The Soul of Cempaka: Annie the Musical

by Cheryl Loh Qian Wen, Junior 1 Cempaka, Class of 2016.
Photos by Lai Li Chan, Junior 2 Cempaka, Class of 2015.

They say that you're never fully dressed without a smile, and we were reminded of that through this year's Cempaka Box Office Production - Annie the Musical!

Cempaka Schools promotes the importance of mind, body and soul. All year round, we participate in a variety of events such as Interhouse Sporting competitions and Academic examinations competitions which represent the mind and body. As for the soul, one of the major events Cempaka offers is the Cempaka Box Office Production which has been an annual tradition and a part of Cempakan culture for as long as I can remember. In the past, it has even been compared to professional productions on broadway and television!

Cempaka Productions are musicals put on by talented students who go through an audition process before experiencing a two month long period of vigorous training and rehearsals, while at the same time attempting to keep up with their school work as they rehearse out of class. It may be tough to handle, and often the performers find themselves struggling to get used to spending their days not on the stage, but you can't deny that it is one of the best experiences you’ll have in school. We began with the Wizard of Oz, made our way through an array of Broadway musicals such as West Side Story, Lion King and of course, Annie The Musical.

Annie the Musical tells the story of a young girl abandoned in an orphanage home in New York City by her parents as a baby, left with nothing but a locket and a note. Choosing to believe her parents are still alive, Annie longs for her parents to come back for her as they had claimed they would. After 11 years under the care of the terrible Ms Hannigan, her luck changes as she finds herself living with none other than billionaire Mr. Warbucks himself. Determined to find her parents, she asks for the help of Mr Warbucks to assist her in her search.

Personally I’d have to say that though Annie is undoubtedly the star of the show, Miss Hannigan is probably my favorite character. Her addiction to alcohol and hilarious hatred towards the children she 'looks after' for a living truly represents the average American during the Great Depression, the era in which the story is set. Altogether Miss Hannigan is a brilliant character with a great sense of humour and a viciously sarcastic demeanor which only adds to her stage presence. It is a joy to witness her cruelly joke her way through a life where she generally seems to get nothing she wants. Also, I honestly wish we had been able to witness more Warbucks-Grace Farrell moments because of how perfect they are as a couple with Annie as their kid. In the Twitter-verse, the three of them would definitely be our family 'goals' - A billionaire married to his secretary (who may possibly be the nicest person in the world), with their adopted 10 year old girl who sings like there’s no tomorrow - despite the fact that about half her lines in the musical claim otherwise.

While Cempaka productions in the past have only been open to secondary and a few select primary students (not more than five or six), this year's Annie the Musical has extended auditions to the upper primary school as well due to the theme of the production. Understandingly, some may begin to question the professionalism and quality of this year’s musical - However, Cempakans have proven that age is no barrier stopping them from putting on an excellent comical production in the short span of a little more than a month.

Tonight is the last chance to catch this year's Cempakan Box Office Production - but even if you may have missed it, we're certain that Cempakans will continue to produce breathtaking productions that will blow your mind. Who knows - it could be you next year, rehearsing day after day, performing on that stage and having the time of your life; representing the soul of Cempaka.

The Aveda Walk for Water

by Timothy Chew Teo Meng, Class of 2020

On the 19^th of April 2015, the Aveda Walk For Water raised funds for the Orang Seletar, also called the Malaysian “Sea Gypsies”. They are people who spend their entire lives at sea. However due to water pollution they are forced back to land. They live in Kampung Pasir Putih, Pasir Gudang. Many villagers earn around 500 ringgit a month and their main economic activity is fishing. Even though the Orang Seletar are now living on land they have a natural instinct to go to sea and catch fish. 

We are now trying to build a water filtration system to give them safe drinking water. Aveda and Eco-knights have worked together to create this. The walk was 3km long at the 1Utama Park. There were many stalls set up throughout the walk with activities such as painting and water charades. There was even a zumba stall! 

We were not alone on the walk; there were joggers and people walking their dogs too! The Year 6 students of Cempaka gave tips about saving water to the crowd and quizzed them about their knowledge after the walk. Finally, there was a traditional flute performance featuring soothing Peruvian music.

We had a very enjoyable time and were very happy to contribute to making the lives of the Orang Seletar a little better.

Understanding our Senseis - the Unsung Heroes of Cempaka

by Evelyn Loh and Natasha Tan, Sophomore 2 Terra, Class of 2017. 

This is the month of gratitude - and on one particularly special day each year, we thank the people who ask us to memorize the first twenty elements of the Periodic Table, assign us frighteningly high piles of homework, give us those dreaded topical tests and most importantly: inspire learning. We celebrate Teachers' Day in honour of our beloved mentors: the unsung heroes of Cempaka who put up with us frustrating students on a (close to) daily basis. 

 Our teachers cast away their own tiredness to finish keying in our marks or coming up with those dreaded exam questions, working until the late hours of the night to finish marking our homework and papers - the very same endless piles of homework and tests that we were so hesitant to do and study for. You would think that by now, they’d much rather give us up and storm off into the Hawaiian paradise and relax, very much like they deserve to!

Ms Luna, the teacher known for changing hairstyles more times than we could keep track - and successfully rocking each and every one of her new looks!

Sometimes, we just have to know our teachers a little bit better to understand and appreciate the amount of work they put in for us. I'm sure we all know that Mr Sheat is quite possibly the most obsessively detailed teacher to have ever graced our school - His mantra "Memorize OR DIE" “Put an asterisk before Must Memorize!”, “double underline this, single underline that” is renowned around the school, even to those who have not personally been taught by him. You probably even know that Mr Ghafur has a lot (like, a lot) of Louis Vuitton collections, and have seen Puan Nurra carry around a cute little handbag-shaped money box for the sale of the 'Annie' Production merchandise. However, we aren't just talking about the figure we see in the classrooms - we mean to scratch below the surface, read between the lines and go a little deeper. 

  For example, did you know that Encik Dzamir completely adores Nasi Ayam - and that he spent a year living in the jungle doing research, because of his passion for wildlife? Have you ever come across the Facebook photos that Puan Jamaliah posted of her garden, and wondered about the care and effort she put into maintaining it? 

Our Head Prefect, Ruhaani Mahadeva with the beloved Maths Teacher (Spot the calculator!)

The Sports Department also has their share of paradoxes; We recently found out that Encik Salleh is scared of balloons - which is quite ironic, considering the bundle of balloons each year for Sports Day. And who would have thought that Encik Fairuz of all people would be afraid of cockroaches?

Ms Jasmine is in fact the shortest member of her family - We can only imagine how tall the rest of her relatives must be....

Admittedly, we students are so busy and caught up with the thought that our teachers only want to bury us under more homework - which is quite simply part of their job - that we tend to forget that they are ordinary people like us, with their own share of quirks and passions. It goes without saying that there is no other better way for us to be able to repay our teachers besides putting in effort into our schoolwork and exams. However, it doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to give them the respect they most certainly deserve outside of the classroom!

Who said that a student's gratitude and affection towards their teachers should be limited to just one day of a year? 

The Snail and the Whale

by Christianne and Aditya, Year 6 Terra

The Snail and the Whale is a very audience interactive play. The play is about a daughter and her father who goes away to work in the navy. The daughter misses her father and then decides to send a painting to him. He sends back a CD for her to listen to him telling her favorite bedtime story.

The characters are: the daughter, performed by Lucy Grace, the father, performed by Tim Hibberd and the narrator and violinist, performed by Charlotte Mafham. We really enjoyed this play because the actors were asking us questions that we could answer during the play. They even came into the crowd to play with us. The best part was when they came up and sprayed us with water guns.

They improvised very well by using a bed, a table, a bookcase and a chair to make the whale. The bookcase was the head, the bed and table was the body and the chair was the tail. The headset that the daughter was using to listen to her father had two antennae to make it look like the snail on the whale's tail.

We think Tall Stories is an amazing theatre company and that they create amazing plays. WE had a lot of fun during the play and so did our friends. We hope to see more plays performed by Tall Stories.

Year 6 Terra

Year 5 Aqua

Entrance Ticket

Charlotte Mafham with the snail beside her

                                                       

The Whale

                                                 

Human or Fish? - Annual Swimming Gala 2015

by Chery Loh Qian Wen, Junior 1 Cempaka, Class of 2016.

We see them on the starting block, taking their mark and diving in, barely making a splash. Fast forward to 3 seconds later - The spectators scream as they resurface out of the water, about 15 meters away from where we last saw them. Onlookers are baffled, parents are astounded and students shout in excitement, but by the time we manage to grasp the physics of it all, the race is over and the swimmers are out of the pool. The question “Who won?” then stares us in the face - the competition is so tight that you could never really tell at first glance, especially when the actual competition swimmers from different houses faced each other head on.

It’s that one day of the year where swimmers in Cempaka prove to be more fish than human - The Annual Swimming Gala held in Cempaka International Ladies College (CILC). They speed through the blue waters of the Olympic-sized CILC pool, competing against their formidable opponents in the different swimming strokes - namely Front Crawl, Breast Stroke, Backstroke and Butterfly.

Similar to previous years, the Charity Fair was held together with the Swimming Gala, giving students, teachers and parents alike a chance to do their part for charity and have their own booth. There was a stand for practically everything - be it sushi, mac and cheese, root beer floats, chocolate pizzas and even swimsuits!

The actual swimming competition started a little later than normal - instead of the being held in the much too early hours of the day, the swimming events were only set to kick off after the March Past Competition. For the first part of the day, the sky was clear and the sun was a killer so the marchers had no choice but to suffer under the scorching heat throughout the competition.

Ironically enough, it began raining heavily just as the first event was about to start, leaving us with nothing to do for the next two hours. Although this meant that everyone only left CILC at past 10pm, there was also plenty of time for everyone to stop by the booths at the Charity Fair.

We were all feeling more than a little lethargic and drained after the long wait but when the swimming events begun, there was a 360 degree change in atmosphere. Students gathered by the side of the pool with their fellow house members; Banners were held up, and loud cheers filled the air as the swimmers powered through the water.

Everyone was exhausted after the relays but the spirit was still going strong as we made our way to the indoor Badminton Court to hear the results. The atmosphere tensed up as everyone anxiously waited in silence for the results. As Encik Hisham listed each houses’ respective score, a roar of triumph filled the air from the other side of the hall when it was clear that Seladang had won the Annual Swimming Gala for Cempaka Damansara, Cempaka Cheras and CILC with a grand total surpassing 900 points. Well done Seladangs!

It's Easter!

Happy Easter everyone! The Head Designers hope that you have had an amazing time either hunting for colourful hidden eggs, eating chocolate bunnies or both! Our members have created illustrations that range from bright and colourful to a minimalistic pastel. Bunnies don't lay eggs but if you find one that does, do tell us. We're good at keeping secrets.

Submitted by: Choo Li Ling, Junior 2 Venter, Class of 2015

Submitted by: Joyce Law Jeng Yee, Junior 1 Terra, Class of 2016

Submitted by: Ian Lim Xin Ze, Junior 2 Venter, Class of 2015

Submitted by: Wong Li Sean, Sophomore 2 Cempaka, Class of 2017

Mooting Talk with Professor Katherine Atkins

by Joyce Law, Alysha Kyra, Ayden Emir, Natasha Wong, Class of 2016

You sit on your couch, anxiously waiting for the court to give a ruling to that bad boy who yet again somehow ended up in trouble. The lawyers had given out their side of the story and it’s all up to the jury. The scene familiar? 

Well, those who signed up for the Mooting Talk by Professor Katherine were given an in-depth look into what actually happens in court.

Photo by Lai Li Chan

Ayden Emir: How long have you been working in the justice system?

Professor Katherine: I was administered into legal practice or as known from Malaysian terminology, called to the bar in the year 1985. About 30 years.

AE: How has the experience changed you?

KA: Rather than changed, I was given many skills. Problem solving, analyzing, communication, reasoning and others. Being a lawyer allowed me to develop these skills thoroughly.

Photo by Lai Li Chan

AE: Why did you choose to be a lawyer?

KA: Oh, you’re going to be disappointed with this answer. My first choice was actually to be a lawyer, but it being a male-dominated career, my parents were against it. So I liked languages, I studied Japanese and French, and wanted to be a translator, so I told my parents. But again, it would’ve been a bad idea considering the limited job opportunities in that area. So I thought I’d just end up a teacher, which is pretty funny since I’m a teacher right now, but yes, I did end up pursuing law in the end.   

AE: You mentioned that listening was extremely important further being different types of listening. Being a student, what advice can you give us that will allow us to listen better during classes?

KA: After class, you should self-reflect, this is important to keep in mind the key points being made. Think of phrases like “5 points I learnt from that class”.

Photo by Lai Li Chan

AE: In what way do you think your thoughts of the justice system and being a lawyer has changed from when you first started to right now?

KA: In the past, I think I had very unrealistic thoughts about it. I thought that justice would always be served, I was naive. Thinking that the court would always make the right decision. Instead, the court might choose the decision you may not agree with. So don’t put all your faith in the justice system. It’s also at its core driven by business and money.

AE: What are some of the struggles being a lawyer?

KA: Working with people you don’t respect or like is definitely a challenge, but ultimately that’s not your job you must represent them.

AE: And has that ever impaired your ability to perform your job?

KA: As a young lawyer, it can but by slowing maturing you won’t be as bothered by it. You just do your job and represent your client. Keeping an open mind and not allowing prejudices to hinder your job.

Photo by Lai Li Chan

AE: Have you ever thought of changing your job?

KA: Have I wondered what would have happened if I was a engineer or translator? Haha, yes. But our culture being such as “you learn law, you become a lawyer” and there’s no changing careers after that. Definitely no regrets though.

AE: Why should a student consider getting a law degree?

KA: A law degree is actually very versatile, it’s a fantastic degree to get. About 50% or more law students do not actually want to be a lawyer, they want the skills that come with it. The ability to communicate with everyone is so important along with being able to think on your feet and reasoning. I have a friend teaching business and she says that some of her best students are law students as well, she mentioned that the way they think was different from the typical business student giving them the edge in the real world. So I do believe that a law degree is a good choice, not only for being a lawyer but for many different professions, because no matter what you do it will include law or the skills you use in law in some way or another.

Photo by Lai Li Chan