2024
April: Riding the Tide for Canoeing
Our SJI Canoeists rode the waves of competition at the 2024 NSG Canoeing Championships, showcasing remarkable resilience and sportsmanship. With a dedication to excellence, the SJI Canoe team demonstrated their determination and team spirit.
In the C-Division, our canoeists narrowly missed the second position but secured a celebrated 3rd place, displaying tenacity and skill. Meanwhile, our B-Division athletes showed unwavering grit, earning a commendable 4th place. Additionally, our A-Division team, in only their second year of participation, stood out among seasoned competitors, securing another impressive 4th position.
Through their outstanding performances, our canoeists exemplified what it means to be a Josephian—embracing challenges with courage and perseverance.
Congratulations to our SJI Canoe team for their untiring efforts, unwavering commitment to excellence and strong team spirit throughout the competition!
Josephians - We are so proud of you!
April: SJI Bags the Overall Championship Trophy at the National Debate Competition
SJI’s Tamil Language Debating team clinched the Championship Trophy in the 2024 Sorkalam held on Sun,14 April 2024. In the Grand Finals of the National Tamil Debate Competition, the SJI team emerged victorious after a solid battle with their counterparts from Cedar Girls’ Secondary.
The SJI Debating team comprised Venkata Ramani Girish (FN401), Sundar Ashwin (LE402), Surendran Srinikesh(FN401), Ibramsa Idris Ahamed (FN401), Sathish Sharvesh (LE402) and Sachin Palaniappan (MN402).
To add to the celebration, Idris also bagged the Overall Best Speaker Award at the finals. This young, eloquent Josephian had earlier clinched the Best Speaker Award at the two preliminary rounds, the quarterfinals and the semi-finals.
The Grand finals was telecasted live on platforms such as MeWatch, Youtube and Live Vasantham TV Channel.
As testament to their hard work and weeks of rigorous preparation for the competition, the SJI debate team provided a scintillating performance, interspersing incisive wit with intellect and showcasing their linguistic abilities.
The debate competition serves as a useful platform for students to hone their Tamil language skills and critical thinking, through a series of debate topics relating to current affairs.
Well done Josephians on your accomplishment !
Sethi Mediacorp On YouTube MeWatch
April: Josephians Engage in Dialogue with SMS Mr Zaqy Mohamad
photos courtesy of MOM
On 12 April, our Y6 students had a unique opportunity to engage Mr Zaqy Mohamad, Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Defence & Ministry of Manpower. The dialogue with Mr Zaqy included small group discussions and a moderated engagement for students to gain a better understanding of a broad range of issues that impact Singapore. These include geopolitical uncertainties and challenges, the impact of social media on our social harmony, our migrant workers community in Singapore, and how youth can engage with issues and members of society in constructive ways.
Mr Zaqy shared that he ‘enjoyed the dialogue with the bright young minds of SJI’s Year 6 students. As the future leaders of Singapore, students play a vital role in fostering a more harmonious society’.
The discussion segment was helmed by Samuel Teng and Aloysius Ong from the Society of International and Current Affairs, one of the Creativity, Activity & Service (CAS) groups at SJI. Samuel shared that, ‘the experience and engagement with Mr Zaqy provided our cohort of students with nuanced and unique perspectives on issues. These are issues which many of us are familiar and often think about, but we may not have complete knowledge about.’
Aloysius added that he ‘appreciated and enjoyed the candid discussion with Mr Zaqy who addressed all our questions squarely. I gained many insights and perspectives on issues that may not always be as straightforward as we perceive them to be.’
Rachel Sonsun, Student Council President, shared that she benefited from how ‘Mr Zaqy described and explained the international political climate, including drawing on his experiences. The dialogue also served to remind us that many global developments and issues have an impact on us, even if they may be occurring very far away from Singapore.’
In closing the dialogue and engagement, our Principal, Mr Justin Pierre thanked Mr Zaqy Mohamad for generously sharing his time and insights with our students. Mr Pierre acknowledged that such platforms serve to deepen and enrich our students’ understanding of local issues and global developments that impact Singapore. Through such engagements, we hope students also become more aware of how they can respond to issues in ways that are constructive and meaningful.
SJI is grateful to Mr Zaqy Mohamad for spending his time and engaging our students. Our school community looks forward to more such opportunities and platforms for the benefit of our students!
April: Josephians Awarded Pinnacle SPF-NPCC Badge
Three of our Josephians, Ethan Seow (FN401), Ibramsa Idris Ahamed (FN401), and Jedidiah Eo Shuo (FN401), were awarded the Singapore Police Force National Police Cadet Corps (SPF-NPCC) Badge.
Launched in 1997, the SPF-NPCC Badge is the pinnacle award in NPCC and given to cadets who have outstanding performance, achievements and demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities. The cadets received their badges at the Presentation Ceremony held at the Home Team Academy on 12 April.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Guest of Honour, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigation & Intelligence) Mr How Kwang Hwee congratulated all cadets on their achievement. He shared that, ‘all recipients of the SPF-NPCC Badge demonstrate success after being put through a rigorous training program for cadets. Their training in NPCC will also have inculcated in them key 21st Century Competencies and skills such as communication, collaboration and critical and inventive thinking, and these will be useful through life.
Ethan, SJI NPCC Unit Chairman, shared that, ‘it was the various NPCC experiences and interactions with my squadmates that became important opportunities for self-improvement, and I will forever be grateful. This honour of receiving the SPF-NPCC Badge would not have been possible without the constant support of family, friends and teachers who have enabled me to grow through NPCC and to the best of my abilities.’
Idris, SJI NPCC Unit Deputy Chairman added that, ‘I am very grateful for this award, it is truly a testament to all the sacrifices, hard work, and team effort of my fellow cadet leaders and our teacher officers’.
Jedidiah, SJI NPCC Unit Deputy Chairman was motivated by how ‘SJI NPCC is like a big family that includes truly supportive and encouraging batch of squadmates, inspirational seniors and officers, and nurturing teacher officers’.
Ethan, Idris and Jedidiah were also promoted to the rank of Station Inspector NPCC earlier this year.
Well done, Josephians!
April: Josephian wins Edwin Thumboo Merit Prize for Literature
Picture taken in 2023 at the SJI Year 6 Graduation Ceremony.
Congratulations to alumnus Keevan Kanagalingam (IB Class of 2023) who received the 2024 Edwin Thumboo Merit Prize for Literature! This is the third consecutive year that a Josephian has received this prize from the Department of English, Linguistics and Theatre Studies at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
Keevan shared, “It is a true honour to receive this prestigious prize for my literary essay which explored how the poetry of Mary Oliver unifies the seemingly-incompatible realms of the material and the spiritual. I certainly owe much of my success to the incredible Literature teachers who guided and nurtured me throughout my time in SJI, especially Mrs Jasmine Tan and Ms Rita Roop. They, in the words of Mary Oliver, have shown me that Literature truly is ‘a life-cherishing force’ – much more than just an academic discipline, it teaches us to approach our lives with keen attentiveness and a spirit of wonder.”
Named after one of Singapore’s most prominent poets and scholars, the Edwin Thumboo Prize, aims to promote excellence in the study of Literature at the pre-university level by recognising outstanding literary works by A-level and International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP) students of English Literature in Singapore. It is administered by the Department with support from the Ministry of Education (MOE).
April: SJI’s Inaugural VIA Scubilion Fair 2024
SJI organised the Inaugural Values-in-Action (VIA) Scubilion Fair on 2 April for the benefit of the school community to learn how they could contribute meaningfully to the community. In total, twelve Partner Organisations were invited to engage and interact with all students and staff.
At SJI, we refer to all service projects as VIA Scubilion, named after Jean-Bernard Rousseau, who was a French Catholic member of the De La Salle Brothers and who received the name of Scubilion when he entered the novitiate.
The Partner Organisations for the VIA Scubilion Fair this year included, Caritas Singapore, Foreword Coffee Roasters, Heartware Network, ItsRainingRaincoats, Josephian Family Services, Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital, Lakeside Family Services, Mercy Relief Singapore, Ray of Hope, Singapore Chapter of the Harley Owners Group, Singapore Disability Sports Council and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
These organisations partnered with SJI to meet the following objectives for our school community to:
- deepen awareness of social issues and to understand existing efforts in the community
- discover and explore opportunities to contribute
- inspire and align individuals’ and groups’ interests with opportunities to serve
The VIA Scubilion Fair also impressed upon all that being of service to the community should be a way of life for Josephians. This is very much integral to the SJI Education. as shared by our Principal, Mr Justin Arul Pierre, in his opening address at the VIA Scubilion Fair.
Mr Pierre also encouraged all Josephians to ‘be proactive in engaging the representatives from all partner organisations because they serve as models for success, and will inspire you to contribute in the community’. He added that the, ‘VIA Scubilion Fair will certainly be the first step in a long and rewarding journey of service in the community for many of us’.
Mr Muhammad Ashik, Executive Director of Mercy Relief and one of the partner organisations for the VIA Scubilion Fair shared that this was a truly memorable experience for his team and him. Mr. Ashik also shared that it was, ‘a privilege to be at SJI to share with enthusiastic students about the many and ongoing efforts by Mercy Relief’. His team is looking forward to collaborating with ‘students and teachers who expressed interest to work together on projects and make a difference in the community’.
Similarly, Mr Tony Goldman, Road Captain of the Harley Owners Group Singapore Chapter that also partnered with us this year, shared that platforms like the VIA Scubilion Fair, ‘enable us to engage the community to change the perception of motorcyclists. Just like the SJI school community, we also value opportunities and aspire to contribute in positive ways in the community’.
We hope to continue our partnerships so that our students will be empowered and supported as they engage with the community through their VIA Projects.
March: Josephians to Represent Singapore at the World Junior Team Competition (Tennis) 2024
Justin Lie (ML 202) and Brennon Ng (MN 201) will be representing Singapore in a three-member team in the boys’ category of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Junior Team Competition Under-14 2024 held in Kuching, Sarawak.
The tournament for the boys’ category will commence from 25 to 30 March. Justin and Brennon will be representing Singapore in the Asia/Oceania qualifying finals. They will be up against tennis powerhouses such as Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.
ITF World Junior Team Championship are the international team events for the 14-and-under age category. The senior equivalents of the Junior Davis Cup and Junior Billie Jean King Cup are the Davis Cup and Billie Jean Cup, respectively.
The event has seen a number of its champions go on to become Grand Slam winners such as Lleyton Hewitt (1994-1995 Australia), Andy Roddick (1996 USA), Rafael Nadal (2000 Spain) and Novak Djokovic (2001 Yugoslavia).
We’re proud that you are representing Singapore and will be cheering for you, Josephians!
March: Josephians Race at the SJI Annual Cross Country Meet
The SJI Annual Cross Country Meet was held on a cool morning of 21 March at the OCBC Square, Singapore Sports Hub. The venue was brightly decorated with the four Fraternity colours.
The Cross Country Meet started at Tanjong Rhu bridge and traversed into the park connector, Benjamin Sheares Bridge, and then a final dash to the finish line at OCBC Square. The Meet involved close to 2000 students and 175 teachers through a scenic 3.8km route.
Students and staff experienced a fun-filled day of athleticism, sportsmanship and bonding as one Josephian community.
March: SJI Pipe Band Celebrates St Patrick’s Day in SG
Members of the SJI Pipe Band participated in the yearly St. Patrick’s Parade on 19 March. Together with bagpipers from Northland Secondary, RGS and Lion City Pipe Band, the contingent marched from the Arts Museum to the UOB Plaza.
This year’s event was graced by Minister Ong Ye Kung who served as Grand Marshall. Image from FB
March: Picnic Under the Stars
On 1 March, SJI CAS groups Beacon and Astronomy organised Picnic Under the Stars to raise funds for ItsRainingRaincoats, the Singapore charity that aims to build bridges of integration between migrant workers and residents of Singapore.
After a delicious picnic on the school track, an enchanted evening of stargazing followed. Despite the inclement weather, our Josephians remained positive and channelled their excitement to enjoy a night of heartfelt song dedications, lively dancing, and friendly companionship under the starry sky.
While the primary objective of the event was to generate financial support towards the well-being of migrant workers in Singapore, the event organising committee also aimed to bring the Year 5 and Year 6 cohort closer. Aidan Ng (from Year 5) quipped, “The event was enjoyable as it allowed me to bond with my peers. I was also able to make new friends through this event.”
The picnic was organised on the last day of the school term and served as a celebration for various milestones. It affirmed the Year 5 cohort who recently joined the school and forged new and meaningful friendships together, as well as the Year 6 students who pushed through a term filled with deadlines and submissions of assignments.
Picnic Under the Stars is a testament to our dedication and commitment to enhancing student well-being and community betterment, while embodying the enduring values of Beacon and its unwavering commitment to social responsibility.
March: SJI Triumphant at the Singapore Science and Engineering Fair
A team of 11 Josephians from Year 4 to Year 6 represented the school at the 2024 Singapore Science and Engineering Fair (SSEF). They brought to the table seven projects across a wide range of Science disciplines and fields.
The team comprised (from left in picture): Leedon Yong (MN517), Kieran Tan (FN603), Rahul Senthilkumar (ML612), Quek Yi Ming (MN616), Vorajate Suntratonpipat (MN403), Dinh Nho An (MN616), Putt Sawasmongkol (LE403), Sun Xiaoyan (FN604), Le Trung Kien (FN602) and Agil Singaraselvan (FN604). Ho Hui Lin (FN605) was not in the picture.
SJI walked away with two Special Awards at the event: the SUTD Research and Innovation Award: Artificial Intelligence and the Singapore Association for the Advancement of Science) (SAAS) Special Award - Poster Award for Science Communication. Le Trung Kien (FN602) had worked on a project titled “Machine Learning to Extract Plasma Emission Spectrum Data from Laser Fusion in Metal 3D Printers” conducted at Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre (ARTC), A*STAR, during his 5-week Research Attachment Programme (RAP) in December 2023.
Well done, Josephians!
March: Josephians Making Waves in ART
The ViaRT Art competition
Congratulations to the following Josephian Arts Programme (JAP) students who clinched various awards in theViaRT Art competition:
David Bloodworth (FN201): Best Sustainable Message (2nd prize) Jorim Tan (FN203): Most Artistic (2nd prize) Joshua Lee (ML202): Most Artistic (3rd prize) Kai-Ler Lim (MN303): Most Artistic (3rd prize) Aaron Tan (FN301): Most Artistic (3rd prize) Cohen Seah (MN402): Most Creative (2nd prize)
The ViaRT Art competition is an annual upcycling competition that invites students to create art out of everyday materials. The theme for 2023 was ‘ARTOCHANGE’, calling children to adopt sustainable habits through creative expression.
The exhibition is open to the public at the Sustainable Singapore Gallery, 8 Marina Gardens Dr, S018951 every day from 9am to 6pm (except Tuesday) until 25 Mar 2024.
13-19 Art Prize Competition
Josephians Lucas Seah (MN402) and Isaac Low (FN303) received the Special Commendation Award at the 13-19 Art Prize Competition 2023. The annual art competition, organised by TRCL, seeks to recognise and celebrate young art talents in Singapore, while also imparting values of giving-back to the community to support their peers from disadvantaged backgrounds through the arts.
You can view the exhibition at the Tekka 1001 @ Tekka Place from 8.00am to 10.00pm every day (except Tuesday) until 30 March 2024.
March: SJI Brings Home the Overall Championship Trophy at the National Debate Competition
SJI’s Malay Language Debating team clinched the Championship Trophy in the 2024 National Debate Competition Grand Final (Secondary) held on Sat, 2 March 2024. The event was organised by the Malay Youth Literary Organisation.
The SJI Debating team comprised Ariel Aiman (FN401), Mario Sebastian (FN302), Amir Hamza (LE402), and Gerald Aurelius (FN301).
For a double celebration, Ariel Aiman bagged the Overall Best Speaker Award. This young, eloquent and confident Josephian had also clinched the Best Speaker Award at the two preliminary rounds, the quarterfinals, semi-finals and also in the finals.
Twenty-one schools across Singapore entered the competition. During the finals, the SJI Debating team faced a team of talented debaters from Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah. Crafty and eloquent words flew back and forth on the topic of “Investment in Sports in Singapore is not in vain”.
This competition serves as a useful platform for young students taking Malay Language to hone their language skills and critical thinking, through a series of debate topics relating to current affairs.
Well done Josephians on your accomplishment. We celebrate with you!
Ora et Labora!
Read all about it!
March: SJI Tennis Clinches Silver at NSG 2024
The SJI Tennis Team did the school proud by clinching Silver at the National School Games (NSG) B Division Tennis Finals.
In a closely contested and hard-fought final against ACSI, our Josephians put up a valiant effort and went down narrowly by a scoreline of 3-2. In the run-up to the finals, SJI had put up impressive performances to overcome the teams from RI, HCI and VS. In front of hundreds of supporters at the finals, our SJI tennis players stood tall as gentlemen and sportsmen, surrounded by the Josephian community of students, staff and parents who rallied with them all the way till the end.
Josephians, we are so proud of you!
February: Josephian clinches Silver Medal at Physics Olympiad
Jonas Wong (MN619) did SJI proud when he took home the Silver Medal at the 36th Singapore Physics Olympiad.
The prize presentation ceremony was held on 24 February at National Junior College, and hosted by MOE officials and Professor Christian Kurtsiefer from the Physics Department at NUS.
The theoretical round of the competition was held on 21 Oct 2023 with participation from close to 200 JC1 students in Singapore. At the experimental round for shortlisted students on 23 November, seven students from the 2023 SJI Year 5 Physics cohort took part in the competition.
February: SJI B Division Table Tennis Team Bats to a Silver Medal at NSG 2024
The SJI B Division Table Tennis team garnered Silver at the National School Games (South Zone) Competition.
The team had remained unbeaten all the way to the finals where they put up a good fight against Raffles Institution. It was a tight affair to the end.
We are extremely proud of our Josephians who role-modeled good sportsmanship and competed whole-heartedly by pushing themselves beyond their usual best.
Well done, Josephians!
Application of Research and Analysis Skills in Real World Situations
Two Josephians participated in the annual Statistics Poster Competition organised by the Department of Statistics and Data Science, NUS at the end of 2023. During this competition, they were exposed to concepts and methods used in statistics and data science.
Aaron Wong (MN518) and Brayden Chang (ML514) clinched third position in the competition and were awarded Certificates of Distinction. Their poster titled “The Fate of Online Retail Post-Pandemic” used colourful and informative graphs to demonstrate how a Counterfactual SARIMA Model was applied to analyse real-world data. The exploration led to a conclusion that a rise of online-retail during COVID-19 has not triggered a permanent shift in consumer behaviour.
Well done, Josephians!
February: A Leap for Singapore and SJI
John Lim (FN203) bagged two medals for Singapore at the [Western Australia State Track & Field Championships held in Perth, Australia, from 22-25 February.
In a close race, John bagged a silver at the 100m hurdles with a personal best (PB) of 14.68s, and bronze at the 200m hurdles with another PB at 27.66s.
Congratulations, John! SJI is proud of you!
John also represents SJI in our Track & Field team. He represented SJI in the hurdles event (100mh and 200mh) at NSG 2023. His training and dedication has been exemplary.
We wish John all the best in the upcoming National School Games!
February: The SJI Experience for Total Defence Day (TDD40) Disruption Exercise
SJI commemorated Total Defence Day on 15 Feb. As a school community, Josephians experienced a unique disruption; a meatless day in school. This shared “disruption” served as an opportunity for students and staff to reflect on the impact of such disruptions on our society and the different ways that they can play a part to ensure a secure and sustainable nation.
Through the disruption exercise, we deepen our awareness of such issues and it serves as a reminder of the importance of being adaptable and resilient in the face of uncertainties and changes. This affected not just hungry stomachs, but also the canteen vendors’ ability to prepare healthy meals.
This experience showed students not to take things for granted and to appreciate the importance of ensuring the stability of our food chain supply to Singapore. As a school, we should be prepared for disruptions while continuing to support and uplift one another.
February: SJI Celebrates Inaugural Assembly 2024
The Inaugural Celebration at SJI is a cherished tradition that celebrates the beginning of the new academic year. It is the first formal assembly when the entire Josephian community comes together in a spirit of thanksgiving and prayer. After a month of orientation, we officially welcomed the newest additions to the school – namely our Year 1 & Year 5 students and the new members of the teaching and non-teaching staff.
During the Principal’s Address, Mr Justin Arul Pierre set the directions and priority areas for the school in 2024 with emphasis on Nurturing Adaptive and Inventive Thinking, and Global and Cross-Cultural Literacy. He also introduced the school theme for the year, “Deepening Our Connections with the World, Industry and Community”.
As we embrace the challenges and various disruptions confronting us in this ever-evolving and uncertain world, Mr Pierre called upon the school community to broaden their worldview, to adopt an open mindset and to be courageous to experiment and do things differently. This will enable us to be adaptable, nimble and resilient to changes and ambiguous situations.
Mr Pierre reminded Josephians to uphold our Lasallian ethos and traditions. The education mission that the founding De La Salle Brothers brought to Singapore is even more important today. In the midst of a world that seeks instant gratification and is more self-centred, we must continue to stay true to the Lasallian education philosophy encapsulated in our motto, “Ora et Labora” (Pray and Work).
Today, the school community also witnessed our Principal and several teachers sharing the stage to sing “We Are the World”; their collective voices echoed with passion, spreading a message of unity, hope, and solidarity. Their heartfelt rendition of this song was a powerful reminder that as educators they not only impart knowledge but also role-model the values of empathy, love and the sense of community.
The Inaugural Assembly concluded with the celebration of the Eucharist where Friar Michael D’Cruz OFM further emphasized the significance of Community, a very precious bond that we all share here in SJI. He also blessed the school flag and the school colours. These much-cherished symbols have carried many generations of Josephians through the school and beyond.
February: SJI Welcomes the Year of the Dragon
SJI celebrated the Lunar New Year in school with a string of traditional activities, leading to a concert at the Indoor Sports Hall.
Teachers from the Chinese New Year Celebrations Organising Committee and students from various cultural groups ensured the festive spirit was alive by decorating the school premises with an array of traditional decorations such as peach blossom flowers, red lanterns and beautiful lights. If you look closely, you will see breathtaking “dragons” at the School Foyer!
Teachers and students also worked closely together to craft beautiful works of art through Chinese calligraphy. The calligraphy session served as an opportunity for cultural exchange and understanding. All students were encouraged to engage in the tradition, expressing their wishes for the new year in their own language. This approach fosters appreciation for Chinese culture and also celebrates the diversity within the school community, creating an inclusive and enriching environment where everyone’s heritage is valued and respected.
At the school concert, Josephians across the various levels took the stage, showcasing their diverse talents. Everyone at the concert was fully engaged and they were captivated by the exhilarating lion and dragon dance performances. This was followed with a performance by the Vocal Ensemble, a Quiz on Chinese New Year traditions, announcement of the results of the SJI CNY Music Video and Singing Competition, and a special duet performance of a self-composed song by Aidan Khoo (LE 607) and our SJI teacher, Ms Zheng Qin, reflecting the spirit of unity and celebration.
In our multi-cultural and multi-racial society, we take great pride in appreciating our unique Asian culture and traditions as it sets the foundation for our harmony and success in Singapore. The Chinese New Year celebrations in school was a great example of how Josephians unite as one community to usher in the Lunar New Year.
February: Welcoming the Year 5 Cohort
SJI welcomed our Y5 cohort on 2 Feb. This year’s Year 5 Orientation Programme was themed: “In Caelum!” which means “Into the Skies” with all 20 orientation groups named after cities around the world where Lasallian schools are located.
Student leaders and teachers were excited to introduce our new Year 5 cohort to the Josephian culture, ethos and to induct them into the Josephian community.
Across the 4 days of the Orientation programme, the Y5 students were engaged in various activities such as the Josephian Challenge, Mass Games at Sentosa, Heritage Trail in the Civic District, and culminating with the Campfire. These activities were carefully designed to be fun, interactive, educational, and relevant so that the Y5 cohort gets the opportunity to explore the school, forge meaningful friendships with their peers, learn more about the SJI and Lasallian heritage, ignite a deep sense of belonging to the school and to care for one another.
The Orientation Programme for the Year 5s which was led entirely by the Year 6 cohort, was a brilliant example of how Josephians rise to the occasion to be Men and Women for Others.
We welcome our Year 5 cohort to the Josephian family!
February: Josephians’ Vibrant Murals Unveiled at Kembangan
Images courtesy of SMRT
On the evening of 2 February, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Mr Edwin Tong, Chairman of SMRT Mr Seah Moon Ming, and various esteemed guests gathered at Kembangan MRT station to witness the unveiling of two murals created by SJI students.
Josephians Liyu Jiong Yang (FN502), Cohen Seah (MN402, Josephian Arts Programme [JAP]) and Oliver Khoo (ML401, JAP) worked tirelessly in 2023 to create these large-scale murals depicting the vibrant and diverse community in the Kembangan heartlands. Strategically located at the MRT, the murals depict colorful community events that celebrate the diversity in the area. The mural is part of a collaboration with our partner organisation, SMRT, as well as artist-alumni, Mr Alfonsus Wong (Class of 2004) who, together with Mr Michael Ee (Head, Aesthetics Department), mentored and journeyed with our Josephians.
The opening of the event was marked with a performance by Sumugan Kapilan (ML614), representing the SJI Indian Cultural Society, who delivered a spirited 3-minute miruthangam performance. Representatives of various organisations, The Buddhist Union, Masjid Kassim, Our Lady of Perpetual Succor Church, Kampong Kembangan Community Centre (People’s Association) and SJI’s Principal, Mr Justin Arul Pierre, were presented unique mementos by SMRT, featuring the mural designs!
Head over to Kembangan MRT station to check out the murals. Well done,
Josephians!
Their journey was documented in LUMEN 2023 (Dec).
January: A Passion for Science!
The International Science Youth Forum 2024 (ISYF) took place from 8-12 January this year. It served as a platform for like-minded students from different schools across Singapore and across the globe to connect, learn and discuss ideas on the theme “Science and Technology for Humanity: Building a Sustainable Future”.
Over five days, Year 5 Josephians, Brayden Chang, Daniel Ho and Aaron Wong, embarked on various science activities that served to hone their collaborative and research skills in science. ISYF had also invited various Nobel Prize laureates to conduct Masterclasses for the participants, with the Keynote Speaker, Professor Duncan M Haldane who was co-awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2016.
For our Josephians, it was surreal to meet Nobel Prize laureates in person, and listen to them share their knowledge and passion for science. It inspired them to continue to pursue their interest in science research.
Other than furthering our passion for science, ISYF also allowed us to make connections with friends from abroad. It was indeed a memorable and enriching experience as they also forged new friendships with participants from overseas.
January: SJI’s NCC Air Cadets Clinch Aeromod Title
SJI’s NCC Air cadets competed in the annual Air Competition, an inter-school event that rigorously assesses proficiency of cadets in various categories. SJI cadets secured top positions in several categories, and did the school proud by clinching the title as the most proficient school in aeromod.
The following outstanding cadets were also recognised:
Category |
Students |
Award |
Paper Glider |
Akshaj Prabakharan (MN201) Kaeden Loh (FN202) |
Champion |
Flight Simulator |
Wang Xuanwen (ML302) Nicholas Lee (FN301) |
Champion |
Drone Flying |
Ariel Aiman (FN401)
|
Champion |
January: Josephians Ace the Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC)
117 Josephians from Year 1 to Year 4 took part in the Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC) in August 2023. The AMC is Australia’s longest running, largest and most well-known Mathematics Competition for school students.
Like all our competitions, the AMC contains unique problems designed each year by leading educators and academics to challenge and extend students’ problem-solving skills. The objectives of the AMC include the creation of interest in the study of Mathematics, the encouragement of excellence and the recognition of students who demonstrate competence in the basic skill areas of Mathematics.
And our Josephians did not disappoint; they shone with commendable results.
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Junior category: 1 High Distinction and 12 Distinction Awards
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Intermediate category: 1 High Distinction and 18 Distinction Awards
The High Distinction awards recipients are Ryan Lim (ML201) and Tran Luu Anh Kiet (MN403). Tran also attained the Best in School award.
Well done, Josephians!
January: SJI’s Work Experience Programme
The Work Experience Programme (WEP) is one of SJI’s key initiatives to nurture students to be adaptable and resilient to challenges, be able to transfer learning across different situations and to be confident individuals. This year, 182 students spent 2-3 weeks in 56 different organisations and industry partners in the month of January to learn and gain valuable work experience.
The WEP aligns with the school’s vision, mission, and values and is in coherence with the school’s identified 21CC priorities of developing adaptive and inventive thinking and communication skills. WEP allowed the students to understand the needs of the workplace better and be cognizant of the type of skillsets, mindset, dispositions and perspectives required beyond academic results. It also serves as a platform for self-discovery and personal growth for our students.
This year’s WEP marked SJI’s collaboration with two schools within the S5 cluster namely Bendemeer Secondary and St Andrew’s Secondary. A total of 44 students from these 2 schools joined our Josephians to participate in the WEP. This collaboration allowed the students from the 3 schools to interact, share ideas and perspectives, and forge new friendships with one another.
The 2024 WEP culminated in a closing ceremony held on 31 January at SJI. The event was graced by the principals from the three schools, Mr. Justin Arul Pierre (Principal of SJI), Ms Foo Sheue Feng (Principal of Bendemeer Secondary), and Mr. Lee Han Hwa (Principal of St Andrew’s Secondary). They presented certificates of participation and completion to the students.
At the ceremony, students shared their reflections and key learnings from their attachments. In this shared mission to learn and grow, seeing students valuing and appreciating various occupations through authentic learning experiences was indeed heartening.
The success of the WEP was made possible due to the collaborative partnership and support of the SJI Alumni and our various industry partners who generously opened up their companies and organisations to provide work attachment and placement opportunities for our students.
January: Josephians Soar at the Waein Cup Taekwondo Championship
Two Josephians competed in the gruelling Taekwondo championship and came home with 3 Gold and 1 Silver!
Kyrougi
Individual Junior Dan under 55kg : Henry Zhao (LE401) – Gold
Team of 5 Junior Dan under 310kg : Henry Zhao (LE401) – Gold
Team of 3 Cadet Poon under 150kg: Isaac Koh (FN202) – Silver
Poomsae
Male Team Cadet : Isaac Koh (FN202) – Gold
The Waein Cup Championship was held at Our Tampines Hub from 12-14 Jan 2024. The competition saw 691 Taekwondo athletes from 9 countries in this region; Korea, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Myanmar, India and Singapore. They competed in competing in 364 categories.
The Waein Cup Open Championship Singapore is organised by United Taekwondo Team Waein and Johan Taekwondo, supported by Tampines West CSN and sanctioned by Singapore Taekwondo Federation.
It was indeed a good experience for our Josephians to compete in this level of competition against tough competitors.
Well done, Issac and Henry!
January: Kenan continues to shine!
After a very busy December 2023 competing in various regattas after completing his O-Level exams, Kenan Tan (Class of 2023), has sailed through his first 2024 regatta with flying colours to bring home the Gold!
Kenan competed in the CSC ILCA 29ER Championships 2024 held from 13-14 January here in Singapore.
Well done, Kenan!
January: Josephians Dazzle at Swift Innovation Summit 2024
Some Josephians went through a year-long programme in 2023 at the Apple South Asia (Innovis). Under the guidance of Mr YJ Soon (trainer) from Tinkertanker.com, they learnt how to design and code SWIFT apps for iPhones. They will receive their certificate of completion on 27 Jan at the Swift Innovators Summit to be held in Raffles Girls’ School.
January: Josephians complete A*STAR Research Attachment Programme
Five Year 6 students completed a 5-week (27 November to 27 December 2023) Research Attachment Programme (RAP) coordinated by MOE and conducted at various A*STAR research institutes.
Three students participated in RAP as part of the Local Student Attachment Programme (LSAP) and two students participated as one of the requirements of their A*STAR Science Award (Junior College).
Matthew Oon Jun-En (ML613) was attached to ISCE2 (Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment) where he worked on Synthetic Antimicrobial Peptides as MDR Remedy.
Liew Jun Xiang Damian (FN605) and Rahul Singaram Senthilkumar (ML612) were both at IHPC (Institute of High Performance Computing) where they worked on Supramolecular Catalysts as Nanoreactors for CO2 Utilisation, and Modelling the Frequency-compliance Dependence in MEMS Resonators respectively.
Le Trung Kien (FN602) was with ARTC (Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre) looking into Machine Learning to Extract Plasma Emission Spectrum Data, while Rachael Gong Li Ying (LE606) was with GIS (Genome Institute of Singapore) working on Assaying the Robustness of Achromopeptidase- Mediated Lysis for Detection of Bacteria with Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP).
Left: Matthew (left) with his RAP Mentor Dr Chen Feng
Matthew shared, “I exceptionally enjoyed being able to experience first-hand what it is like to conduct research in a professional environment. Interacting with my research supervisor also allowed me to learn more about the research process, such as learning how to troubleshoot experiments and interpret conflicting results. One of my biggest takeaways was realising how much trial and error the research process involves, especially when trying to synthesise something that is under-researched.”
January: Alumni Garners Silver at Art Prize
SJI alumni Evan Koh (Class of 2023) garnered the Silver award for the 2023 edition of the 13-19 Art Prize, an art competition organised by TRCL, an arts charity that seeks to raise funds for The Business Times Budding Artist Fund.
His artwork will be on display for the public to view, along with other winning works from the competition.
13-19 Art Prize Exhibition Period
Date: 12 Jan - 30 March 2024
Venue: Tekka 1001, #B1-01/02, Tekka Place, 2 Serangoon Rd, S218227
Time: 10 am – 10 pm
If you missed seeing his exhibition work at last year's Graduation Show, you may view the showreel of IB Group 6 Visual Art students' collections here.
January: TABA 2024 - A Journey of Connection and Growth
SJI organised Camp TABA (Together And By Association), a programme aimed at fostering meaningful connections among Year 3 students to set the stage for a harmonious and supportive class environment for their educational journey in the school.
The camp comprised two parts: the first involved building sandcastles at the beach. Coupled with fun- filled games and activities on the beach that encouraged collaboration, the experience provided an opportunity to forge new friendships.
The second part of the programme saw our boys engaged in meaningful discussions and creative exercises in school. In these discussions, the boys articulated their shared vision, outlining goals, and aspirations that will guide them through their academic journey as a united class.
TABA 2024 is a journey of camaraderie, mutual support, and shared aspirations. This SJI programme marks the beginning of the school year for our Year 3 students, and it helps to lay the foundation for a vibrant and supportive learning community.
January: SJI Welcomes our new Year 1 cohort
SJI welcomed our new Year 1 Josephians with a 2-week Orientation Programme strategically planned for them to build bonds with peers in their class and their cohort, and also to get to know their senior Josephians.
The Orientation Programme, highlights the strength of the SJI community, bringing together the community of Peer Support Leaders, Peer Support Facilitators, CCA leaders and teachers that the Year 1s will grow with in SJI. From getting to know their fellow Josephians to getting acquainted around their new school campus, the bright-eyed and eager Year 1s were introduced to the Josephian family through many interactions with their seniors and staff across many varied activities. The programme took new Josephians on a journey through the school with an overnight camp, exploring the various CCAs, from sports to the uniformed groups and performing arts, and also our rich heritage of over 170 years in Singapore.
The Orientation programme culminated last Friday, 12 Jan, with the Initiation Ceremony and the Campfire. At the Initiation Ceremony, all Year 1 Josephians were officially inducted into the school as full-fledged Josephians with the badge-pinning by their seniors.
The evening ended with a rousing Campfire where each fraternity (Fintan, Lawrence, Marcian and Michael) sang the night away in joyous harmony.
January: SJI Rejoices in the O-Level Results of our Class of 2023
Josephians from the Class of 2023 performed exceedingly well in the 2023 GCE O-Level examinations. All 232 students passed the examinations and will advance to junior colleges and polytechnics for their post-secondary education, with 98% of the boys qualifying for junior college.
147 boys (63.4%) scored 6As or better, and 149 students (64.2%) achieved scores of 10 points or less (L1B5).
SJI’s GCE ‘O’ Level Examination Results |
2023 |
---|---|
Candidature size |
232 |
% qualified for JC/Polytechnic education |
100% |
% qualified for JC education |
98% |
% who scored 6A’s or more |
63.4% |
% who scored 10 points or less |
64.2% |
Mr Justin Arul Pierre, Principal of SJI, shared “Once again, our Josephians have risen to the occasion. Their results should be appreciated in the context that this cohort had stood stronger together through 3 years of unprecedented challenges due to the pandemic when they were in Sec 1-3. They have shown tremendous resilience, determination and grit in the O-Level examinations. They worked hard as a cohort, supported and looked out for one another, to achieve these outstanding results."
“To the Class of 2023, the Josephian community (school leaders, teachers and staff) is immensely proud of you, and we rejoice with you. As you embark on the next phase of your education and life journey, keep close to your heart the school values of Faith, Service and Community that you have learnt in SJI, and continue to inspire others and make a positive impact wherever you go.”
The O-Level results of the Class of 2023 testify to the balanced and holistic education offered at SJI.
Congratulations, gentlemen!
For more pictures, click here
January: SJI Releases International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Examination Results
SJI congratulates our Class of 2023 for their good results at the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) November 2023 Examinations. All 270 IBDP students passed and were awarded the International Baccalaureate Diploma, with an average score of 40.4 points. Approximately 7 in 10 students scored 40 points and above.
The school is immensely proud of the Class of 2023. They have grown as critical thinkers in the classroom and beyond, and as servant leaders who would move out of their comfort zone to serve the community in Singapore in various ways. The results we see today is also testament to the expertise and care of the teachers at SJI who go the extra mile for all Josephians.
Mr Justin Arul Pierre, Principal, shared, “Congratulations to the Class of 2023. You have demonstrated perseverance and remarkable dedication throughout your IBDP journey, especially having to navigate studies and various other commitments through the Covid-19 period. Your tenacity and resilience are truly commendable. We hope that you will carry these values close to you as you graduate from SJI, and continue to thrive as men and women of integrity and men and women for others.”
Congratulations, young ladies and gentlemen!
For more pictures, click here
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