Reflections on CHIJ 165th Anniversary by Students

Reflections on CHIJ 165th Anniversary

Ever seeking, ever serving. What does that mean to you? Well, that was the topic for the CHIJ 165th Anniversary Forum on Saturday, 9 March 2019. To us, it means to put others before ourselves, to empathize with others and to serve the disadvantaged among us. A CHIJ Kellock girl is a thoughtful learner, a servant leader and a person for others. She is one who anchors herself in the school values and reflects on her learning. The IJ girl can also be recognized by how she strives to live up to the school motto, “Simple in Virtue, Steadfast in Duty”.

At the forum, attended by students from the 11 CHIJ schools in Singapore, we heard from 5 speakers – Professor Lily Kong, Ms Janet Ang, Ms Lim Choi Ming, Ms Nicol Ng and Ms Rachel Goh, ex-CHIJ girls, who shared with us their journey as a student in the various IJ schools and how they carried the IJ spirit throughout their lives. 

We also had the opportunity to interact with Professor Lily Kong, a former student of CHIJ Kellock. Professor Kong is the President of the Singapore Management University and Lee Kong Chian Chair Professor of Social Sciences. Not only is she the first Singaporean to lead the university, she is also the first Singaporean woman to head a university in Singapore. When asked how she was able to balance her family and her work well, her reply was that to overcome the challenge, she simply included her family and invited them over to the university during events. She added that to be ever seeking, ever serving, we have to have an ever sacrificing attitude. 

The other speakers also shared how they had overcome obstacles they faced in their lives by being resilient, adaptable, industrious and inquisitive. Having a purpose and strong sense of integrity also helped them to persevere. 

The forum was an eye-opener for us and we were so inspired by the speakers. We have learnt that we can set goals for ourselves and prioritizing what is important – our family and our studies. If we persevere and do not give up, we can achieve our goals one day. We should also cherish the IJ spirit and time spent in Kellock. We should always remember to keep the IJ spirit burning.

Contributed by Amelia Davies (P5 Topaz) & Suchita Manikandan (P6 Cerise)