Josephian Annual - 2020 | Page 44

Year 6
Lasallian Distinguished Service Award

Year 6

Koh Boon Kiat Matthew Henry ( ML615 )

Thoughtful , humble and mature , Boon Kiat is an excellent , if not the definitive exemplar of the SJI mission of grooming “ men and women for others ”. During his two years in the IBDP , he has made many good friends both within the tutor group and across the cohort , all of whom are appreciative of his kind and easy-going nature . In 2018 , he received the Lee Kuan Yew All-Rounder Excellence Award , Senior Josephian of the Year ( Secondary ) and in 2020 , the Distinguished Lasallian Service Award , amongst other accolades .
Boon Kiat ranks as amongst one of SJI ’ s most driven and motivated students . He is especially keen in pursuing medicine due to the formative influence of his family ’ s paediatrician . In December 2019 , he was attached to the General Surgery department at Changi General Hospital , where he shadowed senior consultants and house officers for a week . Outside of school , Boon Kiat has extended his compassion in BEACON where he volunteered at Riding for the Disabled ( RDA ) to assist with hippotherapy for disabled children , training to be a horse leader and helping his charges with mobility and circuit training .. His efforts to serve the community are also reflected in the time he has spent at Ang Mo Kio Thye Hua Kwan community hospital , interacting with the elderly and aiding in the organization ’ s gardening efforts .
Boon Kiat also selflessly performs his role in SJI ’ s student council ( 2019-2020 ) as part of the community relations committee . Part of his duties included planning for the 2019 Christmas Party , and “ Bubble Tea Day ” in 2020 to reward the “ O ” level students after their mid-year examinations .
He was also heavily involved in the 2.5 week-long Orientation Programme which aimed to inculcate a sense of camaraderie amongst his juniors . Furthermore , what must also be mentioned is Boon Kiat ’ s mentoring role as a Venture Scout , where he initiated a pioneering activity which taught the junior scouts basic knot skills , backwoodsmen and cooking . As someone who has been loyal to this CCA since Secondary 1 , Boon Kiat has tirelessly sought to pass on his experience and values as senior patrol leader to the succeeding cohort .
Boon Kiat ’ s other highlights in the IBDP programme include his participation in the Prudential Young Trailblazers competition . He and his team pitched an educational and parental support-cum-repository app for students . The communal app targeted pre-schoolers to tertiary students , especially those from a low-income background . His team commendably made it to the finals and he received the Prudential Young Trailblazers finalist award . Under the Global Education Programme in November 2019 , Boon Kiat was also one of the trip I / Cs to Luang Prabang , Laos where he helped out in building infrastructure and teaching efforts to the villagers . A sociable individual , Boon Kiat has enjoyed aspects of cultural immersion and exchange with the locals .
It seems almost unbelievable that Boon Kiat has had such a stellar track record and a litany of activities he contributed to , but he is one of the very humane best SJI has to offer . He truly has an exceptional personality of kindness and is never prideful nor one to flaunt his achievements . Indeed , Boon Kiat is one of the rare few that recognizes and contributes to the spirit of the Josephian ethos .
44 St Joseph ’ s Institution