1. Spelling Bee
Jointly reported by:
Goh Jian Mayne Sr1ScB
Goh Ying En Sr2ScB
Jocelyn Koo Wai Yee Sr2ScB
Photography by:
Kuen Cheng Photography Club
The Spelling Bee competition is held in conjunction with the English Week from 31st July to 2nd August 2023 during the second recess in the hall. There are three different categories split between these three days: Category A, B and C. Category A consisted of Junior Middle One and Two students, Category B consisted of Junior Middle Three and Senior Middle One students while Category C consisted of Senior Middle Two and Senior Middle Three students. The contest consists of a total of three rounds, two rounds were focused on oral while the other was writing.
At the outset of the competition, Junior Middle One and Two students began queuing up at their respective groups with each teacher in charge. After a brief explanation of the rules and regulations, the event was officially underway. An air thick with nervous tension permeated throughout the air as the teachers read the vocabularies to each group. The students on the other hand, exhibited an extraordinary degree of their linguistic acumen and were highly cooperative with each other during the three intense rounds. As the competition drew to a close, marks were calculated and the teacher revealed the outcome of the competition. Team Barbee and the Beahouse dominated the first place while Team Cocomelons clinched second place. Finally, Team Bubble Guppies was announced as the third place of the competition.
On day 2, the exciting duel between Junior Middle Three and Senior Middle One students commenced. The competition began as soon as the 10 groups were ready. It was evident that everyone was giving their best efforts and trying their hardest to win. The winners were promptly announced after the results had been calculated and passed over to the teacher in charge. Team Snoopy came in third place while Team Alvin and the Chipmunk came in second place and finally, the champion of Category B was Team Goofy.
The final day of the spelling bee competition, on the 2nd of August 2023, was devoted to the cut-throat competition between participants from Category C, consisting 10 groups of students from Senior Middle Two and Senior Middle Three. After the number of correctly spelled words from each group were totalled by the judges, the winners from Category C were announced. The first place goes to Snoopy, Dexter’s Lab placed 2nd, while Minions Squad splendidly took the 3rd place.
Congrats to the winners!
Team Goofy (Category B Champion)
Team Snoopy (Category C Champion)
2. News Flash!: Newspaper Scavenger Hunt
Jointly reported by:
Chok Jia Yien Jr3S(2)
Khoo Xin Yi Sr2ScA
Tiffany Tan Qin Yu Sr2ScB
From 31st July to 4th August 2023, Kuen Cheng High School English Week returns and promises more fun this year! The English Department organised an English Week with various activities, including a Newspaper Scavenger Hunt Competition with categories for both juniors and seniors to join. Each category was open to eight groups of 4 students.
The competition was held on the 3rd of August for juniors and 4th of August for seniors, both being held from 12:10p.m. to 1:00p.m. in the school hall. It was held in order to reinforce vocabulary, grammar, skimming and scanning skills whilst developing creativity and teamwork among students as they worked in groups.
After a brief explanation of the rules, the “hunt” started. Each team was provided with several sets of newspapers, mainly from The Star (consisting of different categories of the newspaper line such as Metro, Lifestyle etc.), as they had to complete nine worksheets with crosswords, word searches, missing lyrics sheets, short-answer questions and even bonus papers.
The results were then announced by the Broadcasting Club and on Kuen Cheng Sites. Winners were awarded during the closing ceremony of English Week on 5th July. It was definitely a week of thorough understanding as well as communication in English!
Group Photo
Winning Teams
3. A Vibrant Showcase of English Proficiency: 2023 English Week Closing Ceremony
Reported by:
Emily Kuok Yee Han Jr2Z(2)
The 5th of August 2023 marked the denouement of the annual English Week, where numerous exhilarating activities and contests were held to enhance the students’ proficiency in English. As such, the doors of the school hall opened at 10.30 a.m. on that very day to mark the commencement of the English Week closing ceremony.
The event started off with a speech from the Vice Principal, Ms Koo Lai Ping. She felt that the English Week had been a true celebration of the English language, and expressed her profound gratitude to the committee, the teachers and of course, the students for making this year’s activity a tremendous success. Last but not least, she looked forward to witnessing more successful events and hoped to see them going on to achieve greater heights.
A speech from the Vice Principal, Ms Koo Lai Ping
Next was a speech by Ms Avlyn Lau Hui Chwen, one of the English Department Panel Members. She thanked the school for the funding of the activities, as well as everyone involved in the preparations for the English Week. She was also delighted that the students participated more actively in the activities this year.
A speech by Ms Avlyn Lau
Thus began the most exciting part of the ceremony—the finalist performances of the Poetry Basking competition and the Contrafactum lyrics replacing and singing contest, as well as the showcase of winning videos for the Harry Plotter video-making competition. Each performance and video had a flair of its own, leaving the audience perpetually enraptured. The crowd could be found clapping rhythmically to the beat, rupturing in raucous laughter, and of course, giving out thunderous applause throughout the session, which goes to show how accomplished the finalists are.
Yep EI Xy reciting her poem on friendship and siblinghood
Wong Cai Ni reciting her verse on the profound joys of friendship
‘Friendship Story’— Chloe Soh’s heartwarming twist to the original ‘Love Story’ by Taylor Swift
Wong Kay Shin’s ode to hopeless romantics in her twist to ‘City of Stars’ from ‘La La Land’
‘2022’ a melody of passion and nostalgia
‘Forever Side by Side’—an ode to friendship
A scene from ‘Snoring Beauty’ by Jr2Z2—one of the winning videos of the Harry Plotter video-making contest
Before the proclamation of the winners, a riddle session was held for the audience of the closing ceremony, many of whom raised their hands with eager enthusiasm to answer the questions.
After the apprehensive interval, the award ceremony began at last. Below are the group photos of the winners:
To mark the ending of the ceremony, the song ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ by Rick Astley resounded through the speakers as the students left the hall with much satisfaction after the event. Congratulations to all the winners, and to each and every student, never give up on learning and progressing!
A group photo of the teachers and helpers of the 2023 English Week closing ceremony
4. Harry Plotter Video Making Contest, Twist the Ending of Any Story: English Week 2023
Jointly reported by:
Foo Zhing Yee Sr2ScA
Louise Kaien Too Sr2ScC
In order to unleash students’ creativity in performing arts, promote and encourage teamwork among students, the English Department of Kuen Cheng High School organised the Harry Plotter Video Making Contest in English Week 2023. This contest is only open to Junior Middle Two students. Participants worked in groups of four or five. For this contest, the participants have to twist the story of any story by acting and recording with a time limit of three minutes. The Entries were judged based on the Storyline (20%), Time utilisation (20%), Memorisation of lines(20%), Creativity and Originality of Materials(20%) and the Language (20%). The core idea of each presentation must be authentic and original, which has never been published in any other prior competitions. English teachers picked the best video from each participating class to participate in the preliminary round.
The contest winner is then revealed during the closing ceremony on 5th August in the school hall. The first place is given to Alycia Saw Ying Xuan, Elizabeth Khoo An Ya, Chang Rui Pei, Emily Kuok Yee Han and Khoo Cheng Pei from Jr2Z(2). The 1st runner-up would be Chia Shen Yue, Chan Theng Xin, Alvin Chew Wen Jie, Chong Rui Heng and Tan Yu Jie from Jr2Z(1). On the other hand, Kam Jordan, Shawn Low Sivaneson, Teoh Yu Chng Valen, and Yap Yan Yu from Jr2Z(3) were the 2nd runner up for this contest.
At the end of the sessions, a group photo was nicely taken and congrats to all winners!
5. Contrafactum : Lyrics Replacing Competition
Jointly reported by:
Boey Ashling Jr2M(3)
Chok Jia Yien Jr3S(2)
Tiffany Tan Qin Yu Sr2ScB
Photography by:
Kuen Cheng Photography Club
On the 5th of August 2023, Kuen Cheng High School English Department organised a Lyrics Replacing Competition for Junior Middle One to Senior Middle Three students. After receiving multiple entries for the competition, the final decision was made and announced on the Kuen Cheng official website.
During the finals, the contestants were divided into solo and group categories, with each performance not exceeding 4 minutes. The judges for solo category included Ms. Deborah, Ms. Li Ling and Ms. Lyra, while groups include Ms. Eva, Ms. Jane and Ms. Jasmine. Everyone performed outstandingly with some who replaced “Love Story” to “Friendship Story” and “We Don’t Talk Anymore” to “We Don’t Care Anymore”.
Contestant Performing on Stage
After the performers were done performing, it was time for the award ceremony where Vice Principal, Ms. Khoo Lai Ping and English Panel Member, Ms. Avlyn gave out the awards.
List of Winners of the Junior Category
– Champion: “City of Stars” by Wong Kay Shin Jr3S(5)
– 1st runner-up: “Friendship story” by Chloe Soh Ke Er Jr3Z(6)
– 2nd runner-up: “Memories” by Michelle Chee Huey Min Jr2Z(3)
– Excellence: 1. “Internet Troll” by Cho Hye Bin Jr1S(2)
2. “Goodbye” by Er Ying En Jr1Z(4)
Winners of the Solo category
List of Winners of the Senior Category
– Champion: “2022” by students of Sr1A and Sr1ComB
– 1st runner-up: “We Don’t Care Anymore” by students from Sr1ScA
– 2nd runner-up: “Beautiful Things” by students of Sr1ScE
– Excellence: 1. “Forever Side By Side” by students of Sr1ScB
2.“Memories of the Past” by students of Sr1ScD
Winners of the Group category
The competition ended with the crowd getting “Rickrolled” by the organising committee as they played the song “Never gonna give you up” by Rick Astley. A group photo of the committee along with the judges was also taken to commemorate this wonderful event.
Group photo of the organising committee and the judges