KOREF Level Camps

by Jonathan in EOA, Life, Victoria School on Friday March 16, 2007 at 2236hours

Alright. Brief period of inspiration to blog, so I had might as well capitalise on it before I drown myself in the sorrow of my GPA again.

VS Sec 3 Level Camp (5th to 8th) followed by Yishun Town Sec 3 Level Camp (8th to 11th). First time I’ve spent a week running camps in Malaysia (minus 7th night when I came back so as to bring YTSS to KOREF on the 8th).

VS Camp. Started off with a bit of delays because of the bus arrangements, but made up for it throughout the day. Day 1 was rather boring for the campers though. We had to reschedule quite last minute since VS was not going to the Malaysian school for games. Was assigned to Asli Water Obstacles for Day 2 and 3 with John Cheo and Ren An (SL). Really had fun there. =) Hope the campers had fun too.

Got my (relatively bad) results on the 7th. Shall stop there. Left before campfire (dammit) to head back to SG.

YTSS Sec 3 Level Camp. Campers were damn high and quite enthu, so sorta managed to push my results to the back of my mind and concentrate on running the camp. Was assigned to orienteering this time, not too exciting, but hey, some things just have to be done.

Both camps were, overall, rather fun. Got to know quite a few more ‘green shirts’ as well as the VS and YTSS Student Leaders. Really fun people. And who can forget the game of Polar Bear on the last night. Heh. Good memories.

Ok. There goes my inspiration. Thus that’s all I shall write.

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Arrgh

by Jonathan in Life, Victoria School on Sunday March 4, 2007 at 1533hours

Less then 3 days till the release of the SP Y2 S2 results. And to top it off, I’ll be at camp, without access to the internet. Which means that my sis will have to retrieve the results and let me know.

That apprehensive feeling is haunting again. Sigh. Thus is the way it is I suppose. Still hoping for a 4.0 (with full Dist actually. Yes. I’m greedy. So sue me =D )

Gone whole of next week for VS Sec 3 camp and then YTSS Sec 3 camp respectively. Back on Sunday (11th March). TC & SQ, pls do take over the steering of the FYP / IC proposal yeah? =)

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VS Sec 1 Camp - EDGE 07

by Jonathan in Victoria School on Monday January 8, 2007 at 0123hours

I can’t blog about the whole camp, since I was (sadly) only there for campfire night + day 3. But I can say this: The VS Spirit @ Campfire was super strong. Woah. I’m like damn proud of the Sec 1s. Only 3 days into sporting the label of Victorians and already the flame is starting to burn in them.

I was initially afraid that as the standard (Spirit wise) of the new intake was slipping slightly over the course of the past few years, this years batch would reach the point of ‘disappointing’. But I was not disappointed.

One thing that was disappointing, however, was the fact that the EFI (External Freelance Instructors) built and fed the campfire (Zipline again somemore). That job has historically belonged to the Black shirts, whom should have had enough experience (through their various camps) to plan, build, execute and maintain a solid campfire. EFIs for the high elements I understand and expect, due to MOE’s requirements, but for campfire? A big no-no in my book.

Regardless, I still think it was a very successful camp and a great beginning to the Victorian Experience to come over the next 4 years for the Sec 1s. (Don’t believe me? Check out the blog at EDGE 2007 Blog)

Kudos to Mr Siow, the teachers and Black/Red shirts for the camp.

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SMIT Talentime

by Jonathan in SP, Victoria School on Thursday October 26, 2006 at 2334hours

After this is done, I think i’m going to take a nice ( long perhaps? =) ) break from the Club.

So yes, I thought I learned a great deal in VS through planning camps and helping organise school events. But being exposed to the FULL effect of planning an entire event from scratch, without the guidance and help of those who have been there and done that is seriously a freakish experience.

The experience I took home from VS was really just the foundation (though a sturdy one at that) for what Talentime brought into my life. From paperwork to people, from red tape to masking tape, from long hours spent in school to sleepless nights; this has been, is, and will continue to be (until the 28th Nov) one hell of a learning experience. And I dare say that it is precisely because of this learning experience that I’ve managed to drive myself and things along thus far.

Registrations close this week, and that’s just the begining of many things to come. I’m honestly worried for my grades. Oh well, time will tell. Many thanks to Ben (Admin) and Zoe (HR) for all the effort thus far, I know this has not been very easy on them. (Zoe’s somewhat more stressed since she claims she’s not a people person. =) ) Many thanks to the entire Organising Comm too.

We’ll pull through. We must, and I’m sure that together, we will make this year’s Talentime something to remember.

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The VS co-ed Saga

by Jonathan in Victoria School on Friday August 18, 2006 at 1546hours

Remember the idea to turn VS co-ed?

No, its not back. But it has been exactly one year since that saga (give or take).

VS just celebrated 130 years of education; instilling the Victorian Spirit in countless Victorians, many of whom are now prominent members of our society. The celebration itself was grand, the atmosphere charged and His Excellency, President S R Nathan and Mrs Nathan were there to witness.

I hate to think what would have been if things were different. If the proposal was indeed followed through. Not that I (nor The Team in general) don’t wish embrace change, but I’ll be damned if our rich Tradition (all 130 years of it) as well as our Victorian way of life, is forsaken for the sake of academic results.

At times I do wonder if we were indeed blinded by rage, perhaps we were at first, but reading the letter sent to the Today newspaper by 4H in the midst of the saga, I smile.

Caus I know that was, and will always be, worth fighting for.

Letter originally published by http://www.todayonline.com/articles/67605.asp

Some things worth more than ranking
Victoria School, co-ed? Camaraderie, history will be lost

WE ARE writing as a graduating class of Victoria School 2004.

We are usually thrilled to see our alma
mater being mentioned in the papers, yet
we read with disappointment and general
disgust the article “Girls in Victoria
School?” in The New Paper on Aug 17.

During our Sec 1 orientation programme,
the principal promised us and
our parents that Victoria School (VS)
would never be a mixed school.

That same principal has turned his
back on 129 years of tradition in order to
move the school up the ranking system
into a band of little significance to what
makes up a real education.

Like the Ministry of Education, we
realise that education is more than the
achievement of grades, or the number of
people getting into the VIP (Victoria Integrated
Programme).

Victoria School has provided all its boys
with the development of robust character
and a love for the school that very few
schools can rival.

I soar with pride whenever the roar of
those in “bumblebee” T-shirts at important
events is heard.

This sense of camaraderie and belonging
can only be found in a single-sex
school — and even then, some do not
have it.

We are even part of Singapore’s history,
with the old Victoria School campus
at Syed Alwi Road immortalised on the
back of every two-dollar bill.

It is not as simple — as the principal
puts it — as “raising the quality” of the
intake. There are other schools that take
in a lower “quality” of students and yet
are able to produce better students. And
there are affiliated schools that take in a
significant intake from their primary
schools and are still able to deliver exceptional
results.

As Mr Maran, our discipline master,
used to say, “A school is only as good as
its students”.

It’s not about the gender of the student.
It’s what we make of the school and
how far we want to push it on.

A school is more than a place of
learning. Ours was a home to the thousands
of Victorians who spent their years
there.

Let us not throw what took so long to
build, away on a mere ranking system
that does not even contribute to real education.
Victoria, Thy Sons Are We.

P.S.: An online petition against Victoria
School becoming a co-educational school
is at vs.jonaize.com

(This letter was signed off by: Isa Foong, Yeo
Xi Wei, Tan Qin Shan Bertrand, Jeremy
Leck Kian Loong, Koh Sheng Yang Daniel,
Phoon Zhi Xiang, Ong Zhong Yi Andrew,
Yeo Jun Tian Jerrold, Mok Heng Quan,
Wang Zhengjiang Samuel, Tan Tuan Leng
Denys, Chen Wei Xiong Farand, Lau Bing
Hong Wilfred, Tan Rubin, Charles Brian
Suresh, Wong Renhao, Tan Wen Hao, Choo
Shern Min Mason, Faeez Feshal, Cheok Wei
Min, Lua Wei Liang Wilbur, Nicholas Ong,
Sivanessan Kittasamy, Srinivasan
Viswanathan, Looi Yuan Hui, Goh Ciping,
Khang Tat Chung, Marcus Ng, Ng Chee
Kian, Kon Zhu’En Kevin, Lean Yi Peng
Isaac, Andrew Chua and Zulkifli Bin Mohd
Azman.)

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