PROGRAMMES | LUMEN
15
Pheng reasoned , “ Because he is younger ( in comparison to the other tutees ), Ayden requires more guidance with pen and paper , and tends to be rather restless online . I also need to meet him physically to check his penmanship and provide more practice for him .” Many of the studenttutors encountered similar hurdles of juggling their own academic schedule and remaining committed to these tutoring sessions , as well as engaging their charges online . Despite these obstacles , Randave Singh Bains ’ ( MN516 ) words ,“ I would always be greeted with a smile across my tutee ' s face when he eagerly awaited new material and new concepts that I would provide for him for the day ,” are likely an echo of the intrinsic and invaluable reward many of these volunteers have experienced during their tutoring journey .
Twins David and Cephas John Ho Yih Hsien ( LE506 ) embarked on their own partnership with LFS in their # ICAN Fundraising Campaign . Having volunteered with LFS in their secondary school days , they decided to take on the challenge of baking their father ’ s butter cake . The period when students had home-based learning from 19 May 2021 that segued into the June school vacation left them with pockets of free time . They candidly admitted , “ We were bored .” Their remedy to their boredom was to hone their baking skills but for a worthwhile cause : bake 80 cakes for $ 8 000 . They were clear about their vision : “ Lakeside encourages children and youths to believe in their own potential and pick up new skills . In the same spirit , we wish to support them by also challenging ourselves to accomplish something we have never done before ." The end result - $ 10,347 from 104 generous donors - far exceeded their goal . These indefatigable twins ' spirit of giving continues unabated . They are partnering with LFS
again , this time for the 4WARD TOGETHER 4 MILLION STEPS campaign , contributing to the pledge of 1000 steps for each of the 4000 ( ex ) inmates that LFS works with . In the spirit of going the distance together , the twins managed to inspire some of their peers to join them in their effort .
Our numerous partnerships with LFS has led to the organisation naming SJI a recipient of the Community Partnerships Award for Lakeside Volunteers ' Appreciation Day 2021 . The accolades of course belong to the many student volunteers that have worked alongside LFS .
Besides the LFS partnership , there were also different groups of students who have been actively working on their own CAS projects to reach out to the community in various ways . In collaboration with Catholic Welfare Services , students involved in Project Luminance collected
items for care packages to be distributed to homeless people . For Project Morning Star , students collected items from their cohort and packed them into hampers to give to SJI ’ s canteen vendors . This , however , was not the original plan as the students had intended to work with The Salvation Army but with Covid restrictions , they had to adapt and change it . Leader of Youth for Causes – Project Eleos , Elizabeth Ling ( ML 515 ) and her friends began their project in collaboration with Calvary Community Care with the aim of raising awareness of mental health issues . After the project was completed , she concluded , “ I will continue to be the voice for social causes with small acts , such as being a shoulder of support for friends who are struggling mentally .”
There were also students who ventured alone and bravely . Lam Yan Yu ( MN517 ), inspired by her secondary teacher who instilled in her the spirit of giving , wanted to pay tribute to her since her passing away in 2020 . As she
lost her teacher to cancer and to honour her memory , she decided to raise funds for the Singapore Cancer Society . Her target was $ 400 but she managed to raise a total of $ 525.49 . Yan Yu confessed , “ There were numerous instances during which I wanted to give up as my body was exhausted from baking . I constantly reminded myself of my entire rationale behind this bake sale - to give back to society .”
SJI is blessed indeed by our students and their generous and compassionate spirit . Although not every group or student can be highlighted in this article , we are sure there are many more who have given of themselves selflessly and quietly to a cause or a community . As a Lasallian institution , SJI cannot be prouder of our students who are indeed becoming ‘ men and women for others ’ reaching out to ‘ the last , the lost and the least ’. May we as a community , as reflected by Wei Pheng , always choose ‘ to be kinder to each other ’.
This page ( top right ): Father Danker receiving the Lakeside Family Services Community Partnership Award from Ms Cindy Gan
This page ( top left ): Yan Yu ’ s sweet delights This page ( bottom left ): Yan Yu making a delivery This page ( centre ): Packaging their butter cakes This page ( centre right ): David ( left ) and Cephas ( right ) concentrating on their baking