FRIDAY FLYER-Issue 120
WELCOME FROM THE HEADMASTER
Welcome to another edition of the Friday Flyer at Epsom!
Each of my welcome articles seem to start with describing how busy Espom school life is and this edition is no different! As it is exam season, we have less content from the student body but as we prepare for the end of term we have some wonderful events lined up – you will have to wait for the next edition for details!
Our Year 13 students are finalising their university choices and this year, more than ever, has seen students apply to and receive offers to study at universities all over the world: in the UK these include Cambridge, LSE, UCL, Imperial, King’s, Warwick and many more. In addition they have received offers from Hong Kong universities, Japan – including Tokyo and Sophia, universities in the Netherlands, the USA – the University of California Santa Cruz and à Merced, Canada – including the University of Toronto and UBC. The subjects that they have opted for are equally wide ranging and include but are not limited to Medicine, Engineering, Psychology, Law, Neuroscience, PPE, Maths, Biology and Life Sciences. Between them they have secured in excess of 120,000 USD in scholarships per annum. We wish them all the best as they sit for their examinations!
Year 12 are busy working on their applications and many have applied for internships that are available exclusively to our students thanks to our links to the Tune Group and the ECM Libra Foundation. Students will spend time in the summer working on legal cases, shadowing Doctors and much more. Those targeting the most selective universities are working with a personal mentor who themself went to an elite university.
Those targeting the US are enjoying a presentation to support their applications from a guest speaker as I write this.
Wider reading and super curricular engagement are vital and here are some of the top picks this week for Radio Programmes that you may wish to enjoy and then discuss with your son/daughter:
What will the social and economic costs be of China’s full-scale lockdown of Shanghai?
Is the crypto bubble bursting?
Academic achievement is vital but so are soft skills and thus we seek to provide as many opportunities as possible for our students to develop as young adults. Leadership is one such skill and we are delighted to see that our new batch of Prefects are introducing initiatives that will benefit the whole college community while enabling them to challenge themselves personally.
Here are just a couple of examples:
Aidan – Head of College, a passionate and talented sportsman is introducing a Sports Week before the end of term. Now that we are free to play sports again he is injecting some competition to the Houses at the end of term!
Shin is introducing 2 initiatives:
- New student support
For the purpose of welcoming new pupils and making them feel safe being at Epsom, this project will involve all the admissions into a group chat and ensure that they feel free to throw any questions regarding school. - Trading CCA
Shin is organising this CCA with Zhi Yu (Academic Prefect). They are planning to collect students and participate in an investment competition. As the competition will not deal with real money yet using the real US market and companies’ shares, during CCA time, they will be discussing market conditions and so that they can make good decisions on which stocks we should buy/sell in order to make more profit and eventually to rank high in the competition.
Sutri hopes to study architecture at university and she has conceived and set up an Art Exhibition to showcase all creative work across a range of disciplines and age ranges.
We will update you in later editions on the other initiatives that are being launched.
I hope you enjoy the contents of this Flyer – you will see that we have several submissions from HMMs (Housemasters/mistresses). They reflect the ethos of our community across all Houses and Year groups: in particular, kindness, respect, hardwork and commitment.
Best wishes from us all at Epsom and Happy Reading!
Best wishes,
Mr Matthew Brown
Headmaster
Ubuntu in Carr House
“I am because we are”, this is the philosophy of Ubuntu that I spoke about in a recent Carr House assembly. The essence of Ubuntu is that we cannot be selfish but instead need to understand that everything we do affects so many around us. I reminded all the Carr boys that every single thing they choose to say or do affects many people and of course their own circumstances. I encouraged the boys to think wisely before they speak or act, always making sure they are making Ubuntu decisions.
I encouraged the boys to not think selfishly but rather selflessly. This message links very closely to the Key Stage 3 (KS3) assemblies that the KS3 students have been preparing in their tutor groups and presenting on a Wednesday during KS3 assemblies. Each tutor group chose one of the Sustainable Development Goals and all groups will present their topic as an assembly to the whole of KS3 by the end of this term. I am very proud of the way in which all of the boys have prepared and presented these topics, they have done an amazing job. It takes a lot of courage to stand in front of the whole of KS3 and staff and present a topic, yet they have done so and in an admirable way. A special thank you to all of the tutors who have guided and encouraged them through this process.
The Sustainable Development Goals and Ubuntu encourage the boys to see that they, as individuals, can make a difference in so many ways. They need to be mindful of all they say and do, knowing the big difference it makes, either positive or negative.
A quote by Paul Pierce says, “ Ubuntu is about a community coming together to help one another”. I saw this quote in action a few weeks ago when one of our parents, Leonard Sim, came and spent the afternoon with Kanato, one of our Carr boarders who has a particular interest in becoming a pilot. I asked Mr Sim if he would be willing to come and discuss his experience as a pilot and all of his knowledge regarding aeroplanes with Kanato, to which he agreed.
This interaction between Kanato and Mr Sim has inspired me to start a programme in Carr House from August 2022. I would love all parents to be able to interact with the Carr boys in many different ways. This interaction could be through organising a trip for the Carr boys on a Saturday or Sunday; sharing your knowledge with the boys through a presentation or discussion group; sharing your sporting talents with the boys by arranging a sporting event for them boys, these are just a few ideas – please share with me if you have any more. There are so many opportunities for parents to become involved with the Carr boys and I am very excited about seeing this in action from August as we ‘work together as one’ for the boys of Carr House.
I would like to end with this incredible quote by the late Bishop Desmond Tutu:
“You can’t be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality – Ubuntu- you are known for your generosity. We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas we are connected and what we do affects the whole world.”
May we all realise how we are all connected and recognise and be mindful of the fact that all we choose to say and do affects the whole world.
Ms Jennifer Garnett
HMM, Car House
Crawfurd House - The Year at a Glance
“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”
“See the good in people and help them.”
These are probably two of my favourite quotes by Mahatma Gandhi. I have been speaking to the girls at our Crawfurd Assembly about Gandhi and how he changed the future of India with a completely contrarian approach to achieving liberation from oppressors. This approach was remarkable in his time and indeed in any time, and was a demonstration to the world of a very different approach. To those familiar with his methodology as it were, it was an approach that was one of gentleness, graciousness, and humility. He didn’t come with a sword or spear, but he chose the path of nonviolent resistance. In many ways perhaps similar to the current expressions of marching or protest synonymous and accepted in western democracy, but carried out in a time and context where such activities were not necessarily tolerated by those in power.
In the context of our world today, we likewise have the choice to demonstrate a greater degree of grace with our peers and acquaintances. When someone wrongs us, it is easier to respond in kind, but it requires a greater strength of character to take the higher moral ground and choose grace as the response. The exhortation of ‘turning the other cheek’ has perhaps lost its appeal as a value in today’s generation, but I wanted the girls to be aware that much has been achieved to alter the course of history for the better by pursuing a path of peace and grace, rather than conflict. As our girls deal with the context of their current environment and eventually mature into adult society, I hope that this approach to life is one that the girls will always keep in mind when facing life’s more difficult moments as one surely will.
I wanted to spend these next few moments summarising the past year in the lives of the Crawfurd girls. I remember with fondness when early in October 2021, Terry and a few others approached me with excitement in their eyes, asking if they could organise the very first social for Crawfurd House. What started off as a twinkle in their eyes, later came to fruition on October 31st as a Halloween Night Social at the Sports Hall together with the boys from Carr House. A carousel of games was set up by the girls and all the Key Stage 3 pupils, broken up into 4 groups, played and participated in the games, culminating in pizzas and drinks for all. A fun and entertaining evening indeed!
Next came the Roti Canai and Dim Sum breakfasts on the last day of each half term. The whole House gathered at the green in front of the House, nicked a few picnic tables from our closest neighbours from across the green, much to their bemusement, and savoured the food under the Malaysian morning sun. Our new Japanese, Chinese and Korean girls got the opportunity to taste the Malaysian-favourite roti canai without which one cannot claim to have experienced Malaysian food!
I would like to mention a special thank you to Ms. Masako and Ms. Seti, whose Japanese cooking and ice-lolly making sessions respectively, were always something the girls looked forward to. It was a taste of home for the Japanese girls and a new skill to be picked up by the rest.
We celebrated many birthdays in the House and for this, I need to give a special mention to Chow Wing, who, although one of the youngest members of the House, led the birthday committee, reminding me of upcoming birthdays. She would mobilise a team to bake a cake and decorate it with lots of sprinkles, love, and attention.
The second term of the year saw the launch of the annual Crawfurd House Charity Term. This would probably be one of my most humbling experiences as a Housemistress. The moment I mentioned the commencement of the charity term, the floodgates flew open and there was no stopping the girls! The amazing and creative ideas just came pouring out, from as young as the year 7 girls and right up to the year 10 girls. It was heartwarming to see how they were willing to give up their time and effort to raise funds for our chosen charity, Myanmar’s Kahrenni Humanitarian Team (KHT). The Year 7s, led by Callista and Ee Xynn, organised a well-attended Bake Sale – thanks to all our wonderful parents who donated a delectable menagerie of sweets and desserts which went down very well with the community of pupils. The Year 8 girls, led by Alyson and Rin, worked very hard to source and assemble lovely little pink pouches of sweets that were sold on Valentine’s Day. Year 9s, led by Alesha and Terry, completed this with a sale of flowers with messages. The Year 10s were instrumental in supporting and guiding the younger members of the House with their quest. Maya, Aisha and their team thought out of the box and for the first time in the history of the College, organised a KL City Tour open to the community of the whole college. They were taken by the school bus to a number of landmarks in the city and enjoyed a running commentary of the history of the city. A final stop at the KL Bird Park was the icing on the cake. Kizuna and Viviana, also flanked by the rest of the year 10s, put together the Park Fun Run called the Holi Fun Run, after the Indian tradition of throwing colourful flour at each other at the end of the race. It was evident from the faces of the pupils, the sheer enjoyment of both these events.
We have raised a generous sum which we are donating via Kaith’s parents in Myanmar, who are keen supporters of this cause. A huge THANK YOU to our parents who supported us in this cause too. You can be very proud of all your daughters!
Finally, not forgetting to mention the various Inter-house competitions. From the various sports fixtures to the House Band and House Drama, what stood out was the team effort of the girls. I remember with fondness, how Kaith and Shan Nie gently guided and repositioned the fingers of the little year 7s on their violins, or how Aisha and Woorin steered the path of the younger girls so that they knew what to do on the stage. Bravo, girls!
In summary, words are not enough to express how immensely proud I am of my girls and all that they have brought to the House and the College. I feel extremely blessed to have had the privilege of looking after them. After spending a whole year with them, I see the uniqueness of each one, how they each bring their own set of strengths and gifts to the House, and this has enriched my life personally, and of course,the lives of their peers. It is this, their strength of character and beauty, that inspires me each day.
Mrs Denu Sankey
HMM Crawfurd House.
Monday Language Madness - With Mr Dean Jones Housemaster of Granville House
The semicolon (;) can be used to separate two complete ideas. A complete idea (CI) is an idea that can stand as a sentence on its own:
CI 1: I am working hard on improving my punctuation.
CI 2: I am making fewer errors in writing.
The two sentences above can be separated by a ;
I am working hard on improving my punctuation; I am making fewer errors in writing.
The colon can also be used to separate two complete ideas (CIs):
CI 1: Sebastien studied punctuation all weekend.
CI 2: He did very well on this morning’s writing test.
Sebastien studied punctuation all weekend: he did very well on this morning’s writing test.
In addition, the colon can be used between a complete idea (CI) and an incomplete idea (II). An incomplete idea (II) is an idea that cannot stand as a sentence on its own.
CI: Six punctuation marks are used especially frequently in English.
II: the full stop, the comma, the semicolon, the colon, the question mark, and the exclamation mark.
Between CI and II above : is used ( ; is not to be used here)
Six punctuation marks are used especially frequently in English: the full stop, the comma, the semicolon, the colon, the question mark and the exclamation mark.
Bonus question:
In the sentence above, could a dash or hypen (-) replace the colon?
Monday's Language Madness with Rin Y8
Thank you to Rin U for this week’s language point. If anyone has some interesting language or culture that they would like to write about please let me know – I am happy to be your editor.
Firstly, synonyms are words to express the same language that have the same meaning.
We use synonyms in many different ways. For example, we use synonyms when writing an essay or writing an email to friends or teachers. Using synonyms can make your writing more interesting. The good thing about using synonyms is that they are words that have the same meaning and so using them is one of the easiest ways to improve our English.
These are the following examples of synonyms:
Words | Synonyms |
Big | Large, enormous, massive, sizeable |
Happy | Cheerful, joyful, glad, helpful |
After | Following, later, back |
job | Occupation, career, projects, business |
increase | Grow, expand, rise, improve |
The best way to learn synonyms is by reading books!
So, go and peruse, pore over, browse, dip into, leaf through, scan, skim, speed-read, thumb through, devour, gobble up, slog through, wade through, decipher, review, comprehend, get, grasp or study a book right now!
Propert House
Since our last Friday Flyer, the Propertians have been hard at work, each and everyone busy revising for the various internal and external exams which, for the most part, represent what they have been bracing themselves for their entire school careers.
This term we have welcomed some new faces to the House to transition the Year 9s into the Senior House. While it has taken some longer than others to get into the swing of things, these boys have settled in very nicely and made some good friends across the year groups.
Propert’s sporting prowess continued into the third term with the boys winning both the Senior (Y11-13) and Junior (Y9-10) inter-house Football matches. As always, we are proud of all the boys for continuing this sporting legacy, but also thank those who were not involved for supporting and cheering them on. I do believe I still owe the winning teams a Tealive!
Propert did very well in the annual Interhouse Drama competition this year, coming second overall! The House decided that we would explore the idea of popcorn in a pan and make everyone become popcorn kernels while weaving a story around a popular Malaysian comedian, Nigel Ng. Mr Ng is better known for his fictional character – Uncle Roger – who became famous for scolding famous celebrities on Youtube about their Asian cuisine cooking habits. In Propert’s case, we had Uncle Hiro, better known Hiro in Year 13 to us Epsomians!
Uncle Hiro introduced us to what was happening ‘Beneath the pot lid’ (‘what lies beneath’ was the theme according to which all the Houses had to write their script) as he was giving us his thoughts on being at Epsom. Through his funny jokes, wit and sarcasm, we were able to establish that there were not many popcorn sellers in the neighbourhood and so Uncle Hiro would set up shop. The popcorn kernels however had other plans and we were able to see what they got up to too!
Our popcorn kernels were a mix of some very energetic and silly dancers who took to the dance floor because the ‘oil’ was getting hotter – enter the Hotsteppers! Led by Mike and Hon Shenn (Y13 & 12 respectively). After the dance, the Uncle Hiro montage continued with his questioning of the audience about life at Epsom and about how popcorn would make sense as an item to sell in Mercato.
In a nod to what was happening in Ukraine, our boys created a sketch where we had Vladimir ‘Pop’ Putin, played by Chris (Y13), explaining his futile but fervent ideas of the hostile takeover of the popcorn pan, all the while rapping to the familiar tune of the Backstreet Boys!
Our final sketch came from Everest (Y10) who donned a white feather boa and created a sombre, sultry mood as the popcorn kernels expanded in size and became ready to POP! The ‘Pop’ Icon, Shirley Bassey, number featured a lot of passion and energy and towards the end, the kernels couldn’t take it anymore so popped their way out of the pan at the a crescendo.
Uncle Hiro had become lost in a daydream while this was happening and left the pan on, burning some of the popcorn kernels. Our burnt kernels (through their own volition) then graced the stage in a plume of smoke to finish off with the must say line: ‘I laugh in the face of danger!’ Thank you to Jaydn (Y10), Jai, Afiq and Husen (Y12) who lead this final hurrah!
Our Year 13 leavers have also been working very hard in preparation for the end of year Leavers Ball with our very own Bryan managing this on behalf of the student body. He is also handling the annual leaver’s book which is a mammoth task on its own and it has been good to see how many of the other Year 13s in Propert have put the extra time into making sure they capture the memories for decades to come. These books will be on sale soon!
Bryan will leave a legacy as he has initiated and beautified our porch garden; which needed a bit of sprucing up! Thank you for your hard work!!
In mentioning Bryan, I am reminded of the campaign and initiative we launched earlier this year when the boys were able to nominate a member or members of the house who they feel have demonstrated altruism and leadership while being supportive and showing great fellowship. The Propert Pennant is awarded every term based on nominations and discussions with House staff. In term 2 we awarded the inaugural Propert Pennants to Bryan and Hiro, both in Year 13.
It has been a busy third term for all and the House has been full of great energy and enthusiasm. With many of the various Covid restrictions easing up all over the world, for some this will be their first time to be reunited with parents and families after 2 years. We send our best wishes for a safe journey to all the Propertians local and/or internationally and a joyous reunion. Equally, we wish the very best to our Year 11s and 13s as they await their exam results and make their journeys to 6th Form and University respectively.
Mr Ian Schoeman
Propert Housemaster
TeenTech Awards 2022
In October last year, Andy, Afiq and I entered a competition called the TeenTech Awards. This is a competition where students get to experience how they might apply science and technology to real-world problems. It encourages students to develop their own ideas for making life better, simpler, safer or even more fun.
TeenTech Awards has many categories that you could participate in, these include: best innovation, best research, creative & digital media, data science and many more. Our team entered the best innovation category, where we got to create and innovate a product that helps to solve a particular problem. In our case, we looked into the environmental context, especially with the global warming crisis that the world is facing.
During the course of 6 months, we designed a prototype of a “Self-Regulating Garden”, which allows users of the product to grow their own vegetables and herbs in the comfort of their own homes. This limits the user’s carbon footprint as the user is able to cook using the ingredients that they grow, thus reducing the carbon emissions from transporting these ingredients. The target market for this product is those who would like to do gardening but are limited in time (e.g. busy work life) and space (e.g. living in an apartment, no land). The time problem could be solved by automation and the space problem could be solved by having a small greenhouse so it could be placed on top of a table.
By March, we had to submit an “Innovation Log” which is a document containing a summary of our project which explains to the judges why our idea is innovative, what makes it work, what the market is, and how people would use it or buy it.
In May, we received our results. Our team didn’t reach the finals, however, we were awarded with Bronze Certificates. The judges also provided us with feedback on how to improve our project to a higher standard. Our judges were really satisfied with how detailed the development of our product is, but wanted us to also consider more on the business side of the product. Furthermore, participating in this competition enabled our school to be considered as a TeenTech Centre of Innovation – Silver Tier. Our school will receive a certificate of confirmation alongside participation certificates.
Despite not making it among to the finals, we learnt a variety of valuable skills while working on this project, from operating a number of manufacturing machines (Laser Cutter, 3D printer and etc.), CAD designing (see images below), using electronics, analysing the target market’s preferences and also interpersonal skills when working together.
This competition has been really fun for the three of us, and we hope to see more students participating in TeenTech the upcoming year!
Ammar
Year 12 Granville