The year 2007 was the year of advent of the four house colors that added ‘colors’ to college life. As the phrase ‘Beings of flight, houses of pride’ suggests, each individual epitomizes the idea of ‘reaching greater heights’ and bringing inspirations to the college. The House Executive Committee is a committee that acts as a catalyst to all the vibrancy and enthusiasm that takes place in the college, bringing smiles to all our faces through organizing a wide variety of activities. NYconnexions presents an interview with the newly elected Overall-in-charge, Charis: Koh of 0922, and Assistant-in-charge, Lai Chee Kit of 0905, of the 3rd House Executive Committee to find out more about what the House Exco has installed for us in the upcoming year.

Charis: Koh (0922), Overall-in-charge of the 3rd House Executive Committee.

Lai Chee Kit (0905), Assistant-in-charge of the 3rd House Executive Committee.

NYCX: What is the objective of the House Exco?

Charis: The House Exco aims to bond the school, cultivate a school spirit in NYJCians, and create a sense of belonging to their school and to their respective houses. We also hope that the student body will have fun during the events we run so that the school will be more bonded and everyone will enjoy themselves. We also hope to be more recognized through our plans for the school. Our vision is to ‘Be Known, Be Heard, Be one’, Efficiency with Xcitement, Creative as One; spelling out the word EXCO. We are only the 3rd batch of House Exco, which is why we are trying our best to cultivate the school spirit. We will be studying here for a short span of 2 years so we should make the most of it and carve memorable moments.

Cheekit: To help bond the school, houses and classes because each class belongs to a specific house. Through house interactive activities, classes can bond and collaborate with each other, hopefully helping to ‘fire’ up the school and increase their passion and enthusiasm towards the school, making them ‘high’ and outgoing at the same time. We aim to stick to our vision which is: Be known, be heard, be one. Be known: Let the school know that the House Exco exists because not many students know about the House Exco and their members who are able to portray themselves well and prominently in school, and their activities. Be Heard: In terms of school spirit where they would cheer and be ‘fired’ up about the school and the House. Be one: To be bonded as a school and as a House.

NYCX: What kinds of activities does the House Exco organize?

Charis: Events that involve inter-house competitions. They aim to get the whole school together to de-stress, have fun and develop a greater house spirit as they see the representatives of their house competing. Such activities will be sports related and include games, so look out for what House Exco has planned! We are trying our best to come out with something new and different and I hope everyone will participate in them.

Cheekit: Currently, we are organizing Racial Harmony Day, Sports Carnival which includes different games such as tennis, soccer, tchoukball, basketball during the National Day Parade. Currently, we hope to have a sports day which is inclusive of the Track and Field component which was never held in Nanyang Junior College before. This is spawned from our aim of creating a niche event that is unique to the House Exco, something that the whole school population would be able to identify with.

NYCX: In your opinion, what are the qualities that the House Exco members embody?

Charis: In my opinion, the House Exco members embody leadership qualities, as well as a sense of urgency to meet all the numerous datelines. We will take up challenges and persevere as ONE House Exco. I also believe that the House Exco members are optimistic, which will enable us to handle any problems that we will face. Teamwork is another important quality. Without good teamwork, tasks cannot be carried out efficiently, time will then be wasted.

Cheekit: Being different, standing out in the crowd, enthusiasm and initiative.

NYCX: What do you hope to achieve as a House Exco member at the end of your term?

Charis: I hope that the school spirit will be stronger and everyone will participate actively in events which we organize and be enthusiastic about themand recognize us for that we do. I also hope that the House Exco will succeed in organizing all these events and be efficient, organized and fantastic leaders like our seniors in the previous House Exco.

Cheekit: We hope to ‘be heard, be known, and be one’!

NYCX: What spurred you on to join the House Exco? Do you see yourself as a good leader/role model?

Charis: I did not have a leadership position in Secondary School so I wanted to try something new. I also feel that I have the potential to be a good leader and House Exco gives me a good opportunity to do while allowing me to have fun at the same time, providing a balance between fun and hard work. I actually decided to join the House Exco at the spur of the moment; however I do not regret it. I am glad that I made this decision and I will take up the challenge to never give up and live up to the responsibility of being the overall-in-charge and house captain. Yes, I do see myself as a good role model in the future and I hope others will see me as one too. I will do my best to be the best role model I can be.

Cheekit: The inspiration from the seniors, seeing how they carried out the orientation spurred me to join the House Exco. They are the kind people I want to be; someone who inspires and leads the school and the next batch of juniors by carrying himself well. I also like to organize events as I have done it before in my Secondary School and I would like to give myself greater opportunities to do so.
I think I still have a lot to learn from the other House Exco members as well as to discover more about myself through this process of being in the House Exco. I do not think it is up to me to decide if I am a good role model but rather it is based on the approval from others. My senior once told me, ‘The true measure of a role model/ leader is by the quality of the followers’. I think that I can be a better role model than what I am now and am willing to improve, which is one of the key elements of being a leader and a House Exco member.

Both the leaders spoke confidently, undeterred by all the potential challenges that they may face as a relatively new committee formed only in 2007. With all the fun and excitement that they have introduced, we certainly look forward to the activities that they plan to organize in the college. Here’s wishing the House Exco all the best in their endeavors.

Written by Isabelle Law