School Thrust: Academic Excellencea b i - a n n u a l n e w s l e t t e r o f e s s s

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Development Award(National Education)

East Spring Shines in ‘O’ Levels 2010 By Ms Cheong Mei Xi

Congratulations to our top 4E and 5N students who did exceptionally well in the 2010 O levels. 59.5% of our Normal Academic stream students and 96.8% of our Express stream students made it to our national polytechnics. Our top students for Secondary 4E were Pu Yuyu, Nadiah Humairah, Sherman Chew, Ong Bang Xiang and Chan Zhi Ran. As for the top students in the Secondary 5N they were Lim Yan Zhi and Lin Xuan Li.

Before the release of the results, many of them were feeling nervous while others were anticipating the reward of their hard work and efforts. Although some did not meet their expectations and were disappointed, teachers were there to comfort them and give them the support they needed to strive harder towards their future.

We had an interview with the top students and most of them revealed that they did not see it coming and were really surprised at the turn of events. “I expected a 10 but I got an 8 instead!” shares Nadiah Humairah, who scored an L1R5 of 8 points. The students also thanked their teachers, Miss Sakinah and Mr Tan Wee Siang among many others, for their dedication and hard work and credited the results to them.

Once again, congratulations to our top students and let’s all look forward to another batch of uprising stars in 2011!

Development AwAwA ard(National Education)

GCE ‘N’ Level Results 2010 By Mavis Loh (4E5)

The release of the GCE ‘N’ Level exam results in December 2010 brought much excitement and happiness to our Normal Stream students and their teachers. The reason: 79.6% of our Sec 4N students were eligible for promotion to Sec 5N this year. In addition, 100% passes were attained in 2 subjects - Malay and Principles of Accounts. This was all good news indeed for teachers and students alike.

Besides excellent percentage pass rates that were mostly above National Average, another great ESSS achievement was that of Teo Yeow Sheng, a Sec 4 Normal Technical student who was one of the top fi ve national NT students from the 2010 cohort. Our heartiest congratulations also go out to our other top NT scorers; namely, Nabilah Ishak, Nur Aliah Omar, Nur Faqihah Emtihan, Muhammad Nazri and Noor Hakim Goh. The top scorers from the Normal Academic cohort are Ng Hong Wei, Grant Christian Lynn, Lee Yuan Kang and Darren Tan.

Congratualtions and well done! You have all done East Spring immensely proud with all your achievements and your role-modeling of just what great heights a self-directed pursuit of excellence can achieve.

SYF 2011: The ESSS Symphonic Canvas By Ms Cheong Mei XiThis has been a golden harvest year for East Spring indeed in the Singapore Festival 2011, and here is a quick glimpse at the ESSS walk of fame showcasing our CCA heroes and their praise-worthy accolades!

CCA English Drama Band Choir Malay Dance Chinese Dance Chinese DramaAward Silver Silver Gold Gold Silver Silver

Congratulations to our very own ESSS performing arts – here’s to an even bigger and better year the next time round!

Mediacorp Chinese Language Challenge 2011 By Shermaine Yim (2E3)

On 25th January 2010, selected Chinese students from Secondary Two to Secondary Four assembled in the foyer, preparing their cameras and busily chatting with one another. Many of them were excited about the trip to the Mediacorp Broadcasting Station, as they had been selected to support our school participants who are competing against other schools in the Mediacorp Chinese Language Challenge 2011.

In the fi rst round of questions, students were given a ‘spider web’ question. They had to fi ll in two blanks and make them compatible with the rest of the words. East Spring scored an astounding score of 80 points, being the 2nd overall.

Soon, the programme resumed with the qualifying round. Our school did not manage to qualify for the next round; nevertheless, our students did their best. Even though the participants were disappointed, they showed great support and sportsmanship by clapping when other schools got into the next round.

The programme ended about 10.15pm. Students went home that very day, thankful for the opportunity to visit Mediacorp and reminiscing about the extraordinary events of that day. It was truly an experience not to be forgotten.

School Thrust: Academic Excellence / Holistic Education

CCA Attachment for Secondary Ones 2011 By Nurhaliza (2E4) & Peh Wen Ting (5N1)

The CCA Open House this year, as always, was an eye-opener to all the Secondary Ones. Having to choose from six options from the various types of CCAs they saw during the Open House, the Secondary Ones were defi nitely spoilt for choice. Eventually, they were attached to four out of the six CCAs that they had chosen as their preferred choice of CCA.

Held over a span of two weeks, the CCA Attachment aims to further provide details of what the CCA is involved in and their weekly routines before allowing the Secondary Ones to make an informed choice and further narrow down their selections.

The Secondary Ones played an array of activities and games which seniors prepared for them. Most of those interviewed said that it was a very good experience. A prospective Secondary One NCC cadet said that it was “a very good experience”, and that the activities were fun but tough. When asked to rate the CCA 1-5 (1 being the worst and 5 being best) he rated the CCA a stunning 4.5!

Over at Journalism Club, the atmosphere was lively as well thanks to the help of the enthusiastic seniors. The two-week long event was a spectacular success, and a visit round the school showed us just how vibrant and multi-faceted our activities in East Spring are. The Secondary Ones, as well as all their seniors, certainly had an enjoyable and fruitful time.

SJAB Brings Pride to ESSS Yet Again By Ms Cheong Mei Xi

SJAB East Spring Corps took part in the annual Zonal First Aid, Foot Drill and Home Nursing Competition held on the 5th March (last Saturday) at the St John’s Headquarters. Three teams were sent to compete in three different categories this year.

ESSS is very pleased to announce that we have garnered the following achievements:Overall Champion (again!) in the Nursing Adult category 1st Runners-up in the Ambulance Cadet category2nd Runners-up in the Nursing Cadet categoryBest in CPR Award in the Nursing Adult categoryBest in First Aid Award in the Nursing Adult category

This is the second time in the history of East Spring Corps that SJAB has clinched Second in the Ambulance Cadet category. This is also the third time they have beaten past champions Anglican High and Yu Ying Secondary in the Nursing Adult category to become defending champions themselves.

As the Champions and 1st Runners-up of Zone 2, ESSS SJAB will be representing the zone in the National Foot Drill First Aid and Home Nursing Competition this coming July. Let’s wish them all the best in bringing us even more glory and pride!

4th Innovation And Entrepreneurship Cum Business Idea Competition By Teo Fion (4E1)

On 16th and 17th March 2011, Entrepreneurship Club students participated in the 4th Innovation and Entrepreneurship cum Business Idea Competition organized by Entrepreneurship Centre department in Temasek Polytechnic. The main objective is to encourage more entrepreneurs among the youth. The SPRING Singapore is the main sponsor for this competition.

During the two days of competition, students were trained to develop a simple business plan, come up with their own business ideas and proposal and fi nally present in front of a panel of judges. The judges included lecturers from ITE Institution and external entrepreneurs.

As this is the second time the club members have participated, they started their preparation three weeks earlier as they had hoped to achieve an award, something they had not been able to fulfi ll previously. By doing so, our students have indeed shown resilience in their attitude to excel. Competing with 10 other secondary schools, one of our teams emerged as the second-runner up. Congratulations to the Entrepreneurship Club for their tenacity shown!

Welcoming Our Sec Ones

2/3School Thrust: Holistic Education

Secondary One Orientation Camp 2011 By Shermaine Yim (2E3) and Rachel Tan (2E4)

7th January 2011 was a long-awaited day for the Secondary Ones students as it was the fi rst day of their orientation camp. This camp allows students to adapt to the new Secondary School environment in East Spring Secondary School, and what better way to kick start 2011 for the Secondary Ones than an orientation camp?

The Secondary Ones assembled at 2:30pm in the hall in high-spirits and were busily chatting with each other about how excited they were for the camp. The prefects in charge, Lionel Teo and Candy Kheak, took over after they had a short briefi ng among themselves. They listened attentively before starting out their fi rst activity.

Over the next few days, the Secondary Ones played many sports and games together in their classes, and built up even more camaraderie and friendships along the way. The team spirit culminated on the last day in the form of a parade and an overnight stay. This camp has helped them to make more new friends and get to know one another better. Many prefects and sports leaders did a good job in handling this big event and this had really benefi ted the Secondary Ones a lot. It was indeed a successful and meaningful event for the Secondary Ones this year.

CCA Open House By Pia Luistro (4E3)

On 8th January 2011, East Spring Secondary School had their CCA Open House for the new-comers: the Secondary Ones.

Even though it was a Saturday morning, everyone was hyped up and prepared well for their performances. The Uniformed Groups ran through their presentation quite a number of times making sure that there were no mistakes and everything was perfect.

The Sec Ones assembled in the hall for a briefi ng from our Principal, Mrs. Jalil and some of the faculty members. Straight after the speech, they had their chance to roam the school and check out different booths with their supportive parents.

Every CCA had their booths up. Uniformed Groups like St. John’s Ambulance Brigade and the National Police Cadet Corps displayed trophies, awards and titles they won. Performing Arts groups like Chinese dance, Drama club and the Symphonic Band showcased their talents and put up a little performance for the students and their parents. The Scouts made their own miniature rock wall and swing made up of wood and ropes for students to try out.

Below are some thoughts my fellow journalists and I collected along the way:

What did St. John Ambulance Brigade do for the Open House to attract the Sec Ones to join their CCA?

“We opened up wound-making sessions, let them try out our Stretchers, taught them different kinds of Bandages and lastly put up our trophies and awards.”

Brenda, 3E1 (St. John Ambulance Brigade)

We also interviewed Mr Yip and his daughter, Clarisse, from 1N2, who was interested in joining the Journalism Club.

What do you think about the CCAs in East Spring?

“There are a variety of CCAs to choose from. It can be quite confusing. But the performances in the hall and around the school were good.”

Even though it rained for a while, the students still continued their activities and plans for the day. The seniors’ hard work paid off and I’m sure we have reassured both parents and students alike that every East Springian is guaranteed a holistic education here in ESSS!

School Thrust: Holistic Education

Tampines GRC Competition – Painting the Umbrella By Geraldine Tan (4E5)

On 22 and 23 January 2011, Tampines GRC held a 2-day event at the open field beside Tampines Mall to mark the 50th year anniversary of People’s Association. This event showcases the achievement, development and milestones of Tampines to the residents. It also aims to promote grassroots activities to residents and encourage more residents to participate actively in community activities.

The Guests-Of-Honour for the event was Mr Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development and Adviser to Tampines Grassroots Organisations. Special guests included Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Mr Ong Kian Min, Mr Sin Boon Ann and Miss Irene Ng - Members of Parliament for Tampines GRC.

During the 2nd day of this event, 17 of our East Springian Art Club students participated in the Umbrella Painting Competition --- “Tampines – My Home, My Community”. Out of 50 different competitors from all walks of life, 2 of our teams emerged victorious and won the 2nd prize and a consolation prize. Well done, East Spring Art Club!

Lunchtime Recital Riot! By Ms Jean Tan

TThe first ever Lunchtime Recital took place at the Atrium on 20 April 2011 and was a celebratory riot for all who were there! At 1.50pm the crowd had started to gather, and by 2.10pm it had spiralled upwards as students lined the swirling staircases and upper decks to look upon the performers.

The three student-performers - Izzathy, Khoirul and Liyana - performed popular tunes, including “Baby” by Justin Bieber, which stirred up immense enthusiasm and participation from the crowd. Furthermore, they performed with such confidence and ease that speak of their many experiences as stage performers in the Choir and Malay Dance.

The Aesthetics Committee and teachers would like to thank the Arts Ambassadors and sturdy AVA student crew for making the first ever Lunchtime Recital at East Spring a rioting success. If you are keen to demonstrate your talent in the Arts, please feel free to approach Ms Kristy Goh and Mrs Eunice Tan, the organisers of the Lunchtime Recital. This event will take place again in the second half of 2011, so keep your eyes peeled!

On your mark, get set, GO! By Cheng Wai Ling (4E5)

On 11th March, East Spring Secondary celebrated the Olympics@ESSS at Bedok sports stadium. Roaring of cheers and enthusiasm from each and every East Springian could be seen and heard even before the event started. It was definitely a spectacular moment to be witnessed! The opening of the event was led by Mrs Jalil, who ran in a relay event from our school all the way to the stadium, accompanied by teachers and a group of sports leaders. The lit Olympic torch also added a lively atmosphere to the event, reminding all sportsmen of the Olympic values. Runners sprinted to their very best ability and every face showed just how badly they wanted to win the trophies. More importantly, sportsmanship was displayed by the handshakes and compliments given to each other afterwards. It was also a real pleasure to see how different houses cheered for each other despite the competition that was going on against each other. Throughout the whole Olympics@ESSS, I believe that all East Springians took home the importance of values, be it sportsmanship or the school core values. Let us all look forward to next year’s sports day and of course, cheer on our fellow East Springians in any way we can!

4/5School Thrust: Holistic Education

Teachers Can Cook Too!By Ms Cheong Mei Xi

Think your teachers are only good at teaching? Think again! On 1st March this year, teachers and staff took to the kitchens instead of carrying on with the usual physical activities for Healthy Lifestyle Tuesday. What ensued from then on was a frenzy of cutting, washing and baking, as teachers worked in teams to put together two main principal dishes that were taught that day.

Thanks to our very capable Home Economics teachers who very kindly provided their expertise, our ESSS teachers were able to produce quality “Cheesy Wholemeal Pies” and “Chicken Kebabs” by the end of the session. Well done teachers!

International Friendship Day Birthday Celebrations By Ms Cheong Mei XiEast Spring teachers and staff had their own after-school celebrations on International Friendship Day, and it was no less colourful and vibrant than the day’s festivities that the students had just enjoyed. It was a gastronomic feast for the stomach as well as a visual feast for the eyes indeed! There was food galore inspired by different countries and cultures and the teachers not only enjoyed the food, but also learnt a lot about the roots of their food that day. And since joyous occasions come in pairs, of course we had to celebrate the birthdays of our January and February babies as well – a very happy birthday to them!

A big thank you to our Home Economics teachers who slaved over food preparation as well as presentation, together with all the students whose effort and fi nesse went into the presentation as well – the teachers truly had a great time!

Our Vibrant and Professional WorkforceEast Spring gives our heartiest congratulations to our recently promoted Key Personnel – here’s to even greater heights with a new and vibrant team!

School Thrust: Professional Staff

Teachers’ Trip to Marina Barrage By Ms Jean TanOn a sunny day on 31 March 2011, the Principal, Vice-Principals, Key Personnel and Senior Teachers of East Spring took some time out for a meaningful learning session at the Marina Barrage, Singapore’s first reservoir in the heart of the city.

The senior teachers and leaders were brought on a tour by an experienced guide who explained the history of the Barrage and how it came to be the icon it is today. Part of a decades-long project to clean up Singapore’s waterways and create water sustainability for the country, the Barrage is designed as a dam to control the flows of the water and store it for future treatment and use. Apart from its functionality, it has also been designed and marketed as a popular recreational spot for Singaporeans to enjoy.

Those who have been to the Barrage would have witnessed its advanced technology in controlling the water-flows into and out of the city. They would also have seen the smiles and laughter of those on the rooftop terrace, enjoying their day out with picnic baskets and kites in tow. What a perfect fusion of functionality and beauty, which speaks of the great innovative powers of those who conceptualised the Barrage.

The leaders and teachers who went on the excursion had certainly benefited from the learning experience at the Barrage on leadership and organisational change. As a nexus of pragmatism and recreation, it is certainly a model of innovation and design for all of us at East Spring.

A Day at Ngee Ann Poly By Ms Jean TanOn 29 March 2011, East Spring’s teachers embarked on an excursion of their own – a trip to Ngee Ann Polytechnic!It was an educational and meaningful trip as the teachers interacted with the lecturers and staff and the prestigious Polytechnic and attended their presentations. All the staff and teachers became more aware of entry criteria and points, tips on filling out a JAE form, as well as some of the exciting courses and overseas exchange programmes that were going on in Ngee Ann Poly.

The teachers were then split up into different groups to explore different schools within Ngee Ann Poly – School of Film and Media Studies, School of Humanities, and School of Life Science and Chemical Technology. The eyes of all teachers and staff were opened as they explored the different studios and workrooms of the Polytechnic. The School of Humanities had a childcare center for students of the Child Psychology course to learn real child-caring skills, as well as a recording studio for students of Chinese Studies to practise their oratorical skills.

It was truly a place for experiential and hands-on learning, which gave all teachers insight on how to make their own lessons and student career-development programme at East Spring a more impactful one for all students.

6/7School Thrust: Professional Staff

Total Defence School Record Challenge 2011 By Mavis Loh (4E5)

On 17th February, to commemorate Total Defence day, East Spring decided to challenge ourselves once again by setting yet another remarkable record, this time it being the formation of the largest Singapore map using old clothes!

Everyone participated and gave their heart and soul in donating clothes, going around the HDB blocks to collect unwanted clothes and even standing under the hot sun for the offi cial formation of the map. This indeed showed the spirit of each and every East Springian in contributing their best efforts for this occasion. School staff, alumKnights, students from EastSpring Primary School and the Parent Support Group joined in to witness the joyous mark of another record set.

All would not have succeeded without the enthusiastic support and cooperation by everyone. This school activity not only brought glory and recognition to the

International Friendship WeekBy Sarah Afi na Bte Razali (1E4)

This year, the school celebrated International Friendship Day in a most unique way. Many interesting activities were organized, one of them being a performance held in the school hall during SFL on 7th April. International students from our school put up performances based on cultures from their country of origin. We had pupils from The Philippines, Myanmar , China and Thailand put on their performances for us. Some of them introduced their countries by describing how cultural games are played (The Philippines), singing songs (Myanmar), putting up a skit (China) and presenting a powerpoint slideshow (Thailand) for us . Everyone felt entertained during the performance!

After the performances, Mr Neu Wee Teck explained and showed us videos of how Japan was badly hit by the earthquakes and tsunamis. It was tremendously impactful, and many of us empathized with those who had lost their family members, especially the children.

We were then taught to fold paper cranes using coloured papers, because it is believed in Japan that cranes are symbols of hope for them . After we had fi nished folding the cranes, we wrote short and simple messages to help the disaster victims gain confi dence in facing tough situations, and placed them all in a glass box in front of the hall.

Some students who were interviewed expressed how meaningful the day had been for them:

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Acknowledgement: Journalism Club | Advisor: Mrs Jalil Ong-Suat Eng | Teacher Advisors: Ms Cheong Mei Xi, Ms Jean Tan | Editor: Mdm Noreha NordinWe thank all staff and students who have contributed towards the publication of this issue.

“I love the activities organized ! By watching the performances, I’ve gained knowledge by knowing different types of cultures from different countries! They are different in many ways yet unique!” – Raihanah Warda, 1E4

“I felt very thankful to be able to study and live in Singapore as there are no natural disasters happening. I like studying and schooling in Singapore. People in Singapore are very friendly and approachable! Also, Singapore has the latest technology and many accessible facilities!” Leu Kai Jun, 1E4, a Singapore PR from Malaysia.

Earth Week 2011 By Mr Tan Wee Siang SeanThis year’s Youth for the Environment (Y4E) Week started with a bang with the speaker from ACRES (Animal Concerns Research & Education Society), who gave an impactful and memorable presentation during assembly. His sharing of personal stories was inspirational, and really touched the hearts of the assembly crowd. Even long after the assembly, teachers talked about not buying leather bags anymore, and students spread the word of animal conservation on Facebook and Twitter!After the assembly talk, a small game carnival was set up at the foyer for a week for students to answer some quiz questions to win attractive souvenirs (made from recycled materials). A slew of activities were also carried out around Y4E Week. One of them was the Bright Future Cardgame Tournament. The champion from the lower secondary level was Muhd Danial Ardryan from 2N2, and the champion for the upper secondary level, who was also the overall champion, was Ang Wei Xiang from 3T1. Their knowledge in environmental sustainability and spirit for excellence really shone through the tournament and the two of them have certainly did themselves proud!Not forgetting the inter-class Bottle Tower Competition, where students had to build the tallest structure using plastic bottles and only plastic bottles! Students came up with exciting ways of joining the bottles together by cutting the bottles in special shapes, and the top entries came from 4E4 and 5N1, who built stable and tall structures that reached the ceiling!Let’s not just carry out empty talks of being green and start taking action towards improving the environment. Even if these actions may seem like little baby steps to us now, they will eventually contribute to a greater good for every one of us and our future generations. Go Green!

Partnerships

school but also strengthened the unity among all East Springians, teachers and staff included. We should all look forward to more of these events and always give our utmost and our best. Well done, East Spring!

School Thrust: Organisational Excellence