PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE This year has been a meaningful one for the school with a significant number of achievements in all areas of our education programme. This success has been achieved as a result of the indefatigable efforts of our students, staff, parents, friends and well-wishers. The growing trend of consulting others for their skills and expertise has given rise to the development of a school culture in which the spirit of sharing and co-operation are prominent features. Such collaboration is practised not only within the specific areas of concern but it also cuts across different disciplines, even to the extent of involving tertiary institutions and other external agencies. This development has contributed in no small measure to the winning of medals and awards in the many local and international events and competitions. Sng Minghui Galvin’s internet project ‘Volcanoes On-line’ won the First Place Award in the Interdisciplinary Category in the international ThinkQuest 1998. This was done in collaboration with high school students Cameron Taggart of the United stateand jefOen Jansen of the Netherlands. All the three participants were invited to make a presentation at Los Angeles, California, for the final judging process in November. This year, Galvin and his schoolmates, Pang Keep Ying and Chen Kaijie, with the co-operation and assistance of the Zoological Gardens officials, also won the coveted First Place Award in the International Cyberfair 1998, in the Local Attractions Category. Credit must be given to their classmates, mentors, friends and teacher-advisers for the achievements. On a similar note, our athletes, Lee Ming Yeong, Lim Pin Jie, Loi Heok Ooi, Lee Bo Han, Lim Yew Suang Joshua, David Woon Ta Wei and Chen Yizhou, who participated in the Track and Field Championships Meets held in Perth, Kuala Lumpur and Manila, have to thank their friends, trainers and coaches for the laurels they had won. A glowing example of achievement through effective collaboration is the winning of top prizes in the Bio-tech Fair 1998 by Nei Wen Long, kim Jixian, Tan Kok Yong, Liu Cheng, Kwek Xianzhi, Lin Bingyan Jeremy, Yap Woon Teck, Cai David, Low Hon Mun and Chua Baizhen. They did our school proud with their projects on ‘Enzymatic De-inking of Paper’ and ‘Fungal Fragrances’. Their Science teacher-in-charge, Mrs Har Hui Peng, mooted the ideas for the projects from her own research experience at her University and she encouraged the students to develop the ideas further through extensive reading and research. The students did their literature research at the school library, the National University of Singapore Library and also visited a number of web-sites on the Internet. The preparation part involved the collaboration with a number of sources. The Head of Department for Science, Mr Lim Teck Huat, provided technical advice and additional equipment. Mrs Har herself sought the assistance of her former NUS lecturer for further advice. She also managed to secure additional equipment, materials and technical training from NUS and the Singapore Polytechnic for the students involved. Two of our Old Boys, Yeo Tai Wei (Yang Dawei) and Huang Zuxing, who were graduates of the National University of Singapore and Imperial College which is at the University of London, respectively, were roped in to provide the necessary critique and advice for the presentation, The school's laboratory staff, Miss Ang Shiaw Ching, Mdm Lim Cheng Fui and Mr Liu Chi Leung too rendered assistance in the various stages of the preparation of the projects, It was this concerted effort of various parties that helped to secure success for the students. In another case, before Lin Bingyuan Jeremy, Spencer Hsu Zhiming, kim Jixian and Low Hon Mun won First Prize in the 15th Inter-School Chemistry Speech Contest (English Section), they actually paid a visit to the Forensic Department of the Scientific Services of Singapore to consult Dr Michael Tay, Head of Criminalistic Laboratory, on crime-solving methods. They also used their library facilities for research. To equip themselves with the necessary skills for public-speaking, they sought the guidance of a speech training expert, Ms Jane Bishop. An Old Boy of the school and an NUS student, Mr Jeffrey Huang Gui Gui, advised them on court proceedings. The teacher-in-charge was Miss Mok Lai Koin. The other chemistry teachers too helped out with valuable ideas and suggestions. Miss Jacqueline Yeow, personal assistant to the Principal, looked after the welfare of the team. The tapping of resources from a broad spectrum of skilled personalities and facilities serves to augment the knowledge of the students and consequently, enhances their confidence to excel in their performance. | am glad that it has found a fitting place in the mechanics of our school system. Mr Tooh Fee San