Building a Community Spirit among Youths
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Ms Leow (left) was in charge of giving out tattoos to participants at a Sengkang West National Day Carnival.
Getting young people excited about what's going on in the community - that's what that teacher Ms Leow Hwee Fen believes in, both in and out of school. As the Subject Head for Mathematics in Anderson Secondary School, she has adopted innovative teaching methods that get her students more interested in learning about mathematical concepts. And as an active member of the Youth Executive Committee (YEC) of Anchorvale Community Centre, she tries to draw young people into a closer bond with the community.
"Not only do I have fun being involved in events, it's also my way to give back to society," Ms Leow reflects. "It's been enriching for me too, as I pick up valuable lessons in organising and managing events." Her dedication to school and community was recently recognised when she received the Outstanding Youth in Education Award (OYEA) 2009.
Ms Leow's involvement in community activities began when she was a child, as a participant in such activities. Living across the road from Jalan Kayu South Community Centre, her whole family were regulars at activities such as the children's spot-art competitions, lantern festival celebrations, National Day parties and monthly jog-a-walk sessions. "The people working at the CC basically watched me grow up," she laughs.
Ms Leow (in the collared shirt) with her team of volunteers at last year's YEC recruitment drive.
When she saw how much her sister enjoyed her stint as a YEC member at that community centre, she decided to join the committee in 2001. When that centre closed in 2004, she and her YEC "migrated" to Anchorvale Community Centre.
No shortage of participants
Being a secondary school teacher gives Ms Leow the opportunity to understand the interests of young people and how the community centre can reach out to them. At the same time, she's well-equipped with practical information about busy periods in school - such as assessment or examination weeks - so that the YEC can time its events to minimise clashes and ensure high participation rates.
She also makes an effort to draw her secondary school students into these activities. "Whenever possible, I invite my students to help out in organising and implementing events," she says. "And I'm happy to see that many of them have continued to serve and contribute in these ways even after they graduated."
Ms Leow (right) briefing children at the Seng Kang West Sports Carnival 2005.
Nor are her efforts limited to her school, as she tries to drum up publicity outreach at other schools too. She notes, "In this way, we can better spread the message to create a more active community." Ms Leow adds that there has always been great support for her 3-on-3 basketball tournaments, street soccer competitions and endurance challenges, with the numbers growing each year. Many of the youths who meet during competitions have become fast friends who train together and even go on to represent the constituency in various competitions.
Strengthening bonds
Ms Leow believes her YEC should build stronger and closer relations with other YECs in the same Ang Mo Kio-Yio Chu Kang division. Last year, she volunteered her services to organise an "Amazing Race"-style event for them. "The response was very good as YEC members are youth volunteers who love to have fun. We also got to know each other better, so it's become easier for us to work on collaborative projects."
Ms Leow (extreme left) and other YEC members help spread the word about Olympic values at an Asian Youth Games Sports Festival 2009.
She was also a co-organiser for an event last year to strengthen bonds between the different generations in a family. The Cross Generation Virtual Bowling Competition required children to partner a parent and duke it out with other pairs using Nintendo Wii sets. The floor of the multi-purpose hall at Anchorvale CC was lined with carpets to simulate a real bowling alley, and there was a huge flat-screen TV monitor to capture the action.
Despite her teaching workload and responsibilities, Ms Leow is clearly full of energy and ideas for community-building. Whether it's getting her students enthused or reaching out in new ways to the people in her neighbourhood, she hopes to nurture camaraderie and foster authentic connections among people.