous International Testing Co Pte Ltd Koh Choon Lan Jason Yap
PATRON CIRCLE $10,000 - $24,999
Leslie Goh Ernest Wong Yuen Weng Leon Yee Kee Shian Chan Siqi Debotosh Lodh Sembcorp Industries Ltd-SUT Aloysius Seow Howard Shaw Andre Yeap Poh Leong Anonymous Anonymous Ong Seng Gee Ngo Get Ping Anonymous Dennis Tang Chee Heng Jamil Dandany Manu Bhaskaran Charles Fan Anonymous Anonymous Tan Cheng Han Wee Ee Chao Lionel Yee Anonymous Hoong Yik Luen
Edward Ang Boon Cheow Eu Oy Chun Arian Corporation Cecil Cheong John Choy Chee Tuck Ross Forde Hamou-Jennings Geeson Putra Lawadinata Anonymous Lim Beng Hai Lim Soo Ping Loh Kian Ping SC Global Developments Jessica Tan Tan Chin Seng Didier von Daeniken Wee Ee Cheong Wong Hong Ching Lim Tai Tian
OUR CIRCLE OF GRATITUDE
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“Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up.” — Jesse James
PRESIDENT CIRCLE $5,000 - $9,999
Adrian Koh Lawrence Yuen King-Mun Mah Kah Loon Jessie Tan Andrew Yeo Khim Hin Narayanan Sreenivasan George Van Grieken Mariam John Ooi Lai Hock Anonymous A*STAR Chan Lai Fong Martin Cheah Kok Choon Susan De Silva Faizal M F Gaffoor Hendra Othman Husodo Patrick Lim Keng Lee Jude Menon Suresh Nair Eric Ou Chuan Whatt Tan Tee How Tjoa Hui Ling Tan Tee Jim Tan Yoke Yuan Anthony Rathband Khoo Bee Keng
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Centre for Hand and Reconstructive Micro Surgery Pte Ltd Derek Goh James Huang Koh Teck Chuan Anonymous Andy Lie David Thye Vui Liew Patricia Lim Swee Lin Lim Huey Ching Elaine Neo Poh Choo Lena Quek Karen Quek Buah Choo Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd Soh Kim Hwee Alamsah Suhardi Tan Nga Kok Tan Bien Kiat Pauline Tan Siew Tiang Carolyn Tan Ghim Lee Yap Chee Meng Yeong Pui Cheng Danny Yong
PRINCIPAL CIRCLE $2,008 - $4,999
Arie Darma Enterprises Hester Chew Nicole Chong Chew Kah Chuan Nicholas Lee Teck Chye Design Studio Furniture Manufacturer Pte Ltd Gilbert Ee Guan Hui Khoo Ken Hee MCL Land Ltd Mitsubishi Electric Asia Pte Ltd Roy Quek Gracie Sim Mark Wong APD Singapore Pte Ltd Pratheepan Karunagaran Foo Fatt Kah Koh Soo How Tan Su Shan Cynthia Chee Chuen Mei Chew Leng Hock Eugene Chiang Wan Heng Anonymous Fong Cheng Han Kuah Boon Theng Bryan Lim
Lim Thiam Seng Loh Kee Kong Christopher Murugasu Michael Roche Jayaveerapandian Shunmugavel Harmohan Singh Angela Tan Michael Tan Wee Kheng Jimmy Yim Patrick Denousse Fun Siew Ling David Fung Anonymous George Neo Eng Huat Yeo Buan Lee Yun Ta Chun Nicholas Lee Teck Chye Loo Leong Hoon Thomas Michael Gerard McNerney Edwin Tan Eng Hoe Michael Paul Phelps
OUR CIRCLE OF GRATITUDE
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2007 FOUNDING SOCIETY $1,000 - $2,007
Herry Andriejanssen Nicholas John Brinton Olivia Beatrice Cashin Chern Chyi Ching Chong Yee Leong Raymond Clotaire Delangle Anonymous Gan Cha Ying Jayesh Manohar Kamath Kwek Leng Peck Lydia Lum Soon Neo Peter Kurt Maier Christopher Minjoot Euan Murugasu Siew Hean Meng Sky Alantic Pte Ltd Kenneth Tan Teo Zee Vee Dannis Teo Ee Cheong Shabana Abedeen Tyebally David Michael Wong Wong Ee Eu Anonymous Chang Chien Shoong Susi Teo Bradley Roberts Anonymous Anonymous Raymond Goh Wee Hock Hui Hwa Koh-Minjoot Anonymous Benson Loi Lum Yin Tuck Simon Perkins Takayuki Shinmi
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Vivian Singh Tan Gee Boon Mr & Mrs U Kean Seng Richard Stuart Warburton Trevor Hughes Pauline Bull Roger Emanuel Karlsson Lawrence Chan Albert Ee Tony Fong Goh Wei Kheng Ignatius Liow Chandra Murugayah Doreen Seet Tan Ju Kuang Joshua Tay Teck Seng Andrew Tedstone Benjamin John Strickland Diego Madurga Diez Lubna Alsagoff Awyong Poh Puay Robert Edward Bier Benny Chan Gerard Chee Anonymous Chee Mei Lin Derrick Chee Jin Hoe Cheong Lai Leng Chew Chin Helen Chia Anonymous Chok See Liang Eddy Chong Kwong Mei Anthony Michael Rodrigues Andre Roy
Anonymous DBS Bank Limited John Stephen Fahy Richard Fam Anonymous Kenneth Leopold Fong Giacomo Galtarossa Anonymous The Good Earth Nail Bar Francis Heng Hang Song Ho Chee Lick Felix Hsu Michelle Hui Yin Teng Asad Jumabhoy Kum Nai Pew Kwan Seik Cheong Pearl Lee Tuan Kee Lee Wai Ling Leong Yoke Kuen Lim Yuin Pin Lim Beng Chian Margie Lim Lim Kim Hai Joanne Lim Pick Lui Lim Chee Meng Lim Wee Chiong LL Cheong Skin & Laser Clinic Pte Ltd Lok Ying Fang Lawrence Low Fay Huen Craig Robert Martin Ng Tiong Beng Danny Oh Paul Ong Jau Lueng Ong Teck Hui Kevin Quek Chin Chin
FRIENDS CIRCLE $500 - $999 Mahesh Rupawalla Maria Hilaria Salim SD Network Pte Ltd Philip Seah Michael Sng Tan Yong Nang Benjamin Tan Thong Kwan Tan Guo Ching Philip Tan Bee Lee Tan Zing Yuen James Tan Siah Heng Tan Teck Yong Sulian Tan-Wijaya Tay Teck Shong Terence Teo Keng Yu Tham Sai Choy Aldrina Thirunagaran Steven Tiong Choon Hieng Tjioe Ka Lie William Toh Thiam Siew Iris Tse Catherine Wong Wong Kien Mun Wong Leng Anonymous Rowena Yeo Hui Hoon Donny Yusgiantoro Suhadi Zaini Winston Lim Eng Hoe
Brian Christian Angus Archibald Kidd Anonymous Mark Glew Anonymous Tannaz Daver Ertika Go Lena Lee Su Hui Tan Jee Lim Norhana Meacham Richard Morato Siew Weng Hin Judy Ang Benjamin Charano Chau Shing Chi Rosalind Cheng Cheng Seow Peng Marcus Chew Siong Huat Ivan Chin Chng Lay Chew Viyuda Chokechalermwat Maureen Ding Goh Jing Hwee Huang Shoou Chyuan Lee Lam See James Lee Chong Hwa Lee Kong Eng Raymond Lee Poh Kong Leung Kam Lun Uantchern Loh Surandren Nair Anonymous Lena Ng Ong Seow Hwee George Palathinkal
Collin Pereira Wiradharma Pranadi Kevin Sim Sim Boon Yang Sim Chang Kim Yin Nutan Singapuri Soon Kian Lee Robert Teguh Subrata Takashi Tagami Tan Ju Li Tan Siew Hoon Anonymous Anonymous Wong Chiew Leong Price Edward Yap Marie Alina Yeo Yong Wei Leong Yu Joo Aik
OUR CIRCLE OF GRATITUDE
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ABOUT US
“When you learn, teach. When you get, give.” — Maya Angelou
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Building integrity and care for others Opened in 2007, St Joseph’s Institution International offers a holistic, valuesdriven and international educational experience to a diverse student body of 35 nationalities rooted in the context of Singapore. As a school with a Catholic and Lasallian foundation, our community welcomes students, teachers, parents, friends and supporters of all faiths and cultural backgrounds. Our core Lasallian values of spirituality, mutual respect, internationalism, leadership, experiences and service, are central to everything that we do. We strive to develop students who are intrinsically motivated to serve others and to give back to the community. Today, we celebrate a community of 1,529 students across two schools on one campus. The High School admits both Singaporean and international students in Grades 7 – 12 (ages 12 – 18); while the Elementary School caters to expatriate children from pre-school to Grades 1 – 6 (ages 4 – 12). As part of our efforts to ensure financial barriers do not deprive exceptional students of an education, 20% of the SJI International Senior School cohort is funded by the Scholarship Programme. Hailing from various countries and different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, our SJI International Scholars bring with them their unique life experiences and add to the global diversity of our student body. Selected on merit and means-testing, the Scholarship Programme has been successful in providing access to Singaporean and international students who may have otherwise not had the opportunity to pursue an SJI International education. Through generous contributions from our community of friends and supporters, the Programme has disbursed more than $12 million in scholarships to 132 scholars since 2007. In addition to having their lives dramatically transformed by this opportunity, our scholars have impacted and inspired our community through their total commitment and involvement in the life of the school. Many of our scholars have subsequently gone on to secure scholarships to tertiary institutions upon their graduation from SJI International.
For enquiries on how to give to the Scholarship Fund, please contact: Vincent Anandraj Director of Advancement and Communications advancement.office@sji-international.com.sg
ABOUT US
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THANK YOU “We can never repay the school for what it has given our child, namely a well rounded education.” - Anonymous parent
St Joseph’s Institution International www.sji-international.com.sg 490 Thomson Road Singapore 298191 | Tel (65) 6353 9383 High School | Grade 7 – 10 IGCSE | Grade 11 – 12 International Baccalaureate | Co. Reg & GST No. 200607833C Elementary School | Prep 1 – Grade 6 International Primary Curriculum | CPE Reg No. 201009321K © September 2014 St Joseph’s Institution International Advancement and Communications Office Design by Black Printed by Dominie Press Pte Ltd
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