ACJC Cherishes the Class of 2021

During their time at ACJC the Class of 2021 lived out the College values of Integrity, Tenacity, and Passion, in Order to Make a Difference. They made the most of their time at College in spite of the challenges created by the pandemic, and have left their mark on the College. Each member of the cohort is special. Here, we highlight a few exemplary ACSians from the Class of 2021.

Tham Lishen
Lishen is an exemplary ACSian. He was the President of the 45th Students’ Council, and not only led by example but showed to the rest of the College what it meant to live a life of service placing institution, family and others above self. Lishen demonstrated dedication to the College and his peers with unwavering commitment to his duties as a student and a leader in the face of trying personal circumstances. Besides his academic pursuits and his work as Council President, he also sought to improve migrant workers’ lives by filming conversational English videos, comprising common English phrases taught in a readily comprehensible way. Lishen’s passion for service and exemplary leadership serve as an inspiration to all those around him. He was awarded MOE’s Edusave Character Award (ECHA), was placed in the Principal’s Honour Roll, a distinction only reserved for the finest, and was made the Valedictorian of the Class of 2021 as well as recipient of the Courage Award for 2021 and the inaugural Integrity Award – In Memory of Tan Sri (Dr) Tan Chin Tuan, administered by the ACS Foundation.

G Solai Valli
An all-rounder in the finest ACSian tradition, Solai is a highly-driven young lady who pursues her academic and co-curricular activities with excellence. An outstanding academic performer, Solai believes firmly in holistic development, and served as the Captain of the College Softball team from 2020 to 2021, leading by example through her passionate and responsible leadership.

Solai demonstrated an ACSian spirit of selfless service. She was a youth anti-drug advocate with CNB, and a Team Nila sports volunteer with Active Singapore. With a passion for working with the underprivileged, Solai volunteered as a youth mentor with SINDA in 2021, particularly in the GAME football programme, where she mentored members of the girl’s team. In addition to work with youth, she engaged with elderly and underprivileged members of the Indian community to connect with them. Significantly, Solai’s keen interest in national issues motivated her to explore concepts related to defence and diplomacy as part of the SAF Young Leaders Award, which she was conferred in 2021.

Liang Yusen
An outstanding student, Yusen was conferred the Wan Fook Weng Award for his outstanding performance at the 2020 JC1 Promotional Examinations. Yusen’s excellence in his academic performance can be attributed to the diligence, commitment and pride he puts into his learning. Yusen was also the Vice- President of the Engineering and Physics Club and was devoted to excellence in this area. Additionally, in 2020, he led his team in attaining the Merit Award in the 2020 Engineering Innovation Challenge, as they presented their prototype on using radiation to improve food preparation. Yusen along with his co-collaborator, furthermore, received the Silver Award for a research project on “Future of Solar Energy: Global optimization of all Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells through Artificial Intelligence” at the 22nd International Elementz Fair 2021 Finally, Yusen also attained the Silver Award for the 33rd Singapore Physics Olympiad.

Alyssa Yap Xin Yi
Alyssa was the President of the ACJC Debate and Oratorical Society. Besides helping to innovate digital debate community events and competitions to suit an uncertain COVID-19 world, she contributed immensely to the community as a judge for public speaking and debates for secondary schools. On top of the organising of events and judging, she represented the College in numerous international debating competitions and brought both local and international recognition to the College. Debate has flourished in the unique conditions of the pandemic and Alyssa has led the Society to position itself to thrive in the now globalised digital debate environment.

Jerica Pai Juanne Hwei
Jerica is a 2021 ACJC Performance Arts Award recipient, and was the President of the ACJC Choir. The Covid-19 pandemic brought specific challenges for vocal performance with a need for even more restrictive measures than many other co-curricular activities due to the nature of the performances. Jerrica ably led the Choir to adapt to these challenges, through safe yet rigorous socially distanced training programmes. Despite these difficulties, the College Choir rose to the challenge, clinching a Special Mention at the Singapore Youth Festival Arts Presentation 2021 where, under Jerica’s leadership, the Choir was recognised under ‘special provision’ conditions. She also brought the Choir into the community through the Choir’s traditional Values-in-Action Christmas Caroling project and the annual concert ‘An Evening with Friends’, conducted in accordance with the prevailing Safe Management Measures. The Choir remained an integral part of College events as Jerica helmed their participation in modified Teachers Day and National Day commemorations. Jerica is also the recipient of the school’s Outstanding Service Award and a member of the Principal’s Honour Roll.