Ang Xue Ning
Alumni/Ngee Ann Kongsi Gold Medal 2020,
Woon Tai Jee Art Prize (First Prize)
Queenstown Secondary School is the birthplace of my passion for the arts and also a huge contributor in shaping my character. The school provided students with endless opportunities to hone their skills and knowledge, in a manner that caters to the interest of each respective student. I am also truly appreciative of the care and compassion that the teachers possessed as that has played a huge factor in supporting me through my time in Queenstown Secondary School.
One experience that remains priceless for me was having my work selected for a fun auction among the teaching staff in the school. That was my first experience of having my work acknowledged and appreciated in such a unique way.
Pursuing art was not an easy decision to make. I was equally worried about the investment in the art materials needed, which may cause financial burden for my family. Realising how my art pieces were appreciated gave me the confidence and affirmation for my choice to pursue the arts. I am still very grateful to be given the opportunity by my art teachers and for my work to be appreciated by the school.
The time I spent with my Co-Curricular Activity (CCA), Red Cross Youth, was equally memorable and impactful to my life. Participating in the various school events such as the National Day Ceremony along with the leadership and training camps I took part in definitely increased my confidence to lead and instilled the importance of self-discipline in me. The CCA provided a platform for me to develop leadership skills and teamwork which I believe to be a useful tool beyond my academic life. The various physically challenging tasks I went through equipped me with mentally rewarding experiences and taught me about team unity.
""Dare to Serve”, the school's motto encapsulates the rich values that I have acquired from being a student of the school. Personally, the motto contains the notion of pro-activeness and determination that can be applied to different stages and experiences beyond my school days. In my perspective, ‘to serve’ represents having the initiative and having the spirit of being positive. Positive towards your set of goals, dreams, having fun or pursuing a passion. My deep understanding and commitment towards this motto has kept me driven in my goals and also strengthened my soft skills.
To my fellow Queenstownians, here is a quote by Søren Kierkegaard, in the hope that it will provide some courage to all when faced with troubling situations: "To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself.
Mdm Siti Nur Shahidah
Level Discipline Teacher
I have been in Queenstown Secondary School for about 8 years. I joined the school in December 2014.
As a Discipline Coordinator for the Secondary 1 students in 2020, the experience was a steep learning curve for me as on top of being in my first year as a discipline committee member, I had to adapt to the evolving practices of a Full SBB curriculum and also the management of Covid-19 situations in school. Overall, the experiences have widened my mind and perspectives on students' behaviour.
Through managing the first batch of Full SBB students, I have learnt that it is important for students to learn positive social skills as they would need to learn to communicate to their classmates of different streams and influence each other positively. I have also learnt that the majority of the students were able to cooperate and work well with students of different streams in the same mentor class. The Class Mentors were able to create a positive synergy and manage them well in class.
The highlight of this experience is when I observed students putting in effort to learn, not repeat their mistakes and to improve themselves. This gives me the motivation to want to help them too.
As I knew this year would be different due to the implementation of Full SBB, I started the year with the mindset that students are coming to learn and learning takes time. I tried my best to work and communicate with the class mentors, subject teachers, school counsellors and welfare officer as I strongly believe that it takes a village (or a school, in this case) to raise a child. Furthermore, sometimes, I would need advice from colleagues as they have their own area of expertise and experience in handling students. It is very important for me to understand the system created by the school for this batch of Full SBB students. This will allow me to work with the students and relevant teachers effectively.
Mr Ranfred Tan Chee Tiong, CCE Head of Department,
Community Youth Leadership (CYL) & Student-Initiated Learning (SIL) Specialist
It has been a personal joy and honour for me to have been able to travel alongside the Queenstownians who have come and gone for the past 14 years. While with us, I have seen many of them benefitting from the committed care of the staff and they have made good of the various programmes offered in the school, among which includes CCE and SIL. CCE and SIL has enabled students to flourish into a stronger person which is beneficial when they eventually walk out of the school gates.
I believe that Character and Citizenship Education completes the education experience and development of a person. Therefore, I am glad that in recent years, there has been an increase in an emphasis on CCE, a shift in how CCE is carried out, with greater student participation and voice today. Recognising that every Queenstownian that walks through the gate brings with them unique experiences and stories, this version of CCE programmes will not only help the students make sense of the complex and complicated world, but it will also allow students to be more aware of their own beliefs and role that they can play in the larger community.
Another heartening development which further recognises the uniqueness of our Queenstownians while future-proofing them is the introduction of the Student Initiated Learning (SIL). Queenstownians get to carry out a learning activity based on their own choice of interest area for 1 hour every fortnight to discover more about their own interests. This really gives our Queenstownians the time and space to further discover who they are and plant the seeds of competencies necessary for life-long learning.
I firmly believe that while academic achievement may (usually) determine their starting point in their career, it will be their character cultivation that eventually determines their ending point. They may not emerge the top scholars of Singapore, but many Queenstownians have found success in their own right, and for that, I am honoured to have been a part of their journey in self-discovery and actualisation.
.png)