I am so proud of you, 5K3!

My ties with the Methodist Girls' School, Malacca go as far back as the pre-World War 2 days! My late mother was a pupil in the primary school way back then. She was staying at the Shellabear Hall hostel when British Malaya fell to the Japanese and Miss Eva Sadler, the hostel warden at that time, had to hurriedly bundle off the school children to their respective homes.

2008 marks my 9th year of service in the Methodist Girls' Secondary School, Malacca. This year, I have the privilege of teaching Form 5K3. I took over the class from my colleague, Mdm. Elaine Tey and didn't know what to expect from the girls in the class.

When the school principal Miss Nga Johnson was about to retire in February this year, I challenged the girls to give her a simple gift from the heart - an autograph book from the class. I told the girls that it wouldn't cost much and only required paper, pen, some effort and someone to take the lead. I was so caught up with work and forgot entirely about the project that I had entrusted the girls with. However, to my utter complete pleasant surprise, on the day of the principal's retirement which fell on 22 February 2008, the 5K3 monitor Pei Kin proudly presented Miss Nga Johnson with the class's autograph book. A quick check with the newly-retired prncipal allayed all my fears - the book was tastefully and creatively done, never mind the grammar mistakes!

5K3 - all of you deserve a pat on your back. You just prove that with your own iniatiative but little or no adult supervision, yet you can do something beyond a teacher's (and principal's)expectations. I am so proud of all of you! With you as the future adult citizens and leaders of the country, there is hope yet for Malaysia.