Singapore Youth Festival - It was one of the grandest event of the year that I had participated in and I am glad to be given the chance to oversee that the students have a good time there.
It was one of those unusual mornings as I woke instinctively, refreshed and awakened by my biological clock. I woke up real early with an accelerated heartbeat. This is finally the big day I had been looking forward to!
Despite the candid feelings, there were moments of unease, naturally nervous as it was my first time in charge of a major event. With my feet shuffling over breakfast, I juggled my thoughts over the probability of the need for a contingency plan. Concerned with the chances that something may crop up to disrupt my carefully laid out plans, I called up the school to remind the Administrative Staff about the plans for the SYF spectators. Luckily I did. This simple phone call sent a surge of ease through me.
I went to school around 2pm with a dink and my shades on, fully geared for the opening ceremony that was to be held at the National Stadium. I rearranged and labelled the food and drinks for the various CCA group. Soon, the time came for us to board the buses. Helpful students laboured to load the buses with the food and drinks. Despite the hard work, no one complained and faces gleamed with pride and joy, anticipating the upcoming performance.
Before long, we arrived at the Stadium. Students lined up in neat rows getting ready to enter the Stadium. Joyful chatters filled the air. For a moment, I grinned, over the irony of not expecting them to keep dead silent, understanding and sharing this happiness and excitement that illuminates from within.
PM Lee made a grand entrance to address the crowd. Led by tight security as usual, arriving in a white, well-polished, shiny limousine. The stadium was packed like it was a National Event. Spectators were all armed with their red and white, long balloons, clapping thunderously to welcome PM Lee. The heat in the stadium would have driven me nuts on any other day but no, the elated feelings kept my smile on.
Neat rows of marching contingents entered one after another as the compere announced their timely appearance "from Zhenghua Secondary School...", she announced, and unanimously, the crowd around me roared in cheers. They are the reason we are here today, and the reason to be proud of our school. The clockwork driven march reflects on the discipline, hard work and effort taken during their training for this important day. I'm glad it has all paid off. There's no joy in reaping the fruits if there's no hard work sown.
The highlights of the evening was the plane stunt performance led by the Singapore Youth Flying club, not forgetting to mention, the Champion Band from Deyi Secondary School and the runners-up from Tanjong Katong Secondary. They fascinated the audience with their dazzling plane stunts, colorful marching formation displays and the foundational steady band music.
Hopefully this event inspires my young ones to soar beyond, to stretch their limits and to reach out boldly for their dreams. May they learn to live life with no regrets by constantly reaching out and be driven by dreams, for we only live once.
Mr Prime Minister, can we have some fireworks for the kids? It would mean alot to them...
