SIN TAK SPIRIT - bstc.edu.hk fileHello everyone! We are NEIGHBOURHOOD, the Student Union cabinet of...
Transcript of SIN TAK SPIRIT - bstc.edu.hk fileHello everyone! We are NEIGHBOURHOOD, the Student Union cabinet of...
INS I D E TH I S I S S U E :
Sports Day special
2 - 3
Greetings from AFS exchange
Students
4
National education Debate
5
US presidential election 2012
6
News from the library
6
SIN TAK SPIRIT
B u ddh i s t S i n Ta k C o ll e geB u ddh i s t S i n Ta k C o ll e geB u ddh i s t S i n Ta k C o ll e geB u ddh i s t S i n Ta k C o ll e ge
Volume 2 , Issue 1 October 15 , 2012
� Lunar New Year
Celebration
� Stationery Sales
� Sin Tak’s Got Talent
� Ocean Park Day
($80 per person)
� Joint-School Oral Exam
Practice
� Joint-School Singing
Contest
� Old Books Donation
… and many more!
BSTC STUDENT UNION OF 2012-2013 Hello everyone! We are
N EI GHB OU RHOO D, t h e
Student Union cabinet of BSTC
for this coming year. We hope
to be the neighbours of every
student in the school with our
kindness, can-do attitude, and
reliable nature. We aim to link
up every student in the school
in order to create a harmonious
and united campus. What’s
more, we will provide a
platform for communication
between the school and its
students. By offering the best of
BSTC to you, we hope to help
you (our neighbours) achieve all
that you can. That is what
‘neighbourhood’ means.
T h i s y e a r , B S T C
witnessed a keen competition in
the Student Union election. We
could see that all three cabinets
did their best and gained some
wonderful experiences. For us,
Neighbourhood, we spent a lot
of effort and time on finding
ideas for our campaign and
promotional activities. How
could we get students’ attention
during morning assemblies?
What kind of message do we
want to give our schoolmates?
Surely, there were quarrels since
the thirteen of us have thirteen
minds. However, we gathered
our thoughts and energy and
created a great plan in the end.
Our goals for this year
are to fulfill students’ needs and
to always stand by their sides.
We will keep on striving for the
best for our fellow schoolmates.
The duty of Neighbourhood is
to collect students’ opinions and
express them to the school. It is
an honour to be elected, and we
are truly grateful.
Thank you for your
support! We look forward to
seeing all of you join us in
c r e a t i n g o u r B S T C
NEIGHBOURHOOD.
Wing Chun Wing Chun Wing Chun Wing Chun ---- 詠詠詠詠春春春春
Wing Chun is a type of Chinese martial art and a form of self-
defense. People who practice Wing Chun believe that the person who
has the better body structure would win a fight. Many think that
Wing Chun was invented by the famous Kung Fu master, Yip Man.
However, most legends trace the roots of Wing Chun to a Buddhist
nun named Ng Mui. Yip was the man who spread this extraordinary
martial art from China to all over the world.
Activity time: every Saturday beginning
October 20, from 10:00am to 12:00pm
Format: 8 lessons per term conducted by a
qualified coach from a Wing Chun society
Price: $480 for the course
Teacher in charge: Ms. CM Lee
KarateKarateKarateKarate - 空手空手空手空手道道道道
Karate is a traditional form of martial arts that originated in Okinawa
in southern Japan. It uses punching, kicking, striking with the knees
and elbows, and open-handed techniques. It spread to China and the
central parts of Japan centuries ago and absorbed the characteristics
of both Kung Fu and Bushido. Nowadays, karate has developed into
an international sport, and it will possibly be included in the 2020
Summer Olympic Games.
Activity time: every Friday, 4:30pm to 6:00pm
Format: classes are held throughout the whole
school year; students can apply for examination
every 3 months
Price: $360/ 3 months + examination fee
Teacher in charge: Mr. W Faan
Chairperson: Lo Nga For (5F)
Vice-Chairperson (External Affairs): Chung Wing Tung (5D)
(Internal Affairs): Mok Wing Yee (5D)
Honorary Secretaries: Yim Hoi Yi (5A), Ng Man Shan (4B)
Honorary Treasurers: Kwan Ka Man (5D), Ng Ka Fung (5B)
Welfare Secretary: Lee Hon Yi (4D)
Academic Secretary: Chan Chi Shing (5C)
Recreational Secretary: Wong Kwai Lin (5B)
Publicity Secretaries: Hau Hiu Yu (3D),
Lun Yuen Ying (3B)
Sports Secretary: Pau Forbes Chek Long (5F)
NEW SCHOOL YEAR , NEW STUDENT CLUBS Leung Lap Hin School News reporter
SU Activities & Events
BSTC will have two new clubs this year that will surely appeal to our active BSTC schoolmates!
Page Design by Kwan Wai Ho
Page 2 October 15 , 2012 Sin Tak Spir i t
Words from the captain:
"I want to thank all Yan House committee
members. They have worked hard to prepare
everything attentively. I hope all Yan house
members will keep up their practicing for the
upcoming Sports Day. I will try my best, too."
Chi House members, try our best!! Past Record:
� Athletic Meet Girls Grade A champion
Sneak Preview:
� Surprising dance performance inspired by dance moves from a
YouTube video
� Music: “’What Makes You Beautiful’’ by One Direction
� Watch out for the dance performance of the House Captain
Star athletes:
� Wong Tsz Cheung (5E)
� Ho Ka Chun (5E)
Expectation of the captain:
‘I hope they can try their best and just perform with no regret.’
Secret weapon:
� unique costumes
Past Record:
� The biggest winner last year
� Cheering team award
� Boy's Grade B and Grade C champion
� Girl's Grade C champion
Sneak preview:
� Dancing performance will be the highlight
� Will dance to several songs: "Born this way" by Lady
Gaga and some new Korean pop
� Eye-catching costumes
Star athletes:
� Lam Chun Wing (5F)
� Pang Chun Ho (4F)
Expectations:
"To achieve what Yan House achieved last year."
Yan House caption, Alvin Hui: "People say that they
want to watch my solo. (laugh) Please don’t expect too
much. I'm not good at dancing."
Words form the captain:
“We’ll try our best and
fight for Chi House.’’
October 15 , 2012 Page 3
Words from the captain:‘
With our limited time and resources, we are trying
our best to teach S1 students the steps and slogans,
and they are doing really well. All the members are
united and we are confident that we can write a
glorious chapter in Shun House History!!’’
Sin Tak Spir i t
Shun House members like a fire! Shun
house members, be the winners!
Past Record:
� Boys Grade A Champion
� Girls Grade B 400-meters Champion
� Many other prizes
Sneak Preview:
� Will dance to a “mystery song” that is in the style
of Rhythm and Blues music
� Eye-catching costumes
� A dance performance that will be really amazing
and surprising
Star Athletes:
� Wong Lag Chun (6A)
� Lam Hau Yung (4D)
� Yeung Ho Ching (6D)
Expectation:“Continue to win in various events
and win more prizes for Shun
House this year.’’
October 24-25
Words from the captain:
“Lai House has the best committee members
who practice every second they can and think
of the best solution for solving problems. The
closer to the Sports Days, the more ambitious
we are. So, Lai House members, see you on
the track, and let’s win all that we
can!” Breaking traditions Sneak preview:
� Hit Korean song, "Roly poly" by T-ara (The cheerleading team
will sing in Korean!)
� "Fashionable, cute, and attractive" costume that match the
song "Roly poly"
� "Something new and extremely difficult" in the dancing by the
committee (Expect chairs, masks , hats, and gloves!)
� Larger group of cheerleaders (32) and committee members
(18)
Star athletes:
� Ng Man Wai (5D) - Lai House captain, overall champion in
her Grade in almost every year
� Nick Chong (5E) – winner of last year’s 100m race
� Pang Chan (6C) – excels in running and many other sports
Expectations: There will be something special and something
that is unprecedented.
Page Design by Shimizu Itsuo
Lau Ka Ki Ngai Ka Ho People and Campus Life Reporters
Page 4 October 15 , 2012
GREETINGS FROM AFS EXCHANGE STUDENTS
authors
Sin Tak Spir i t
Exchange student from Italy - Andrea Fierro
Hi Andrea, welcome to BSTC! Now, how do we say your name?
The pronunciation is “on-dray-ya”.
What did you expect BSTC would be like before coming to Hong
Kong?
Before I came to BSTC, I had thought that the academic subjects would be difficult and
the teachers would be very strict. I have now changed my opinion. The teachers teach
very quickly, and there is a lot of homework to do. But if I have any problems, my
teachers and classmates would gladly help me.
What do you usually do during your free time in Hong Kong and in Italy?
When I had free time in Italy, I usually went to southern Italy to visit my friends and
relatives. We would play football together. In Hong Kong, I spend my free time visiting
local attractions and famous places.
What do you think about the people whom you have met in BSTC so far?
BSTC students are very friendly and nice. What’s more, the relationship between teachers
and students is very close here. Actually, there seems to be no distance between them.
They always help me to order my lunch, and I went out for lunch with teachers for the
first time in my life. I also find that girls in Hong Kong are more shy than girls in Italy.
What are some goals that you want to achieve during your exchange in Hong Kong?
I want to learn more Cantonese so that I can chat with my Hong Kong classmates and friends. I also joined the Music Club
because I really like playing saxophone. I love playing basketball too, and I would like to enjoy these activities with my BSTC
schoolmates.
Exchange student from Thailand - Rawangkarn Sassiprapa (Fa)
Why did you choose to come to Hong Kong?
I chose to come to Hong Kong because I have learned Cantonese before, and the people in Hong Kong
speak English. This means I can more easily communicate with the people here. I also want to improve my Cantonese!
Can you describe your family members?
I live with my father and mother. I also have a dog. We would go out for dinner,
shop or travel to somewhere else. I enjoy talking to my father. He is quite funny!
What do you like and dislike about Hong Kong?
I like the convenient transportation in Hong Kong. There are MTR stations
everywhere.. However, I don’t like how the people in Hong Kong smoke
everywhere. Other things that I don’t like are the humidity and how busy the people
in Hong Kong are.
What do you like to do in your free time?
My hobby is surfing the internet.
What is the difference between the school in Thailand and BSTC?
There are many differences between studying in the two countries. For instance, I
can use my mobile phone in school in Thailand, but I cannot do so here. I can choose
the subjects that I want to study here, but I can’t do that in Thailand. I think it is nice
to go out for lunch in Hong Kong, but I need to have lunch inside school in
Thailand. When I first came to BSTC, I thought that there were a lot of rules. But
later, I realized that it is not very difficult to obey the rules.
Chan Chi Yan Chiang Wing Tung Campus Life Reporters
Chiu Yuet Yan Tse Ying Hong
Campus Life Reporters
Fa is from an area near Bangkok, the
capital city of Thailand.
Sawsdeeka! - ‘Hello’ in Thai (boys say Sawasdee krub!)
Andrea is from the town of
Udine in northeastern Italy.
Ciao! - ‘Hello’ and ’Goodbye’ in Italian
Page Design by Chan Wing Hei
Page 5 October 15 , 2012
MORAL AND NATIONAL EDUCAT ION Wong Mo Ki
Community News Reporter - A BONE OF CONTENT ION
Sin Tak Spir i t
JOSHUA , CHI -FUNG WONG Post: Convenor of the student activist group Scholarism;
co-founded Scholarism with his schoolmate Ivan, Lam Long-yin
Age: 15
School: United Christian College (Kowloon East), S5 student
Reason for being interested in social affairs: Influenced by his
parents’ concern for social issues
Public Opinion on Joshua: Some say he performed very well in
”City Forum” when discussing issues related to National
Education. Others believe Pan-Democrats are using him for political
interests.
Recent months have
seen scathing criticism toward
the government’s plan to
introduce the Moral and
N a t i o n a l E d u c a t i o n
Curriculum in primary and
secondary schools. The
government’s reluctance to
withdraw the National
Education curriculum has
triggered a series of large-scale
demonstrations. This brings us
to two questions: What has
made Hong Kong people form
such a united front against
this issue? And why is the
Government so determined?
To answer these questions, we
have to put things into
perspective.
Undoubtedly, Hong
Kong students are the ones
who would be the most
affected in this issue. They
have made their opinions
heard through protests, social
media, and other platforms.
According to Joshua Wong
Chi Fung, co-founder of the
student activist group
S c h o l a r i s m ( 學 民 思 潮 ) ,
National Education is
suspicious of being an attempt
to“brainwash” students in
Hong Kong. For instance, in
the first version of the
Curriculum Guide, teachers
are asked to evaluate students’
learning by observing whether
they display the required
emotions towards China’s
advancements.
Teachers have also
voiced their opposition to the
N a t i o n a l E d u c a t i o n
curriculum. The Hong Kong
Professional Teacher's Union
points out that this subject
would be a burden to school
administration. Moreover,
they are not satisfied with the
teaching material. The “China
Model” teaching guide avoids
m e n t i o n i n g p o l i t i c a l l y
sensitive issues like the
Tiananmen Square “June 4
Incident” and events related to
Li Wang Yang.
Meanwhile, parents
have shown their concerns
about how National Education
curriculum would be taught.
The Parents Concern Group
accused “The China Model” of
being incomplete and biased,
which may hinder students’
understanding of China.
Despite the public
o u tc r y o v e r N a t i o na l
Education, the Secretary for
Education, Eddie Ng Hak-
kim, insists that National
Education is not brainwashing
but useful for students. He
said that “The China Model”
was only for reference, and
schools could choose their
own teaching materials. He
claimed that National
Education could help students
know more about China and
cultivate students’ sense of
patriotism.
Amid allegations that
National Education is a form
of brainwashing, we must ask
ourselves: if the government is
willing to make amendments
to the National Education
curriculum, is the idea of
i n t r o d u c i n g N a t i o n a l
Education in Hong Kong
schools indeed meaningful?
That’s a good question for you
to consider as the National
Education debate continues.
Is the idea of introducing National Education in Hong Kong schools indeed meaningful?
Photo by Helen Ng
Protestors put up creative
banners at the Government
Headquarters.
sequence o f
events
� April 2012 The former Secretary for
Education, Michael Suen Ming-
yeung, approved the “Moral
and National Education
Curriculum Guide”. The
Education Bureau began
consulting the public about its
implementation in Hong Kong
primary and secondary schools.
� July 29, 2012 Scholarism and The Parents
Concern Group staged a large-
scale protest against the
Government’s plan to introduce
National Education. The
organizations claimed that there
were more than 90,000
protesters.
� August 3, 2012 The Chief Secretary for
Administration, Carrie Lam
Cheng Yuet-ngor announced
that the Education Bureau will
set up a “Committee on the
Initiation of the Moral and
National Education Subject”.
� September 1 - 9, 2012 Tens of thousands of protesters,
including students, teachers and
parents, took part in a
prolonged peaceful rally at the
Hong Kong Tamar Government
Offices. Organizers of the rally
estimated that there were
120,000 in attendance, while the
Hong Kong Police said that
there was a 36,000 turnout. About two dozen protestors
went on a hunger strike. James
Hon Lin-shan, a retired teacher,
did not eat for 168 hours.
� September 9, 2012 The government announces that
it will cancel the three-year
implementation period for the
Moral and National Education
subject. Schools can now decide
when and how to introduce the
curriculum.
� October 8, 2012
The Curriculum Guide of Moral
and National Education is
formally shelved. Schools that
wish to introduce the subject
may use any teaching guide and
resources that they feel are
appropriate.
Photo: Voices of America (Wikimedia Commons)
Citizens made their voices heard during a rally against the
implementation of the Moral and National Education curriculum.
Photo: Voices of America (Wikimedia Commons)
Joshua Wong spoke
eloquently at the rallies
organized by Scholarisum.
Page Design by Ng Hok Chun
October 15 , 2012 Page 6 Sin Tak Spir i t
Sin Tak Spirit This student newspaper is produced with the enthusiastic contribution of
the following students and staff members of Buddhist Sin Tak College.
School News
Ngai Ka Ho
Lau Ka Ki
Leung Lap Hin
People &
Campus Life
Cheung Hoi Ching
Chiang Wing Tung
Chan Chi Yan
Chiu Yuet Yan
Learning
Leung Sai Lam
Lee Sui Bing
Community &
World News
Wong Mo Ki
Wong Tsz Wai
Design & Layout
Ng Hok Chun
Kwan Wai Ho
Chan Wing Hei
Shimizu Itsuo
Distribution &
Advertisement
Lau Ka Ki
Hung Ka Lung
Hui Yuk Yuen
Staff Advisors
Ms Helen Ng
Ms SW Chan
Ms ML Hau
US PRESIDENTIAL ELECT ION 2 0 12
The United States is now in the middle of a crossroad.
Will Barack Obama be given one more chance or will Mitt
Romney be elected as a reaction to Obama’s disappointing four
-year reign in the White House?
The US Presidential Election will be held on November 6
this year. The two camps, the Democratic Party (represented by
Obama) and the Republican Party (represented by Romney),
are trying their best to gain the voters’ faith and their valuable
votes.
The contrast between the policies on each side is still the
old issue, health reform. Health reform was once in Barack
Obama’s 2008 manifesto as the first step to ‘change’, but
apparently, he has failed his followers. This has now become
Mitt Romney’s attacking point against Obama’s campaign. In
order to make decrease the government’s expense, Obama has
now put forward the proposal of reforming healthcare by
requiring everyone to purchase health insurance.
Of course, we have only touched on a small part of the
US presidential race. Will the leading country candidate
continue to lead? Or, will we see the dawn of a new era on
November 6? It will all depend on America’s vote.
Barack Obama
Presidential Nominee
Of the Democratic Party
Mitt Romney
Presidential Nominee
Of the Republican Party
Wong Tsz Wai Community News reporter
NEWS FROM THE LIBRARY
New items in September:New items in September:New items in September:New items in September:
- “We Bought a Zoo” DVD
- ”Journey 2 : The Mysterious Island” DVD
- ”Journey to The Center of The Earth” DVD
- “One For The Money” DVD
- “Mirror Mirror” DVD
- “The Golden Compass” DVD
-” 3 Idiots” DVD
New items in October:New items in October:New items in October:New items in October:
- The Hunger Games Triology
- 武道狂之詩第一卷至第十一卷
(香港書獎部份書籍):
-人間滋味/也斯
-大江東去-司徒華回憶錄/司徒華
-官商同謀-香港公義私利的矛盾/顧汝德
-香港城邦論/陳雲
The library is now publishing its own Newsletter! Find a copy in the library and read about library activities, recommended books, new books, top readers, and so much more!
Page Design by Kwan Wai Ho