The Joy of Christmas

by Manisha Mahadeva, Junior 1 Cempaka, Class of 2017

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HO HO HO! It’s finally that time of the year again. A time for joy and fun, because the first term is done! Christmas is one of the most festive holidays celebrated by people all around the world, no matter what religion or race they are. Besides honouring the birth of Jesus Christ, this lively festival manages to bring people together and strengthen the ties of friendship with one another. 

This year, Cempaka Damansara decided to do so by having their very first Christmas assembly which was definitely one worth remembering. Before the sequence of performances, a few Cempakans consisting of our primary students were awarded with certificates as well as scrolls for their outstanding achievements over the term and the recent World Education Games. Many of them managed to overcome their challenges and competitions with flying colours. Following that, was the gift giving or “Secret Santa” which were given by a few primary children, in colourful costumes such as Santa himself and Santa’s Little Helpers. 

The assembly started off with the schools orchestra consisting of mainly secondary students and a few teachers. They played a delightful tune of one of christmas carol called “Oh Holy Night” mixed together with another melodious song. Next was the Cempaka Voices, a group of talented secondary students who sang their hearts out in a medley of different songs which really portrayed the essence of Christmas, which altogether was called “The Gift of Christmas”. Following that enthusiastic performance was a cute Christmas themed dance performed by the Junior Dance Ensemble. They leaped and pranced all over the stage and definitely caught the audience’s attention. After that was the CPAC teacher’s performance, which was the most unique out of the array of shows prepared for the assembly. The CPAC teachers managed to astonish the audience with their simple yet complex harmonisation as well as returning to the christmas classic’s. The finale was once again the talented Cempaka Voices, which sang a few modern joyous christmas songs as well as took a twist on the song “Jingle Bells” and sang it in French! This certainly ended the first ever Christmas assembly for Cempaka Damansara with a bang! 

After the amazing performances, Puan Farah, the Senior Principal of Cempaka Damansara presented a speech regarding Cempaka Damansara moving back to their new home. Continuing that after singing the national anthem, Dato Freida gave her final speech of the term to close the Christmas Assembly. Overall, this assembly was a great way to end the first term and will most certainly be a memorable one, not only because of the joy it brought but also the message it gave. As a famous quote says, “Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts”. 

Giving Back to Humanity - India Community Trip 2015

by Tan Hao Yu, Nicholas, Junior 1 Cempaka, Class of 2017

It is a dream to achieve our goals in life. Once we succeed, however, it is a must to give back to society. 

The fundraising campaign held by the IB students for the trip.

This year, 23 of our very own Cempakans, along with 4 teachers will be going to Mumbai, India as part of a voluntary service programme to give back to humanity. This 6-day trip is an event organised by our Cempaka International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) as a major part of their Community, Action and Service (CAS) component of the course which requires students to fulfil 30 hours of community service work. 

Packing boxes of necessities for the trip.

During this trip, the students will visit under-privileged areas in Mumbai, participate in charity events and donate food and basic necessities to various organisations within India. In preparation of this, the IBDP students have raised funds by selling food at their booth for the past 2 months, and from the money collected have proceeded to buy the items to be donated, which they have boxed to be given to the less fortunate on their visit.

Cempakans pose as they depart to Mumbai, India. 

This group comprises of Senior 1 and 2 students, as well as members of Cempaka Damansara’s own Young Journalists’ Club, who will be covering the India trip in their next installation of this article, so keep an eye out!

Headline: Cempakans Get into Top Universities

by Helen Henry

Vern and Lynn Pang, two of the many outstanding students from Cempaka (who credit their academic foundation and enthusiasm for scholastic achievements to their time at Cempaka) made the news in pre-university circles both in the UK and Malaysia. Not only did they get outstanding results in their A Levels but they  both were accepted into top universities in the United Kingdom, with Lynn reading law at the University of Cambridge while her sister Vern was accepted for management studies at the prestigious University of London’s London School of Economics and Political Science.

Having taught both the sisters English language in 2012/13 in Upper Secondary, the two girls did not merely show remarkable prowess in their academic abilities, but displayed good Cempakan values of trustworthiness, loyalty, kindness and a willingness to be helpful to their peers.

In a recent e-mail interview with both the former Cempakans, the sisters paid Cempaka tribute for their success in their academic studies. “Cempaka undoubtedly set me on to the path to where I am today,” writes Lynn. “My teachers and friends that I’ve made have made an enormous impact on the way my life is turning out,”  

Similarly Vern agrees that her time at Cempaka laid the seeds for her success in her studies.

Heading for the UK after Cempaka both the twins enrolled in Cardiff Sixth Form College in January 2014. They did the accelerated 6 month course for their AS year and proceeded to complete their A Levels in a record time, acing examinations in subjects such as Mathematics, Economics, Chemistry and Biology. 

Pang Huey Vern, class of 2013. 

“I would say that the most important step to doing well in exams is to work hard in school and fully understand and comprehend the learning material,” advises Vern.

 Time management, which the girls picked up during their years at Cempaka is also proving useful. “It is crucial to me now,” says Lynn while Vern adds that “time management as well as organising your work will also prove to be very helpful especially as exams begin to approach.

Lynn also adds that many commented on her unusual combination of subjects such as Mathematics, Economics and Chemistry despite knowing she was going to apply to read law.

Pang Huey Lynn, class of 2013. 

“I found it interesting to broaden my scope of knowledge,” she adds. 

These days both the undergraduates are not just blossoming into serious students but into mature students who are coping with tough workloads and learning responsibilities and balancing their studies well. “I occasionally still meet up with Cempakans studying in the UK just to catch up,” writes Lynn.

Cempaka congratulates these two outstanding students and wish them all the best in their undertakings.