Lunar New Year With A Difference

2021 Lunar New Year Celebration

This year’s Lunar New Year celebration, like all over Singapore, was vastly different. There was no loud clanging of cymbals, thumping of drums, and joyous sounds from throngs of people gathered in homes. Despite visitations and gatherings seeing a huge reduction in volume – both size and quantity, the festive occasion was no less meaningful.

The usual Lunar New Year celebration in The Arena, where student-athletes would partake in a steamboat meal together, was replaced by celebrations in the classrooms with their academy batchmates. The celebration which took place on the eve of the Chinese New Year began with a short video prepared by International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme student-athletes explaining the meaning behind certain festive snacks, followed by a hamper-making session. Hundred unique hampers were packed and delivered to Fei Yue Family Service Centre (Champions Way) for their beneficiaries.

Much thought went into the assembly of the hampers on 11 February 2021. A week before the celebration when they were to put together their hampers, student-athletes began brainstormed for ideas on the best items to gift the beneficiaries, how to decorate a hamper, before purchasing the necessary items for the hamper.

“I find it meaningful as I was able to do my part to help those who are less fortunate than us. This makes me happy as I know that I made someone’s Chinese New Year better,” said Jaymee Poh, a Secondary 1 student-athlete from the Shooting Academy. Fellow Shooting Academy batchmate Lee Zhe Kai also found the activity meaningful, adding: “I believe that it made their day as it did mine.”

Atmosphere in the classrooms was further livened by visits from the Fortune God, played by Malay Language teacher Cheah Chin Chuan, and two pair of lions performed by a group of Track and Field Academy student-athletes.

Sports School student-athletes had the opportunity to spread goodwill and make a difference to not only the school’s neighbours living in Champions Way, but also off the shores of Singapore.

IBDP student-athletes took part in a cultural “snack exchange” with their counterparts in Singapore International School (Hong Kong) which saw students from both schools exchanging packages filled with popular local favourites. While travel opportunities between Hong Kong and Singapore may be limited at the present moment, students in SISHK could feel closer to home with snacks such as kueh bangkit, salted egg arrowhead chips and prawn rolls which were sent across to them.