Clubs

CCA Events, Clubs, Commentary, School Life 22 May 20158 May 2019

Cherish or Perish: The Very Last Ecoweek

Reading Time: 4 minutes

By Tag Wan Yi (15S03N), Liu Hong Zhan (15S03O), Shayna Toh (15A01D), Chua Siwei (15S03E), and Yu Xinkai (15S03U)

Additional reporting by Justin Lim (16A01B)

Foreword:

An air of finality marks this year’s Ecoweek. For some, Ecoweek’s the first campaign targeted at the environmental issues that plague our planet amidst all the other worthy causes advocated for in the school; but for Community Advocates’ Glassark, this year’s Ecoweek marks the closure of the the very interest group that had organized this annual affair. Rather than to exist as a singular body to advocate for environmental change, Glassark’s aims will now be a batch-effort. This organisational change could, on a symbolic level, represent a shared burden across all citizens of the planet. But to members of the Glassark, this marks an unfortunate end to a brilliant annual initiative that encapsulated an undying advocacy for environmental change.

Before it effectively disbands in 2016, Glassark was one of CA’s four main student interest groups that aimed to each raise awareness for specific issues. The group has aimed to bring relevance and attention to environmental issues ranging from global warming to the energy crisis – issues that were often neglected in favour of more prominent social issues such as immigration or poverty.

But just as how the Earth is important to us as a home, it is important to raise awareness of the misdeeds to her environment. While this year’s Ecoweek aims to shed greater light on the issue of wildlife conservation– a shift in focus from last year’s advocacy for the recycling of scrap materials– Glassark’s members share with Press that this in no way means that environmental conservation should stop: that we ought to do away with our “backyard syndrome” and begin to acknowledge the fact that the entirety of Planet Earth is our “backyard”.

Whether be it through the conservation of wildlife, or through recycling or energy saving, Glassark sends an important message to us: That the fight against environmental issues never stops, and that it is still on our onus to protect and conserve our planet’s resources.

Ecoweek’15: The What and the Why

Ever heard of sharks having their fins brutally sliced off, only to be thrown back into the ocean for an imminent death? What about snakes and crocodiles bred in captivity to be skinned for the most expensive of purses? Or even the brutal extraction of ivory from the tusks of elephants?

Illegal wildlife trade is one of the main threats causing animal extinction, among other factors such as pollution and climate change. Up to 73 percent of the world’s flora and fauna has been lost. This is not a distant worry found far in the Kenyan forests, or some threat only levelled on the Amazon: wildlife trafficking is a pressing and pertinent issue right in our backyard. Singapore ranks among the world’s top 10 illegal wildlife smuggling hubs, due to, quite ironically, its clean reputation as an efficient port. Our excellent and efficient transportation network has been exploited by criminal organisations to smuggle endangered wildlife species and by-products to fuel the growing appetite for such products in the region. The Southeast Asian region alone is set to lose a fifth of its species by the next century. That’s one in 5 species that our children’s children will never get to see.

Wildlife trafficking has been a widespread and ongoing issue in Southeast Asia. Two weeks ago, more than 24 critically endangered Yellow-crested cockatoos were rescued by police at the Port of tanjung Perak in Surabaya, Indonesia, after being found stuffed in water bottles for illegal trade.

The Yellow-crested cockatoo was listed as a critically endangered species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in 2007.

“Illegal ivory estimated at $8 million,” reported the Straits Times’ on 19th May, just a mere two days ago. The shipment, which consists of about 3.7 tonnes of illegal ivory, is the second largest seizure of illegal ivory since 2002, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) and Singapore Customs said in a joint press release on Tuesday.

1,783 pieces of raw ivory tusks, 4 pieces of rhinoceros horns and 22 pieces of canine teeth believed to be from African big cats were concealed among bags of tea dust.

Despite governmental crackdowns, wildlife trafficking proves to be an enduring profitable enterprise – and you know how it goes. If it makes money, go for it. At least 10,000 species in the wild go extinct each year and we fear more.

Where does Ecoweek come in?

That being said, this year’s Ecoweek aims to raise awareness for the global threat to wildlife, and highlight the importance of wildlife conservation. Wildlife trafficking activities have increased in scale, severity, and pervasiveness in the recent years, and the school population ought to understand the urgency of this issue.

Posters by the World Wide Fund for Nature have been put up around school: ones which we believe have encapsulated the danger and threat of wildlife trafficking with both clarity and poignancy. In addition to that, our booth in the canteen walkway explains the current situation and its implications, as well as how you can play a part to stop the illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade.

Some times to support wildlife conservation efforts.

While we may not have participated directly in the killings of these endangered wildlife animals, nor do we have the capacity to resolve this issue entirely. But, we, as consumers, continue to be the root cause of this issue – we drive the demand for such products. And all it requires of us to take that first step in making the right choices and spreading the message. We hope that with Ecoweek 2015, we can spark an active conversation regarding wildlife conservation and inspire others to join in the movement with us because it’s a matter of: Cherish, or Perish.

Clubs, Commentary 5 May 20158 May 2019

Interact YGH: Have You(th) Got Heart?

Reading Time: 6 minutes

By Tasharani Palani (16S03P), Trudy Chak (16S03D), Vanessa Chia (16A13A), Isabel Elizabeth Siow (16S03I)

Photos by: Isabel Lee (15S06C)

Cueing an onslaught of a sea of red and white, ‘Uptown Funk’ reverberated throughout the Atrium @ Toa Payoh Hub during the late hours of the bustling Saturday morning, 18th April. This attracted curious glances from casual passersby as enthusiastic jeans-clad students broke out into a flash mob. Indeed, the spirited showcase truly symbolized the essence of passion for service and volunteerism. Over the course of the day, our Interactors’ infectious enthusiasm and exuberance drew many onlookers to take a peek into what Raffles Interact had in store for the day.

In essence, Youth Got Heart (YGH) is a highly-anticipated annual outreach event organized by Raffles Interact. Its main purpose each year has been to provide a platform for youths to find out more about volunteerism, as well as to seize the opportunity to give back to the local community in a meaningful way. With that in mind, the event showcased an extensive variety of VWOs, including The Nature Society (Singapore), Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS), and Family Life First, The event was graced by the president of the Singapore Rotary Club and Mrs Josephine Teo, Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Transport, as the Guest-of-Honour.

In commemoration of SG50 this year, YGH 2015 hoped to incite the collective spirit of Singaporeans to play an active role in contributing and sustaining service to the community under the theme “Past, the Present, and the Future”.

In the words of Mrs Josephine Teo,”The whole story of Singapore is about how ordinary people come together to create the extraordinary and likewise for volunteers- each one contributes a small piece- a bit of time, sometimes mentoring others, sometimes helping them. But when all these efforts, little efforts are added up, they amount to a lot. It makes our society different from others, and also it makes each one of use bigger than ourselves.”

The event’s programme for the day kickstarted with an address by Isabel Lee, the main student organizer of YGH 2015, who provided a few insightful words about her experiences with service. She elaborated upon her motivations for dedicating herself to such a daunting yet meaningful project and delved into the story behind her own intrinsic passion for service. This thoughtful address reached out to the audience and encouraged them to participate in service themselves.

Isabel Lee, Head of YGH’s organising committee with Ms Josephine Teo, Guest of Honor

Although the intended target audience for YGH was the youth, it was encouraging to see that this year’s turnout ended up a diverse one, which included many members of the public, ranging from the elderly to families. Additionally, many Rafflesians also came down to Toa Payoh that afternoon to lend their support for their fellow schoolmates. This was truly heartwarming for many of the Interactors, especially the Organizing team who dedicated many hours to perfecting the entire event to painstakingly ensure its smooth success. The organizing team commented, “YGH was an amazing experience for us. To see our ideas come to life, and the impact it’s had on the community, if only for a day has made it worth the effort. We hope that the experience has been as great for everyone who came down as it was for us.”

Interactors getting hyped during YGH 2015!

In particular, the highlight of the event was an extensive array of informative booths, each representing a particular VWO that, with the combined efforts of all Interactors, were decorated with personalized infographic posters. The boothes communicated key details about service opportunities through engaging visuals and verbal dialogue with staff and interactors. Delegated Interactors and organization representatives were key to the event’s main objectives, as they provided detailed information about the available volunteering opportunities and the specific needs of each VWO. They were able to advise the public on the most suitable volunteering opportunities for them, according to the beliefs, interests, and schedule of potential volunteers. This was essential towards ensuring a mutually beneficial and ultimately rewarding volunteering experience for each and every one.

The whole event infused elements of the Past, the Present and the Future, into its layout. The main attraction was a “Hall of Fame” exhibition detailing volunteering efforts of the past, informative booths representing the needs of the present, as well as photo-wall filled with polaroids to symbolize the hope of the youth for future volunteerism efforts within Singapore.

Members of the public having their picture taken at the photo booth.

Additionally, innovative station games, assembled for all to try their luck at, managed to entice participants to complete the entire course in order to win a special food pack. Sporting members of the public, ranging from gutsy aunties to ever-curious children, gamely tried their hand at searching for specific items in a Mystery Box while blindfolded, as well as drawing with their eyes closed– aimed at allowing participants to briefly place themselves in the shoes of the visually handicapped.

Adding to the hype was a myriad of performances, ranging from a performance by alumni members from Raffles Street Dance’s energizing take on the pop chart-topper Bang Bang by Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj, to Raffles Rock’s assortment of tunes, including Pompeii by Bastille and You Only Live Once by The Strokes, as well as performances by the Interact Band, all of which kept the audience drawn to the atrium the entire afternoon.

Raffles Street Dancers showing off their talent and skilful moves!

Wahid Al Mamun, of 15A01A from Raffles Rock shared with us that “Personally, I found it cool that we got to take part in this community initiative as well as meet so many different people – volunteers, elderly, and to learn a bit more about other people’s lives.” Ernest Yee, a J3 graduated member of Street Dance, mentioned that he had simply hoped “to make everyone feel happy from watching our dancing” and had placed audience enjoyment as their top priority. To quote him, “we hoped the audience enjoyed it as much as we did!” Indeed, these talented performers managed to engage, delight, and amaze throughout the course of the day.

We even had our very own Interactors gamely stepping up to the challenge of hyping up the audience. With engaging and charismatic emcees and Interactors spontaneously breaking out into dance to the beat of Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk, showcasing their passion and spirit for volunteerism, it really added much vibrancy and energy to the atmosphere that afternoon.

Throughout the day, it was heartening to see a fair share of individuals, who personally embodied community spirit and displayed the rarely seen kinder, more pro-active side of Singaporeans today. For example, we had Interactors dancing with some of the more spirited elderly folk who got off their seats to dance alongside the performers; and in another instance, members of the public were kindly reminding the Interactors to stay hydrated in the humid mid-afternoon weather. It was truly incidents like these that made the long day worth it.

In retrospect, some members of Interact mentioned that they would hope to achieve a more balanced demographic in the future. However, given the location of the event, its sphere of influence and impact was largely limited to the significantly higher proportion of elderly visitors rather than meeting original expectations of engaging youths. Despite this minor setback, Youth Got Heart still undoubtedly helped to raise awareness and incite public support for a vast array of VWOs. All in all, 2015’s YGH was a resounding success, managing to connect dozens of potential volunteers to short-handed VWOs.

Selfie time with the Guest-Of-Honor, Ms Josephine Teo!

Raffles Interact promises to intensify their efforts for next year’s YGH, so do keep a look out for more exciting opportunities to serve the community coming your way! With your valued support and continued encouragement, Raffles Interact will strive to find more ways to connect youth to volunteerism and serve the community as well as the school.

Interact ‘15-’16 would like to thank everyone who came down to show your support!

Clubs, Commentary 18 July 201412 May 2019

Rewind II: Life in Technicolor

Reading Time: 5 minutes

by Jovi Tan (15A01B)
Images courtesy of Raffles Film Society

I am going to borrow from the closing remarks of Gong Haoran, Chairperson of Raffles Film Society, to begin talking about Film’s recent showcase, Rewind II: Life in Technicolor. He compares the array of films on show to the black-and-white, 3-second long, stop motion experiment, the Horse in Motion (‘Sallie Gardner at a Gallop’). It is a series of photographs compiled in 1878, dynamically depicting a man galloping atop a horse, and is often considered one of the first silent films.

For many of the filmmakers at the event, this is their virgin attempt. Much like Eadweard Muybridge, many of the filmmakers are in a stage of excited experimentation, eager to figure out just what kinds of magic can unfold beyond the lenses of their video recorders. In some instances, they stumble over their ideas, or are clumsy in navigating the terrains of storytelling, but as Haoran elucidates, these limitations are something they can be proud of. Really, these shortcomings are inconsequential when compared to the immense honesty, energy, enterprise and hard work that undergirded each film presented at the showcase.

Held at the Arts House, seven films were showcased in a homely and cozy screening room, namely: Home Ah Long, Frozen In Time, He is a Friend of Mine, Love x Death, Heart Disc, Spire, and Letters from Home. Spanning different genres, each short film was impressive in their commitment to telling a story. Whether it was a quick-fix comedy, or a moving drama, there was an authenticity that surfaced. Each filmmaker showed an awareness of the genre, playing to their strengths and, overall, creating a strong set of enjoyable short films, and an enjoyable Saturday afternoon.

film review pic 1 — The protagonist of Frozen In Time, played by Bill Teoh

The first thing that strikes you when the first short film begins is the impressive technical quality that audiences sometimes overlook. When the camera pans, our eyes pan comfortably with it. In many instances, the filmmakers get the lighting just right, and the effective use of music serves to enhance the experience. At first glance, few would be able to pick these out as student-created films. In particular, Spire by Brandon Ong and Xie Peiyi displayed a sound competency in video editing and special effects. As Brandon and Peiyi describe in the post-show dialogue, video editing is often arduous, and the fact that Spire lapses between reality, and a fantasy sword-fighting realm makes their effective storytelling even more impressive. To be able to not only imagine, but also crystalize their comic-esque fantasy world is nothing short of a feat, testament again to the concentration and variety of talent in our midst. In Frozen in Time, by Wu Jia Min, the filmmaking is well able to caress the nuance in the actor, Bill Teoh, who is convincing as a dementia-stricken old man. The scenes are crisp and yet manage to be continuous, highlighting the craft of the directors and videographers. Though some of the dialogue is lost to poor sound editing, the effect on the audience is mild, and is mostly made up for by the apt use of music.

Another aspect that I personally appreciate is each filmmaker’s attempt at honest storytelling. The stories mostly have an element of fiction, no doubt, but this honest storytelling is rooted more in the fact that each filmmaker says what he/ she means, and is unafraid to do so. In Home Ah Long, the story included bits about Ah Longs playing Monopoly for money, which for me captured a lightheartedness, and a willingness to take on the absurd. Heart Disc by Wu Jia Min, on the other hand, sought to present a somewhat typical boy-meets-girl romance, and yet dared to include snippets that were visibly personal, which would differentiate it from a run-of-the-mill romantic comedy. It is a comfort when, instead of borrowing jokes and tropes from the long tradition of romantic-comedies that came before, filmmakers instead use humor that is funny to them, without too much fear that it would not be quite so funny to someone else. The idea that ‘bump file sharing works on organic beings as well’ is evidence of the inventive wit some of these filmmakers possess. In Letters from Home by Ang Zi Yun, some of the footage was gathered on the filmmaker’s personal trips to Australia and England. It is very evident that each filmmaker comes from a place, or a perspective. The fact that none of these filmmakers abandoned these perspectives, but rather embraced and immersed themselves in them was both brave and effective.

It is no coincidence that the most honest pieces were the ones that managed to move audiences the most. While every film had an evident personal touch, some moments still came across as contrived and uninspired. In a particular scene in Letters from Home, the protagonist is at a phone booth phoning her sister overseas, and in the process conjures an elaborate spiel about hope. In the final scene of Spire, a corny message about love and how we sometimes don’t notice it fades out before the credits roll. In Love x Death by Claudia Chu, Tan Yan Ru, and Wang Yan, the bone-shuddering plot twist at the end was chilling for all the wrong reasons. Instead of focusing on the stories they wished to tell, these filmmakers sometimes felt the necessity to force a moral of the story, or a plot twist, when in fact, storytelling can and should be simple. In the end, our creativities can betray us but our experiences cannot. As director Wu Jia Min shared at the post-show Q&A, some parts of her film was inspired by the fact that her grandfather was afflicted with dementia. Some of the more honest and moving dialogue was pebbled into Frozen in Time, whereas other films were not as able in crafting convincing conversation. In fact, the dialogue can sometimes appear stilted and scripted, which can be very distracting.

Nonetheless, Rewind II: Life in Technicolor was thoroughly enjoyable, and was another piece of evidence of the sheer talent and ambition of Raffles Film Society. Though Haoran speaks of the Horse in Motion to remind us all of Film’s inexperience, the Horse in Motion is all the more powerful because it depicts us moving forward. Film has managed to straddle its limitations, to present a coherent and charming showcase, and we should all look forward to their next one.

Clubs, Commentary 4 February 201412 May 2019

Why We Don’t Debate Alone: Winning ESDC 2014

Reading Time: 3 minutes

By Lee Chin Wee (14A01B)

Not too long ago, I was wrong about debating.

Perhaps because my views were blinkered by the heavily televised debates between American Presidential candidates or by watching my own debating heroes when I was younger, I always believed that debating was about the individual. A grandstanding, intellectual fencing match between six speakers who were divided into two teams for argument’s sake. To the casual observer, debates are often decided by one person – typically the one who sounds the most stylish, makes the sharpest rebuttals, and pummels the opposing team into submission.

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