Kwok Si-Yang (19S11)

Si-Yang hopes to join the SAF as his form of service to the community.
Photo - MOE CEG Unit

PAYING IT FORWARD

Kwok Si-Yang knows what it means to pay it forward. Despite repeating J1 in 2019, Si-Yang did not give up on himself easily. Instead he took up various opportunities to improve. From volunteering as an Orientation Group Leader to being in the House Executive Committee, Si-Yang used these opportunities to interact with his peers and juniors, making a difference in their college lives.

In his pursuit for self-improvement, he also joined the World Scholar’s Cup (WSC) team to represent the college at an international event. When COVID-19 brought many disruptions to the this event and school life in general, Si-Yang kept his spirits up and took it upon himself to be the ‘sunshine’ in the team, cheering his peers on to participate in ‘Couch Camp’ – an unofficial online competition which replaced the official one which had to be cancelled. Si-Yang’s Civics Tutors and WSC teachers admired Si-Yang’s endless positivity in the face of the stress of preparing for the A Level examinations. Ms Megan Miao who was one of Si-Yang’s WSC teachers recounted that “Si-yang manages to see the silver lining in any cloud. He is ever so upbeat and positive, and creates a sense of togetherness wherever he goes.”

Ever generous with his time, Si-Yang mentored his National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) juniors as a way of giving back to his alma mater and the NPCC as he felt that his time as an NPCC cadet “shaped me as an individual and I want to share my experiences with my juniors." In recognition of the hours he spent as a Cadet Inspector, Si-Yang achieved the National Youth Achievement (Gold) Award in 2019. Currently, despite serving his National Service, Si-Yang is still an active Cadet Inspector and plans to extend his service for as long as he is able to do so. As for his future aspirations, Si-Yang has set his sights on a career with the Singapore Armed Forces and hopes to apply for the SAF Scholarship. Si-Yang shared that “I chose the SAF because ultimately, this is a form of service to people, and I believe that is my calling.”