PROGRAMMES | LUMEN
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Speaking Award ( PESA ) competition . PESA is a prestigious public speaking competition that challenges students to be confident and articulate speakers . I eventually qualified for the semi-finals and , after a series of prepared and impromptu speech segments , emerged the overall Champion of the Upper Secondary category . The opportunity alone , let alone my achievement , was something I never expected . I entered PESA unsure of my abilities , almost certain I was not cut out for public speaking – but left with deep confidence and faith in my speaking abilities . I believe that this was in large part due to my experiences in JEEP – the exposure to effective speaking and selfconfidence I gained through JEEP , my teachers ’ faith in my abilities and their valuable advice undeniably prefaced my accomplishments in PESA . Amidst the rigour and intensity of competition , I learnt a great deal about selfconfidence , clarity and persuasion from my talented co-competitors and the judges . I am grateful that PESA has allowed me to challenge myself and my abilities and grow in confidence .
The JEEP cohort capped the two-year programme with our participation in the Literature Seminar 2021 organized by MOE ’ s Gifted Education Branch . Two JEEP teams were selected to give our presentations to hundreds of participants and a panel of expert literary critics . My team delved into a challenging , yet truly enriching topic – mental health . We explored the portrayals of mental illness in literature , as seen in Sarah Kane ’ s play “ 4.48 Psychosis ” and Marsha Norman ’ s “’ night , Mother ”.
We explored how different struggles with mental illness were depicted , and how the
playwrights portrayed larger constructs – such as the idea of societal stigmatisation and the medical system , and the impact they have on the fight against mental illness . I felt challenged to see literary works through a new lens – rather than simply focusing on the greater meaning and significance of the work , we were invited to look deeper at the minute yet impactful elements the playwrights drew on – staging , lighting , timing , the use of props and more – and how they contributed to the greater mood , atmosphere and meaning of the plays . With feedback for improvement from expert literary critics , we truly came away with a deeper appreciation of literature and how each and every literary work has its significance and meaning .
Looking back on two years of JEEP , I am truly grateful to have been part of this programme . Much more than just “ extra English classes ”, JEEP provided us all with a community of like-minded Literature-loving friends to talk to and bounce ideas off of , teachers who planned unique activities and provided great insights , and – most significantly – a brief yet unforgettable look into the innumerable facets of language and literature .
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JEEP provided us all with a community of like-minded Literature-loving friends to talk to and bounce ideas off of , teachers who planned unique activities and provided great insights ...
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This page ( top left ): Awarded the Overall Champion at the YMCA ’ s Annual Plain English Speaking Award ( PESA ) competition
This page ( bottom right ): Participating in the Literature Seminar 2021 organized by MOE ’ s Gifted Education Branch