Achievements Unlocked

Achievements U locked

‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon’ is a Chinese idiom that’s often used to describe people with special hidden talents and that couldn’t be truer at Tanglin! Here are four individuals who are not only amazing teachers but are also talented people who have other incredible talents you might not be aware of.

TEAM SINGAPORE

Did you know that Natalie Ho, one of our PE STLAs (Senior Teaching and Learning Assistant), recently proudly represented Singapore as part of the National Women’s Hockey Team in the Women’s Asia Cup 2022? She was also selected to be the team leader, so you can say that Natalie has unlocked a worthy achievement!

As a PE STLA, Natalie has always been an active and sporty person. She said, “I love being outdoors, running around, and chasing after my friends and family members. All kinds of sports interest me, especially ball games. I started playing hockey at the age of 13 as part of my school CCA in secondary school. We won a few championships together and it was an amazing experience. While studying, I was chosen to be part of the Singapore U21s and U18s squad, and eventually made my debut in the Senior team upon graduating at 17. It has been an exciting adventure thus far!”

So how did Natalie manage to clinch the team leader position for the national team? She explained, “This tournament was important as it was a qualifier for the 2022 Asian Games. We faced a few Big Asian teams that have played in the recent Tokyo Olympics. It was during SEA Games 2017 in Kuala Lumpur where I took over the role as Team Captain. Having captained the U21s and U18s previously in the junior team, it gave me the opportunity to lead again in the women’s senior team. I was a little reluctant at first as I didn’t know if I could do well. However, there were a few senior players in the team who encouraged me and trusted that I could lead them as well as the younger players in the team. It has been four years now and I enjoy this role because it gives me a huge sense of responsibility. I step in and boost the team’s morale when it is low and lead by example on the playing field.”

Well said, Natalie! We can’t wait to see you lead the Singapore team to more sporting successes in future.

YOUNGEST FEMALE TRIO

Over at the Senior School, we have Geography specialist Hannah Walton who was part of the youngest female trio to row across any ocean (with an average age of 26) in 2020. Like Tanglin alumna Charlotte Harris (The Voice, issue 36), Hannah participated in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge (TWAC) with her friends because they thought that it was the perfect way to support their preferred charities, Women in Sport and Rowing Together for Healthy Minds. She explained, “Sport, especially rowing, has always been a way for us to look after our own mental health, so rowing for charities that encourage participation in sport and amplify conversations

about mental health within it, felt fitting. We managed to raise just over £16,000, something we’re really proud of.” Now that she has accomplished such an impressive milestone, what are Hannah’s future plans? “I would absolutely love to do another row in the future, or a long trek like the Pacific Coast Trail, but that’s probably a long way off for now! The time and money required is a huge investment and at the moment, I’m focused on my new adventure of having moved to Singapore.” And her advice for anyone who wants to take on TWAC with their friends? “I would say go for it – it takes a lot of preparation and organisation, but I think we learned that even the biggest tasks can be split up into lots of little ones on a very long to-do list! That’s how we took on the row itself – we focused on one shift at a time, until eventually we’d rowed 3000 miles....and those 3000 miles are definitely worth it!” » Sport, especially rowing, has always been a way for us to look after our own mental health “ ”

WALKING DOWN MEMORY LANE

To commemorate Tanglin’s centenary in 2025, our community has been busy with various projects. One such person is Lee Lee Chua, a TLA at Infant School, and her wood burning project. She explained, “Tanglin has come a long way - 97 years! With the new building coming up, what better way to celebrate Tanglin’s history and new developments than with a wood burned art piece of an old school building, the Winchester School?” Lee Lee’s art piece certainly looks gorgeous with additional watercolours applied to brighten up the overall look, but how did she pick up the skill in the first place? She said, “I’ve always loved vintage objects, especially antique phones. I also enjoy hobbies like this because they help me exercise my brain. I’ve sewed a bucket hat from pieces of scrap fabrics, did punch needle embroidery, and I’m currently working on a Love, Nils charity initiative where I make sewing bags with my fellow TLAs. I decided to pick up wood burning during the circuit breaker in 2020 and dived in without any prior training. I did a snail picture for a nursery class and from there I started to work on bigger pieces like the one I did for Tanglin.” Lee Lee also went on to share that she will be incorporating carving into her wood burned artwork so that’s something to look forward to!

DEMYSTIFYING THE GLOBAL IDENTITY NARRATIVE

You might have heard of the term ‘Third Culture Kids’ but did you know that Alban Ferrieu, one of our Careers and University Guidance Counsellors in the Senior School, has done a doctorate degree on it? He said, “I have just completed an international joint PhD in Education between Université de Sherbrooke (Québec, Canada) and Université Catholique de l’Ouest (France). Despite the pandemic, I was able to travel to Canada to defend in person in October 2021. This 389-page thesis was written in French and the research focused on the cultural identity of internationally mobile adolescents (TCK - Third Culture Kids). More specifically, I focused on expatriate children attending a school from the same “national” background as their ‘home/passport’ country (for example British students at Tanglin Trust School!). I explored how this ‘national’ schooling opportunity abroad is influencing their cultural identity.”

Sounds interesting! How will his research be useful at Tanglin? Alban explained, “Through its robust LifeSkills programme, topics like international transitions and Third Culture Kids/multicultural identity issues are being addressed in Tanglin’s Sixth Form every year. In my role as a university counsellor, I have to help internationally mobile and internationally minded students in their post-secondary exploration. When making these life-defining decisions, our students are not only faced with the question of “what” they wish to study but also “where” in the world! Navigating options in multiple countries is no easy task and questions of transitions and cultural adjustments must be discussed. Even for students moving “back” to their passport country, the reverse culture shock is often very real. The more the students prepare, as well as explore their multicultural identity, the better these international transitions will unfold. The expertise I have developed through this PhD is shared both in my personal counselling practice and at the institutional level through revamping and developing new LifeSkills sessions, offering conferences, or writing articles (p58).”

Sounds good, Alban! We are sure our Sixth Form students will benefit enormously from your knowledge on the topic as they learn how to transition smoothly into the real world. ■

IT’S YOUR SERVE...

TTS FOUNDATION TENNIS DAY

Thank you to all the parents who participated in the TTS Foundation Tennis Day event on 17 March 2022 at the Hollandse Club. We thank those who had made a donation to the TTS Foundation.

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