CCA Events, Commentary, School Life

Aloha to the Old, Aloha to the New: Council Investiture 2021
Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Keiran Koh (22S06M) and See Man Teng (22S03A)

Picture This:

You are in Hawaii, the palm trees are swaying in the balmy afternoon breeze and suddenly out of the blue… you see the 41st Students’ Council? 

While travelling and meeting each other in person may be impossible given the COVID-19 situation, Council has successfully integrated the sense of Hawaiian spirit into its investiture this year. Having investiture online this year is a reminder to all Councillors that the passion to serve the school can transcend all obstacles, including physical distance.

Continue reading “Aloha to the Old, Aloha to the New: Council Investiture 2021” →
Commentary, Op-Eds, School Life, Staff Features

A Look Into The Lives of Our “Unsung Heroes”: The EJ-RI Perspective
Reading Time: 9 minutes

This was written in collaboration with EJC Press as part of Issue 3 of Cross Island Impressions, an inter-JC Press collaboration. You can read Issue 3 here.

By Faith Ho (22A01A; RI), Eliora Tan (21-E5; EJC), Jolina Nair (21-E5; EJC), and Richard Tiew (21-I2; EJC)

Have you ever thought about who cleans our school toilets? Or who ensures safety on our school campuses? And who prepares the food in our canteens? 

These are the day-to-day responsibilities of the “unsung heroes” in our school. Without their contributions, our schools would not be operational. This op-ed examines the experiences of the non-teaching staff we see everyday: our school custodians (cleaners, gardeners and estate staff), security guards and canteen hawkers, who form the backbone of our schools. 

However, we are frequently preoccupied with other matters in our daily lives, so their work often slips under our radar and they remain invisible and unacknowledged. 

Are these non-teaching staff really seen as part of our school? What are the challenges they face on a day-to-day basis? And can we truly call them both “unsung” and “heroes”? 

Continue reading “A Look Into The Lives of Our “Unsung Heroes”: The EJ-RI Perspective” →
Commentary, Op-Eds, School Life, Student Issues

CCA and Covid-19: How the New Normal Has Impacted Our Holistic Journey
Reading Time: 10 minutes

This was written in collaboration with EJC Press as part of Issue 3 of Cross Island Impressions, an inter-JC Press collaboration. You can read Issue 3 here.

By Mirella Ang (22A01C; RI), Shermaine Lim (22S03N; RI), Joshua Tan (21-12; EJC), and Zexel Lim (21-E2; EJC)

Cover image by Shermaine Lim.

COVID-19 has impacted us in many ways. It has affected the way we live, the way we feel and think, and the way we communicate. Schools have been shut down across the world, and the education system had to be reformed in order to suit the ‘new normal’. The reopening of schools in Singapore has prompted many of us to wonder: how has COVID-19 impacted our school lives? In this article, we seek to understand and answer the questions of why different facets of our extracurriculars system have been affected by COVID-19, and what students are doing to cope with such drastic changes. We also want to examine CCA activities through the lens of the most popular CCA categories, namely Sports, the Visual Performing Arts, Clubs and Societies and Uniform Groups (UGs). 

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Commentary, Student Features

From Diagnosis To Catharsis
Reading Time: 6 minutes

Three schoolmates shed light on their medical conditions and how their lives are shaped by them.

By Koo ii (21S05A) and Ray Lim (21A13A)
Cover image by Koo ii (21S05A), featuring art installation Only Skin Deep by Loke Sun Yi (21A01B)

“Quite bad ah,” commented the lady at the ice cream counter of a fast-food chain, after asking Loke Sun Yi (21A01B) if she had chickenpox.

The truth was, she didn’t have chickenpox. “I just wanted an ice cream!” recounted Sun Yi. Rather, she has eczema, a condition that causes skin to be itchy, dry and inflamed. 

This was but one of the many chance encounters that Sun Yi has experienced, where strangers comment on her condition. Some even “go the extra mile” to offer advice on how best to treat it. 

While such advice comes with good intentions, Sun Yi shares that it makes her annoyed and embarrassed—especially since it makes it seem as if she hasn’t been trying hard enough to treat it. Little do we know of the efforts put in by our peers to live comfortably with their conditions. 

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Commentary, Op-Eds, Student Issues

COVID-19: Boon or Bane for Students’ Brains?
Reading Time: 9 minutes

This was written in collaboration with EJC Press as part of Issue 3 of Cross Island Impressions, an inter-JC Press collaboration. You can read Issue 3 here.

By Hong Wan Jing (22S06F; RI), Lara Tan (22A01B; RI), Harel Tan (21-12; EJC), He Jizhao (21-U5; EJC), and Jachin Khoo (21-U5; EJC)

We can all recall the pre-COVID days: the days without the inconvenience of wearing masks, the days where we can put our arm around our best friend’s shoulder, the days where spraying alcohol on tables wasn’t done without being frowned upon. Reminiscing on the times where we had the option to travel to Jozankei Hot Spring to taste natural springwater instead of resorting to the Sembawang Hot Spring, and beachside picnics with classes, I’m sure we can agree that those pre-COVID days were better.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a great disruption to everybody’s lives. With Singapore being one of the worst hit countries at the outset of the pandemic, the lives of many people grounded to a screeching halt, and students weren’t spared either. Students, given their young age, are affected to an even greater extent, especially with regards to their mental health.

What would be of overseas school trips with friends? Would the quality of teaching be affected by zoom lessons? What about SYF, ‘A’ Divs and competitions? These were some concerns students had about COVID-19 affecting their student life.

Continue reading “COVID-19: Boon or Bane for Students’ Brains?” →