2015 Sports Day

I have been to several School Sports Days in Hong Kong and of course I remember competing back in England when I was a student. I have always enjoyed engaging with sporting activities and athletics is one of my favorites both as a spectator and a competitor. This year’s sports day featured some fantastic feats of strength and ability. It is always thrilling to witness young people exceeding their expectations, pushing their limits and taking pride in their achievements. But for me the Law Ting Pong 2015 Sports Day is most memorable because of the atmosphere of professionalism, sportsmanship and comradery generated by the students. A special mention must go to the captains and leaders of each house who helped create this atmosphere and instilled the spirit of good natured competition in all the younger competitors. It was truly an event to be proud of.

Andrew Stevenson

From the 22nd to 23rd January 2015 I joined the LTPSS sports day. I ran the 4x100m inter house and inter class relays. I learnt a lot of things from these two events, and I got three awards for myself overall. The happiest moment was when I ran the 4x100m inter class relay with my Performing Arts teacher, Mr. Stevenson. During the race, I was the third runner and Mr. Stevenson was the second. When I was on the track, I saw Mr. Stevenson running very slowly and I started to feel very nervous because I really didn’t want to come last. When Mr. Stevenson passed me the baton, I ran like under 9.9 seconds and I saw that I was able to run past three people and give the baton to the fourth runner, my friend Henry. Finally we came first in the 4x100m inter class relay, but no thanks to Mr. Stevenson! At that time, I felt as happy as if I had gone to heaven. That day, was the best day of my life!


Hok Wai Tang (Gordon – 3A)

 It’s my great pleasure to have attended the speech day this year. I’m glad that I was there to share the joy of the graduates, and I can never forget the moments of receiving their name cards and reading their names in school probably for the last time. It’s also very pleasing to see those who had been working very diligently receiving prizes on stage. As a senior form teacher, I find ‘Igniting the Flame’ the most impressive and meaningful part of the night. The electric candles and the angelic voices of the school choir perfectly enhanced the ambience and I believe the scene touched everyone’s heart.

The speech day didn’t only represent years of graduates’ hard work. It also celebrated the lasting friendship cultivated in the past years. I saw graduates giving each other their tightest hugs and juiciest kisses; I saw graduates taking endless selfies as if it was the final chance for them to get together; I saw happy faces turned melancholic when the clock struck nine, as it was the time for the gowns to be returned and that symbolized the end of the secondary school life. Though tears might well up in eyes when saying goodbye, it’s important to know that the night was not only for reminiscing the past, but also for looking forward to the future.

Swanie Chung

Despite the fact that I am not one of the 2013-2014 graduates, it is my tremendous privilege to have attended the speech day as a prize winner and one of the representatives for 'Igniting the frame'. I believe Speech day is one of the most significant life events as it symbolises the end of our secondary school life, but at the same time, the start of another new stage of our life. Speech day represents the transition of our growth. Not only does it allow us to rekindle the unforgettable memories we had with our dearest teachers and adorable peers, but it also remind us it is the time to consider our future. I think Speech Day means a lot to me and as a current S6 student, I can't wait to be one of the graduates next year and I am looking forward to meeting all my former teachers. Does Speech Day mean a lot to you?


Darren Tang 6S

 

Fun Run

On 14th November 2014, we had our Fun Run in Tai Mei Tuk Plover Cove Reservoir Dam. The fun run is an activity to promote the development of healthy lifestyles of students. On that day all the staff and students joined the event actively. They could choose to join the fun run or challenging group. I enjoyed seeing the smiles on their faces throughout the run. I believe life is like a running journey. With perseverance and endurance, this will give us motivation to keep going. If we can break through the obstacles in our path, the bright future is waiting for us. If you do not have a practice of doing exercise, start it today!

Ms. Jovita Wong

Students Voice – Distance Fun Run

I am 6R Tommy Ng Tin Yu. It’s my honour to be the champion of Distance Fun Run 2014-2015. Fortitude and practice make success.

Have you ever faced difficulties? Of course everyone has faced difficulties, but the most important point is how we face them. Some of us just give up or even decide not to take up any challenges, but this is not for me.

When I was in form 3, the school organized the first Fun Run activity. Although I was not good at running at that time, I still joined the challenging group. I practiced and of course I faced some hard times. I told myself I should not give up and I wanted to try my best. After several practice, I got the 2nd runner up. I was happy because I accomplished my promise. Then, I gave myself a target every year – take the challenge and never give up. This year, I set a target: I am going to break the school record that I made last year. I practiced more and harder. Finally, I made it. So, never say you are the best, never stop taking the challenge. Push yourself, never give up and you can still surpass yourself.

Last but not the least, we must work hard towards our goal and to be our best.

6R Ng Tin Yu

 

Spanish Week... what a week!

It has been my first Spanish Week in LTPSS and everything has been so intense. We spent a lot of time preparing everything but it was worth it!

First of all, the reactions of all teaching and non-teaching staff: lots of them asking us and the students how greet each other or how to say thanks in Spanish. It seems a tiny gesture but for us and all the Spanish students meant A LOT. So thank you everybody!

The students prepared lots of decorations containing Spanish words or expressions with the help of the amazing Mr. Siu. It was nice to see the students so happy to post their words around. All the activities went smoothly, the Mexican Mariachis sounded really nice, the Spanish food was amazing (even better that my mum’s), the zumba engaged lots of students and teachers dancing like crazy and the Talent Show though it was the first year (and there is a lot to improve) had really nice performances of our students. This kind of intercultural activities are amazing for our students and for us, teachers. We are living in a multicultural city and we need to learn how to hybridize into proficient global citizens, and this week was an excellent example of how to walk this beautiful and rich path of culture-interaction.

Ms. Mariona ANGLADA ESCUDE

Well in the 3rd Spanish week I went to the Mexican Mariachi band to hear their music, then I danced with the Latin music with the two girls from Brazil and Costa Rica, after that I ate the Spanish food in the Spanish Room. Lastly I performed my poem at the talent show. So the best activity is my performance in the talent show because that poem was first performed on 23rd February, 2014 and I was brave when I performed this poem. I really enjoyed the Spanish Week, because it commemorates the arrival of Christopher Columbus to America. I really like the Spanish culture and the Latin American cultures. .

Karl Tjokro (4R)

Since there are a growing number of non-Chinese speaking teachers, parents and students in school, this year we “catered for diversity” by providing simultaneous interpretation during the Parents Evening. It was my first time doing real-time interpretation and it was so fun! I was thrilled that a lot of colleagues approached me and thanked me for interpreting. It was indeed a valuable learning experience for me as I had never known that I could do such a challenging job! I hope I would be given another opportunity to take up this job in the future!

Miss Winnie Chow

I think the Parents Evening was a very good chance to let the students and their parents know the school’s latest information and news. My class teachers, Ms Fiona Tse and Mr Christopher Anders told me and my parents quite a lot of details about the school curriculum and the IGCSE. We were pleased that the school prepares us well every year.

3S Yu Yiu Ting Dragon

Back to school again!  ~ The Principal 
It’s always an interesting scene to see students coming back after the break! Some still feel sleepy, hoping to stay a little longer in bed! Some are a bit nervous about the new school but most are excited!

Just before the term started, we received the report from the Comprehensive review team from EDB. I was glad that they found our students ‘happy with their school life’ and teachers,  ‘caring and supportive’. They reckoned the atmosphere of the school is ‘cosy’. It was a very encouraging remark as we have been working hard in the last five years on a happy and caring campus.
 Besides, they described our students ‘on the whole courteous, cooperative, cheerful and well behaved.’ Students ‘enjoy their school life’ and on the whole are attentive in class, ‘exhibiting a positive attitude towards learning’.

I am so proud of our kids though they could still strive for better performance. Today in the School opening ceremony, I appealed to their ‘sense of responsibility in learning’. Teens in this generation are very much spoiled by parents and teachers and very often, they tend to be very complacent about everything and therefore shift the responsibility of learning from themselves to the others. I hope our students would understand their responsibilities in learning and have higher expectations for themselves and work on it.

It’s about time we escalate the level of happiness to one about achievements and satisfaction. We need to nurture students who have aspirations and know how to train themselves and learn for it. We need students to be serious about their studies and put in the hard work to achieve success.

Where you are right now doesn't have to determine where you'll end up. No one's written your destiny for you. You write your own destiny. You make your own future. That's why today, I have asked the students to set their own goals for their education - and to do everything they can to meet them. Whatever they resolve to do, I want them to commit to it. I want them to really work at it.

As I said at the end of the ceremony, ‘We love you very much, kids!’

‘You have to love yourself and make yourself a BETTER YOU!’

 

I am delighted to have the chance to express my feelings through Student’s Voice. I am Ryan Cheung and this is my sixth year in LTPSS. I was the Head Prefect last year and I am now going to enjoy the fruit of my success as I see a new team of prefects following my footsteps.

Before the start of term, I spent a whole week for the S1 Orientation Week preparing the new students for what is to come instead of revising for the DSE exams. However, I don’t regret it at all. I even felt ecstatic. I enjoyed every moment in that week. I really love this school and I hope I can do much more for this school. LTPSS has become another home for me, a place where I am able to develop into a tough young adult. I treasure every moment in this school, with my classmates, teachers, janitors and principal, Ms. Tam. I am glad to have the opportunity to contribute to the success of this school. I do not care how much time I have put in for this school in the past five years, I just hope LTPSS can become an even better school. That is why I would like to seek help from all of my schoolmates - Let’s make LTPSS better. Finally, I hope all of my schoolmates can enjoy a new, precious and memorable academic year in LTPSS.

Amor Vincit Omnia (AVO)

AVO is the latest in an increasingly long line of musicals staged by LTPSS. There were six performances: two per day for three consecutive days with the final evening performance on Saturday 12th July being the VIP Gala Performance.

AVO was very challenging and we managed to record a number of firsts.

The Script

Basically, the story was told in two languages – English and Putonghua; one scene was one conversation with dialogue alternating between the two. Although AVO is at heart a love story, it also deals with cultural, social, political and historical issues. Also, there was a high number of scenes requiring a lot of co-ordinated work from the backstage crew.

The Cast and Crew

In previous musicals, most of the main cast was from senior forms e.g. Form 5. For AVO, the majority of the cast and crew are from the lower school i.e. Forms 1 – 3.

Timing

Previous musicals have been staged in October / November meaning that rehearsals took place over the summer holiday. AVO was staged in July – the end of the school year; auditioning started in September and allowances had to be made for exams and other commitments. A very concentrated rehearsal period was organised in the two weeks before the first performance date.

Technically

The large screen on stage was used and images were ‘back projected’. This reduced the size of the stage so a large extension to the stage had to be designed and constructed. Temporary tiered seating accommodating just over 200 people was hired and this added another special feel to the event.

Musically

We used a wide range of resources to produce the music: playing live on stage, the band playing live with special arrangements for piano and gu zheng and specially created ‘playback’ tracks.

A lot of challenges and a lot of firsts; it was hard work and the results were spectacular. Well done and thank you to all those involved no matter the size of your contribution.

Participating in the AVO musical has been a long, tough, and memorable experience for me. I have learnt much during this journey and I shall have long lasting memories of all the things I have experienced, especially working with all my schoolmates, teachers and other people who were involved.

I feel that our school has really set out to produce a musical with all the aspects of professional theatre work. When I received and read the script, I felt like I was working and participating in a professional production of a musical with very detailed divisions of duties and meticulous planning. Through this process, I have learnt about the inner workings of professional theatre work.

As one of the main characters in the musical, it is difficult to forget the work and effort everyone has put in producing this musical, especial the people who were by my side, helping, supporting and participating with me from the beginning to the end. It is the feeling of camaraderie among all as we strove towards a common goal which kept us going, even when we all felt tired, hungry, and occasionally beaten during the tedious and repetitive rehearsal period. However, it was a true bonding experience and in the end, I think, we all enjoyed the overall process.

Towards the end of the AVO musical, we even started talking about the next musical and how wonderful and exciting it would be if we could perhaps be able to participate in it and experience all that we have had during this one.  

I think we are all really looking forward to the next musical and firmly believe we can put on another good show.

Eddy Fung  4S

As I said, this is my favorite musical ever. I was delighted that I was given an opportunity to be an actor and participate in the musical. When we were given the scripts, we studied our characters and tried to immerse ourselves into the characters. We could not just recite and read out the lines. Instead, we had to study thoroughly the background of the play and personalities of our roles so as to fully understand the characters in a three-dimensional way.  During the rehearsals , we acquired different acting and singing skills.  Our theatrical knowledge and performance technics were enhanced by the advice of our teachers.   
The last time, I participated in a musical I was one of the backing chorus. This time, it was more challenging for me because it was my first performance as one of the main casts in a school production. We were quite lost at the beginning. However, all the challenges made us stronger. We learnt by trail and error, and then improved with the help of our teachers and student helpers. We were able to develop our skills and conquer our fears, especially during the final rehearsals. We dared to act with confidence. We were not professionals, but we were all determined to aim high.
In the six shows, we succeeded and did our best. We are thankful to all the support from the school and those who helped us through everything. The applause from the audience and the learning experience will live in us for the rest of out lives. 

 Kenny Cheung 3S