the 'O'rdeal is over! - Singapore Polytechnic

The 'O's are finally over!*phew* Have youdecided which route totake yet?Get tips, advice and insiderexperience about poly and JC fromBig Bro Jerry and Big Sista Sha atPolyorjc.sg today!

EDITORIAL 01Contents1 Editorial2 Why SP?Students on why they chose SP4 Personality quizUnsure of which diploma to take inpoly? Take this quiz and you’ll find out8 Career 101THE Expert FUTURE advice on IS choosing YOURS! a career¥ Personality quiz: which course10 Scholars listsuits you?Meet our graduates and be inspired¥ Tips for a sound career plan¥ Why SP?14 RechargeThe hottest spots in SP revealed16 Let's go clubbingCheck out some of our CCAs18 The ApprenticeAwesome places our students wentto for their internships20 The world is yours!Some of the interesting overseas tripsthat our students have been to22 Uniquely SPSome reasons why SP is the first poly24 SP xperienceSee if you can spot yourself in ourround-up of this year’s events inphotos and win!Dear reader,It s that time of the year, where your future is laid out infront of you, and the choices you make could either makeor break you. O Levels is finally over and you suddenlyrealize that you have so much time on your hands that youdon t know what to do! Why not read SPotlight from coverto cover?Our reporters will give you insights on why SP is the choicepoly for 15,000 students. SP does not only prepare you tobe work-ready, its courses and vibrant campus life will alsoequip you to be world-ready and life-ready. Be sure to alsotake our zany personality quiz (pages 4 - 7) to see whichcourse best fits you!We ve also laid down some helpful tips on discovering yourcareer options (pages 8 - 9) which eventually will influenceyou to sign up for that diploma course of your choice.You ll want to get the inside scoop on our reporters favouritehangouts in SP (pages 14 - 15), perfect for chilling out withfriends and friends-to-be! Lastly, do read on to discover ourinternship benefits (pages 18 - 19) and overseas exchangeprogrammes (pages 20 - 21), exclusive to SP!Just remember guys, this is only the beginning of your life.There are many more adventures to come after your OLevels. Best of luck with your results and be sure to makefull use of these few months break!Sean FirozDiploma in Media and CommunicationAssumption English School alumnus

02 WORK-READYWhySP?Shamus LeeWe hitcampus andask studentswhy theychose SP.Christ Church Secondary alumnusSchool of Chemical & Life Sciences“I chose SP because its curriculum prepares me for furtherstudies and work. For example, inspired by the liberal artseducation model, SP is introducing the General Educationprogramme to impart general knowledge and developintellectual capacities. We will also learn to apply designthinking to create user-centric solutions – a skill useful atwork and in life.”Chua Han Tong DominicNorthbrooks Sec alumnusSchool of Electrical and Electronic Engineering“I chose SP as its engineering courses are the best andmost recognised among the polys. I like SP’s gym, stadiumand swimming pool.”Logesh KrishnanYishun Town alumnusSchool of Communication, Arts and Social Sciences“SP was my first choice as the Media &Communication course not only offers mediastudies but also business modules, which makesit a well rounded curriculum. Be prepared forpoly life. It is not all about textbooks. It isabout the experience, socialising and handsonlearning.”Charissa Gabriella ChandraTemasek Sec alumnusSP Design School“Choose a course which you know you’ll be interestedin. It helps if you have a rough idea of what you wantto do in the future.”

Ezbel TayMethodist Girls' School alumnusSP Business School“SP is accessible. We have an MRTstation right at our doorstep!Banking & Finance is a naturalchoice for me. My decision wasfurther reinforced after visitingSP during the Open House, whereI talked to lecturers about thecourse.”WORK-READY 03Sangeetha AsokanChua Chu Kang Sec alumnusSchool of Chemical and Life Sciences“I didn’t just listen to what others had tosay about the courses and schools. I didmy reflection and evaluated my strengthsand interests instead of following blindly.Initially, I faced some difficulties adjustingto poly life but I soon got used to it.”Wee KellynSerangoon Sec alumnusSchool of Digital Media and Infocomm Technology“In poly, you have to be very independent andforce yourself to work hard as you will not bespoon-fed.”Amanda YeoSiglap Sec alumnusSchool of Architecture and the Built Environment“When you choose a course, make sure youhave the interest to sustain you for threeyears.”Oo Jian Xing PattersonBoon Lay Sec alumnusSingapore Maritime Academy“Here’s my 3-D motto: Dare, Dream,Deliver. I know what I want and I wantto excel in them. SP is the only polythat offers Nautical Studies, a fieldwhich I’m passionate about. Also,prepare for the unexpected in poly!”Sim Fawwaz Sim HashimPunggol Sec alumnusSchool of Mechanical and AeronauticalEngineering“I chose SP as it has a goodreputation and also because it’s thefirst poly in Singapore. “

04 WORK-READYStill unsure which route totake in poly? Take this quirkyquiz which may help pointyou in the right direction…Your school bag is aa) Tote.b) Sling bag (that droops all the way to your butt).c) Bag with a laptop compartment.d) Waterproof bag.e) Backpack splashed with colours.f) Simple haversack. Nothing fancy.g) Crumpler.h) Sturdy haversack.When you’re bored on the MRT,a) You begin to sketch the fella who s digging his nose.b) Admire the greenery and landscape outside.c) You do some wish-list budgeting.d) You wish you were travelling in a speed boat instead.e) Blog.f) You think of ways to improve your image: trying out a new facial wash, perfumeg) You curse yourself for forgetting your guitar.h) You think of ways to make the MRT move even faster.Your fashion sense isa) Quirky. You dare to wear leopard prints with lime green.b) Loose-fitting clothes so you can move around with ease.c) Mostly smart casual — you like to be presentable.d) Can I continue wearing school uniforms in poly?e) You re ahead of the trend. Whatever apparel that appears on magazine coversappears on you.f) Mostly white.g) Anything that looks good without over-dressing.h) Functional. Who needs bags when your pants has sufficient pockets?

WORK-READY 05Which characteristics best describe you?a) Bold and fun, creative and imaginative.b) Logical, orderly, artistic and aware of your surroundings.c) Enterprising, opportunistic and risk-taking.d) Rugged: You love the sea. Punctual. And you love coordinating work.e) Spontaneous, social chatty, entertaining story teller.f) Experimental, observant, persistent, determined.g) IT savvy, creative, internet addict, techie and loves working with computers.h) Innovative, resourceful, analytical, meticulous and systematic.In school, you enjoya) Art and PE but definitely not Science!b) Physics and maybe Geography.c) Principles of Accounts and English.d) Geography and maybe Science.e) Language, Literature and your Drama and Dance CCA.f) Chemistry, Biology, Food and Nutrition.g) Computer related subjects and your Media Club CCA.h) Maths and Design and Technology.You would enjoy watchinga) CGI films with loads of effects. And Project Runway.b) No preference, except that you hate apocalyptic films (you can t stand seeing buildingscrumble).c) The Apprentice.d) Pirates of the Caribbean and Masters of the Sea. Okay, maybe not the latter.e) From top-rate movies and drama serials to reality programmes and documentary.f) Discovery Channel.g) The Matrix. And you hope it s real.h) Artificial Intelligence, Terminator, I, Robot.Friends often say this to youa) You ll die in a 9-to-5 job.b) Can you stop playing your stupid rubix cube please?c) When you are a rich boss, don t forget us, hor!d) So you re joining the Navy ah?e) How do you spell this word?f) Can you teach me Science?g) Help! My computer s infected with a virus!h) Can you not complicate things? This is just a simple gadget.You think Singapore can do with morea) Venues (like Youth Park) for youngsters to express their art.b) Aesthetically pleasing buildings —but don t forget the greenery.c) Entrepreneurs. There s a market for everything!d) Water sports facilities.e) Grammatically correct posters, please!f) Young scientists.g) Free wi-fi hotspots.h) Recycle bins, solar panels, wind turbines — let s save the environment!

08 WORK-READYWorried aboutyour futurecareer plans?Let our expert advise youon how you can startexploring your options.Career101What career path will best suit your capabilities andinterests? How should you go about choosing yourpoly course to suit your future career plan? Decisions,decisions and more decisions!We can totally understand your situation. After all,choosing a poly course is a huge step which mayultimately affect the kind of job you’d end up enjoying,or suffering from. We spoke to Mr Lee Ee Tat,SP’s Student Counsellor, for his opinions.

WORK-READY 09Try For Size?Nobody said that choosing your career would be assimple as trying on a pair of sneakers, but Mr Lee offerssome websites where you can start your research:www.ecareers.sgThis website has tools that allow you to profile your careerorientation, listing occupations that match vocationalabilities, interests and work values.http://app.careercompass.gov.sg/front/home.aspxThis website provides loads of useful information onthe job market in Singapore, job attachments and alsolinks up to various job search sites. There are also careerassessment tools that you can use.Main CourseAfter deciding on your career choice, the nextstep is to choose your course wisely. Here aretips on how to get started:1. Consider the match between careerorientation and the course of your choice.2. Research the course syllabus.3. Take note of the course Cut-Off-Points.4. Consider if the learning environment issuitable for you.If you are worried that your aggregate does notallow you to enrol in your course of choice, thenyou may want to explore other relevant coursesand polys.The F Word… Flexibility!If you have no clue on what job to take on in future, don t worry.There s still time. There is greater flexibility nowadays for diplomagraduates entering the job market. Many are doing jobs that theylike but unrelated to their course of study, continues Mr Lee.He adds, The broad-base or multi-disciplinary poly education systemwe have today prepares our students with skills to work in a widevariety of industries and handle different kinds of jobs.Visiting the various poly Open Houses may alsobe useful, so that you can ask the lecturersrelevant questions in case you’re still unsure.What You Should ConsiderIt s not just about attending all of your lectures religiously. Planning for your futureshould start from the day you are enrolled.You should bear in mind:¥ For those who want to enter university , work towards building a personalportfolio, with a GPA score of 3.4 or higher each semester.¥ Obtaining good grades for your industrial attachment will increase your chancesof landing a good job.¥ For those aiming towards a prestigious university or scholarship, do work onacquiring critical soft skills, which include presentation and communicationskills. And of course, you should also excel in both your studies and CCA.¥ For SP students, consult the guidance of your personal tutor.¥ Approach the student counsellors at poly, or read university brochures andcollege reference guides.So whatever route you choose, remember to take the time to plan it well, andproceed with passion, happiness and success. The future is yours, so good luck!

10 LIFE-READYScholarsOurSP graduates are making waves all across Singapore – and for allthe right reasons. We get behind the scene and track theirachievements, as well as take a peek at their ambitions. Be warned,you will be wildly inspired!Desmond ThiamWho: Doctor “All Rounder” aka DesmondThiamHis SP Choice: Diploma in Biomedical ScienceHis Claim to Fame: At the Ministry of EducationSpecial Award Ceremony, our illustrious grad wasthe only poly student to win the inaugural Lee HsienLoong Award for Outstanding All-Round Achievement.If that s not impressive enough, he also managed tobag the Lee Kuan Yew award at his graduation ceremonyand got a much coveted spot in NUS Yong Loo Lin Schoolof Medicine.Who: Public Service Star aka Joy TanHer SP Choice: Diploma in Business AdministrationHer Claim to Fame: This all-rounded student wasawarded the prestigious PSC Scholarship.Joy TanBookworm, you say? Well, you may want to think twicebefore associating Joy with that term. On top of beinga Changi Youth Ambassador (for visitors in the transitlounge of Changi Airport), this energizer bunny also hadno qualms about going all out and participating in activitiessuch as the APEC Voices of the Future as well as the 13thMalaysia-Singapore Youth Camp by the National YouthCouncil.The PSC Singapore Government Scholarship (Open) givesher the flexibility of keeping her career options open,which is perfect since she has yet to decide on her desiredrole in public service.

LIFE-READY 11Who: High Flyer aka KingsleyBoey Qi YiHis SP Choice: Diploma in BusinessInformation TechnologyHis Claim to Fame: Now, here s one pilotthat you d want steering your plane! Aftertopping his course and receiving a gold medalin 2007, Kingsley went on to graduate withflying colours and land the Singapore ArmedForces Merit Scholarship.Today, he is a pilot at the Republic of SingaporeAir Force, and will pursue his Computer Sciencestudies at University College London.Kingsley BoeyWho: High Achiever aka Perminder KaurRandhawaHer SP Choice: Diploma in Biomedical SciencePerminder Kaur RandhawaHer Claim to Fame: Since graduating from SP, Perminderhas received a number of accolades, including the LeeKuan Yew Gold Medal Award. She went into the historybooks as the first recipient of the prestigious NanyangPresident s Graduate Scholarship (NPGS) at NIE. The NPGSis a competitive scholarship scheme to encourageoutstanding graduates or final-year students to take theirfirst step towards a career in research by studying for adoctoral degree programme at NTU.

12 LIFE-READYHong Pei XiangYee Zheng KangWho: Defenders of Our Nation akaBoon Le Tang, Yee Zheng Kang,Lee Wei Jian and Hong Pei XiangTheir SP Choices: Diploma in Electrical andElectronic Engineering, Diploma in AerospaceElectronics, Diploma in Aeronautical Engineering.Lee Wei JianTheir Claim to Fame: Stuttering geeks these are not, as our DefenceScience and Technology Agency scholars were assessed based on boththeir academic, as well as co-curricular achievements. They even had topass a series of interviews.Who: The IT Whizzes akaAndre Ng, Jai Kishan, TaiKhang Wei, and Gary AngTheir SP Choices: Diploma inInfocomm Security Management,Diploma in Business InformationTechnology, Diploma inInformation Technology.Their Claim to Fame: We reliving in the age of InformationTechnology, and these recipientsof the National Infocommscholarships are just the onesto help us deal with it!With these very lucrativescholarships, our keyboard totingscholars will be able to further their studies, as wellas work with leading infocomm companies.Andre Ng, Jai Kishan, Tai Khang Wei, and Gary AngIndeed, both Andre and Khang Wei are undergoing the SMU-CMU Fast Track Master s Programme,and Khang Wei will be joining Barclays Capital after completing his studies. The driven youngman has already set his sights on the project manager seat. Talk about well-motivated!

Who: Mr Engineer aka Ng Wei Han Timothy JeffersonLIFE-READY 13His SP Choice: Diploma in Aeronautical EngineeringHis Claim to Fame: An aircraft enthusiast ever since he could remember,the young Timothy used to go to Changi Beach with his father justto watch the planes take off. Naturally, he was more thanpleased to be accepted into the CN Yang Scholar sProgramme at the NTU!Designed for exceptional science and engineeringstudents, the programme is specially tailored toallow students to pursue independent research underexpert supervision.That s definitely something he is looking forward to,with big plans in life. Says Timothy, I want to pursuea career in research, particularly in the fields of defence,as I feel it is both meaningful and exciting, being ableto work with the latest weapons and technologies,Ng Wei Han Timothy Jefferson withSP Principal, Tan Hang CheongWho: Mr “Ravin’ Over Robotics” aka Kuriakin ZengHis SP Choice: Diploma in Electronics, Computer and CommunicationEngineeringHis Claim to Fame: This never say die scholar took two tries to getinto SP. The Indonesian born Kuriakin was — get this, the first studentin the history of SP to score distinctions for all his modules!Not impressed yet? Well, our ambitious young man s final-year projectclinched the Best ARICC (Advanced Robotics and Intelligent ControlCentre) Project and Didactic Enterprise Award.On top of that, he was also part of the SP team at RoboCup 2008.In case you didn t know, this event has been billed as the Olympicsof the robotics world.Kuriakin ZengAmongst Kuriakin s titles are Student Leader and Advisor ofOverseas Community Service Projects in the Philippines, Chairmanof the Mangrove Planting Club, student mentor in SP, and studentleader for the International Student Welfare Unit. (Whew!)As for what s next, Kuriakin is now on a full scholarship pursuing a degree inliberal arts in the prestigious Harvard University in America.Says the bright young man who took part-time jobs to pay off his student loan,I come from a place where there are not a lot of opportunities. When I camehere and saw all the things I could do, I didn t waste any time.

14 LIFE-READYRechaaaaIn SP, we believe in restingand relaxing, just so we canrecharge and go the extramile. Here are some placeswe love hanging out at.Foodcourt 5We especially love thisfoodcourt to bits because it sso cool - it s air conditionedand boasts of chic, funkyinterior design. Oh, and didwe mention this is a foodiehaven with outlets like KFC,Subway and Starbucks?Skate Park andDrifters CourtThe skate park anddrifters court is a firstfor SP - and anylearning institution forthat matter. Situatedright in front of theMcDonald s outlet atT16 and in the openview of the passingMRT trains, the skatepark and drifters courtare set to up SP scoolness rating. Wesimply love it!MoberlyThis colonial building is a one-stoprecreational facility. It has a cafe, jammingand karaoke rooms, dance studio, computergaming room, Wii stations, pool tables,massage chairs and a huge TV screen andcomfy sofas. No wonder Moberly is virtuallypacked at all times of the day! You can alsotune in to SP’s campus radio, SPACE Radiohere.

aaaaarge!LIFE-READY 15Colours@SPMissed your favourite movie on the bigscreen? Well, here s where you canborrow the latest movies to watch withyour buds! There s also a games roomwhere you can play board games to fillup your time in between classes. Ifyou re thirsty, hop over to the HotShotCafe for hot chocolate or ice-blendeddrinks at affordable prices.Hilltop HavenIf you need air-con, comfy chairs and a hugespace for homework, project discussions orto simply chill out with your friends, HilltopHaven is where you should go. What s morethe Polar High Street Cafe is there too, incase you get hungry or thirsty.Swimming poolTake a plunge into one of the cleanest swimming pools inSingapore! The pool uses non-chlorinated water, so you won treek of chlorine after a cool workout. And what better wayto rest and relax than spending a day in the sun and water?McCafe @ T16We love the location as it s just a stone s throwaway from the MRT. Perfect spot to grab-and-goyour meals before and after lessons. Once theskate park is up and running, it ll be a perfect spotto people watch too.

16 LIFE-READYLet’s goDee JaysAs the lives of any party, thefunky SP Dee Jays are justthe ones to get the crowdhyped at SP events. They vealso spun at places like CafeDel Mar, Zouk and recently,Silk Club.With about 140 student clubs and sportsteams in SP, you’re totally spoilt for choice.Check out what some of these “fun hubs” haveto offer!Dancesport ClubTake the dance floor by stormwith Dancesports, acompetitive club specialisingin Latin ballroom dance. Ontop of performing for bothpublic and school eventsregularly, the club alsoparticipates in other local andoverseas competitions.Food Connoisseur ClubFood, glorious food! These foodfanatics scour Singapore in searchof yummy eats to review, be it localdelights like Hokkien Mee andchicken rice, or intercontinentaltreats such as Ayam Penyet andGyoza. The club also holds foodand cooking workshops, alongwith tea appreciation events. Areyou drooling yet?Archery ClubFriendship? Funcompetition? Bulls eye!Challenge your staminaand strength, as well asde-stress with thisaccuracy driven sport.Wakeboarding ClubDon t underestimate this smallbut well-bonded club, whichmakes waves through theirregular training and clubevents. Recently, membersclinched two medals from theInter-Varsity Polytechniccompetition.

LIFE-READY 17clubbing!Wing ChunThe working principle of WingChun is attack and defenceat the same time, using theshortest time to knock downopponents. Wing Chun clubmembers were invited to doa demo at the The legend isborn- Ip man movie gala,thrilling the crowd with theirsimple yet slick moves.Ultimate FrisbeeUltimate Frisbee is anintense sport whereyou’ll see people literallyflying to save a disc fromone scoring zone toanother.Make-up Artiste ClubDiscover the flattering artof makeup in this club.They ve done make-up forfashion runaways andtheatre productions, andgiven that winning touchupto celebrities such asSingapore Idol contestants.Cheerleading ClubThese spunky cheerleaders haveperformed at various platformslike the Freshmen OrientationParty, SP Open House, and alsoNDP 2008. This year, Gustoemerged 2 nd˚runner up for Senior shigh division at Singapore s1 st˚National CheerleadingChampionship.

18 WORLD-READYKen Chin andKiat KengKen: “Besides learning newtechnologies and working withresearchers, I was alsoimmersed in German culture.It was a great life experience.”Going Places:Technische Universitat Munchen (TUM), GermanyDoing Big Things:These two lucky Diploma in Electrical and ElectronicEngineering dudes spent a month in Germany on industrialattachment.There, they worked with PhD students and senior scientistsin the labs and learnt to operate sophisticated equipment,whilst gaining valuable experience.Ken and Kiat Keng managed to travel to neighbouring Austriato take in the sights and sounds during their free time.TheApprenticeNo, it s not about getting fired, Donald Trump-style. Let shear it from SP students who share how they ve enjoyedand gained from their internships.Vicki LauGoing Places:University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles, USADoing Big Things:Vicki Lau was among nine SP students selectedfor the prestigious attachment programme inCalifornia, USA, under the NUS-MDA SingaporeHollywood Attachment Programme. As the firstbatch of poly students selected for this programme,they interned at the renowned UCLAs School ofTheater, Film and Television where they receivedtraining in pre-production and post-productionvisualisation. They worked with a team ofprofessionals creating non-linear, location-basedcontent for mobile devices.Vicki: “My internship was like living a bigHollywood production! Everything beganfrom mere pen and paper planning to theactual execution on scouted location setsand finally, the finishing touches done inpost-production. Most importantly, I learnthow to diversify and broaden the capabilitiesof my skill to suit the requirements of eachof the three different productions shot forthis mobile project.”

WORLD-READY 19Going Places: OCBC Bank, Shanghai, ChinaDoing Big Things: This former Banking and Finance studentgot a taste of the exciting rat race during his six-weekoverseas internship at Overseas Chinese BankingCorporation (OCBC) in Shanghai, China.Tan Jun HaoJun Hao was attached to the operations departmentat OCBC where he assisted in testing out new bankingprojects before they were introduced to the market.For someone aspiring to join the banking industry afteruniversity, it was obviously the perfect opportunity!Jun Hao: “Over the weekends, we took short get-aways to places likeSuzhou, Wuxi, Nanjing, Hangzhou or other parts of Shanghai. Navigationis easy. All you need is a map, some cash and a bottle of courage.After a few weeks, we were so map-savvy that the locals startedasking us for directions!”Going Places: Harvard Medical School, Harvard University,Massachusetts, USADoing Big Things: These Diploma in Biomedical Science students didresearch in stem cell technology at Harvard Medical School. Theyacquired valuable lab skills working with experienced post-doctoralstudents. It was also in this environment they learnt that goodscience aimed at increasing knowledge or for the betterment ofmankind is always welcome. The students impressed their supervisorsso much that Harvard has requested for more SP students for theirinternship programme. Coincidentally, this Harvard stint has openedthe doors for other School of Chemical and Life Sciences studentsto do their internships at Yale and Imperial College.Jaslyn Ng andDaniel PohJaslyn: “I really enjoyed the friendliness of the people in theStates. Everyone is really friendly and it made me feel sowelcome. Furthermore, I wasn’t treated like an intern at thelaboratory, but as a fellow colleague instead.”

20 WORLD-READYTheWorldis Yours!Your passport to an exciting world of experiences is right hereat SP. Take a peek at the various overseas trips and communityservice programmes that our students have enjoyed.Leadership Training Camp at Telunas Beach, IndonesiaA jungle expedition, sleeping in hammocks and jumping fromthe jetty together. Need we say more?The Singapore Polytechnic Outstanding Talent (SPOT) studentshad to undergo this foundational leadership programme toimprove their leadership and communication skills. Cheers aboundas they helped each other through the various obstacles. (Think:Climbing rocky slopes and cliffs)At the end of the big adventure, our SPOT students learnt to betrue leaders and supporters, something not taught in textbooks.Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) programme atTelok Mata Ikan, Batam, IndonesiaThis 10-day learning experience saw the studentsworking towards improving a coastal village s standardof living.SIFE is a global non-profit organisation that enablesyouths to create a more sustainable world throughbusiness programmes. Our students began the MataIkan 360 project which allowed them to apply designthinking concepts to solve the village’s economic andenvironmental problems.The solution? Working hard at building fish cages toallow the villagers to rear and sell fishes, as well asportable water filters. It sure was no mean feat!

WORLD-READY 21Youth Expedition “Project Hy Vong” in Ho Chi MinhCity, VietnamSP students became English teachers to Vietnamese studentsandhad a blast!With the noble aim of teaching English to more than 100Vietnamese primary school kids, our students did it the funway. By fun, we mean workshops filled with games, songsand role-playing activities to help the kids speak Englishconfidently.At the end of the project, the eager children were able toperform in the English for Everyone Festival by Mercy Relief,whilst the students felt a great sense of fulfilment.The Gift of Sight 2010 Community Service Projectin Luang Prabang, LaosYou just can t go wrong with providing eye screeningservices and spectacles for more than 3,800 locals!This project was brought to life by SP’s Diploma inOptometry students, who saw how their donation (ofover 4000 pairs of recycled spectacles) made a differenceto the lives of others.These students were treated to an appreciation dinnerand cultural performances by the Laotians. They evengot to meet and interact with Singapore s Ambassadorto Laos, Mr Benjamin Jeyaraj William.Overseas Study Trip to Oshima, JapanEight Singapore Maritime Academy students and their lecturer,Capt K Nirmal Raj, flew to the Oshima Nautical College ofMaritime Technology in Japan, and bunked in Oshima Maru,an actual training vessel, throughout this amazing adventure.Our students had the privilege of getting familiarised withvarious state-of—the- art Japanese machinery and the latestsimulation systems.To fully immerse themselves in the whole experience, ourstudents even went on excursions to a shipyard, a shrine andHiroshima s war museum. All in all, it was a sea-riffic experience!Get an insider s peek into the entire trip from the studentsblog: www.sma-oshima.blogspot.com (Make sure you watchtheir quirky video!)

22 WORK-READYUniquelySPNineSchool of Architecture and the BuiltEnvironmentDid you know… SP is the first poly to:¥ set up the Civil Defence Lionhearters Club, the firstclub of its kind in a tertiary institution with SingaporeCivil Defence Force.¥ jointly build the tremorlator with the Singapore CivilDefence Force, to stimulate an earthquake scenario.amazing academic schools, a dedicatedbunch of experienced lecturers andpassionate students to boot. Here are someof the firsts that SP is famed for.SP Business SchoolDid you know...SP is the first poly to:¥ offer a professional Diploma in Accountancy, internshipto Disneyworld USA and a dealing room as part of theschool s facilities for students to train.¥ launch an entrepreneurship programme where studentscan invest their own money, run and operate theirown business.School of Chemical and LifeSciencesDid you know… SP is the first poly to:¥ offer the Diploma in Optometry. SP s Optometry Centreis open to the public for optometry services, allowingstudents to gain relevant experience to examinepatients, diagnose and manage common eye problems.¥ create Romancing Singapore. The perfume and otherstudent creations from this school (such as LemonsiDelight and Pokka Elderflower Tea) are commerciallyavailable.

WORK-READY 23School of Communication, Artsand Social SciencesDid you know… SP is the first poly to:¥ introduce the Diploma in Applied Drama andPsychology, a first in Asia, and the Diploma inCreative Writing for TV and New Media.¥ produce the weekly oktoLIVE! TV programme onokto channel, which was so well received that ourMedia and Communication students went on toproduce the show s second season.School of Digital Media andInfocomm TechnologyDid you know… SP is the first poly to:¥ offer the Diploma in Music and Audio Technology¥ sign an agreement with Microsoft to offer aConsole Game Development module usingMicrosoft s XNA Game Studio to develop gamesfor Xbox 360.¥ have interns accepted under the NUS-MDASHAPE programme.School of Mechanical andAeronautical EngineeringDid you know… SP is the first poly to:¥ offer the Diploma in Aeronautical Engineering.School of Electrical and ElectronicEngineeringDid you know…?¥ Diploma in Electronics, Computer &Communication graduate, Kuriakin Zeng is thefirst SP student to score distinctions in all hismodules. He is also the first SP grad to beaccepted into Harvard College, part of HarvardUniversity s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, undera full scholarship.Singapore Maritime AcademyDid you know… SP is the first poly to:¥ offer maritime studies in Singapore.SP Design SchoolDid you know…?¥ Two Diploma in Creative Media Design (now knownas Visual Communication and Media Design)students Lim Shi en Chessa and Lio Shilei won 3rdplace in the Digital Media Category in MicrosoftImagine Cup 2010, held in Warsaw, Poland thisyear. This is the second time they re representingSingapore at this prestigious event. They won the2nd prize at Microsoft Imagine Cup 2009 in Cairo,Egypt last year.

24 SPSPXPERIENCEXperienceSP welcome throngs of visiting secondary school students everyyear, and we won’t be surprised if you are one of them! If you canspot yourself in one of these photos, write to fullstop@sp.edu.sgwith SPotlight 2010 as your subject. Include your full name, NRICand a photo of yourself in the email to win movie tickets!Escapade 2010Fresh from their O Level exams, hundreds of studentsgathered in SP for the experience of their lives! Groupedinto monster families, the students went on an overnightadventure and participated in a variety of activities to getto know SP better. They were treated to an awesomedisplay of acts by SP students and even got on a hippo busride! Although tired from the midnight gig madness, thestudents used what was left of their energy to rock outduring the sunrise surprise. The students left for home thenext morning filled with a bagful of memories and an armyof new friends.

SP XPERIENCE 25Global Citizen ChallengeStudents dived into different culturesand traditions by engaging ininteractive games and winningattractive prizes. Games such as Areyou global enough taughtparticipants something not found intextbooks. The challenge also createdawareness about environmental issues,as well as the need to build asustainable future.E-Lantern Design CompetitionFormed in 2005 with the aim of arousing the engineeringinterests in secondary school students, this uniquely SPcompetition merges the aesthetic aspects of design withengineering.Utilising LED lights that can be found in day-to-dayobjects such as traffic lights and Christmas trees, studentswere tasked to design and build their dream lanternsover a month using basic circuitry. Their entries werejudged based on creativity, innovation, aesthetics, formand the materials used.With 32 entries from 14 secondary schools, the winnerswere a group of nature loving students who designedtheir dream forest, coined the Forest Whisper.

26 SP XPERIENCENational Junior Solar SprintSmall solar cars were creativelydesigned and assembled bysecondary school students.Participants cleverly used theprinciples of mathematics andscience in this fun, hands-oneducational activity.National Software CompetitionNow into its 26th year, the National SoftwareCompetition is an annual premier IT competitionorganised for secondary and JC students inSingapore. The competition seeks to uncoverthe next top infocomm talent in Singapore.

SP XPERIENCE 27Toy Design CompetitionThis competition saw students design educationaltoys using sustainable materials suitable forchildren aged between 5 and 8. By working inteams, they learnt to strengthen their problemsolving, drawing and presentation, timemanagement and social skills.YES Reloaded 2010The one-day programme was speciallydesigned to provoke creative thinking,an enterprising spirit and socialconsciousness. Participants learnt aboutentrepreneurship and the impact ofbusiness on society in a fun, interactiveand inspiring manner.

SPotlightReadershipSurveyLike our magazine?Are our articles helpful to you?We want to hear your views!Log on www.fullstop.sp.edu.sg/spotlightsurveyTake part in the survey by31 December 2010 andstand a chance to win movie tickets!

Play the mosthappenin’ game of2011 and stand to wina coveted iPad!Check out what thegame is all about atThe SP XperienceFacebook page now!(www.facebook.com/TheSPXperience)

Dancing is my life. I am as passionateabout dancing as I am in my studies.They move in tune to the rhythm of themusic and the pace of my studies. I cansee my interest in dancing being pursuedin the near future.I have taken part in competitions bothsolo and group categories, baggingprizes along the way. Being in thespotlight makes me feel purposeful andI feel the strong need to continue doingwhat I love.