Thursday, December 31, 2009

From Montfort boys to men




Front row, from left) Archbishop Nicholas Chia with Gabrielite Brother Emmanuel and Father Patrick Goh (extreme right) together with old boys and Montfort Secondary Principal Andrew Tan (back row, extreme left). Photo by Dareen Boon


ALSO TURNING 50 was Montfort Secondary School. The anniversary was commemorated with a dinner for 500 alumni and their families at the school premises in Hougang on Nov 21.


Its roots, however, actually go further back. In 1916, it was founded as Holy Innocents’ English School, at Upper Serangoon Road, by Father Henri Duvelle, then-parish priest of Church of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.


After the Gabrielite Brothers took over in 1936, the school was renamed in 1959 in memory of their founder, St. Louis Marie Grignon de Montfort.


Father Patrick Goh, who graduated in 1960, said the school, together with the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary next door, provided him with a strong religious formation with students gathering for the Sunday children’s Masses and regular confession on the first Fridays


Students and teachers had a close relationship, he said. Father Goh remembers how he and his classmates used to make fun of a Science teacher – Brother Thomas – for the way he spoke English with his native Spanish accent. But jokes aside, he was “a dedicated teacher”.


“I’m very happy that Montfort has continued to contribute to the education of young people to become useful people in society, and not forgetting many of them have become priests,” Father Goh said.


Other old boys contribute to Montfort by returning to the school.Seah Kok Woei, 30, has been teaching physics and computer applications at Montfort for four-and-a-half years now, after requesting the Ministry of Education for a posting to his alma mater. He said that values such as self-discipline, humility, teamwork and resilience were not taught through textbooks, but from involvement in co-curricular activities and school events.


“These values have put me in good stead in my years after graduating from Montfort to junior college and all the way to the present moment,” said Mr Seah, who hopes to pass on these values to his students.


He also sees no difference between the school back then and now, except for the school building and some staff. “The school has always maintained the same vision and mission that the Founder set out to achieve – helping the poor – and therefore, the doors of Montfort are always open to students who seek to be a better individual through a Montfortian Education,” said Mr Seah.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

21 Nov - Farewell by Old Boys

The Montfort Alumni held a dinner at the Montfort School Hall on 21 Nov. It bids a fond farewell to our Hougang Ave 8 Site for 2009. The evening was graced with the attendance of His Grace, Archibishop Nicholas Chia, Bro Emmanuel, Andrew Tan, the architect of the school and many old boys (and girls), as well as teachers who came. It was an evening of great revelry. Mr Peter Chua, George Ong & Fauzi and a host of others provided songs that entertained the evening.

More pictures are available at:
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fkweesonglim%2Fsets%2F72157622728154183%2F&h=19e7b427cacce1c5ae19413a2fa9b21e

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Valedictorian Speech - School Graduation Ceremony

There was fantastic speech given by our valedictorian from 4E1, Daniel Lee and this is a tribute to it:

"It has been four years, and for some of us, five since we first entered this school. Many, many things have happened since then, as we learned how to be gentlemen, scholars, sportsmen, leaders and most importantly a Man for others.

In these past years, Montfort Secondary School has created many opportunities for us to learn these outside of the classroom. One such example would be the trip we made to Perak, Malaysia last year. In learning the history and geography of the state, we were scholars. Trekking and white-water rafting gave us opportunities to be sportsmen and making our way through the challenging caves helped us develop leadership qualities. In our interaction with the locals and tribesmen, we learnt to be the perfect and chivalrous Montfortian gentlemen.

However, all these experiences would not have been made possible without the help of our dedicated teachers and unceasing efforts to guide us through the labyrinth of our journey through school. Not only did they guide us through our lessons but they also put up with our eccentricities, our teenage pranks and of course our endless complaints. Despite their heavy schedules, they made the time to help us. At this juncture, on behalf of all the Montfortian gentlemen present here, I would like to thank all the Form teachers and our Subject teachers for their care, guidance and given to us and not forgetting their infinite patience and tolerance.

What does the future hold for each on of us after we leave Montfort? Is there a future minister among us today, or a billionaire entrepreneur or perhaps another Archbishop? I stand here today full of dreams and hopes that mine will be a bright and fulfilling one. While I cannot see what lies ahead, I am confident that Montfort has prepared us well for the challenges that we will face in our future. Long after we have forgotten differentiation in A Maths, we will be able to differentiate between good and evil, wisdom and folly. And these are what will stand us in good stead when life becomes too complicated or too weary, so that we may constantly strive to be a Man for others.

But now let me turn back to where we are now and what we can do here and now. My fellow Montofrtians , let us use these coming national exams, whether they be our O level or N level exams, as a way to for us to show our gratitude and appreciation to our teachers. Let us show our teachers that all their teaching and our efforts will not go to waste; let us put in that last burst of strength and conquer the exams, so that we can be proud of ourselves, knowing that we have done our best.

Age quod aqis. Thank you."

Friday, August 21, 2009

Montfort Plate Champs 2009

The Montfort Rugby C Div team emerged as Plate Champions in the National Schools C Division Championshiop after beating Greenridge Secondary 26-22 in a hard-fought final played on Friday 21 August at Saint Andrew's Secondary.

Both teams played a pulsating match that saw both teams giving their best performance for this season.

Both teams scored four tries each but it was the deadly goal-kicking of Montfort Captain Mohd Shamir that sealed the match for Montfort.

Montfort converted three of the four tries whilst Greenridge was only able to convert one of their tries.

Both sides showed great spirit.

For Montfort, the front row of Matthew Ho, Alvin Yap and Lewis Syn dominated their opponents with deadly scrummaging.

The second-row partnership of Kenny Lee and Azhar gave the much-needed push in the scrum's engine room.

The loose forward trio of Kang Dong Wan, Chinnakrit and Eugene Sito were at the breakdown almost instantenously.

The backline was well-marshalled by Captain Mohd Shamir who linked up well with our Kiwi scrum-half Harry Stokes who gave it his all despite the sweltering heat and suffocating humidity.

Centres Kirish and Ivan were devastating in the line-breaks and defensive tackling duties whilst Dominic Daniel was his usual calm self in the full-back slot .. cooly cleaning up high balls.

Wingers Musli and Randell were equally tenacious in the tackle counts.

Above all the match today was a great advert for rugby. The Montfort boys consoled their beaten compatriots from Greenridge at the end of the final whistle by referee Mr Mohd Azhar Yusof.

In the end, the real winner of today's Final was rugby as both sets of players set aside their rivalry and shared a combined team group picture after the match. They truly deserved the applause from the spectators, made up of parents, old boys and school senior management, who thronged Saint Andrew's.

Scorers:
Tries: Mohd Shamir (2), Kenny Lee, Kang Dong Wan
Conversions: Mohd Shamir (3)

Montfort Rugby Lions vs Greenridge
Props: Matthew Ho and Alvin Yap
Hooker: Lewis Syn
Locks: Kenny Lee and Azhar
Flankers: Eugene Sito and Chinakrit
No 8: Kang Dong Wan
Scrum Half: Harry Stokes
Fly-Half: Mohd Shamir (C)
Centres: Kirish Deepan and Ivan Lim
Wingers: Musli and Randell Toh
Full-Back: Dominic Daniel
Subs (Used): Syahiran

http://montfort-rugby.blogspot.com/

Friday, August 14, 2009

Mr C Kunalan Visits Montfort Sec on IPW Day - 14 Aug 2009



Mr C. Kunalan, dubbed Singapore's fastest man with the national 100m record for over 30 years visited our school on the 14th of August. Mingling with the lower secondary students during their recess, the lighthearted former sportsman viewed the Sec 1s IPW projects. The students got a chance to explain their projects to him and many crowded around just to get a photo with him.

Later on, I got a chance to conduct an interview with him.

As a runner, what was your motivation that kept you going and trying?

“I just wanted to see how much stronger and faster I could become”. Mr Kunalan further explained that he started running in 1963 and in only 3 years already won in the Asian Games. This pushed him to go further and try to get more in running. Mr Kunalan went on to be Singapore’s Sportsman of the Year for 1968 and 1969.


Did all the publicity and media hype ever affect your career?

“I think after every competition I’ll look for two things. Number 1 was the 9 o’clock news. Number 2 was the next day’s newspapers.”Also, the school would announce his wins as he was a teacher at that time.


When competing, do you think winning is everything? Or are there more important values involved?

“At that time, we never heard of these Olympic motto and values. My thinking is, don’t do anything stupid. Because it will embarrass your friends, your colleagues, your family…” Of course, if he didn’t well, he would feel really sad for days even.


Talking about the Youth Olympics, are you afraid that young athletes might think of going for gold rather than upholding that true Olympic spirit?

“No. I hope they will go for gold but at the same time uphold that spirit.” He spoke about how even by not winning, every participant can uphold that spirit by being gracious and saying that they’ve tried their best, that many people have contributed to them being able to reach such a far stage. “If you start saying winning is not important, then nothing’s at stake.” Mr Kunalan then spoke on how in sports, we get tested many times. “When we pass many of these tests, you will be prepared for life.”


Is there anything you’ve learned through sports that can be applied in other aspects of life?

It is important to remember the Olympic values of Excellence, Respect and Friendship, Mr Kunalan expressed how it would then be easier to do things in life itself. And despite the troubles we may face, we can use our strengths to keep us strong. He himself would remind himself of his sporting achievements to get him through tough days. “Sports kept me strong.” But this need not be limited to sports only. Everyone can use their own strengths to keep them confident.


That being said, sometimes students who completely devote their time and effort to their CCA or sport neglect their studies. What do you think of this?

“That is why we have the Olympic Motto (Citius, Altius, Fortius; meaning Swifter, Higher, Stronger).”

He mentioned how everyone could have the 5 Olympic rings etched in their mindset, with the motto of 'Citius, Altius, Fortius' as the top 3. He suggested having 'Encouragement & Perseverance' as the other 2 rings' as a personal goal

Referring to the Olympian value of Excellence, he said, “Excellence includes studies. Especially in Singapore where without academic qualifications, it would be hard. ”

Over the years, how have your focuses, hopes or dreams changed?

“Some people have dreams. I never had dreams. I just wanted to do well.” Mr Kunalan recounted a proverb learnt in primary school – “If a thing is worth doing, it is a thing worth doing well.” He never knew that he would be a teacher, or even a sportsman. He simply did these and he did them well.

Lastly, do you have any advice for our students?

Listen to the teacher or coach. And communicate with them. Then you would understand what they mean when they say things. That’s when you can use my proverb, ‘If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing well.’ Otherwise, don’t do it.”


Brian Theng, 3E1

44th National Day Celebrations

Singapore's birthday was commemorated in our school on 7 August.

The day started with the observance ceremony in the field and the uniformed groups were out in full force for the parade.
The parade started with the marching in of the contingents followed by our national flag. The song, 'My People, My Home' was sung during the ceremony. Mr Tan read the National Day Message from the Minister of Education. In particular, he recalled how in the PM's National Day Rally a few years back, the PM spoke about it raining on one of the first national day's in Singapore. No one moved even though it poured to show their commitment and love for their country.
Returning to class, the students were treated to cake, as a symbol of it being Singapore's birthday. Our Principal and Vice Principal went around the classes and took part in celebrating with the students. Though school ended early, it was truly a memorable day and I'm sure everyone went home proud of being Singaporean.

Brian Theng, 3E1

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Students' Council Ex-Co 2009-2010

From Top to Bottom, Left to Right:

Brian Theng, 3E1 President

Tay Wi Li, 3E2 Vice President, Head of Discipline
Ng Kang Jie, 3E1 Head of Communications and Events
Muhd Fareez, 3E1 Head of Communications and Events
Hang Ying Wei, 3E1 Head of Administration and Human Resource
Anthony Tan, 3E2 Head of Service and Welfare
Lim Chu Rui, 3E1 Head of Training and Development
Isaac Heng, 3E1 Head of Resource Management

Kwan Yi Yan, 2E4 Assistant Administration and Human Resource (Internal Appointment)
Clarence Lim, 2E2 Assistant Service and Welfare (Internal Appointment)
Dennis Tan, 2A1 Assistant Training and Development (Internal Appointment)
Terry Chia, 2E2 Assistant Resource Management (Internal Appointment)

Not in Picture - Amos Kwek, 2E2 Internal Assistant for Communications and Events (Internal Appointment)



The new Executive-Committee (Ex-Co) for 2009-2010 has been selected. There are 5 secondary 2s (internal appointment) who will be assisting the Ex-Co in their work.

Communications and Events refers to mainly student welfare and student needs, event planning and Service Learning Club projects Also, school morning assembly and announcements and deployment for school/external events.

Administration and Human Resource oversees the Provisional Councillors, attendance and paperwork, councillor review, the contact lists.

Service and Welfare takes charge of the internal council welfare; council feedback & suggestions, the contact relay system, internal announcements, and council service awards.

Training and Development involves training schemes and programs, platforms for council discussion, in-service training and general development for councillors.

Resource Management takes care of council resources, event resources and is in charge of the council room, as well as managing the council files, blazer loan etc.

Discipline involves maintaining the high standard for councillors, day-to-day duty deployment, council grooming and attire.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Presidential Elections 2009





The Presidential Election is here again. Please click on the photos to access their blogs.

Tay Wi Li, 3E2


Lim Chu Rui, 3E1



Brian Theng, 3E1

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Our Montfort Life

A Day in Montfort

God Alone (code: 001)



God Alone (code: 002)


Monday, April 27, 2009

Montfort School Heritage Centre Visit on 24th Apr 09


Christopher Ess and Victor Reyes browsing through an old school magazine 

Goh PengYeow 

Sammy and Simon Tan JweeSeng

The Secondary 4 cohorts of 1972 visited the Heritage Centre. They saw some of the old pictures and memorabilia displayed and brought back lots of fond memories. Mr. Kwee Song managed to take pictures of their old classes photo when they were at Secondary Two standards. It was a sweetest gathering spent.

Chua ChenHow, Dennis and Sammy 

Chan HongSeng, Nicholas Lee HweeChoon and Chua ChenHow 

Montfort School 1972 Golf Fund raising at Sembawang Golf Course

KaiHow and ChenHow
 
Chee Meng,Philip and Song 

Montfort School 1972 Golf Fund raising at Sembawang Golf Course was held earlier on 24 April 2009.

Dennis Mok 

An afternoon of golf was spent with Sec 4 ex-Montfortians from year of 1972. There were 13 of the old boys plus 2 invited guests. A total of $1500 were generousity contributed by the ex-Montfortians, and we would like to thank Sembawang Golf Course GM, Charlie for his help to make this possible for the day.


Time for a cool beer after the game 

Thanks you for making our cohort's gathering a wonderful and unforgetable event.


Saturday, April 25, 2009

93rd Founder's Day

Montfort school's 93rd Founder's Day was commemorated on the 25th of April 2009. As part of this year's programme, the Indoor Sports Hall(ISH) was officially opened. It is named the Chew Hua Seng Foundation Indoor Sports Hall after Mr. Chew Hua Seng, who was the Guest-of-Honor for the day.

After inspecting the guard-of-honor, Mr Chew, along with other distinguished guests toured the ISH. This was followed by a sports procession and showcase by the various sports groups like the basketball, tennis, softball and badminton teams. Also, boys from Montfort Secondary and Montfort Junior showcased a synchornised workout, something similar to our mass workout.

At the same time, there were several perfromances in the Montfort Secondary hall. This line-up included the Montfort Junior String Ensemble, Montfort Sec NPCC, TLDDS and a joint Wushu performance. Then, Mr Chew and guests from the ISH preceedings joined the hall programme.
Prizes were given out to oustanding students who had excelled in the previous year's 'N', 'O' levels and the PSLE exams. Also, teachers who had been recently promoted were given the due commendations.3 video presentations were shown; the first being on the life of Montfort, followed by a video on Montfort School and lastly, a photo slideshow on the earlier ISH opening. As a fitting end to the commemoration, 'Glory to thee Montfort' and the school song was played, and everyone in the hall sang their hearts out.

Brian Theng, 3e1

Friday, April 3, 2009

The Ubin Days

For some, elation is the word to describe their end-of-the-dreaded-camp feeling. For others, it was an unforgettable experience, filled with fun and learning. I've learned that my class (3E1) is not just a bunch of study-hards put together - we're more than a class, we're a team.

We got to visit Chek Jawa, wetlands where we could see nature untouched. From mudskippers and crabs to jellyfish and a school of fishes, we could observe how these lived in their natural habitat, the mangrove. Sadly, we were there at high tide, and most of the corals were under the water. Still, we got to learn all about why these mangroves are so important to us and why we should conserve them.

The whole camp was, to me, about leadership and teamwork. It pushed us, at individuals, all the way to the top and more. But it also pushed us as a team. We motivated and kept each other going. We worked together towards a common goal and persevered all throughout the 4 days.

The best part of the camp was the kayaking refresher and expedition. For the refresher at Water Venture (Sembawang), we took the capsize and rescue seriously, but had loads of fun doing it as well. The two-man kayak gave us a opportunity to work together as a team, and when we had to raft up, a class.

The expedition out from Ubin Lodge to Frog Island was unique. A challenge was posed to us - when rafted up, everyone had to stand up and the guys from the kayaks at the end had to switch places. From this, I think a few leaders stepped out, and the others followed...we cooperated. Everything was possible. And when an initial idea didn't work out, we changed it quickly and efficiently.

Well, I learned that everyone had to work together, and never act alone. From kayaking to even going to a makeshift toilet(a tree) at 1am in the morning, we needed a buddy to make sure nothing happened. Motivation was the thing for the night walk. Though it wasn't as dark as it was supposed to be, some guys were not exactly hyped-up about it. But the others encouraged them.

As for the best memories, they cannot be captured on film, nor written down. I guess these are the times when we got to be with our friends. That was what that made the whole camp so special to me; The people I had around me. Nothing would have been fun without them, and nothing would mean something special if they were not there.

Maybe it's more than a 'man for others' here in Montfort. It's a brotherhood. A special bond that brings us close together. It's more than a 'discerning individual', but a collective class of people who stick to whatever is right, and make sure everyone else does it together with them. No one wants to say it, but I feel that we're closer than we think. We all love our friends. We show it in what we do. We don't say it.


Brian Theng, 3E1

Thursday, April 2, 2009

ExHiLeaRate Week 2009

The primary objective of ExHiLeaRate Week (31st March to 6th April 2008) is to provide the necessary platforms for Montfortians to exhibit as well as internalise School Values, selected “Habits of Mind” and Servant Leadership traits, aligned to the five aspects of the School Vision – ‘The Scholar’, ‘The Sportsman’, ‘The Gentleman’, ‘The Leader’ and ‘The Man for Others’.

Secondary One Montfortians were taken through a slew of activities to develop class and school spirit. A 2D1N camp at Sentosa forges a strong bond between the Sec One Montfortians. They have learnt on team-building activities and bonding, namely introduction to High- and Low- Elements, Rafting, Geocaching.

Secondary Two Montfortians focused on 1-Star Kayaking as well as Proficiency Level 1 Abseiling accreditation, Dragon-boating, Improvised Rafting, Rock-climbing and High Elements, in preparation for Montfort’s quest to participate in “The Hillary Challenge”.

Secondary Three Montfortians roughed it out in a 4D3N Camp on Pulau Ubin, where they challenged themselves to Kayaking Refresher Course, Orienteering, Night Walk, and Eco Programme at Chek Jawa.

The Secondary Four Normal (Technical) students also gained advance module accreditation from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) when they undertook the Category A Elective Module, Video Production.

Aside from fun activities, there were serious enrichment training activities like Math Trails, and PET Rocket for the Secondary One. These activities are designed to motivate pupils to learn Math and Science in an interesting way.
Also activity such as Community Waypoint Challenge also designed to toughen up the Secondary Two to prepare them for the CIP/Service-Learning. They have visited and gained insights into Charitable Homes and VWOs in the vicnity of Hougang/Serangoon.

Lastly, for the Sec 4E/4N/5N students, various enrichment programmes such as Motivational Course by Adam Khoo Programme, IP, ECG Portal, NE Survey,and *CIP (for selected classes) are also conducted to motivate and cultivate good learning habits for extensive knowledge acquistion for the Montfortians.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

10th Annual Track and Field Meet


On the 27th of March, the school went down to Hougang Stadium for sports day. Despite the rainy weather we have been having, the skies were clear and the sun was out for sports day.With the spirits high, the houses relentlessly cheered for their runners, with one record being broken this year.For this year's mass participation, almost everyone from each of the 4 houses went on to the track in support of the Angsana Home. The teachers also ran a short race while the whole school cheered them on.
And at the end of the day, Proulx was crowned overall champion for the third year running. Gonzaga came a close 2nd with Majella and Berthomieu following.
Brian Theng, 3e1

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Montfort sports

Badminton
The badminton boys took the North Zone Badminton Championships in both the 'C' and 'B' divisions. They beat Singapore Sports School 4-1 in both games.


Softball
Our softball giants took 3rd in the 'B' division nationals. After being the first 'B' div team ever to make it to the semi-finals, they went on to beat Catholic High at the 3rd/4th placing to clinch the bronze.

Monday, March 2, 2009

4 Boys' Town students to help build India hospital - Feb 29 ST

NEWS FROM BOYS TOWN SINGAPORE

4 Boys' Town students to help build India hospital
They are among 70 youth involved in project in May
By Lim Jun Yi -

WHEN the teenager's behaviour became too much for his parents to bear, they put the 16-year-old into the Boys' Town.

John, as he wishes to be called to protect his identity, has spent only 11/2 years there but he is making such good progress that last month, he was named the Boys' Town Model Student of the Month

He has come a long way. And in May, he will go even further.
He will be among 70 young people who will be roughing it out in India's Nilgiri mountains.

They will be working alongside skilled masons to construct a 2,600 sq ft hospital for the local community, which now has
no ready access to medical facilities.

The project, called Operation Vannakam, is undertaken by the Raleigh Society (Singapore). It aims to give youth of all backgrounds an opportunity to contribute to society.

Four of the 63 Boys' Town students who applied for the programme were accepted.

John and three of his schoolmates will spend five weeks involved in manual labour - foundation work, brick-laying, roofing, tiling, flooring and painting.
They will join other youth volunteers aged 15 to 35 from various fields, among them, bankers, lawyers and photographers.

The organisers hope that by providing access to medical facilities, they will help to improve the socio-economic and health conditions of the local community.
Mr Daniel Tan, the expedition's director, said: 'We wanted to include all youths. All the participants, without exception, should be allowed to develop their full potential and acquire skills that will stand them in good stead in life.'
John intends to keep a detailed journal of his trip.

'I hope that it will be a life- changing experience,' he said.

'The first people that I will share it with are my Boys' Town brothers, of course.'

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

NCDCC UOPA Award 2008

Last year, Montfort NCDCC took part in the first ever NCDCC UOPA Award, a competition to recognize and reward the best performing units.

We are proud to announce that Montfort is one of the only 4 schools in Singapore to be awarded Gold, the highest award achievable. This is indeed due recognition to the hard work of the Montfort cadets, who in 2008 truly lived up to their motto of ‘Learn, Lead and Serve’ through their active engagement in various activities, for example: 1) educating the public in Hougang on fire safety during Emergency Preparedness Day, 2) taking part in SCDF Exercise Northstar where they learnt how to evacuate the public on board ships in the open sea and 3) also took part in the National Day Parade. Although a young unit, this award validates and confirms the hard work and maturity of Montfort’s NCDCC.

"Many thanks to the Principal, Vice Principals, Teachers, Parents and other UG Groups who have helped brought NCDCC thus far" - Contributed by Kevin Pang C.K .

Sunday, February 22, 2009

RESULTS OF NPCC UNIT OVERALL PROFICIENCY AWARD 2008

Montfort NPCC unit was awarded GOLD for our efforts in 2008.

A warm congratulation to all our dedicated and committed Teacher Officers, Honoury Officer, Cadet Inspectors, Cadets (Sec 1 to 5), ex-cadets and not forgetting our parents for making this possible.

" Thanks everyone in supporting NPCC activities to make it a success - E.g. teachers for allowing cadets to attend HQ courses/events in the afternons and making sacrifices to shift the some of the cadets'enrichment programme to another date, etc. " - speech by Vincent Loh (DM)

" Congratulations to all the NPCC teacher officers too! I've observed your NPCC trainings countless times, and have always thought that NCDCC have so much we can (and have tried to) learn from you. A well deserved Gold. :) " - speech by Kevin (Teacher)

Thank you all for your wonderful work.

- Contributed by Mr. Vincent Loh.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Snippet from Xavier College run by Brothers of St Gabriels in Fiji

EDUCATION - Prefects embody the best in student qualities
17-Feb-2009
http://fijidailypost.com/feature.php?date=20090217&index=736

Address by FILIPE BOLE Interim Minister for Education at the Prefects’ Investiture Ceremony, Xavier College, at 11.00am on Friday, February 13, 2009.


I am deeply honoured to be joining you all on this special day, to commission a number of very special students, who will, no doubt, be expected to uphold the ideals of this exemplary institution.

And firstly, may i heartily congratulate the prefects and their families for the appointments that will be officially conferred on you today.

I understand that the nomination and selection process here is quite rigorous, and you all should be justifiably proud of your appointment.

Your nomination as prefects of Xavier College, is a milestone achievement, and i have no doubts at all that your parents and your families are immensely proud of you today.

Furthermore, I am sure that the whole Xavier community is thoroughly delighted and take much pride and absolute enjoyment, in seeing you rise to leadership positions in this great school.

The great leader:

Ladies and gentlemen, more than 2,600 years ago, the famous Chinese sage, Lao Tzo, wrote what is known as the Tao Te Ching, a classic piece of literature that outlined leadership qualities and integrity.

Leadership, according to the ancient sage involved humility, generosity, empathy, and even a dash of spontaneity. In over two thousand years since then, many would argue that very little has changed.

And today, I wish to remind the 2009 prefects of Xavier College, that the best way to approach your leadership role is by being humble, generous, being full of empathy, and by being spontaneous when the need arises.

The term “prefect’ is derived from the Latin word “praefectus”, which literally means “put in front” or “put in charge”.

And for the popular roman army, the prefects were the front line troops.

For those of you who have been selected as prefects, it would be remiss of me not to remind you that immediately after your investiture, you will begin with a new set of challenges, and from here on, you are expected to form the front line, in all matters related to this school.

While times have changed, entering the realm of student leadership remains both a challenge and an honour.

Prefects are expected to embody the best in student qualities, that the school has to offer. You will, no doubt play a major role in building up this school as it aspires to better academic greatness.

You will, as of today play a major role in strengthening the unique characteristics of Xavier College, as it asserts its values and priorities. For many of the prefects, this will be your first exposure to leadership.

It will likely be the first in a lifelong journey of leadership – something Xavier College students are known for – a tradition, i hope all of you will carry on in humility in line with the charisma of this institution.

Over the years, the concept of leadership has gained a lot of attention for academic and practical analysis. Models such as “transformational leadership”, “servant-leadership”, “authentic leadership”, to name a few, have been vigorously debated upon.

The leader-subordinate relationship:

But ironically, there seems to be very little on the role of subordinates. After all, without the subordinates, the leaders will have no one to lead.

And in a school such as Xavier College, where the population is slightly over 700 students - and the student body made up of 18 prefects - on average, each prefect is expected to be in charge of about 40 subordinates.

I definitely do not envy you for your job!

Ladies and gentlemen, while we can argue about what makes a good leader, it is perhaps just as important to know what makes a good subordinate, and what ingredients make an effective leader-subordinate relationship, eventually develop into greatness.

I am of the opinion that the key lies in a reciprocal-exchange relationship. Over the course of the year, both sides will need to develop a healthy leader-subordinate relationship.

And the foundation of this relationship, I am deeply convinced lies in higher levels of trust. In all human relationships, trust is extremely important, and as many of us are aware, a very important variable in developing trust are our individual personality traits.

Be reminded that despite our different personalities, in order for a leader-subordinate, or prefect-student relationship to flourish, our differing personalities must be nurtured to snap into place, like a well-constructed jigsaw.

Having said that, I am convinced that this college, has very successfully achieved such a relationship amongst its stakeholders. The successes of Xavier College, speak volumes of the commitment and dedication of those who have been part of this school over the years.

The Columban Fathers who established the school in 1953 prepared a firm and credible foundation, I am sure. The Montfort Brothers of St Gabriel, who took over the reins in 1988, have taken the school to such great heights.

Scoring 100 per cent pass, over the last 20 years for FJC, and 100 per cent pass in FSLC for the fifth consecutive year, is no mean feat.

I am told the school has also managed to score a 100 per cent pass for four years in a row for Form Seven. You certainly deserve to celebrate your achievements.

But before we begin that celebration, it is only fitting that I conclude with a final word of advice to the special people in whose honour we are all gathered here.

To the 2009 prefects of Xavier College, as you begin your first day as commissioned leaders, the demands placed on you will require you to think in an open and collaborative way. My advice to you is to always work to make a difference - each day -
having no regrets.

Secondly – learn to embrace change.

I am told that the school’s theme for the year is “change for the better”. Indeed, I would think that the position of prefect provides a marvellous opportunity to change many things and many students for the better. In consultation with your teachers, you must learn to embrace change, to shape it, to create new changes constantly.

Thirdly, I strongly recommend that you to take the Hippocratic Oath of doing no harm to anyone. I encourage you to do more than that, of course.

But if that’s all everyone did everyday – just getting the base right – what a great world this would be!

On a specific and practical level, one activity that most prefects spend a lot of their time doing is talking. They give out instructions, they reiterate the school rules, they remind students of good behaviour, and they stand in for the teachers, when teachers are
not around.

And for this reason, school prefects need to understand that they will have to be very careful with what they say. The inspirational Mother Theresa once said “kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” Wonderful words of wisdom!

And finally, I urge you all to keep your senses. Keep your sense of balance. Today you have an additional role to play.

In this life, the roles we play are certain to conflict at times.

You are subordinate to your teachers, you are leaders to your colleagues, you are a student of the school, a son or a daughter at home. Harness the skills to strike the proper balance.

Secondly, keep your sense of identity. Your sense of getting to know the inner “you”.

While there are times when you must let go to grow, you must never let go of who you
really are, where you came from, and what you believe in. This is so vitally important.

Keep your feet firmly rooted to the ground, and never ever let the additional power that comes with the position, detract you from the core values and virtues that make you a good person.

Your selection as prefect is proof of your existing good qualities. Remain humble, be vigilant and most importantly just be yourself.

Finally, by all means, keep your sense of humour.

A successful leader, once said that “in the whole scheme of things, humour is our only tie breaker. It is our ultimate sanity check. It is the only thing separating us from other mammals roaming the earth”.

I couldn’t agree more. So hold on tightly to your sense of humour. I applaud you for your decision to serve this school and the community.

And I know you are fully prepared. Indeed, I applaud your courage, and i share your optimism.

Finally, to Brother George and the whole Xavier community, thank you for having me here, and I wish the school, the very best that this year has to offer.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Badminton Fixture updates

On request from Alumni members and students, these are the fixtures for the North Zone and National Badminton Finals. Montfort is currently playing in the Zone championships:

1. North Zone Championships

a. C Boys finals - 23 Feb 2009, 1430 hrs@Montfort Secondary School Indoor Sports Hall

b. B Boys finals - 25 Feb 2009, 1430 hrs@Montfort Secondary School Indoor Sports Hall

2. National Championships

a. Individual Championships - 24 Mar 2009, 1300 hrs@Jurong East Sports Hall

b. Team Championships for B and C divisions - 21 April, 2009@Jurong East Sports hall