Jan/Feb - SJI International School

First issue: January - February 2010
OneVoice
A student publication of SJI International
Highlights of this issue:
Basketball Brings Home Gold!
Out of Touch
Basketball Brings
Home Gold!
Footprints in The Sand
Reported by: Paul Samuelle
Student Council Retreat
Outlasting the Quarter finals and enduring the Semi finals, the basketball team, clad in majestic green, marched on to their first ever
final in SJI International history.
The Student Council
Editor’s note
A new year, a new beginning with a new
makeover! Introducing the inaugural
issue of OneVoice, the student newspaper of St Joseph’s Institution International. Well, a new year calls for a new
start and a new name would better express the focus of the newspaper. One
Voice reflects the united atmosphere and
unique internationalism of our school
community. Whilst at the same time,
providing a voice for the student bodyletting you know and understand more
about the past and upcoming events
happening in the school, the personalities and communities of the school, and
issues that affect the school community.
We look forward to hearing suggestions
or contributions and hope you have a
great year ahead!
With confidence at an all time high and with new signings thrown
into the mix; they gave an unforgettable performance at the UWC
campus against SAS. The boys finally managed to tie it up at 49-49 at
the final quarter, bringing the game to extra time. SJII took the lead
in the game for the first time, spearheaded by Captain Irvan Mulyasasmita ’s tantalizing three pointers. The game concluded with the
“good-guys” giving their all and having all their efforts pay off. Not to
mention walking away with a close 59-52 win, gold medals in hand!
A day after the event, OV catches up with the unstoppable shooting
guard, Irvan “Irvy” Mulyasasmita to give his account on the achievements and accomplishments of the squad.
OV: Hello Irvan. Firstly, thanks for taking the time to talk to us, I’d
imagine your schedule would be hectic enough!
Irvan: It’s a pleasure to be here and no worries- I’m always happy to
help out, especially for the school newspaper!
OV: (Laughs) So back to the issue; Prior to the win, did you believe you
could actually make it the finals?
Irvan: First of all, you should rephrase your question to “Do you believe the team can do it” instead of “Do you believe you can do it”. After all, it was not just me but the whole team, and all sixteen of us
who accomplished what we did.
The basketball team is very young
as it was established only in the
beginning of 2009. We did not perform very well in our first league
during the August – November
period last year as we only won
one match and lost the rest. But
look where we are now. We have
improved from only one win last
season to the point where we
could secure a place in the semi
finals, and we will not stop until
we reach the top. Thus, my answer
is yes.
OV: What sort of training methods
do you use for the team?
Irvan: We usually begin each
training session by a few simple
exercises to get ourselves warmed
up. Currently we are working on
mastering our existing plays and
strategies.
OV: On a personal note, how do you
feel every time you step on the
court?
Irvan: Basketball is my favorite
sport. Sure it can be tough and
painful sometimes, dealing with
losing is never a happy experience.
But nonetheless, it is an experience that will make us stronger
and better. It is on the court that I
meet new, strong opponents and it
is there that I have the opportunity
to take them on. Every shot I make,
every time I hit those “threes”, I
know that I am getting better and
better. There is really no greater
feeling than that. I just can’t put it
to words; you really have to just
experience it for yourself.
OV: What do you think is the contributing factor to the team’s success?
ACSIS Tennis Tournament
2
Irvan: Perseverance. Also, we have
never stopped believing that our
team could make it to the finals.
The trust we have built upon each
other is one of the most contributing and vital factors as well.
OV: Finally, any expectations after
this memorable event?
Irvan: Our next league is in August
and some of the grade 12s might
not take part in it as we have to
prepare for our mock and IB exams. Therefore, the burden will be
on the newly selected team members. I am sure that there are a lot
of hidden talents that are yet to
shine within the new basketballers and I am sure that the basketball team will perform as well
as we did (if not better) and take
the team to new heights.
Reported By: Wong Ming Ying
and Wong Cheng Fang
Our school tennis team competed admirably at the annual ACSIS Tennis Championship 2010 putting in their
best effort against other international schools across the
country.
The atmosphere was intense and every sportswoman/man was concentrating in achieving the best in
their singles and doubles events. Facing tough competitors from well known schools like United World College
(UWC) and Singapore American School (SAS), our
school girls’ team managed to squeeze into the 6th position while our boys’.
Representing the school were Christel Chan
(Captain), Siying (Vice-captain), Nicole Lim, Kristine,
Tessa and Shenna from the girl’s team and Leon Voorwalt, Abel Tiong, Samuel and John from the boys’ team.
They fought with their last breath and did not give up
until the last second. They truly gave it their best
shot and made the school proud. GO SJII!
One Voice: A Student Publication of SJI International
Out of
Touch
Reported by: Daniel Lim
Lack of senior boys cause distress for Touch Rugby Team
Despite a promising first year for the Touch Rugby
it’s an art form, a symphony of tactics and techActivity, the chances of SJI International participatniques.”
ing in an Under-18 Boys Touch Rugby Tournament
“What differentiates touch rugby from other
this year are awfully dim.
team sports like soccer and basketball is the chalA significant fall in Senior School boys in the
lenge of maintaining a good fitness level. Everyone in
Touch Rugby Extra-Curricular Activity (ECA) has
the team has to keep up and the scoring system
dashed the hopes of remaining touch rugby players
eliminates flukes compared to scoring a goal or
who looked forward for the New Year to participate
shooting a hoop.”
in inter-school competitions.
He did, however, state that the Touch Rugby
Co-captain Scott Lim exActivity as a whole has a lot to be
pressed his disappointment for
happy about. There has been a
the lack of sign-ups from the
huge increase in students from
“What differentiates
Grade 11 and 12 boys this year.
the Middle School and many
“We had the numbers last
have proven to be potential stars
touch rugby from other
year but lacked the training.
in the activity. SJI International
team sports like soccer
That’s what stopped us from
has a bright future in Touch
taking part in competitions,”
and basketball is the chal- Rugby so long as there is no drasaid Lim. “Now, it’s the other
matic decrease in players as the
lenge of maintaining a
way round.”
years goes by as seen in the SenLim further added that
ior Team.
good fitness level. Everyfriendly matches last year
Lim further added that the
one in the team has to
against Hwa Chong Internafresh faces that joined this year
tional and Lycée français de Sinkeep up and the scoring
show enthusiasm and determigapour
(Singapore
French
nation which is important for the
system eliminates flukes
School) had hyped up a possibillong-term plans of the ECA, not
ity of competitions in 2010, only
compared to scoring a
to mention participation in comto be let down by a lack of playpetitions
and
tournaments.
goal or shooting a hoop.”
ers.
Many have shown experience
Last year, Scott was a newand skill in the sport as well as
comer to the sport but with a
speed.
keen heart and an open mind, the current co-captain
In the mean time, the Seniors Boys have less to
picked up the sport fairly easily and now feels that
play for but a lot to look forward to in their succesthose who have overlooked the ECA is missing out.
sors. The Touch Rugby ECA is still open for sign-ups
“Touch rugby promotes team bonding and imand would not give up hoping that it would not be
proves our communication skills. I see the team as
long until they participate in an official competition.
soldiers in an army with an aim,” the 16-year-old
The ECA is on every Monday after school on the Upadded. “Sometimes, it’s not about winning anymore;
per Field.
First Issue: January - February 2010
3
Footprints in the Sand
Grade 11 Orientation week
Reported by: Vincent Tanutama
"IB is a tough course where stress
and pressure dominates your
life."
That is a typical response of
IB students when asked about the
IB. Bearing that in mind, on my
first day of the new term, although there were some degree
of excitement and curiosity about
IB, I felt slightly worried about
how my life would be for the next
two years. However, all my tension and anxieties melted away
over the duration of orientation
4
week organized by the Senior
Council (4th – 8th January) for welcoming the grade 11 students
into the world of IB and into the
family of the Senior School.
Personally, the welcome
week was wonderful as the council had planned innumerable
events for us, throughout the
course of which we treasured the
invaluable experience we shared
together as a hearty family: the
smiles and the laughter, the joy
and rapture. Through the games
and reflections, a strong bond
was formed between each member of the family, and by the end
of the week, especially after the
Troubadour and social night, the
bond between us had gradually
peaked to the limit of indestructibility. “It’s not only for the grade
11s, the welcome week is also
meant for breaking the ice between the grade 11s and 12s,” as
one facilitator aptly put it.
Nevertheless, what struck me
most about orientation was the
theme presented by welcome
week: Footprints in the Sand.
Derived from the title of a
song by Leona Lewis (which was
One Voice: A Student Publication of SJI International
eventually played during the social night) we, as participants,
were excavating the meaning of
the theme from every moment
we cherished and from every
gathering we embraced. During
the wet games, there was a game
in which the participants (and the
facilitators as well) had to delve
into a bucket filled with a mixture
of peanut butter, ketchup and
chili sauce, water and vinegar,
bread and butter, and also sardine and leftover chicken, to find
the words ‘Footprints in the
Sand’, however the meaning was
more than digging into the revolting mixture of obnoxious sense of
cuisine and appetite.
There is a quote saying that
‘people always come and go, and
they will make footprints in the
sand. People leave footprints in
our hearts; we also leave footprints in the hearts of one another. Those footprints are imperishable by time, and we hope
that the time we had relished, the
bonds we had constructed, and
the love we had shared between
one and another will last in perpetuity in our hearts, like those
footprints in the sand.
Senior Council Retreat
Reported by: David Lee
Over a short but stimulating
weekend, the Grade 12 Student Council headed for a retreat up in nearby Desaru, a
beach resort situated in South
Malaysia. We catch up with
Bradian Muliadi, President of
the Student Council, to share
his experiences of the trip.
How was Malaysia? Did you enjoy yourselves?
The retreat was good, and I enjoyed myself immensely! It was
a good time to pause and reflect
for about what we’ve done and
contributed to the school for the
past year. Although we had fun,
we also managed to get a lot of
work done, considering that it
took place over such a short
time.
Where did you stay?
We stayed in the “Golden Beach
Resort” in Desaru, which was
cozy and we were lucky enough
to have great weather- it was
windy all the time! The best
was the night breeze, it was
simply excellent.
What did you gain from the trip?
Well, Mr. Wong taught us moral
values, some of which we had
no idea about. We learnt moral
values such as being a servant
leader, giving ourselves in service for others, and integrating
ourselves as unique individuals.
With this experience we defined
and deemed our roles as counsellors to better suit our
strengths and compensate our
weaknesses, so as to better
serve the SJII school community. We also watched the movie
“Remembering the Titans”
during the camp and I personally felt it was very inspiring.
During our free time we spent
time together by playing soccer
by the beach! Sometimes after
the activities we were just too
exhausted to do anything but to
just unwind in our rooms, play
cards or just talk to each other. I
really enjoyed the time we
spent idly chatting as it gave us
time to talk, and we really got to
know each other better and to
build up friendships.
Were there any highlights or
funny incidents that occurred
during the trip?
Well, there were many hilarious
things that happened, like the
entire counsel finding out that
Manish is afraid of insects, or
when we forced Chris Yuen to
eat his vegetables. But personally the funniest thing that happened to me was when I almost
got into trouble with the immigration police because I spoke
in Spanish for a while! That will
be something I will remember
for a long time.
Would you recommend the next
council to do this retreat?
I certainly urge that the next
senior council should definitely
go for the retreat as well. It is
the journey, not the destination
that counts, though both were
brilliant. I would, however,
suggest that the next council
should go for the retreat as
early as possible. It is important that they know each
other’s strengths and weaknesses at the start of the journey, so as to better serve the
school and its community.
First Issue: January - February 2010
5
The Student Council
Reported by Ivor Tan
The student council has been a
relatively unknown entity in the
school community, but little do
people realise; many of the students who led events have been
spearheaded by the Student
Council. The members of the student council consist of 2 representatives from each level. Their
responsibility is to organise
events for students and to deal
with general student welfare in
the school. Another aim of the
student council is to instil a sense
of responsibility and a sense of
openness among the members by
getting new people to constantly
lead various events undertaken
by the council. Leading the current student council is Daniel Lim
from Grade 11.
The current student council
voted into office after the Easter
Break last year is about to step
6
down, and as such, it is a good opportunity to recap the many activities lead by Daniel. To start the
ball rolling, the council organized
the Platinum Rock Show, which
sought to raise funds for the Blue
Dragon Foundation in Hanoi; a
service project which the council
has been committed to every year
since its inception. Soon after, the
organisation of the Grade 9 camp
fell into the agenda of the council.
It was a successful camp whereby
many Grade 9 students have enjoyed. Next in the list was Rendezvous, the end of year dinner and
dance for Grade 10s-12s, featuring an old Hollywood theme.
As the New Year came
around, the council focussed their
energy on the Grade 7 Orientation
Camp, which took three whole
weeks to plan. Despite the time
limitation, the camp was well en-
One Voice: A Student Publication of SJI International
enjoyed by members of the Grade
7 community. Right now, the
council has a new task of raising
even more funds for its project in
Hanoi, and is in the process of organising an acoustic concert and
various other events for the
cause.
So just before the student
council steps down, it is good to
take a minute to consider the effect the council has had on your
lives through the past year, and
consider how life would have
been ever so mundane without
these events. Finally, the student
council urges those who are willing and have the strength and enthusiasm, to rise up to the challenge of stepping up to be nominated to join the ranks of the student council.
PARADISE ON EARTH
Reported by: Petrus Bosa Layarda
Ubud (meaning ‘Paradise Island’) is located at the
heart of Bali. Most foreigners find Kuta a favorite
destination because of its beautiful stretch of
beach that boasts great waves for surfing. However, Ubud is top of the list when it comes to the
peaceful and tranquil ambience. That was why the
eleven SJII students decided to stay there for
school’s annual Gamelan trip.
The memorable experience began at the airport. Our drivers displayed genuine hospitality as
they smiled at us while stacking up our pile of baggage into the two cars- which was our means of
transport.
In order to grab hold of every opportunity to
savor Balinese cuisine, we made our first stop for
lunch the minute we touched down. The food was
delicious and the beach was breathtaking. It was a
perfect start to our trip.
The place where we stayed was exceptional.
Unlike your conventional hotels, ours was a fiveminute walk to the main road. That was a small
“price” we had to pay compared what the hotel
had to offer. In the morning, we would be woken
up by the roosters and at night, the cicadas would
sing us to sleep.
“It’s just magical, isn’t it?” Niky Lewis, our trip
leader and gamelan teacher, remarked one morning.
In an entire week, we had six gamelan classes.
The teachers were Balinese who frequently performed. In fact, the lead teacher, Dewa Alit, was a
renowned Balinese gamelan composer both in Bali
and abroad.
After our morning class, we had the rest of the
day to discover another side of Bali. We visited a
coffee plantation, the beach, traditional markets and
temples at exotic locations. During our free time,
some of us went to cafes to have delectable fusion
cakes. Some also dropped by a spa parlor for a session of the famed Balinese massage.
We had our lunches and dinners at handpicked restaurants that served Balinese specialties.
After dinner, we watched different performances:
gamelan, dance, wayang (paper puppet), kecak
(monkey chant) and udalan (temple anniversary).
A notable performance was the temple anniversary celebration.
On our last day, we had dinner at Tanah Lot and
relished the sunset there. While we reveled in our food
a live band was performing. In conclusion to our amazing week in Bali, the band played a local favorite
“Welcome to My Paradise”.
New Year,
New Faces
An interview with Mr. Mark
Glew, our new Economics and
Geography teacher
It is the start of a new year, and this year has
seen many new faces, not only in the student
body, but also in the staff. Mr. Mark Glew
teaches economics and geography in SJII and
has previously taught in Kuala Lumpur,
Shanghai and in the UK. OneVoice had an opportunity to meet him to find out more.
How do you find Singapore?
I think that Singapore is very nice. It’s safe and clean
and the people are really friendly. It’s a great environment to bring my family in.
Where did you teach previously?
I taught in a variety of countries and a diversity of
schools- from Grammar school in the UK to the British International School in Shanghai where I was
Head of Economics.
How do you find the students here so far?
The students here are fantastic and have great
school spirit. They are supportive and look out for
one another and are one of the brightest pupils I
have had the pleasure of teaching.
How do you spend your free time?
I spend most of my free time with my family, I have
two boys, Theo (7 months) and Adam (2 years) but I
try to keep fit, I like to go running and would love to
have the chance to go to Macritchie Reservoir at least
Also a warm
welcome to:
8
once.
What is your favourite book you read or the last
movie you saw?
My favourite book is Salman Rushdie’s Midnight Children. I love to travel and I have been to India 5 times
before and I am amazed that Rushdie crafted such a
wonderful book that has so successfully encapsulated
the essence of India. I don’t recall the last movie I
watched, probably something tacky while on the plane
ride here.
What is your most memorable experience as a
teacher?
Whenever I see a student who struggled throughout
the years but finally achieves their goal is always lovely
to see. Especially when they come back to school after
they graduate to share their struggled throughout the
years but finally achieves their goal is always lovely to
see. Especially when they come back to school after
they graduate to share their experiences with a new
batch of students.
Ms. Pauline Bull
Head of English Department
Ms. Michelle Jones
Head of Physics Department
Mr. Gerard McAndrew
2nd in The English Department
Ms. Sarah Ramoth
Chemistry Teacher
Mr. Ng Teck Seng
Chinese Teacher
Mr. Jamie Paul
Art Teacher
One Voice: A Student Publication of SJI International
George Yeo: The TechnoSavvy Minister
Reported by: Petrus Bosa Layarda
Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo delivered
the inaugural lecture of The Fullerton – SJI Leadership
Lectures on Friday, January 22nd, 2010. He covered a
range of topics; from sharing his experience during his
tenure at different ministries to reviewing a char kway
teow stall at Bedok Reservoir in his blog.
The talk took place in The Straits Room at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore. Guests included students from SJI, SJI
International, CJC, Hwa Chong JC and Lee Kuan Yew
School of Public Policy.
Mr. Vincent Anandraj, an SJI old boy and our English
teacher, was the host for the event, while Mr. Warren Fernandez, another SJI old boy, moderated the Q&A session.
Minister Yeo drew laughter from the crowd every
now and then with his witty remarks.
The topic that seemed to interest the audience the
most was Minister Yeo’s social networking activity. He
maintains a blog, two Facebook accounts and a Twitter
account. Before the Q&A session started, Minister Yeo
commented, “It’s better to have a dialogue than a monologue.” And in the middle of answering a question asked
by a participant, he quipped, “Just yesterday or the day
before, someone asked a sarcastic question on my blogsite, I think an opposition supporter…”
Minister Yeo also highlighted the importance of
these networking sites in relation to politics, using the last
US presidential elections as an example. “[Hillary] had an
enormous war chest, but Obama bypassed the traditional
networks, got Facebook to help him, reached large numbers
and very quickly built up an arsenal bigger than Hillary’s,” he
claimed.
In the two-hour event, Minister Yeo, who received his
MBA from Harvard Business School, also covered some
heavyweight issues, such as the Google saga in China, censorship in Singapore, and Copenhagen talk and climate change.
To wrap up the discussion, the moderator told the audience, “If you want to be energised and feel younger: start
blogging.”
Moving Up From The Elementary
Reported by: Kathyrn Stevenson and Emilie Cunnington
Moving up from the elementary was a big step for
students coming up from St. Joseph’s Institution International Elementary School but was an even bigger
obstacle for students completely new to SJI International. There were many challenges that occurred, one
of which was accepting new friends for the students
who were already in the elementary and making new
ones for those who are new to SJI International. Getting used to the daily stress of a lot more homework
was not an easy task either.
However, there are many plus sides to this New
Year. New friends meant new beginnings and new
teachers meant a fresh start to the year. The wide variety of extra curriculum activities was a nice surprise
for all new students to High school. To help the students organize themselves, they were provided with
lockers which were a much needed help to all the students from the elementary, most of which had never
had a locker of their own before. Another new luxury
available to the new High school students was the ability to choose their own meals instead of eating preordered food in the elementary.
Even though everyday students take hundreds of
steps up and down stairs just to get to class on time,
they somehow seem to have to have enough energy to
get back home and do all their homework before the
next day, when this cycle starts again.
First Issue: January - February 2010
9
Grade Seven Camp
Reported by: Alessandra Kriz
O
n Friday 22nd of January, the
Grade Sevens stayed behind in
school for a great deal of surprises. Since some students had
activities outside of school which could not
be cancelled, the camp started at 3:00pm but
the games began at 4:30pm so no student
was left out of the fun.
Before the games all students were required to leave their school bags in their
locker and bring their camp equipment to
the Hall where they would sign up and be
told what group they were in. They were
then introduced to their facilitators, who
were some voluntary grade ten students,
who were in charge of each group-the numbers ranging from one to ten. After that they
played various games where the key was to
get to know each other. They then joined
back together for a laugh of activities to get
the camp started.
The fun games came to an end as the
chairman and chairwomen split the students
to different classrooms which was where
they slept for the night.
The fun games came to an end as the
chairman and chairwomen split the students
to different classrooms which was where
they slept for the night.
The boys were on the second floor and
the girls were on the third. In order to keep
charge of everybody the facilitators slept at
the end of each corridor of each level.
During the camp there were a variety
of games which the main focus was team
work. There was dry games which were a
series of activities where you needed to work
together to win. There were also wet games
with lots of water balloons and everybody
had fun. After lunch and dinner, there were
reflections, which was a time for the students
to reflect on what they had learnt from the
camp and also a time for them to praise others for what they had achieved. Though everybody went home exhausted, they had
taken something from the camp- new friends
with whom they had shared the experience
of a lifetime.
10
One Voice: A Student Publication of SJI International
The Activity Fair: All
You Need Is A Pen
Reported by: Scott Lim
The Activity Fair was the
first of its kind; an event to promote the school’s enjoyable activities.
It was a day whereby the
students got a chance to sign up
for a variety of activities for the
year. Booths were set up to inform students of the highlights
of the activities on offer.
However, one point that
we should improve on next year
is that the layout should be improved. Rock climbing and
drama were together by the foot
of the stage, Touch Rugby was
beside the Young Christians So-
Society, Tennis was at the entrance; which created a jam.
For the somewhat disorganized students among us, the need
for a pen was highlighted as they
were left scrambling the floors for
writing implements such as; a pen
or a pencil, to scribble our names
on the lists. Most of the time I was
waiting to borrow a pen from familiar faces that walked by.
At the end of the day, we
have to thank the hardworking
souls who sacrificed their time to
help out in the Activity Fair. Without their efforts, we wouldn’t be
where we are now; safe and
secure in our activities. Was the
fair a success? I’d say yes albeit
should be done in a more controlled and orderly manner and
environment the next time.
All that matters is crossing
the finishing line, even if we complete it without a pen.
SERVICE
Reported by: Patrick Ren
Hey guys! This service column is specially
FOR YOU! The goal of this service column is to
create awareness of the various services that SJII
have! Service is an instrumental component in
our holistic education in SJII.
I am aware that this column may not cause
you to change your Service, but this column is
purely for your understanding of other activities
that your friends participate in.
For this month, I will be giving an introduction to what the service, SSVH (Singapore School
for the Visually Handicapped” is. Basically, this
service involves students to type out story books
to translate to Braille.
This service is unique, in a way that it is the
only service that does not have any interaction
with people. To some, this can be not as satisfying as compared to interacting with the less fortunate. However, to those who prefer a more
“behind the scenes” job, this service is suited just
for you!
First Issue: January - February 2010
11
Singapore’s Top 10
(Taken from 98.7 FM)
2
3
TIK TOK
Kesha
FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT
Adam Lambert
BAD ROMANCE
Lady Gaga
4
5
6
TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE
Boys Like Girls (ft. Taylor Swift)
DO YOU REMEMBER
Jay Sean (ft. Sean Paul and Li’l Jon)
ONE LESS LONELY GIRL
Justin Bieber
7
8
9
10
MORNING AFTER DARK
Timbaland (ft. Nelly Furtado and Soshy)
BRICK BY BORING BRICK
Paramore
HEY, SOUL SISTER
Train
I CAN TRANSFORM YA
Chris Brown (ft. Li’l Wayne
and Swizz Beatz)
12
One Voice: A Student Publication of SJI International
Reviewed by: Alphonsina Chikwashi
Unless you've been ignoring the pop scene
(or living under a rock) you'd know Lady
Gaga's famous and infamous infectious dance
pop hits. The Grammy winner released her
album ‘The Fame Monster’ late last year. The
darker version of her debut album starts off
with the catchy track ‘Bad Romance’.
‘Monster’ and ‘Dance in the Dark’ are singlehandedly the two most energetic songs on
the album and good for fans of ‘Just Dance’.
Alternatively, the track, ‘So Happy I Could
Die’, is appropriate when in a carefree mood,
slows down a little bit compared to ‘Monster’
but never deters from the dance pop direction.
‘Telephone’ would appeal to Beyonce
fans, and the song is about getting tired of
your phone ringing when all you want to do
is have undisturbed fun. Speechless, which is
written to her father, completely differs from
the rest of the album and has a melancholic
feel. ‘Speechless’ may be one of Gaga's bests
from all her albums. Overall ‘The Fame Monster’ is a good album but can't beat the fun in
‘The Fame’.
We’re Gaga
for Gaga
Listen to: ‘Speechless & Monster’
The Box
Reviewed by: Rishi Ray
Hey everyone at SJII! Happy New Year to you all! For every newspaper
from now on there will be a movie review which we, in our opinion think
you all should catch! If you find a movie that you think would be interesting, let us know about it and we will let the entire School know about it!
A
Director Richard Kelly
Cast
Cameron Diaz: Norma Lewis
James Marsden: Arthur Lewis
Release 28 January 2010
Duration 115 min
plain, brown wooden box arrives at the door step of a
married couple in the early hours of the day. When Norma
Lewis tries to get a peep at the deliverer, she sees a figure
speeding off. Inside the box, there is a button attached
with a note saying the deliverer will be back at 5pm. At 5pm, he reappears and says that a million dollars will be offered to them if they
push the button.
But here’s the catch—They will receive the million dollars, but at
expense of someone’s life. What option do they choose? That’s for you
to find out. I would recommend this movie to everyone and this is one
thriller that will definitely keep you on the edge of your seats!
First Issue: January - February 2010
13
GOING POSTAL
A book review by David Lee
Going Postal, is about a big time con man, Moist
Von Lipwig, who chooses to manage the AnkhMorpork’s unmanageable postal service, which is literally flooded with letters.
With a suit of gold and a brain of a criminal genius, he revolutionizes the postal service and wins the
respect of thousands and the ire of the mysterious mogul of the Grand Trunk Semaphore Company.
Part of the Discworld (A flat world balanced on
four elephants!) series of novels by the Terry Pratchett, this is a great book and one of my personal favourites.
As strange and outdated as the book sounds, it
serves as a reminder on the importance of what we say
to people, its effect on them, and how it may even alters history.
Despite the seemingly weighty themes, it’s still a
superbly good book. The characters are well drawn out
(and you might even end up rooting for some of them!)
its unearthly funny.
Do pick up this book at the library if you have time, it’s
certainly worth the read.
survIBe
By David Lee
14
Though the workload to IB may seem like an unsalable
mountain of paper and Internal Assessments, there are
(legal) ways to relieve stress and remain sane in the insane
world of constant projects:
♦ Primal screaming therapy usually helps relieve tension
(that or running around like a headless chicken).
♦ Calculate the amount of money your parents have sunk
into you going into this school, and imagine their reaction should you burn out or fail in IB.
♦ Use sports to vent any frustrations with work or results.
♦ Find the funniest book you ever read and re-read it,
laughter keeps you sane—usually.
♦ Take up boxing to relieve all anger and stress (boxing
the wall is not a good idea).
♦ Keep in mind that thousands of people have done the
same thing you are going through, and lived to tell the
tale.
♦ Meditation and deep breathing, take 10 minutes out
each day to just find a quiet place and meditate on the
day’s events and the good things that happened and the
things that could be improved and the things you learnt.
One Voice: A Student Publication of SJI International
THE BIG LEAP
From Middle School to
High School
IA , EE , IOP , IOC , CAS are going to leap onto
your back as soon as you start IB.
IA (Internal assessment)
Do take them seriously as they are part of your
final grade. Each time before you start your IA,
ALWAYS read the assessment criteria (which
should be provided by you teacher ) and go for
it!
EE (Extended Essay)
Although the real planning process will be late
in term 2, it will help a lot by just thinking what
you are interested to help you look forward to it.
IOP/C (Individual Oral Presentation/
Commentary)
Practice really makes perfect.
CAS (Creativity, Action, Service)
The only joy of IB differentiated from the list of
killjoys above. Make sure you enjoy them!
IB is much more demanding than middle school
so give it your best shot right from the start!
Top Tips
Don't waste money buying expensive binoculars. Simply stand closer to the object
you wish to view.
Avoid jet lag by simply taking an earlier
flight, thus arriving fully refreshed and on
time.
Save time when crossing a one-way street by
only looking in the direction of oncoming
traffic. - D. Tan, Singapore
one--way street alWhen crossing a one
ways look in BOTH directions in
case a large blue furniture removal
lorry is reversing the wrong way up
the road. - D. Tan, Singapore General Hospital
Avoid cutting yourself while clumsily slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while
Chinese New Year!
Reported by: Victoria Goh
Imagine Christmas, but only receiving! Red packets, which
symbolizes “blessing”, are given to kids by married couples.
You would often find $8 in these packets as it’s a lucky
number! 8 in Chinese is ba, which sounds like fa (which
means “rich”). Imagine the amount of money you can collect at the end of fifteen whole days of celebration! On top
of the red packets you get, there are Chinese New Year
goodies to look forward to! Isn’t that a good way to end the
holidays?
Chinese New Year is a very significant holiday, where people who left their hometown return back to celebrate and
thank one’s ancestors and gods for their blessing and protection of the previous year. This was traditionally highlighted with a religious ceremony, in honor of the gods of
the household and family ancestors. The most vital part of
these rituals is the sacrifices given to the ancestors. These
ancestors are greatly respected because they were responsible for laying the foundations of the family.
Ever wonder why Chinese New Year is always on different days each year? This is due to the lunar calendar that has a
cycle of 29.5 days. The Chinese lunar calendar is dependent on the orbital position of the sun and the moon. The difference in dates is because it is not every year whereby the moon would be in the same position as the sun.
First Issue: January - February 2010
15
VâÑ|wËá YÉÉÄ
Hello everyone, it’s me, David.
Knowing that Valentine's Day is just, 3 weeks away and there is much money making opportunities to be had, I have compiled a list of possible card designs for your benefit. Rather than "surprise"
your significant other with a hallmark pink card or a restraining order, why not buy one of my cards
(hand made and COLOUR photocopied) at a much lower price ($2 for a piece of paper with words on
it, practically a steal).
Of course this being a more personalized card I can put your names down and not only that, but
I will hand deliver it to your significant other ABSOLUTELY FREE! All proceeds will be given to the
charitable organization I have just coincidentally started (a.k.a) the piggy bank for my future.
So if you think the price of the card is too low, you could just give more
money to me. Let’s face it; you could probably do with a karma boost.
My love for you is like cholesterol…dangerous and close to my heart.
My love for you is like a bad case of athletes’ foot…its deep in my sole.
This valentine’s day remember…that vampires want to win your heart, but
zombies love you for your brains.
For valentine's day I will give you my heart...at least in the pre nuptial.
This Valentine ’s Day...how about you let me within a 0.5m radius of you just this
once?
Valentine’s Day celebrate how special and unique your significant other is by buying
the same stuff that pleases 1000 other people.
OneVoice TEAM
Chief Editors
Yvette Tan | Rebecca Ou
Co-Editors
David Lee | Alphonsina Chikwashi
Reporters
Daniel Lim | Paul Samuelle
Vincent Tanutama | Ivor Tan
Petrus Bosa Layarda | Rishi Ray
Scott Lim | Patrick Ren
Kathryn Stevenson | Emilie Cunnington
Alexandra Kris | Victoria Goh
Wong Minying | Wong Chengfang
Yeoh Jiayi
St. Joseph’s Institution International
490 Thomson Road
Singapore 298191
+65 63539383