The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams, so says Eleanor Roosevelt (wife of the 32nd President of the United States of America).
For five students of SMK Pending, it must have been a dream come true when they were selected to represent Sarawak in the Oh My English Showtime Finals held on 6th July 2013 at Mutiara Damansara, Selangor. Guided and chaperoned by Madam Sulia Bedang and Miss Sim Siaw Phing, the five students, Spencer Chee Te-Inng, Kelsey Navel ak Sammy, Rabiah Tulaulyah bt Jainul Ariffin and Nur Aishah bt Abdul Rahim, all from Form 1B, and Jefrody ak Freddie from Form 2F flew to Selangor with SMK Pending and Sarawak’s hopes resting on their young shoulders.
A week earlier, on 28th June 2013, the entourage from the Astro's Oh My English National School Tour visited SMK Pending, their 50th and final school, in their quest to select 20 schools across Malaysia to compete in the Oh My English Showtime Finals. According to Astro, the organiser, the team from SMK Pending was chosen for the finals based on their ability to work as a whole to create the mood and tone intended, and overall effectiveness of the performance in terms of clarity, audience awareness, appropriate staging and acting. The team had only a week to refine and enhance their performance, and to come up with appropriate costumes and props.
During the finals, four categories of awards were at stake, namely Best Overall, Best Teamwork, Most Creative and Most Original. Calling themselves Happiness, the team from SMK Pending performed a tongue twister entitled How Much Wood Would a Woodchuck Chuck, adding sound effects as they went along – whistling, foot-tapping, finger-snapping and making an ocarina with their hands. The effects were fantastic, to say the least. The audience went wild when they ended the first segment of their performance. They also recited a poem Colours of the Sarawak Flag which they composed themselves, detailing what each colour means to them. During recital, a bit of acting was thrown in as well. The final segment was a short play showcasing the students’ acting skills; the portrayal of one as a genie granting wishes of each of the other four children. The cheekiness, coupled with the confidence exuded by the genie, and the smooth delivery by the other four, were well-received by the audience who cheered and applauded.
The team were in seventh heaven when they were adjudged winner of the Most Creative Award. For their hard work and effort, each of the students received a trophy and a certificate, and the school received a glass trophy. Encik Razali Mat Zain from English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC), representing the Ministry of Education, who was also in the panel of judges, gave away the trophies and certificates. In his speech, he thanked all quarters for their support, and he hoped that the Oh My English Showtime workshops conducted around the nation had made a positive impact on the children to speak better English.
Our utmost gratitude and sincere appreciation to Pengetua, Mr Ivor Emmanuel Lim, Penolong Kanan I, Madam Hii Kwong Ing, Penolong Kanan Ko-kurikulum, Encik Roslan Sumiran, Penolong Kanan Petang, Madam Hazel George, the parents of Happiness, our fellow colleagues and students for their unwavering support and encouraging words throughout the tension-filled week. It was a humongous task trying to get everything ready in one short week, and we could not have done it without you. This golden opportunity was indeed an eye-opener for the five students, and we truly hope it will serve as a reminder that when one tries hard and tries hard enough, success is only a breath away. We are sure this experience is one which they and we will cherish for a long, long time to come.
Kudos to Happiness!!!
Madam Sulia Bedang
Miss Sim Siaw Phing
