By Rebekah Yew (27S05A) and Saadhana Kalimuthu (27A01C)
All photos courtesy of Daniel Lo Kai Ngee (Lu Kaiyi) (27S03F), Edward Tham Ming Hong (Tan Mingkang) (27S07B), and Khoo Zheng Yuan Orlando (27S06F) of Raffles Art and Photographic Society (RAPS)
A Formal Affair With Warmth
The PAC had never looked so prim, so proper, so formal. On 28 May, the 45th and 46th Students’ Councils gathered for the much-anticipated investiture. But beneath the stiff collars and ceremonial gravity, something warmer was already happening: councillors slipping notes and small gifts into one another’s hands, quiet exchanges of gratitude for the past year and before the weight of responsibility fully settled in.
Commanding the stage with steady poise were emcees Leo Kaiqi (27S06C) and Lim Shaw Aloysius (27A01C), who guided the ceremony through its many emotional peaks—from solemn oaths to surprised laughter. Their timing kept the PAC buoyant without losing the event’s dignity.
Voyage: A Theme, A Mindset
The theme of the ceremony was Voyage—or as the pun-loving council dubbed it, Voy46e. A clever nod to the 46th batch, it was also an invitation: to embrace change, overcome obstacles, and steer their collective mission forward through growth, exploration, and discovery. And no one embodied that spirit more than the Guest of Honour (GOH), Ms Joyce Chan.
A Vice‑President (Departments) of the 36th Students’ Council, she now serves as Assistant Operations Officer aboard the Sentinel-class Maritime Security and Response Vessel, MSRV Bastion—a warship built for speed, surveillance, and split‑second decisions. Her job isn’t just about navigating rough seas; it’s about ensuring operational readiness across the entire vessel, from engine room to bridge. She manages logistics, coordinates drills, and–most crucially–supports the professional development and welfare of her teams. She then dropped an anchor in the last parts of her speech with words that would stay with the 46th long after the day ended.
“Calm seas never make good sailors, and leadership is often like that. Don’t be afraid to fail, be afraid not to try. Very often, growth begins with discomfort.”
Ms Joyce Chan
Charting the Course: Dialogue Session with the GOH
What followed was a dialogue session titled “Charting the Course, Adjusting our Sails”, moderated by Faith Tan Shin Ern (27S03O) and Tan Jun Feng Kendrick (26S06P). The aim was to help the 46th forge their own paths—guided by their vision, mission, and goals—with the courage to adapt when the unexpected hits.
The first question: What were some mistakes you made in leadership?
Ms Chan spoke at length about the hesitation she felt early on, the moments she stayed silent when she should have spoken up. From that longer reflection, one line stuck. “Don’t be afraid to go up to people. Give peace a chance and trust that others will understand you.”
Next, she was asked for one piece of advice for the incoming batch.
She took her time with this one, too, weaving through stories of self-doubt and rejection. Then she landed here: “Be fearless. Offer your own ideas to the table and don’t be afraid of rejection. It takes courage to get through self-doubt.”
Then, due to time constraints, came one last question from Wong E Vee (26S02A), the 45th Vice-President of Departments: How is leadership in the workplace similar to or different from council?
Ms Chan smiled. She talked about how the fundamentals don’t change–it’s still about teams, still about human dealings. The main difference, she explained, is that the people you work with are often more experienced than you. However, the most important thing, she emphasised, is still just to do as much as you can. “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.” A quiet ripple of appreciation moved through the room–part relief, part genuine appreciation.
A Farewell of Laughter and Whispers
Then came the address from the 45th President, Chen Kaixuan Michelle (26S03J).
She started by reflecting on how uncertain and scared she had been at the start of her leadership journey, laughing at her own early mistakes. The audience laughed with her. But then, she spoke about how everyone had grown, become more mature, and taken ownership of their roles. What emerged was a portrait of a council culture that was nothing short of lovely and wholesome.
She also confessed: the SLD’s morning jokes had become a cherished ritual. Then she landed on the heart of it all.
“The core of being in council is sincerity in serving, and being persistent even in tough times.”
Michelle
She walked us through shared memories—the late nights, the mega-serious debates that always somehow ended in giggles. Then came a video: a touching, beautiful montage of the 45th’s journey together, framed as an aeroplane’s flight through the memories. The room filled with bubbly laughter and more than a few “awww”s. Afterwards, she was invited to collect the certificates on behalf of the 45th from Deputy Principal Ms Ng, a formal nod to their year of service.
A Surprise Worth Waiting For
But the real moment of the morning came next—a surprise segment that no one saw coming. First, a video played: a heartfelt, messy, and utterly sincere montage made by the 46th for the 45th. It wasn’t polished or perfect, but it was full of inside jokes and quiet thank-yous that were genuine.
The highlight of this segment was the two boards unveiled by the 46th PresSecs. On them, a giant “45” was spelt in the exact order it had appeared on the 45th Students’ Council shirt: using all of their names, arranged carefully. Tucked within the same layout were heart-shaped sticky notes with handwritten notes for every Councillor from their respective successors.
A Bittersweet Handover
Finally, the moment that everyone had been anticipating had arrived. The very essence and reason that all had gathered today—the “outvestiture” of the outgoing 45th Students’ Council, and the subsequent investiture of the incoming 46th Students’ Council.
A blazer is not a mere piece of clothing. Rather, it represents responsibility. It is a vessel of memory: hours of work and difficult decisions, laughter in the council rooms, and weight carried so that others might not have to. And so as the blazer transfer ceremony commenced, it signified not just a simple change of clothes, but a transfer of responsibility. The end of one journey, and the beginning of another.
There was a particular tenderness to the moment as the outgoing councillors slipped off their blazers, marked by a slight pause as they took in the image of their peers in the garments for the final time, before they finally lifted the blazer from their shoulders.
Then came the incoming 46th.
As each new councillor stepped forward to receive their blazer, something in the room shifted. Where there had been the ache of farewell, there was now the electric hum of beginning. The 46th did not simply put on their blazers—they rose into them. Shoulders straightened. Eyes lifted. There was an eagerness about them that was almost palpable, a quiet blaze that filled the room as each councillor accepted the mantle being extended to them.
The previously bittersweet atmosphere was replaced with the electric hum of beginning, as each new councillor gently lifted their own blazers off their chairs, and onto their shoulders. There was an eagerness in them that was almost palpable–an excitement that filled the room as each councillor rose to fill the shoes (or, blazers) of their predecessors. We felt an anticipation for what was to come, as well as the quiet thrill of a brand new chapter opening.
A Symbol of Responsibility
To finalise the ceremony, Ms Chan was called to present the members of the 46th Students’ Council with their badges.
At its heart, the council badge is an amalgamation of everything the Students’ Council stands for. The hound symbolises the council’s fervent loyalty and dedication to serving the school, while the double-headed eagle represents the council’s ability to simultaneously draw strengths from past achievements and look into the future.
As each new councillor was called to the stage to receive their badge, the hall erupted into applause. Cheers surged from both sides of the hall—outgoing and incoming alike—with every name called. Coordinated shouts of support rang out across the PAC, an unrestrained show of support and happiness for their peers who now bore the Student Councillor’s badge on their blazers. A promise, held close to their heart, of responsibility to the school.
The 46th
The ceremony drew to a close as the President of the new 46th Students’ Council, Samuel Sin Qianen (27A01B), was called to the stage to give his closing address.
He first referenced the journey thus far, taking a peek into the busy first few months our councillors had worked through. The nominations, interviews, campaigns, elections and handovers—each an important chapter in shaping the 46th. Their time spent with Council so far was described affectionately as a “golden period”, now gently fading into sunset, as the Councillors prepared for a brand new day.
During his speech, the 46th was likened to a forest—where trees, although individual, are connected beneath the surface by something vast and invisible. It was a reminder that throughout thick and thin, their greatest strength ultimately lay in each other.
“As [trees] stay rooted in the ground, they rise high into the sky because, together, they are the very reason for one another’s growth.”
Samuel
Finally, he closed off with his hopes for the future. A united 46th, where they continue to grow and develop in each other’s presence, while staying grounded in purpose.
Now, the 46th sets out on their own Voy46e. The water is open. The crew is ready.
Fair winds to all!
The 46th Students’ Council:
Presidents-Secretaries
SAMUEL SIN QIANEN (SHAN QIAN’EN) – President
KWONG SHAO ERN SAMUEL – Vice-President (Houses)
KATE SUZUKI KOKOMI – Vice-President (Departments)
SHANNON TANG SHI EN – Secretary (Resources)
CLARA KHO – Secretary (Finances)
Bayley-Waddle House Directorate
TAN MIN SUAN, IVO – Captain
HAN ZIQIN – Vice-Captain
DENG FANGYU – Member
GAO LONGSHENG – Member
KAITLYN TAN SHER TING – Member
LIU MU JAMES – Member
Buckle-Buckley House Directorate
TEO KAI XU – Captain
JESSYN OH JIA XIN – Vice-Captain
AEVEAN CHEONG SWEE JUN (ZHANG RUIJIN) – Member
LINDSEY CHOO YI CHENG (ZHU YIZHEN) – Member
SHAWN WANG SHENG ZHE – Member
SOH KIT-ANN – Member
Hadley-Hullet House Directorate
SHAN HAOYUN – Captain
ZHENG MINGJIA – Vice-Captain
CHONG WEI EN JOASH – Member
CIARA CHENG EE HSUEN (ZHENG YIXUAN) – Member
ONG YU XIANG BRYAN – Member
TAN DING WEN (CHEN DINGWEN) – Member
Morrison-Richardson House Directorate
DENISE THAM XUAN HUI – Captain
FENG CHENYU – Vice-Captain
CHEN WEIJIE LUKE – Member
ISAAC KOEY JIEN FOONG – Member
KOH ZI YI – Member
LEO KAIQI – Member
Moor-Tarbet House Directorate
TAN SHI HAN – Captain
DASARI ANJALI – Vice-Captain
FAITH TAN SHIN ERN (CHEN XIN’EN) – Member
GIDEON LEE EN WEI – Member
LEE WENHUI, ASTER – Member
TRAN MY LINH – Member
Student Life Department
HAN PENGHAO – Head
SOPHIE SIM – Vice-Head
AKSHAT GARG – Secretary
AIDAN LIM ZI SHENG – Member
JANELLE SEE JIA XIN – Member
JOSHUA LEE KAI SHEN – Member
LIM SHAW, ALOYSIUS – Member
LIM YANN WEN – Member
LIN LEHAN NATALIE – Member
MABEL YAP YENN MAY – Member
OU XINYU – Member
RUSHIL RUNGTA – Member
YEE TZE LYN CARA – Member
CCA Department
YU JUNLONG BRAYDEN – Head
ALEENTA QUEK ZI LE – Vice-Head
DARYEN KO XIN TZE – Secretary
ZHANG ZINUO – Member
JOSIAH EZRA MENON – Member
MUHAMMAD AMJAD AMIRUL BIN MOHAMED SAAID – Member
DEIRDRE TAN EN JIA – Member
JAMIE KANG WEN XIN – Member
KLARISSE NG SHEE CHIN (HUANG SHIQING) – Member
QIN YINUO – Member
SHAWN SOH QIWEI – Member
YU KAIWEN – Member
