Getting Students Hooked on Innofishion

November 5, 2009

Innofishion is a place where students relax with a fish spa in an urban farm.

Imagine going up a spiral staircase in your school to discover at the top a secret garden. Pools bubble with fish, hamsters play in little mazes and inviting sofas in a shaded corner offer cosy views of a rooftop filled with greenery.

This inquisitiveness comes at a price. Just ask Jeremy Leong and Reuben Mark. For the past two years, the two Sec 3 students at Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School have returned to this retreat nearly every school day to water the plants, feed the fish and clean the hamster cages.

"I was curious," recalls Reuben. Drawn by the sight of plants growing on top of the building, he had ascended the stairs to find Mr Ten Leu Jaw, the school's full time counsellor. Mr Ten introduced Reuben to Innofishion, an outdoor classroom that is a also a quiet retreat from stress and, guess what, a fish spa! Needless to say, Reuben was hooked!

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Making a Stand for Animal Welfare

October 22, 2009

Entirely designed by the group members themselves, these comic cards were sold to raise funds for ACRES.

"People think that cats are a nuisance because they shed fur, leave bodily waste in public areas and can cause a noise disturbance. This is a very wrong impression of cats!" he fumes. "On the contrary, cats are clean animals and can be easily toilet-trained. These misconceptions breed intolerance for animals in public areas."

His schoolmate Coco Tay Xinjun, chips in, "It's unbearable for me to watch footage on the cable TV channel Animal Planet, of puppies covered with fleas and pets being abused to death on Miami Animal Police and Animal Cops Phoenix!"

With such strong convictions, Hongxin, Xinjun and two of their peers took to the streets to raise public awareness about animal welfare.

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Let’s Talk About Sex

December 5, 2007

A distinguished panel of experts offered advice at the COMPASS Convention 2007 on topics ranging from teenage sexuality to the risks of cybergaming.

Could a girl who has not yet had her first period get pregnant? Are two condoms better than one? Is it safe to play with a schoolmate who has HIV? These questions and more were posed to the audience at the COMPASS (COMmunity and PArents in Support of Schools) Convention 2007 on 3 November.

Raised during a presentation on “Love Them, Talk About Sex”, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) tackled the topic of teenage sexuality and parents who worry that telling the truth could open the way to youthful temptation.

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