Discover NYP

After 3 full days of nerve-wrecking stress and pressure from competing in WorldSkills Singapore 2014, the results were released on 16th July, at the closing ceremony held at ITE College Central. NYP bagged a total of 22 medals - eight gold, eight silver and six bronze medals despite some tough competition from Temasek Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic and ITE College.

Medal Table

	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
NYP	8	8	6	22
ITE	5	5	2	12
TP	5	1	3	9
SP	2	0	0	2
RP	1	0	2	3
NP	0	1	1	2
Others	0	0	1	1

NYP competed in 13 of the 17 categories and walked away with a clean sweep in three of the skill areas, CNC Turning, IT Software Solutions for Business and Mechanical Engineering Design (CAD).

One of our NYP competitors, Muhammad Miqdad Bin Mazlan, Gold medalist for Mechanical Engineering Design (CAD), had a challenging time during the whole competition - the stress from the competition aggravated his eczema.

Miqdad receiving his medal and a plush mascot-toy from Mr Heng Swee Keat, Minister for Education, and Mr Bruce Poh, Chairman of the WorldSkills Singapore 2014 Organising Committee.

He said, “My primary concern was to bring down my stress level and keep myself calm. That was how I tried to maintain my composure. I managed to do that, and with mental strength, I managed to bring myself back into the competition and focus on the challenge.”

Rong Kang looking to the crowd after he receiving his gold medal

Chew Rong Kang, who attainted the gold medal in IT Software Solutions for Business, found it difficult to gauge his performance during the competition. Before he heads to Brazil for the finals, he plans to increase his training time and reading more to empower himself with more ways to make his final product better.

Ivan and Yong Han waiting on the podium to receive their medals

For the Mechatronics skill area, the team of Ivan Sim Wan Leong and Poh Yong Han emerged champions. Their takeaway from this round of WorldSkills Singapore was that they still have to improve their skills as they feel that their performance could be even better. To them, competing against students from other countries will be a totally different ball game as the standards there are much higher. They also feel that their final task at this year’s competition was vastly different when compared with previous competitions.

Ten of our gold medalists stand a chance to go to São Paulo, Brazil, in August 2015 to compete in the international WorldSkills Competition. To all of our competitors, their lecturers, mentors and coaches, who took part in the competition, thank you for your hard work and dedication! Well Done and NYP is truly proud of you.

WorldSkills Singapore 2014 Results
CNC Turning
Ng Ming Yang (Gold)
Goh Keng Hong (Gold)
Jonathan Ng Kai Chong (Bronze)

CNC Milling
Terence Teo Yi Teng (Silver)
Leong Wei Jie, Andy (Silver)

Electronics
Ng Wei Xin (Gold)

Mechatronics
Ivan Sim Wan Leong and Poh Yong Han (Gold)
Peh Xian Bin Eugene and Lee Junyang, Lemond (Silver)

Mechanical Engineering Design – CAD
Muhd Miqdad Bin Mazlan (Gold)
Mustafa Ali Bin Mohd Basir (Silver)
Eyrica Lee Min Wei (Bronze)

Mobile Robotics
Dinesh Mangalanathadurai and Lin Yong Qiang (Gold)

Web Design
Shafiqah Binte Rostam (Silver)
Tien Yoke Qing (Bronze)

IT Network Systems Administration
Lee Wei Meng, Daniel (Gold)
Sim Cher Boon (Silver)
Lee Zhen Hao (Silver)

IT Software Solutions for Business
Chew Rong Kang (Gold)
Lee Yu Choy (Bronze)

Health and Social Care
Loh Zaryl (Bronze)

Visual Merchandising
Ng Li Ren, Andrew (Silver)

Graphic Design Technology
Andrew Chen Zhiquan (Bronze)

By Theophilus Kee Ern, Year 2, Diploma in Mass Media Management

The showdown between Germany and Brazil produced one of the World Cup’s final game that everyone is bound to remember. But the month of July 2014 holds a significance of another kind for the School of Business Management.

It was on 9th July 2014, a normal day in Nanyang Polytechnic, with the exception of the North Wing of the Campus where the finals of the Inter-School Debate Competition was going-on. The two teams were defending a topic that has been trending in the News and Social Media: Should only Locals be allowed admission to Universities in Singapore?

The Inter-School Debate Competition, which runs annually, included teams from SHS, SCL, SBM and SEG for this year. On 28th June 2014, the four teams battled it out and the finalists emerged to be SBM Team B and SHS Team A.

During the final showdown, the SBM team (opposing the topic) argued that foreigners should be allowed admission to Universities in Singapore as it would help foster a challenging learning environment for all students. The SHS teams (proposing the topic) defended the motion, saying that the admission of foreigners removes the opportunity for hardworking Singaporeans to gain a University education. This led to SBM’s rebuttal that the foreign intake was far too few in numbers to displace large numbers of Singaporeans.

SBM elaborated that removing the foreigners will have an adverse effect on the quality of our tertiary education, and a lack of foreigners would deny locals the opportunity to learn about other cultures and think from differing points of views. However, SHS said there were overseas trips to learn from. SBM pointed out the ineffectiveness of exchange programmes as most students tend to prioritise fun and shopping on these programmes.

Each debate included eight speeches delivered by two teams of three members each. The first six speeches were eight minutes in duration, and each team finished up with a four-minute concluding speech.

The tactics that they used were intriguing, almost like soccer players trying to tackle their opponents to get control of the ball at every possible opportunity. However, in debating, using quick yet logical thinking and attacking loopholes in your opponents’ arguments, can prove to be a match winner, and the SBM team took the lead over SHS in that sense..

On a lighter note, the competitive nature of the event left an impression of fear on Wei Qiang, a second year Ambassadorial team member, who was there to host the event. He said that debating was not his cup of tea and jokingly added that he would “never marry anyone who was a debater.”

From left: Sonia Motwani, Tan Yao Kun, Prabhmeet Kaur
with Student Affairs Director Mr Chua Gim Peng

SBM’s team comprising experienced debaters Sonia Motwani, Prabhmeet Kaur and Tan Yao Kun have excelled in several local and international competitions. SHS was headed by third year student Khairunnisa Jumat and newcomers Llyod Ang and Tricia Kaur. Even though SBM won the competition, it was Khairunnisa who clinched the “Best Speaker” Award.

Team SHS consisted of (In blazers)
Khairunnisa Jumat, Llyod Ang Wei Xiang and Tricia Kaur

According to the adjudicators, NYP alumnus Julius Tan and Harrold Lim, practice and team work usually triumphs over talent. Preparation and building rapport with fellow team members is also crucial because time is limited during the debate.

Debating definitely opens the mind, and vocal chords, as diverse ideas are ferociously discussed while communication skills are developed. Very much like extreme sports, such as white water kayaking, debating involves split second decision making that could affect the course of the game and, perhaps, deceive the opponent into giving in to your argument. It is definitely something we wouldn’t mind trying out. What about you?

By Calvin Loh, Diploma in Molecular Biotechnology, and Pavani Jeyathasan Krishnan, Diploma in Accountancy & Finance

When Pavani is not attending lectures or tutorials, you would probably find her browsing through books at the Library. Other than reading and writing, she also enjoys foreign films and television shows.

Mathematics and Science has always fascinated Calvin since he was young. Now, at 17, he is trying to understand the numerous concepts in these fields of study, while indulging in English Literature as a hobby.

With the 987 Muttons!

Students from the Diploma in Mass Media Management (DMMM) were treated to a special guest lecture by the Muttons from MediaCorp radio station 987 on 2nd July. The Muttons, whose real names are Justin Ang and Vernon A, won the Best Radio Show for the third straight time at last year’s MediaCorp Radio Awards. They were very open and frank when they answered questions from students and gave insightful tips on how to make it in the radio industry.

Below are some of the questions we asked them after their talk.

Qn: What is the biggest error you guys have made on air?

Justin Ang of 987 Muttons

Justin: My biggest screw up was when I failed to read the full name of a football team captain properly. From that day on, I made it a point to remember his name in full, just in case I need to say it again anytime.

Vernon: I was reading the news once and Rod Monteiro decided to crawl through my legs while I was reading the news. I literally screamed into the microphone while on air.

Qn: Is it hard to get into the radio industry?
Justin: There are only 19 radio stations in Singapore. And each radio station can only have say, seven radio DJs at one go. That’s about the finite number of DJs at one time. Therefore, yes, it is hard to get into the industry. It’s not only about the talent, it’s also about timing and luck.

Vernon: 987 is really good because we have a competition called Radio Star. And it is really a platform for individuals like you guys, who are interested in becoming a radio DJ to realize your dreams. If you think winners of Radio Star won’t get to go on air, then you are totally wrong! Sonia and Kim from 987 are both winners of Radio Star.

Justin: To complete the answer to your question, I always tell people who want to make it into the industry, please don’t make radio your only choice in life, because you might never get in due to us being a small industry. Then again, (it) depends on your luck and on timing.

Qn: Do you guys ever get creative block when writing for a programme?

Vernon A. of the 987 Muttons

Vernon: We don’t write because we don’t know how. Hahaha! Just kidding.

Justin: Actually it’s true, we don’t write! Very often our brainstorm is, we literally sit down, we talk it through, and then we try to remember what we said. Hahaha. That’s really how it works.

Vernon: We’ll be very honest here, Different people have different ways of coming up with creative stuff. Unfortunately for us, we are very psycho Err… it’s kind of very easy for us because we are very good friends and we have been doing the show for nine years. So we second-guess each other. I’ve been married shorter than I’ve been with him (Justin), for my first marriage. So we are kind of on the same page for most things. We even complete each other’s sentences. It’s true! Ideas are not copyrighted and they are everywhere. Ideas from your friends, ideas from the Internet, etc -- just go online and see how others do it. Once you see the idea, something might materialize. If not you can tweak the idea. So ideas are everywhere and they are all not copyrighted.

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Students laughing at the jokes and stories that the Muttons told

Paying close attention to what was being shared by Vernon

Our students found the Muttons’ candor to be helpful and insightful.

Lina Lim, a Year 2 Mass Media Management student, said “I felt that they were genuine with their answers and were really down to earth interacting with us. It was an enriching experience hearing from the pros themselves and we took home with us valuable knowledge of the industry.”

If you are interested and want to know more about what was said during the sharing session, keep your attention on NYPTV! A video on the sharing session will be released soon!

By Theophilus Kee Ern, Year 2, Diploma in Mass Media Management

The 16th of July 2014 seemed like a normal day to many students at NYP. They woke up early, got ready and went to school. However, when they took the escalator up from the Yio Chu Kang MRT walkway to the NYP Atrium, they received a pleasant surprise. They saw stage crew around setting up the stage for a Lunchtime Concert organised by the Student Affairs Office.

Stage crew setting up the stage

As I did not have classes that day, I caught most of the performances. I arrived at 12pm, in time to catch our SoundCard members launch the concert. They were strumming their guitars and singing beautifully. A crowd immediately formed and, soon, cheers filled the Atrium. The atmosphere was fun as the singers belted out songs with great enthusiasm.

After the crowd was warmed up, YouTube stars Elli Ong (Philippines) and Danny Yee (Singapore) appeared on stage, singing some hit songs such as Treasure, Stay the Night and A Thousand Years. They were representing MediaCorp’s new “Disrupt!” channel. The songs they sang were my favourite songs! And, their voices are amazing.

Danny and Elli performing Stay the night.

The next item was our own talented Foreign Bodies!! They danced to various genres such as Hip-hop, Whacking, B-boy, House, Dance Club, Locking and Popping. I had a difficult time deciding which I liked best. Maybe, Whacking? One fun fact that I learnt was that even though Whacking looks feminine, the dance was created by a few guys!

Foreign Bodies was definitely the highlight of the day. A huge audience had built up , trying to catch a glimpse of our truly talented dancers.

Student dancers performing whacking, a dance genre

Next, it was the turn for Jack and Rai to shine as they performed songs for the NEA Eco Music Challenge. They were naturals on stage with their guitars and they captivated the audience with their vocals. They even held a Q&A session and a selected few in the audience walked away with amazing freebies for each correct answer. If you have a strong passion for the environment and wish to express yourself musically, check out the Eco Music Challenge at http://nea.ecomusic.sg. The songwriter with the best “green” song will win a whopping $5,000!

Jack and Rai on stage

After that, there were more performances by our students, such as a martial arts performance by the Taekwondo members. They showed off their moves and kicks, even smashing tiles with their bare hands and legs. There was also a percussion performance by the Percussion Ensemble as they performed their rendition of songs such as Katy Perry’s Firework and Maroon 5’s Moves like Jagger. By far, this was one of my favourite performances since I really like the music and the performers certainly did not disappoint! I’m already looking forward to their next performance.

Then the StageArts performers came on stage, performing a short skit on the environment that was comical yet educational. The skit conveyed the message that we should preserve the environment, and throwing our rubbish around will eventually kill the oxygen-rich plants and trees around us.

La Ballroom taking the stage with a bright smile

The La Ballroom En Masse performed next and their short performance was spectacular. Last but not least, the Soundcard members took to the stage again and concluded the wonderful concert with their sweet vocals.

Soundcard ending the day with their soothing vocals

The concert was a wonderful experience and I would definitely watch it again if I have the chance.

By Kris Lee, Year 2, Diploma In Fund Management & Administration

While the majority of students were still lying in bed on yet another seemingly ordinary Saturday morning, on 26 July 2014, 300 of their peers from various schools were already up and about, preparing for an educational carnival. These students were from Anderson Secondary, Chong Boon Secondary, Hougang Secondary, Mayflower Secondary, Da Qiao Primary and last but not least, Nanyang Polytechnic.

Banner for the day

The carnival, called Stomp Out Dengue, was held at block 540, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10. Stomp Out Dengue is a bottom-up student initiative from NYP’s Geo Council. In addition to working with the various secondary and primary schools for the past few weekends, the students from Geo Council also collaborated with NEA and the Ang Mo Kio Town Council for this event. The aim of the event was to educate residents on what they must do to Stomp Out Dengue!

As part of our assignment, we tagged along with one of the student groups conducting a survey around the HDB blocks. Our student volunteers had been surveying residents over the past two weekends. Their job was to conduct door to door surveys to educate residents on dengue prevention. Our group comprised three NYP students and two students from Da Qiao Primary School. The primary school students, who were only about 11, displayed great courage to talk with strangers! In fact, what was quite surprising was that most of the talking was done by the primary school students.

For their tender age, they were very brave to approach complete strangers, and help them to fill up answers on the survey form. But of course, not all was smooth sailing. On that Saturday morning, there were numerous doors that remained shut despite multiple knocks. Only 19 out of 53 units responded but our students diligently left flyers at the doorstep of the rest to educate the residents on dengue breeding and prevention.

Also, not all residents were warm and friendly as we had hoped but most were patient and understanding with our students, and two home owners even posed for a photo or two. It was heart-warming to see our residents showing kindness and sacrificing their valuable time to listen to our students and partake in the survey.

Meanwhile, at 10am, the various participating school students had their booths set up and ready for the Carnival. It was also the time when residents from all walks of life started streaming into the void deck. Balloons, ping pong balls and mosquitos, kept in glass cases, greeted the residents.

Mosquitoes on exhibition

The students did not just participate in this meaningful event as part of their CCA, but because they also wanted to do something for the community. Indeed, some students were very enthusiastic and could not stop sharing ways to curb the spread of dengue fever through their booths. Our volunteers were also able to unleash their creativity when setting up their booths, and the games and prizes looked aesthetically pleasing.

Resident at the ‘Toss Out Mozzies’ booth

Insect repellent prize by Mayflower Secondary

Anderson Secondary Students and their booth

Said Ms Pang, a teacher from Chong Boon Secondary School: “The students learnt about teamwork as it was their first time working with one another.”

All teachers who were present agreed that the event was about giving back to the community.

To continue keeping the residents entertained, there was an interesting line up of performances by our very own NYP students. They included performances by the Guitar Club, SoundCard, StageArts, and a vibrant dance display by La Ballroom En Masse.

Performance by StageArts

Dance by the La Ballroom En Masse

Later that morning, we were graced by the presence of special guest, Mr Yeo Guat Kwang who is a Grassroots advisor to Ang Mo Kio GRC, MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC and vice-chairman for the Ang Mo Kio Town Council. Mr Yeo said he was very impressed by the student’s efforts and the carnival was a good way to reach out to the community. He added that all the booths were interesting, with each having its own niche, such as the booth by Anderson Secondary, which had a model of an Aedes mosquito as part of its display.

Mr Yeo taking a picture of the mosquito model

The Guest-Of-Honour, Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar, also a Grassroots advisor to Ang Mo Kio GROs and MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, arrived later that day. Like Mr Yeo, she too was impressed by the efforts of the students and she supported the initiative.

“I enjoyed all the booths very much and it was really an interesting way to educate the residents,” she said. “I hope that this event serves as an eye-opener for the residents and they will learn to guard themselves well against dengue.”

Dr Intan getting ready to play a throwing game

After making her rounds of the booths, Dr Intan proceeded to the area which hosted another highlight of the day - a mural done by our very own NYP students. With a smile on her face, she proceeded to paint part of the mural before heading back to be presented with a token of appreciation.

Mural by NYP students

All in all, the event was a memorable experience for both participants and residents. We look forward to seeing more of such student-initiatives. Once again, a big thank you to everyone who made this event possible.

Student helpers for the day

By Amabel Yeo, Diploma in Information Technology, and Calvin Loh, Diploma in Molecular Biotechnology

Unlike most girls, Amabel prefers spending her time on the computer than to go shopping. During her free time, she can be seen playing different mobile games or reading their reviews.

Mathematics and Science has always fascinated Calvin. Now, at 17, he is trying to understand numerous concepts in these fields of study, while indulging in English Literature as a hobby.

Our Mindsports Club Chinese Chess team has once again emerged a Champion at the Polytechnic-ITE (POL-ITE) Chinese Chess tournament!

The tournament was held from 21^stto 25^th July 2014 at Singapore Polytechnic. Competitors from all the polytechnics and ITE were in a fierce battle for the championship trophy during the tournament and our Chinese Chess team faced tense competition this year. However, the team managed to overcome the odds and emerged champions.

Congratulations Team NYP!

If you walked past the NYP atrium on 10 July, you would have probably noticed an art installation by our School of Design (SDN) students titled “Random Acts of Creativity”!

This event, organised by Adobe, was held in South East Asia for the first time, and Nanyang Polytechnic, and SDN students, had the amazing opportunity to be its first participants.

Design students being briefed and preparing for the exhibition of their work!

The Random Acts of Creativity project had nine groups of students (55 of us) from SDN visiting the Salvation Army with only $300 and purchasing the materials we needed to create a one of a kind exhibit in an hour! These exhibits were displayed at the atrium on 10th July!

A trip to the Salvation Army to source for items under a budget.

These nine groups of students truly unleashed their creativity and took ordinary unwanted items and transformed them into some magnificent works of art.

SDN students using their wildest imagination to create exciting works of art!

The groups were named Crown, Raj, KMY, Winning Xtremist, POMO x BOX, Cloud 9, YAAS, Leopards, and ID1.

Crown creatively made use of commonly found household items, like luggage bags, fabrics, an instrument case and bits of wood to create furniture for children! The group wanted to show that upcycling is not just an individual effort but also a collective one. So it decided to show everyone that upcycling can be easy, especially from home!

We are able to take dogs for walks, but what about cats? Team Raj created a Kitty Mobile cart so that our furry little felines can be carted around parks without having to lift a paw!

Food and toys can also be stored in the basket behind the cart. The group also built a Kitty Playhouse that a kitty can relax or exercise in, depending on its mood. There is a ladder for cats to climb into, to reach a hideaway, or the top, to stretch and relax!

Group KMY decided to use the toys that most of us grew out of to build a TrustFormer. Nope, it’s not a transformer! Making use of baby items, scooters and a skateboard, this group was able to create a working vehicle out of our childhood memories.

The passenger in the front has to trust the “driver” at the back to brake or speed up while the “driver” has to trust the person at the front to steer in the right direction.

The Trustformer

The group Winning Xtremist realised that the hustle and bustle of our little nation can get a little stressful at times. Thus, they built a little cozy bicycle, an inspired installation for people to sit and rest in. You can also express your creativity by doodling whatever comes to mind on the installation itself!

Group POMO x BOX did not invent one but three different creations! The first was a Golden Clock, which was recreated from a toy dispenser. The clock reminds us of the good times we had as children and also serves as a reminder to cherish our past, present and future.

The Golden Clock

The second one, called the Bommy, is a multi-functional display table made out of a wine holder, a bookshelf and a table. The third item named Twilight consists of a tripod stand and a shoe rack. The Twilight’s height can be adjusted, thanks to the tripod!

Twilight

Cloud 9 believes that we sit at our desks looking for inspiration most of the time but we fail to remember that the Internet is not the only place we can go to.

In their installation, they folded book pages and spines and pasted them around a “computer screen”, which is really a painting of the familiar Windows screen. It represents how we restrict ourselves with a PC. On the other side of the installation, it is more colourful and you can see books being turned into animals and mushrooms.

Through their installation, you can’t help but be reminded of a time when you were younger and more imaginative.

The YAAS group chose to take an armour suit and developed a feminine armour suit for ladies!

Group Leopards created an animal figured product that has multiple functions. It's a lamp, a rack and shelf as well!

The five members of group ID1 put their heads together and were inspired to put items that do not really match together. They deconstructed a snowboard, a large Chinese hand fan, an antique wooden chair, an oversized blazer and various other objects and rebuild them into a cultural integration piece.

Mr Tan Khee Soon, director of NYP’s School of Design being interviewed by Adobe

The Adobe Random Acts of Creativity is truly amazing as it motivates so many of us to let out creative juices flow, allowing us to come up with innovative and thought provoking concepts.

The project really does encourage all of us to get out of our comfort zones, and to just let our creativity manifest itself and take a shape of its own!

Check out our journey in this video!

By Isa Norhadi, Year 3, Diploma in Visual Communication, and

Brandon Chia, Year 1, Diploma in Mass Media Management

It all came down to this, a mere 15 minutes on a Saturday morning.

As we stood in front of our panel of judges, it dawned upon us that a semester’s work was geared towards this. After countless sleepless nights and disagreements among teammates, our presentation was over in what seemed like a blink of an eye.

Judges at a briefing

Entrepreneurship Day (ED) 2014 was held on the 2nd of August. It is one of the many educational platforms that the School of Business Management (SBM) provides for students taking the Entrepreneurship module to allow them to learn things in an innovative and creative way. This year, over 500 final year students, including myself, pitched their business ideas to several panels of judges.

There were 40 industry judges present, split into 20 different panels and locations. It was nerve-wrecking because we didn’t know who would judge us. And our presentation was worth 30% of our module grades.

As usual, everyone was dressed in formal attire; ladies wore skirts and blouses, while the men looked dapper in simple suits.

Despite being nervous on ED, our judges were incredibly pleasant and praised our idea and presentation skills. However, not everyone was let off the hook so easily. Some of my friends from the other classes had their financial highlights and marketing strategies quite critically scrutinized by the judges. Well, this is a taste of the real world. No matter how extraordinary one’s idea could be, the numbers have to add up and the ideas have to be feasible.

Me (in pink) and my team

My team came up with the idea of an automated medication dispenser designed to improve medical adherence and assist caregivers in ensuring that patients take their medication on time. In theory, it may seem rather dry and boring, but when it came down to all the research and strategizing, needless to say, it was an exhausting process. Who knew there would be so many regulations and health safety standards surrounding the consumer healthcare industry? Well, thankfully we did our due diligence and were able to answer questions posed to us by the judges that day.

Some of my other friends and their teams came up with product ideas like a laptop cooling pad, a bottle that stores syrups and powdered drinks, as well as a photo booth service that incorporates the latest “selfie” craze. Some Diploma in Food& Beverage Business students also came up with food concepts.

Now, I’m sure everyone has had their fair share of co-operative and uncooperative team members and looming deadlines, but it’s important to take note how we learn and grow from this. According to my course mate Nadia Ervina, she learnt to be patient and to persevere even in difficult circumstances. It made her a stronger person.

Even though this project is a fundamental and formative part of life at NYP, most students were excited to finally submit and present their work.

This learning experience could not have been accomplished without the help from our caring lecturers and tutors, Ms Karen Chia, Mr Daryl Lim, Ms Catherine Ang and Mr Daniel Lim.

By Pavani Jeyathasan Krishnan, Diploma in Accountancy & Finance

Often, they are a group that we take for granted and forget to be thankful for. Working long hours, they sacrifice their time and energy just to make sure the ones they care for are comfortable. They work behind the closed scenes of the hospital wards, caring for and administering treatment to patients.

In my opinion, nurses are, not only the backbone but, the true unsung heroes of the medical scene.

Often, we do not see the contributions they make, as we are too preoccupied with the doctors, who are at the forefront of the medical team. Yet, the nurses are the ones working long hours for the patients, nurturing the sick back to health. Without nurses giving the adequate care to wounds, how can lacerations heal to become the smooth complexions they once were? Without nurses closely monitoring the blood pressure, diet and blood sugar of patients, how can their health be stable?

Not all nurses get recognition for their work, though. They might have already given their all to their patients, but still get blamed when the families of patients are not pleased with them. Sometimes, tragedies do happen and nurses are the ones to bear the brunt of the loss. Yes, they are also vulnerable and can be wrongly accused.

On 6th August, 2014, the School of Health Sciences (SHS) celebrated Nurses day. Nurses Day is a day where nurses are given recognition for their contributions and a day to celebrate the continued passion for service within them.
………..

I never knew the contribution of nurses, until I became a patient myself.

Having suffered a traumatic brain injury, I was in a coma for two months. During those moments, it was the nurses who sustained my life. They cleaned me, changed my diaper, fed and hydrated me through a liquid diet as I could neither eat nor drink. They were the ones who made sure I was well taken care of, no matter how grim the prognosis was back then.

Nurses always say that it is all part of their job. However, I believe that they do it because they feel it is their calling.

As I moved into rehabilitation and recovery, my caregivers never failed to rejoice at every little improvement I made. They were the ones who saw me get stronger daily and even treated me like their own son. When I could finally speak after four months, they would come to me, joke with me, and try to put me in good spirits. The nurses were proud of me for making such tremendous improvements.

Even when I was practicing walking as part of my physiotherapy, the nurses would encourage me as I made my way past them. This was not part of their job, but they did it for the love of their patients. It was tough for me, having to struggle as I took every step, but the encouragements kept me going.
…………

Today on Nurses Day, a thought struck me as SHS was giving out awards to outstanding nursing students who did well in their academic pursuits. Only a handful got awards. What about the rest? What keeps them going?

The course isn’t easy at all. There is plenty to memorize, countless tests to complete and multiple attachments to go for. During attachments, nurses do some undesirable jobs. They need to clean up human waste, feed patients (who may not be willing to eat), change soiled bed sheets and attend to the patients’ needs, which may sometimes be demanding and unreasonable. Some might even have to face the unjust reprimand from superiors or patients’ families. What is that really keeps them going despite these difficulties?

Perhaps it is the joy of giving support and love to those in need. Nurses do not work on the frontline. They may not get the recognition they deserve, but their vocation is humbling, yet meaningful. It is, indeed, a beautiful profession.

On Nurses Day, this vocation of love and selfless giving is celebrated all over the world. It is a moment of remembrance for our dedicated nurses. To you, the helpful aides of doctors, to you, our nurses, we are very thankful.

By Matthew Tan Ser Yung, Diploma in Social Sciences (Social Work)

Matthew is 20 and pursuing his Diploma in Social Sciences (Social Work) at NYP. Having suffered a traumatic brain injury, he is handicapped and has problems expressing himself. Writing is his passion and the only way he can truly convey his thoughts.

On 6th August 2014, SHS held the annual Nurses Day cum National day celebrations at Blk K.

The event was organized by the SHS academic club, staff and student volunteers.

Before it officially started at the block K gardens, the performers were already warming up. They were practicing their items in the morning and virtually “rocking” the whole SHS!

At 3pm, on a beautiful sunny afternoon, the event officially began.

Nurses are our nation’s helpers who tend to and support patients in need. They are Singapore’s troops in hospitals! What better way than to start this Nurses’ day cum National Day Celebrations with the singing of the National Anthem and reciting the pledge as one big community?

It was then followed by an award presentation for outstanding students from the diplomas in Nursing, Radiography, Social Science (Social Work) Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy. The awards were sponsored by Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore General Hospital and other organizations in the medical industry, aimed at encouraging students to achieve commendable results.

Then … It was time for some fun!

First, we had our lecturers performing their dance items for us. The audience clapped and cheered enthusiastically. Looking at how our usually very serious lecturers are able to let their hair down to perform dance items for the crowd was great fun!

Up next, was the students’ turn! Contestants for SHS’s annual fashion parade (with clothes that are made from recyclable materials) came up on stage to reveal their masterpieces.

While the judges were deciding the winners of the fashion parade, we also had nurses showcasing their talents, and witnessed a duet by two very brave students.

Soon… the results were out! These are the winners of the fashion parade (see below).

From left: Eric Tan Shih Hung (Year 2, Nursing) and Chia Pei Sin (Year 1, Dental Hygiene & Therapy)

The event closed with a two-minute Bollywood dance performance. For this final segment, the audience could take part and some daring members of the audience even came up on stage to showcase their dance moves!

For me, it was such a great Nurses and National Day event that I can’t wait for next year’s!

By Matthew Tan Ser Yung, Diploma in Social Sciences (Social Work)

On 6th August, the sports hall was abuzz with life. Students were clad in all sorts of martial arts robes, either pacing around the hall or chatting animatedly with other students dressed in a similar fashion. Meanwhile, everyone in the hall was getting ready for Martial Arts Night 2014.

Martial Arts Night 2014

Martial Arts Night is an annual event planned by NYP’s martial arts committee. The significance of this event is to showcase each martial art’s specialty and perform the handing over ceremony for the new martial arts committee president. This year, the participating groups were: Wushu, Kendo, Taekwondo, Aikido, Judo, Silat and Kickboxing.

We knew the event was about to start when loud cheers from everyone greeted the emcees as they walked on stage. They introduced the event and the seven participating martial arts groups. This was followed by a video of the practice sessions of each group.

Next, the Guest-Of-Honour, Mr Chua Gim Peng, Director, Student Affairs, gave his opening address.

“This memorable day allows us to appreciate various displays of Martial Arts. This event also strengthens the bonds between members of the various martial arts groups,” he reminded all present.

Then it was time for the main show.

The various groups performed their special moves led by the Zhong Hua Wushu team showcasing its talents. Wushu is a form of Chinese martial arts that is also a full physical contact sport. The team’s moves were sharp and clean, and the team also used interesting equipment such as a plastic broadsword. The team members displayed resilience and executed difficult moves skilfully and gracefully.

Zhong Hua Wushu

Kendo was up next. Before their performance, an in-depth description of the art of Kendo as well as its’ history was shared by one of its members. After that there was a warm up session before the members engaged in combat. They had fast reflexes and executed each move skilfully. We could literally feel their passion for Kendo.

Guess which martial arts group was next? A little hint! It originated from Korea.

Yes, Taekwondo! Before the start of the performance, a representative from Taekwondo described and demonstrated some Taekwondo moves. The members then began sparring with their partners while encouraging the audience to clap along in rhythm to their movements. Later, two of the club members brought out some wooden planks, ready to show off their plank-breaking skills. Although they failed to break the planks initially, they persevered and managed to succeed in the end with the encouragement of the audience.

Their next act got us gripping our seats. A Taekwondo member was blindfolded and the audience was asked to be silent. The sound of a bell ringing soon pierced the air. The blindfolded member walked towards the bell at the other end of the stage. With a great swing of his leg, he kicked the bell down, without hitting the helper holding the bell. This act was repeated with increasing levels of difficulty.

There were certainly many supporters for Taekwondo. One Taekwondo member, Imran Syukri Bin Jumari, even told me that he was disappointed that he could not take part in the demonstrations due to his projects. However, he hopes to be able to participate next year.

Emcees conversing with the representatives of Taekwondo

Aikido was next. There was some strong support from the audience as the team took its place on stage. For the benefit of the audience, the moves were demonstrated in slow motion to allow the spectators to fully appreciate the harmonious art of Aikido. The moves were fresh and the members showcased their elegant throws with their sparring partners.

Aikido performance

After Aikido was… Judo! Judo is a modern martial art that originated from Japan. The opening act started off with members throwing each other onto the floor. Following that, some selected members did frog jumps over other members lying on the floor. The number of people lying on the floor was gradually increased, making each jump more difficult. The moves were executed with power and overall, it was an interesting display.

Judo in action!

Silat is a fusion of arts and combat practised throughout the Malay Archipelago. The Silat team did a group cheer before the start of their performance. Their performance was slightly different from the other martial arts groups as it also incorporates dance! One moment, the members were doing a dance and the next, they were throwing each other on the floor.

It was fascinating, to see grace combined with martial strength. The background music also changed according to the act. All the members also took a selfie photograph at the end of this performance.

Silat’s ‘selfie’ ending

We managed to interview one of the Silat performers, Roskurniasih Binte Moksin. She is in Year 1, which meant that the night was her first time performing for her CCA. When asked whether she felt nervous, her answer surprised us.

“No, I do not feel nervous. In fact, I feel excited and proud being able to perform for my CCA. I hope I will get the chance to perform again,” she said.

The last martial arts group was the Kickboxing team. Kickboxing is a stand-up combat sport based on kicking and punching. The opening act reminded us of the Street Fighter games and movie. The girls in the team used real boxing gloves to fight each other.

Kick on, Kickboxing!

Members also tried to break long sticks into halves through powerful kicks. Near the end of the performance, bricks were brought out and one member stepped up to break those bricks. There were several pauses before he hit the bricks. Eventually, he delivered the blow and managed to break them, displaying his courage and passion for his art.

The seven groups finally finished their incredible performances, but that was not the end. The martial arts committee also put together a special performance for the audience.

The various martial arts groups were pitted with one another, for example, Kickboxing versus Taekwondo. The groups displayed their own specialty through this combined performance and there were lots of cheers from the crowd.

Kickboxing verses Taekwondo

Zhong Hua Wushu verses Silat

To end off the night, the new president of the Martial Arts Committee was formally introduced. She is Jerlyn Woo, a Year 2 student from Judo and Diploma in Pharmaceutical Science. As a token of appreciation, Jerlyn also presented Mr Chua with a Martial Arts Night 2014 T-shirt. Cool shirt, right?

Token of appreciation for Mr Chua

Martial Arts Night 2014 ended on a high note with the National Day Parade song “Home” being played and everyone in the sports hall singing along to it. There was also free food provided at the end of this event. It was certainly an eventful and fun night.

By Amabel Yeo, Diploma in Information Technology and Ng Chwin Chi, Diploma in Business Informatics. Photos by Amabel Yeo and Gabriel Lim.

During her free time, Chwin Chi prefers to spend time in front of the computer or read books.

Unlike most girls, Amabel prefers spending her time on the computer than to go shopping. During her free time, she can be seen playing different mobile games or reading their reviews.

Does this scene look familiar to you? Yes, you see it every day but do you appreciate it?

When it’s time for lunch, the canteen is always abuzz with students and lecturers. The queues extend to the tables, and sometimes, beyond. Everyone is so tightly packed together, talking away that no one notices someone quietly working behind them. Indeed, our cleaners are silent as they clear our plates and trays from the table. And, more often than not, they are ignored.

During lunch hour, the humongous trash bags in the canteen are also overflowing with trash. Occasionally, they spill over and our cleaners have to clear up the mess as well. At the end of lunch hour, what’s left are a few figures in a sea of grimy plates, stained surfaces and chairs left in disarray. Once more, our cleaners begin the process of cleaning again. For me, these canteen heroes are not given enough credit for the work they do.

I interviewed Molly Leong, a 71 year old cleaner at the South Canteen. She’s extremely cheerful with the kindest of smiles, even during her busiest hours. When I followed her on her duty, it was difficult for her to speak English, but these struggles are nothing like the ones she usually has to conquer. However, her expression remained cheerful and always kind. Yes, one smile can make a lot of difference.

When I sat down with her, I really wanted to learn more about her life and her job. She actually has four other members in her family - two younger brothers, one older brother and a sister-in-law.

What I really wanted to know is: Why did she choose this job at her age?

She told me that in 2006, she came from Taiwan to Singapore to look after her ill father. Thus, she had to find work in Singapore. Though the pay isn’t enough, people are kind enough to give her odd jobs like altering clothes just for extra income.

So what’s her shift like? Is she often overwhelmed? For her, she claims it’s not that tiring since she only works 4 to 5 hours.

“After all, elderly like me shouldn’t labour away for too long,” she said.

I asked her how does she feel about this job, and Molly smiled at me and said: “I do enjoy my job, mainly because the campus has respectful and courteous people. Some even return their utensils and plates.

“However some people act completely ignorant. I feel sad when they dirty the tables, and talk and curse loudly. Well, I can’t expect them to all be the same but it would be nice if they learn some manners. I hope they will cooperate with the staff and return their trays when they’re done, making things easier for everyone,” she continued.

When the peak hours begin, so does the strain on all the cleaners and janitors. The cleaners will be up and about, readying themselves for the upcoming battle. Very soon, plates are stacked up high at the drop-off area. And if Molly isn’t there, she will usually be helping her colleagues clean the tables, carting a trolley to collect rubbish and utensils.

Molly usually works from 3:30 to 7pm. It is not a very sanitary job and how many of us would be willing to clean up after others for meagre pay? Yet, when they make their rounds, we lack the empathy and understanding to even say a simple “thank you”.

At the end of her long day, Molly will be eating, while it’s finally quiet in the canteen. She’s allowed some breathing space to talk with her friends, in an almost spotless area she has cleaned up.

I admire her determination and courage. She is truly an unsung hero.

By Jade Teo, Year 2, Diploma in Mass Media Management

For 18 years, Jade has been tirelessly working on ways to cure “boredom”. She tried watching chefs like Nigella Lawson on TV, creating a solar-powered boat with little success, taking a literature trip to UK with friends, riding in the front seat of an ambulance and a fire truck, but nothing worked as well as her first adventure - writing. Without it and her books, she wouldn’t have been cured.

Sometimes we forget that there are modern day heroes among us, even in Singapore. Take Kang Hui Juan, a second year student, from the Diploma in Electrical Engineering with Eco-Design, for example.

Hui Juan is suffering from congenital heart defect, in particular, a structural defect in her great arteries. Her parents were told that she could not survive even a day after birth. However, even though her heart condition made her extremely fragile the first few months of her life, she has managed to pull through.

Hui Juan

As an infant, she was hospitalized for several weeks in critical condition in the pediatric intensive care unit because she had difficulty breathing. She had a balloon atrial septostomy (a technique used to enlarge a hole between the right and left atrium of the heart to improve oxygenation of the blood) operation four hours after she was born, and an arterial switch jatene (a surgical procedure to correct the transposition of great arteries) operation when she was a week old. Unlike other babies who were discharged after a few days, she stayed for a month on life support.

Her parents did their best for her, spending every minute at her bedside in Intensive Care. They had no idea if it was day or night. Their world was in front of them. They were determined to be as upbeat as possible.
Despite this liability so early on in her life, Hui Juan persevered and went through many surgeries to keep herself alive. She would have to follow up with doctors for the rest of her life.

Her mother is the sole breadwinner of the family, and the numerous surgeries led to financial difficulties for the family. Hui Juan receives a bursary due to her good conduct and academic results. However, she still tries to take on part time jobs to help her mother lessen her work load and family expenses.

“My mum is the key person who made me who I am today. I am very grateful towards my mum for all she had done for me through the years,” she said.

Hui Juan and her mother

Since year one, she has taken on jobs in F&B, administration, retail, and is currently also a tutor in a tuition centre, teaching students from Primary 1 to Secondary 4. She also provides one to one coaching in mathematics.

Apart from her tutoring work, she also helps out in her School’s peer tutoring group. She is one of 10 mathematics student coordinators, and has been helping to coordinate tutoring groups since year 1.

“Whether it’s a good or a better thing, I’ve always trusted that everything happens for the best reasons. I know that God would not put us through situations that are out of our abilities to conquer,” she said. “Similarly in academic issues, our lecturers wouldn’t test us on what wasn’t taught to us.”

Despite her condition and her work and school commitments, Hui Juan tries to find time to do activities she loves. She lives in Bukit Merah, and does not mind the hour-long bus and train commute to school.

She volunteers as a tutor every Saturday at her church which she visits regularly. She also joins co-curricular activities on Campus, such as NYP French Club and Percussion group due to her love for French culture and music.

Hui Juan also enjoys listening to acapella music and reading novels, self-help books and biographies. Her dream is to form ten-strong acapella group as she was a chorister in her Primary and Secondary schools. She also plays the guitar when she has free time.

Hui Juan has many dreams. She studied Electrical Engineering with Eco-Design because she wanted to help people in third world countries and learnt to build facilities for them. She also wishes to adopt or sponsor children from third world countries, so that she can help them to become successful graduates so that they can help their own families back home.

She hopes that these children will carry and pass on her dreams on to the next generation.

“I personally believe that a positive attitude is the key attribute to a good life. Never ever be envious of someone else’s life, this kind of jealousy would result in ruining yourself. It would definitely be difficult if you always think negatively,” she said. “To live life right is probably the hardest thing for anyone to achieve, but I believe that it is something everyone should be working towards to.”

Seeing Hui Juan today, you wouldn’t know she had such a rough start in life.

By Tay Jia Min, Year 2, Diploma in Electrical Engineering with Eco-Design

Jia Min is doing her Diploma in Electrical Engineering with Eco- Design. Other than reading novels and watching television shows, she also enjoys folding origami and listening to music during her free time.

Women’s Doubles – NYP player preparing to hit the ball with a forehand shot

The results are in after the POL-ITE Tennis competition, which wrapped up on the 7th of August. Both divisions gave it their best shot against their opponents from the different institutions. Our very own NYP women’s team came in fourth and our men’s team is the overall champions of this year’s competition!

Throughout the competition, the men’s team beat all the other teams from the other polytechnics and ITE. The women’s team managed wins against TP and ITE and hence, placed fourth.

Results for the Men’s division

Results for the Women’s division

What was really surprising was the true sportsmanship both men’s and women’s teams displayed during the finals. Even though our teams knew where they were likely to finish, they continued to put up a fierce fight in each and every game.

We interviewed two of the players, Brian Wong a second year student from the Diploma in Nursing and Foong Joschin a third year student from the Diploma in Fund Management & Administration, from the Men’s doubles, to find out more about how they felt about the competition and tennis.

Men’s Doubles – NYP team focused on the incoming ball

What motivates you guys when you are playing a match?

Brian: Chocolate. Lots of chocolate. *laughs*

Joschin: To get back to the first place, I guess. Because we were first when we were in year 1, but in year 2 we were second. So since it’s my third year now, we wanted to leave on a good note.

So far in the competition, what is your experience like, playing with the other teams?

Joschin: I guess it’s pretty nice to be recognized by other polys in tennis. Like when they come to NYP, they’ll say, “Oh, NYP is the best”. So, that was nice.

What are your feelings towards the players of the other teams?

Brian: I think, to me, I’ve been playing tennis for years so I don’t want a competition to be like a competition. I want it to be just a fun game. Because there’s no point getting stressed.

Joschin: Tennis is a gentlemen’s game, and I think everyone conducted themselves very well and showed good sportsmanship.

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Indeed, that was exactly what we saw during the match. Every player shook their opponents’ hand, no matter how they performed. Yes, winning a competition is one thing but it’s the love for the game that really matters.

All the players, like Brian and Joschin, were humble after their wins against their opponents.

Same goes for the women’s team, they already knew they were not going to finish in the top three. However, they did not throw in the towel and kept going. They also had a fierce match against ITE and persevered to win that match in order to keep their position.

It is nice to see how humble our NYP tennis players are and how they truly passionate they are about the game, whether or not the matches were in their favour.

Once again, congratulations to both the men’s and women’s team for a very well played competition and of course congratulations to the men’s team on becoming the champions for the POL-ITE Tennis Competition 2014.

By Brandon Chia & Clarissa Lim, Year 1, Diploma in Mass Media Management

It was stiff competition but their effortspaid off and these youths were rewarded with the coveted championship title of the NYP Jam! singing competition!

NYP Jam! 2014 NYP Champion – Renu Sabrin Masilamany
Class of 2014, Diploma in Sport & Wellness Management, School of Business Management

Sabrin was an introvert who hid her passion for singing. It was only after joining SoundCard, a CCA for singing enthusiasts in NYP,

that she began emerging from her “shell”. Even then, she had to remove her contact lenses before performing to ease her nerves. Through the CCA, she gained confidence, and slowly, the tummy rumbles vanished.

Even though she didn’t make it to the finals the previous year when she took part as a group, her desire to be a good role model for her juniors renewed her courage to try again as a soloist. “It’s okay if you fail, because all of us will experience rejections in life. But, we do not stop there, we persevere until we achieve something” she explained.

Sabrin confessed to taking a risky step during the competition, changing songs at the last minute as she was greatly affected by her friends’ comment about slow songs put people to sleep and wouldn’t win the hearts of the judges. However, she soldiered on and continued with her usual training. With her positive attitude, Sabrin clinched the top title. “I was beyond words, speechless! My heart was about to jump out of my mouth. I wanted to cry with joy because I achieved what I never expected was possible.” she shared. At that moment, she felt that “even the smallest achievement is the biggest victory!”

“This competition gave me confidence to believe in myself. I want to improve and be better.” Promising that she’ll take up more challenges, she said, “This is my first stepping stone, and there will be many more to come.”

NYP Jam! 2014 Secondary School Champion – Amicables, East Spring Secondary School

While checking out the available courses on Nanyang Polytechnic’s (NYP) website, Izzathy and Nicole chanced upon the web banner for NYP Jam! so they decided to ask Hakim to form a band and signed up for NYP Jam! together. Being good friends who shared the same interest in music, they came up with the band name “Amicables” to symbolise their friendship and friendliness.

Sharing their audition experience, they revealed that they felt nervous and although they received a positive response from the audience and judges, they weren’t really confident.

Making the Finals was totally unexpected for them. While choosing the right song for the Finals wasn’t easy but it was more challenging to find time for practice as they have different schedules and commitments. However, with determination and patience, they pulled through. Speaking of their takeaways from the competition, not only did they enjoy their practice sessions, which Hakim described as “serious but fun”; they also made friends with their “very talented” rivals. Talk about good sportsmanship!

When their win was announced, they were “astounded”, but “it was a pleasant surprise to know that our hard work eventually paid off.” With the title under their belt, the band is looking forward to creating more memories with NYP, expressing their interest in the school’s Mass Media Management course. What would they say to would-be contestants? “Join NYP Jam! as it allows you to learn and gain experience, while meeting new people who share common interests!”

Inspired by Sabrin and the Amicables? Follow in their footsteps and go on your own music adventure with NYP Jam! Be innovative and enterprising, come choose your own adventure at NYP Open House from 8 to 10 Jan 2015!

Published in the October 2014 Issue of Teenage Magazine. Reproduced with Permission.

The holidays are finally here after a whole semester of hard work, exams and projects! If you thought the semester was tough, wait till you see what we faced at the end of the semester.

On 3rd September 2014, the Social Work Associate Network for Students (SWANS) committee came together to execute Invincible 2014, a day of sports and games for Diploma in Social Sciences (Social Work) students. The event had the interests of the students in mind, and gave them an opportunity to build stronger bonds with one another across all levels. This is in line with SWANS’ mission, which is to create a big community amongst students from our course.

Due to our exams, the planning of this event only took place six days before execution. The 8 members of the SWANS committee got down to planning for the event as soon as their exams ended, on 28th August. They had to get down to work and coordinate as a team quickly, as plenty of work was needed to get all the logistics such as the venue, the equipment and the refreshments ready in 6 days.

Forty-eight participants turned up on 3rd September, including students from year 1, 2, 3 and a few alumni. We were split into six groups with 7 to 8 members per group and pit against each other in a variety of games, including Soccer, Captain’s Ball and the “Bucket Challenge” (social work edition).

To our dismay, it started raining heavily before the event started! Thankfully, the SWANS committee pre-empted that and had a wet weather plan!

All activities could be held indoors with a couple of adjustments, and of course, adaptable and cooperative students!

My group (group 6) played the captain’s ball first, which was held at the Blk K mirrored corridor.

Getting ready to prevent the opponent from scoring!

Next, we played the Bucket Challenge. This game requires us to transfer water from a bucket placed in the distance to a receptacle, but we have to use spoons, straws or what we have on ourselves to transfer the water, including our clothes!

Amanda Olsen (year 3/ 2014) using her shirt to collect water from the red pail

Everyone hard at work, trying to get out as much water from their shirts as possible!

After two games, it was the time to recharge our energy with some refreshments!

With our tummies filled, we had the second last game of the day. The game we played was none other than what is known as the world’s most beautiful sport, soccer.

Since it had to be held indoors, there were quite a few changes to the rules. Nevertheless, we had lots of fun!

Excited!

Defending our goal

The final activity for the day was a mass tele-match among all teams, held in the stadium, after the rain. The air was fresh and crisp!

Resting before the race

Thomas Liao, chairman of SWANS giving the briefing

The final dash for victory!

After all the games were played, it was time for the prize presentation. Prizes ranged from free dinner at Pizza Hut, movie vouchers and Popular book vouchers for the top three groups respectively. Some groups did not receive prizes, but nevertheless, everyone in the social work course received the greatest takeaway that prizes can’t outdo- stronger friendship bonds!

At the end of the event, I interviewed some members of the SWANS committee, and this is what they said.

Michelle Vong: “I think the sports day program went exceptionally well given the overcast skies and wet weather. It was a good opportunity for individuals across the different cohorts and the alumni to bond. The social work cohorts have grown and we look forward to more of such events to keep us bonded as a community and a family!”

Najah Hakim: “I wish it didn't have to rain because if it didn't, there would be Frisbee and the other sports played outdoors. But I'm glad it did stop raining in time for the relay because I felt that that was the highlight of the event, where everyone came together and ran together. It was nice to see the three cohorts playing the games and strategizing despite not knowing each other very well. I wish we could have done more, but I think it went okay.”

Indeed, the SWANS committee had led the event well and turned it into a success despite the obstacles. For that, they deserve to be commended. Great job guys!

By Matthew Tan Ser Yung, Diploma in Social Sciences (Social Work)

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Matthew is 20 and pursuing his Diploma in Social Sciences (Social Work) at NYP. He may have suffered a traumatic brain injury in a judo competition and may have lost his hopes of becoming a judo champion, but he has found new passion and interest in writing. He is happy to share how he feels and thinks, and hopes to encourage his readers with his writing.

We were in the middle of doing our project when I asked her, “What do you think of NYP?” This simple question resulted in her sharing her thoughts about NYP.

Finley Ng is a Year 2 student in Diploma in Business Informatics like me. But unlike me, she chose NYP as her first choice during the Joint Admission Exercise held after the GCE ‘O’ level examinations. Her reason was simple, she stays in Yishun and NYP is the nearest school for her. When she first entered NYP as a student here, she did not have too many strong feelings for it. But as time came to pass, she felt that NYP has offered her more than meets the eye.

“Our lecturers are friendly and approachable, and are willing to spend time outside office hours with students for consultations and revisions. Without their help, we would not be able to come so far. They have really given us more than we expected.” she said.

Indeed, there were a few times when we needed to consult some lecturers and tutors about problems we faced in our projects. Finley remembered a time when there were some problems with our project and we did not know how to handle them. Despite trying numerous times, our attempts were unsuccessful and we thus decided to consult our tutor, Ms Serena Goh, about it.

Ms Goh was more than willing to sit down with us and help us to solve the problems despite having a lot of work on her plate. We managed to solve our problems in the end, thanks to her selfless help and support. Our lecturers have even gone to the extent of offering help to us when we do not approach them for it. They can see that we need help at times. All these warm gestures from them have made us feel that we are not alone.

Finley has a rather unusual habit. Whenever she plans to purchase something, she would check it from all angles very carefully. In fact, too carefully, I feel. I have always known her to be a detailed and careful person. But why for trivial matters as well?

When I asked her about that, she told me earnestly, “I like to pay attention to the details, and I feel that we should be careful and detailed not only in academic matters, but in whatever we do. This will also train us to be more observant and in a way, more independent. Besides, you never know when trivial matters can turn into huge problems.”

Her words made a huge impact on me. I found myself reflecting on them. Indeed, how many regrets can we allow? Some people have too many regrets, and they end up bringing those regrets to the grave.

Although studies are important to her, Finley thinks that family is more important and she tries to spend as much time as she can with them. Her parents live in the West, while she lives in the North with her grandmother. As she doesn’t see her parents often, she has realised the importance of spending time with family and doing activities with them. She thinks that we should always treasure what we have, as there are so many others who are much worse off than us.

There was one incident back in her secondary school that Finley remember for life. She was having a physical education (PE) lesson with the class when a huge piece of glass fell on her and injured her badly. She was only half conscious when the ambulance arrived. After that accident, Finley was determined to make the most out of life.

Every Saturday, Finley also travels to her former secondary school in Yishun, where she teaches her juniors secondary school subjects such as science and additional mathematics. Her mentees, as she calls them, like to chat with her, and she in turn likes to share with them about her life in NYP. Finley reveals that she loves children and can thus withstand a lot of their antics, unlike most of us. Being with children has taught her to be more understanding, caring and patient.

Finley enjoys participating in school events such as the NYP Open House 2014. One of the events included a tour for selected secondary schools to get some insights about the courses and life here in NYP. For this event, Finley was required to carry around a ‘talking furby’ which can display emotions such as anger and happiness in words. During this event, Finley showed great enthusiasm. She also enjoyed spending time with the other NYP student volunteers. She felt that this event was not just a great experience for the secondary school students, but also for herself.

During her leisure time, Finley enjoys listening to music.
“Music helps me to relax after long hours of studying and doing projects,” Finley explained.

She also enjoys chatting and hanging out with friends.

Finley also enjoys the facilities NYP has to offer, and she thinks that there are lots of great people in NYP. To her, the library is very spacious and conducive for learning. It is also a nice and quiet place to do some self-reading or chill out with friends.

Besides the library, she also enjoys facilities such as the Eco garden located at the engineering block and the shopping arcade at the campus centre.

NYP is now a place Finley truly feels at home with.

By Ng Chwin Chi, Diploma in Business Informatics

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During her free time, Chwin Chi prefers to spend time on the computer or read books. She likes to go to the library and she can also be found playing games on her mobile phone.

On Saturday, August 2, 2014, from 9am to 4pm, SEG Club hosted Shoot-O, a ball game event for all SEG students.

The tagline of the event was “Ignite your Passion” and the objective of this event was to motivate students to excel in the games through teamwork, resilience and mental toughness. The event also helped students to relieve stress, enjoy their time with their friends, while encouraging them to be more active in sports.

Games played included basketball, captain’s ball and soccer. There were six teams participating in basketball, 14 teams in Captain’s Ball and 12 teams in the soccer matches. It was a very tough competition as there were so many teams to compete against.

As the event was organized by SEG Club, the organizing committee went to school early in the morning to set it up.

All set up and ready!

Despite the sweltering heat from the scorching sun, participants still arrived promptly and were happy to meet up with their friends at the hockey pitch. Besides students from SEG, there were also students from other Schools who came to support their friends.

Participants all gathered together getting ready for the matches. After listening to the instructions from the referees, the participants assembled in their courts and the games began.

The basketball matches were exciting to watch. There were some special moves and strategies from each team, and the captains of the teams led their players well. The players’ moves were sharp and clean, and they showed excellent team work in passing and scoring.

The Captain’s Ball matches started shortly after the basketball matches commenced. The match between two teams from the SEG Club committee was particularly exciting to watch as both teams showed excellent skills in attacking and defending.

Then, it was time for the soccer matches! The various soccer teams’ players showed some silky skills in dribbling while showing off their shooting skills. However, each team’s goalkeeper also defended well.

As the event came to a close, all the top three teams from each game received hampers from the SEG Club.

“I enjoyed participating in the matches as I get to bond with my classmates and have fun,” said Fan Zihao, a second year SEG student.

As for myself, I enjoyed my day watching the Shoot-O event. It was a fun filled event with exciting matches from various games. Credit goes to the SEG club who made this event an amazing experience.

By Tay Jia Min, Year 2, Diploma in Electrical Engineering with Eco-Design

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Morning Briefing with Chong Boon Sec students

On Tuesday morning, September 9, 2014, SEG hosted Maths Amazing Race, a series of mathematics challenges for Chong Boon Secondary School students. The objective of this event was to trigger the students’ learning interest in polytechnic mathematics through interactive and fun activities.

The event also gave prospective students a chance to experience the facilities at School of Engineering (SEG) and learn from the lecturers there. SEG students were also on hand to guide the students and bonded with them through the various activities.

At 9am, there was a briefing session on the Maths Amazing Race in LTQ-7. After the briefing, all teams received an envelope consisting of clues that led them to their respective first station to begin the Race. The Chong Boon students were divided into 14 teams of 3 to 5 students.

There were 8 different stations around the campus: Garden at Block P, Aerospace Lab at Block R, Video Wall at Block S, Hall of Innovation at Block S, MSC Shopping Arcade, NYP Stadium, McDonalds at block A, and Library at Block A.

The students were given 10 minutes to solve the mathematics problem at each station. There were also student helpers and lecturers at each station to note down of the timing of each group. If the students did complete the question within the time limit, there was a penalty.

The group that completed all eight stations within the shortest time was declared the champion.

At the Garden at Block P, students had to find the height of a tree using trigonometry. Students had to measure the distance from the bottom of the tree to where a helper was standing. They also had to use the clinometer app to measure various angles.

Garden at Blk P

At the “Lift of an Aeroplane” station at Aerospace Lab at Block R, students had to find the “lift” (force that directly opposes the weight of an airplane) by measuring the length of the wing, and finding the total surface area of both wings on actual size A380 plane by using the formula given.

Measuring the model aeroplane

At the “Bricks” station that was located at the Video Wall at Block S, students had to count how many bricks were used in the configuration given, and find a formula for the total number of bricks used.

Bricks Station

At the “What is Wrong with Trigonometry” station at Block S’ Hall of Innovation, students had to apply two different formulas to solve a trigonometry question. They had to compare both answers they calculated to find the correct solution to the problem.

At the “Surface Area of a Cube” station at MSC Shopping Arcade, students were given an origami cube. They were required to find the surface area of the cube in terms of x.

At the “Blow Wind Blow” station at NYP Stadium, students had to blow bubbles and let the wind carry them, and then find the average speed of the wind using a stopwatch and recording the distances the bubbles travelled.

At the “Angry Bird” station that was located at McDonalds, students had to find the quadratic equation of the path that an angry bird flies by using Substitution or Completing the Square.

At the “Which Day of the Week is Your Birthday” station located at the Library, students had to find out which day of the week PM Mr Lee Hsien Loong’s and Justin Bieber’s birthday fell on by using some unique codes given.

At the Library looking for birth dates

At around 12pm, when all the groups had finished the 8 stations, all the students and teachers had some refreshments before they headed back inside the lecture theatre for a prize presentation and debrief session. SEG student volunteers also prepared a video display of photos and videos taken during the Race for Chong Boon Secondary School students.

The students certainly enjoyed the experience as they won vouchers and saw their hard work paid off when they solved all the questions for the Maths Amazing Race.

By Tay Jia Min, Year 2, Diploma in Electrical Engineering with Eco-Design

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What’s a girl to do when she wants to start a food empire?

For Christabel Tan, the answer was simple - enrol in NYP’s Diploma in Food Science & Nutrition, and also learn as much about entrepreneurship as possible.

And what better way to learn about starting your own business than by attending an 8-day Course at the US’s No. 1 college for entrepreneurship?

So Christabel visited Babson College from 6-13 July for a National Youth Leadership Forum on Careers in Business & Innovation. Not only did she get an extraordinary lesson in entrepreneurship and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but she also became the first student from NYP to attend this programme at the prestigious Babson College.

But her trip was almost not to be.

Humble Background, Worried Parents

Christabel comes from an admittedly humble background, and her parents were worried about the $6,000 needed for the trip. This concern was partially set at ease when Christabel told them that NYP would defray some of the cost. To cover the rest, Christabel e-mailed about 50 companies to request for funding.

Eventually, Cocos Industries agreed to help fund the trip, and Christabel only had to fork out $1,000.
But even with funding secured, her mother was still worried about her safety. Christabel is the eldest of three children in her family, and the trip to Boston would be the furthest she would have travelled, besides being her first solo trip.

Christabel has only been out of the country twice - once to Bangkok for a family vacation, and once to Chengdu on a NYP study trip.

“At first, mum thought that my lecturer would be going with me, so she was okay with it. But when I told her it was a solo trip, she got more worried. My dad? He ‘anything-also-can-one’ lah!” she said with a laugh.

Unfortunately, Christabel was not delivered from Photobombers.

She said, “I am a Christian and I feel that God wanted me to go and would make sure that everything is okay. I even managed to leave my luggage in the kitchen of some food vendors when I was at the Boston airport so that I could do some shopping.”

Gaining an International Perspective on Entrepreneurship

An exterior look at the Babson College.

After a 20-hour flight, which included stopovers in Abu Dhabi and New York, Christabel finally reached Boston. After a brief campus tour, she settled into her dorm and was ready to join her 200 classmates from around the world in an intensive 8-day entrepreneurship bootcamp.

A look at Christabel's dorm…

...Babson College Beaver Plushie not included.

As the only Singaporean in the class, she became the de-facto translator between the Chinese and American students. She said: “You may think Americans have an accent, but when you go there, everyone speaks like that and it’s YOU who has the accent. And the Chinese there speak such pure Mandarin, it’s hard to understand them! ”

Christabel with the other international participants.

But Singapore’s policy on bilingualism proved to be major boon. She shared, “They have a lot of parties on campus, and when the Americans and Chinese are in their groups, I can understand jokes from both sides.”

An outdoor party...

...with lots of food!

The students were broken into groups of 20-30 students and assigned exercises designed to sharpen their entrepreneurial skills, such as giving prospective employers a one-minute pitch, or conceptualising hypothetical new products and services and pitching them to the class.

As she observed the class, she also learnt Western and Eastern approaches to innovation and entrepreneurship.

“The Americans are very outspoken and they can think of good ideas very quickly, but they can get quite defensive and argumentative and they don’t know how to carry out their ideas, while the Chinese think things through very carefully.”

What it Means to be an Entrepreneur

Christabel said that the various seminars she attended during the bootcamp left a deep impression on her and it changed the way she views entrepreneurs.

She said, “I always thought that entrepreneurs had to be confident and well-spoken. I learnt that anyone can be an entrepreneur."

“I used to think that all entrepreneurs have some kind of similar personality, but that’s not true, there are no fixed personality traits for entrepreneurs.”

It also changed the way she viewed ‘The Big Idea’. She said, “Sometimes people think they need to have a new idea to start a business, but there are no really original ideas. If you’ve thought of something, someone else around the world has probably thought of the same thing before. There are 7 billion people in the world, if no one has the same idea as you it is probably a bad idea.”

She also learnt how a small company can make a big impact.

When the class visited an American maker of flashcards, she was surprised at how small the operation was, despite the huge volume of sales. She said, “It taught me the importance of outsourcing.”

The Aspiring Food Entrepreneur Eats…and Eats

It's good to provide adequate seating for the wild life.

When Christabel first explored Babson College, she found the roaming squirrels and peacocks to be charming.

But it was the college’s cafeteria that really impressed her.

An interior look at Babson College's cafeteria.

She said, “They have very long salad bars with all kinds of vegetables, including some I have never seen before and didn’t know could be eaten raw.”

A look at some of the food available at the cafeteria.

You can use the Babson College waffle press to make a waffle!

Her excursions outside of campus also allowed her to confirm some media stereotypes. She said, “You know in those TV shows and movies, they say that the police like to eat doughnuts right? It’s true leh! At the Dunkin Doughnuts you see a lot of them!”

Not pictured: lots of hungry cops.

A Bittersweet Experience

Even though Christabel is grateful for the opportunity to visit Babson College, she deeply regrets not being by her grandfather’s bedside when he passed away. She said that shortly before she left Singapore, her grandfather had been diagnosed with liver cirrhosis and was given 3-6 months to live.

On her third day in Boston, she received a WhatsApp message from her parents informing her that her grandfather had passed away. The news left her depressed and withdrawn from the rest of her classmates, but she decided to soldier on and make the best of the situation.

Christabel says that the experience has given her valuable insights and has allowed her to develop a possible roadmap for her future. She says that she is thinking about starting a non-food business first to learn the ins and outs of running a business.

She said, “To run a food business, you have to hit certain sales targets and the food is perishable.”

Once she’s gotten her feet wet, she would like to try her hand at running a food business. She said, “I have a dream that I will have a food empire around the world and my mother can go around the world trying my food!”

WorldSkills Singapore 2014 – Looking Back with an Eye on the Future

Interschool Debate Finals: And the Winner Is.....

Meeting The Muttons: A Guest Lecture by Justin Ang and Vernon A

Afternoon blast at the Atrium

Stomp Out Dengue Carnival 2014 Touches Hearts and Minds

NYP Triumphs in Chinese Chess Tournament at POL-ITE 2014

SDN students participate in Adobe Random Acts of Creativity

A Challenging Entrepreneurship Day

Nurses - the True Unsung Heroes

SHS Celebrates Nurses Day

A Power-Packed Martial Arts Night 2014!

Our Canteen Heroes

Hui Juan: a Modern Day Hero

POL-ITE Tennis 2014: Truly a Gentlemen’s Sport

Hitting the High Notes

Invincible 2014: A Bonding Session for Social Work Students

NYP: A Home for Finley Ng

Shoot-O by SEG Club

SEG’s Maths Amazing Race

The First NYPian to Visit Babson College