The Forum Theatre
Forum Theatre, an inter-active style theatre, was introduced by a team of staff to provide a caring psychosocial environment for pupils to express their dilemmas and find ways of managing these problems in a non-threatening yet interesting manner. This cross-disciplinary approach of integrating literature, language, drama, values education and pastoral care also provides opportunities for pupils to think on their feet, question assumptions and articulate an opinion before it is perfectly polished. This platform also provides the pupils, the spectator a place to discuss an issue / express a problem in a creative manner, allowing different points of view to emerge and to allow pupils to construct different meanings.
The process of each forum :
Actors present a short scene which focuses on a given problem. This problem is called "oppression". The "oppressed person" is called the "protagonist" and the person causing the problem is the "antagonist"
When the scene is replayed, the spectators can stop it at any time to suggest a new strategy for the "protagonist" to deal with the "antagonist" or the spectator could replace the actor and play the role herself. This means that she would now have the power to change the course and outcome of the scene.
Fistful of Colours : The Soulful Scribbles
The study of an award winning novel and dialogue with the local author, Suchen Christine Lim was expanded into an enterprising project as pupils were challenged to respond creatively and critically to the issues in the novel through writing their own poems and ballads. The product, a poem notebook was conceptualized, produced and marketed by the pupils themselves. The element of risk-taking was introduced as only half of the publication cost was borne by the school and the other half, invested by the pupils. With no certainty of profit or even breaking-even, the pupils's investment of their own pocket money in the publishing of the book is testimony of their commitment and belief in their product. In the spirit of service to the community, the pupils plan to share their profit with the Malay Community. The book was launched in 2003 and promoted at The Chinese High School and Borders.
Bottled Water - lifeSpriNGS
The school decided on this collaborative project with a parent to produce 60 000 bottles of water. Pupils were tasked to develop a brand name, label, and launch, market and sell the bottled water both within and beyond school. The pupils conducted a market research on the different brands of bottled water and a school-wide search for the brand name. Based on analysis of the findings, the pupils conceptualized and designed the label for the bottle during their Art lessons. Two days before the launch, the pupils formed teams to carry and store the first delivery of 30 000 bottles, and the zealously persuaded schoolmates to accept on "consignment" basis, bottles of water to sell during the Food & Fun Fair. The product lifeSpriNGS was launched on 15 Mar 2003 in conjunction with the school's 70th Anniversary Food & Fun Fair. Their passion, commitment, hard work saw them toiling in the hot sun to persuade the 10 000 strong crowd to buy the lifeSpriNGS. Pupils also put up a traveling exhibition in Kebun Baru Community Club during the National Day Observance Ceremony on related aspects to the theme "WATER" and shared what they had learnt with the community.
A Mustard Seed
Recipe Book - A Mustard Seed : Celebrating 70 years of Service
This innovative year book that captures the favourite recipes of the St Nicholas alumnae and stakeholders is yet another enterprising project. Seamlessly integrated into the Project Work Curriculum, pupils sourced for contributors, interviewed them and fine-tuned their recipes for publication. This saw the close collaboration and partnership between the school, alumnae and parents. Pupils were given an insight into the publishing and business world as they sat through design presentations, laboured over the quotations given by respective companies and finally decided on whom the "contract" should be awarded to. The teacher and class of pupils had to work with a very tight time-frame of only 8 months. This project also provided the teacher-in-charge, one with years of teaching experience a chance to step out of her comfort zone, as she had no prior experience in managing a project of this scale.
Snuffy's Carrot
DVD: Snuffy's Carrots & Other Stories (in 3 languages - English, Malay and Chinese)
This collection of short stories is written both about and for young Singaporeans, by a group of Secondary Students. Inspired by well-loved local author Dr Catherine Lim's novel, ?Or Else the Lightning God and other stories' the animated stories present a fascinating insight into parent-child relationships, concerns, aspirations and fears of young Singaporeans. An authentic project in line with CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School's vision of cultivating ?Innovation and Enterprise?in our students, this project harnessed their entrepreneurial spirit while intellectually stimulating and engaging them in areas beyond their daily curriculum. A first time effort by SNG students,
Snuffy's Carrots and Other Stories'aims to educate and entertain young children.
Oat Cube (Pupil Development Programme)
Production of a cereal - Oat Cube
From a Healthy Snack Competition to a Cottage Industry Entrepreneurial Venture
Success is 1% talent and 99% hard work?
A team of 4 Secondary St. Nicholas girls discovered when they won the Grand Prize in the Cluster Inter-School Snack design Competition. Their task was to create a healthy and innovative snack food with emphasis on the nutrition, packaging, marketing and sales strategies for a company?
Inspired by their success, the team was challenged to apply their theoretical concepts in a mass production involving public sales to test the practicality and soundness of their ideas. To value-add to this venture and promote community service and racial awareness, the proceeds will be used to fund a Reading Camp for the children of the Malay Youth Literary Association in
2005.
Complete write up of the project
Also available in MOE Bluesky Website
Interact club-youth for causes
当慈善筹款进行时
基督教青年会和花旗银行在 2005 年总统挑战项目之下举办了一个名为“ Citibank-YMCA Youth for Causes ”的筹款活动，旨在培养青年人们的创业能力和创新精神，这个活动从六月到九月历时 12 周，全新加坡参与此项活动的有来自各个学校的 100 个小组，每组由四名组员组成，并能得到 1600 元活动基金，为各自选择的非营利组织筹款。
来自我们圣尼各拉女校 Interact Club 的三组同学同时入选，他们是“ The Hearts ”，“ Caritas ”，及“绿色希望（ Green Hope ）”，为了尽可能多的筹集善款 ，同学们使出浑身解数，八仙过海，各显神通，积极的参与到其中去。
这个名叫“ The Hearts ” 的小组选择的是 Children ’ s Cancer Foundation 。目前，儿童癌症问题已成为严重的社会现实，但却被许多人所忽略，所以他们希望通过募捐，使人们提高对儿童癌症严重性的认识以及这个组织的公众影响力。他们在学校中组织了一个 T- 恤衫设计大赛，奖品由 Eng Wah Cinemas 友情赞助。但由于某些原因 ，当他们把设计样本送到工厂之后， 衬衫的生产受到了延误，他们就利用双休日到乌节路售卖纪念别针，钥匙链来筹款，在 80 名志愿者的 帮助下，这次活动十分成功。他们也利用课余时间在校园里进行小规模的义卖。”
“ Caritas （拉丁文语义：博爱 ）”的同学们支持的组织是 IJ Homes and Children Centers, 他们利用闲暇时间，用买来的绒毛金属丝弯折成手机链，以及打气的动物气球拿到乌节路上去向过往行人兜售。到公共场所售卖的时候，他们要提前作准备工作，一人为气球打气，另一人动手制作形态各异的气球，他们还在五颜六色的小熊形状手机链里面加入了 IJ 的图案。虽然有时会赶上下雨的天气，但组员们都毫不懈怠，工作的其乐融融。因为他们知道多卖出一支手机链，多卖出一只气球，就会为慈善中心的孩子们脸上多增添一份笑容。当他们看到来自其他学校的筹款小组时，还会相互问候，因为大家知道彼此为慈善捐款的的心意都是相同的。
另外一组同学给他们的组起名为“绿色希望”，顾名思义，这个组的目标就是通过售卖与环境有关的地图，卡片，和书籍等向公众宣传环保理念，提高大家的环保意识，进而为新加坡环保理事会（ Singapore Environment Council ）募捐。开始，组员们利用周末时间选择不同的地点打“游击战”，耐心地为路人解释所卖印刷品的内容，遇到没有很多人购买的时候，大家的热情丝毫不减，仍不遗余力地进行介绍和宣传。最具戏剧性的是，在一次筹款活动中竟遇上了来自环境理事会的执行经理，她肯定了组员的义举，并慷慨地捐出了 10 元钱。后来，正值新加坡国庆日的来临，大家商量抓住机会改变一下售卖物品的种类，也许会得到更多的回报。抱着试一试的态度，同学们真的就拉来了 Wall ’ s Ice Cream Company 赞助的 Ben&Jerry ’ s 冰激淋。大家售卖的时候难掩兴奋之情，冰激淋在校园里也受到了同学们的广泛欢迎。
这项活动到目前为止已经快接近尾声了，在学校的支持及 Interact Club 阙爱娇和陈淑娟老师的指导下组员们学到了很多组织类似义卖活动的规则。在这次社会实践中，大家积累了经验，提高了理财能力，也都从中学到了很多课本之内学不到的知识。筹款活动虽然就要结束了，但希望人们对为慈善捐款的爱心不要变，让爱的火炬永无止境地传递下去，新加坡一定会更好！