Jasia
Lee
I still remember stepping into Pioneer Primary School as a bundle full of nerves and confusion. I could barely remember where each facility was and couldn't get used to such a new environment that quickly. Not only that, I had no idea who anyone was in school, and I wasn't sure if I could get along well with others. Getting used to this new environment took time, and I dreaded going to school and would rather stay at home to watch television.
However, that changed within the first year or so. I had met new friends in class with the help of the teachers encouraging interaction between everyone in school and the organised activities we had. Seeing my friends was one of the first things I started looking forward to in school, and before I knew it, I had actually started to enjoy going to school daily.
Whether it was playing with my friends during recess or learning a new topic, I found joy in it. My teachers also provided me with many leadership opportunities that played a big part in shaping who I am today. From the start of my journey in Pioneer, I was provided with my first leadership opportunity and became the class chairperson. At that point of time, I had barely known what it meant to be a leader and the responsibilities that had come with it.
After becoming a student councillor, I realised that being a leader did not only mean being someone who was in charge of a group of people, but that being a leader also meant being a role model. However, pressure also came with the role. Despite trying my best to set a good example for my peers, at times, I, like many others, also made mistakes.
Through the mistakes I made, I also learnt how to stay positive in the face of adversity and to understand and improve from them. When I was presented with the opportunity to become the student council president, I was ecstatic, but more importantly, I looked forward to the challenges that would come my way. Despite it being my first time leading such a big group of people, I faced this challenge with courage and harnessed even more leadership skills. Apart from these skills I had harnessed, I had also made friends of a lifetime. As I had spent time with the executive committee members, we had grown closer and closer and had each other's backs at all times.
To this day, I still remember taking part in the Pioneer Primary Experience programme with the executive committee members and some of my friends. This was one of the first times I could experience what being a primary school teacher was like, which made me appreciate my teachers even more. Teaching the kindergarten children was extremely fun, especially seeing all their excited faces.
With this, I hope that both the staff and students in Pioneer Primary School will still be able to maintain their bond and relationships after the merger and sustain the fun and engaging learning environment.
— Jasia Lee (Alumni of PPS – 2014 to 2019)
Wong Hong Run
I remember the first day I stepped into Pioneer Primary School, I was just like everyone in P1, everything was new to me. As a foreigner who just moved to Singapore, I did not really communicate with others unless it was something important because I could hardly speak English at that point of time. I was afraid that others would laugh at me because of my command of English language. I felt nervous and bashful whenever people approached me and talked to me. Many times, I would use hand signals to answer them and this made me feel less confident of myself.
Pioneer Primary School has helped me grow in my character and combat my weaknesses. I was honoured to be elected as a student-councillor and I was also one of the EXCO members. I remember there was once where the EXCO members were given the task to plan for a Teachers’ Day concert, and we decided to perform a skit. That was the time I got a chance to perform on stage, this performance was important to me as it helped to boost my confidence. I used to think that standing on the stage and perform in front of the school was the scariest thing ever, but now I think that standing on the stage and bringing joy to others is an amazing and fun thing. After one to two years in PPS, my English became better and I became more confident as a person. I felt thankful for all that the teachers had done for me, not forgetting, my ever-supportive friends too
.My fondest memory was about the "Glorious Future" song that our school has composed in 2020. I was involved in the composition of the Chinese version of the song. This was my fondest memory because it was the first time I sang a song and it was even showcased on the PPS school website. Whenever I miss PPS, I would listen to this song, whenever I feel like giving up on something, this song would give me the power to be resilient and strong.
I know that it has been very tough for all the teachers, staff and students in this COVID-19 pandemic. But I wish everyone can stay healthy and keep safe. Let's stay strong and get through this ordeal together!
— Wong Hong Run (Alumni of PPS – 2015 to 2020)