KUCHING: When you put 100 students from Sarawak in one room, and give them the chance to showcase their artistic talents, whether in drama and comedy acting, singing, playing instruments, beat-boxing, dancing, playing the Yo-Yo or reciting poetry, you know the audience will be in for a great treat.
Students performing a musical number during the ‘Sarawak State English-In-Camp’ showcase held recently.
The students performed courageously before education officials and fellow students.
Students of SMK Siburan with their ETA Andrew Taylor (back row, fifth left).
Last Friday’s ‘Sarawak State English-In-Camp’ showcase held at the Sarawak State Education auditorium gave students from 10 schools located in various districts throughout the state the chance to display their confidence, English-speaking skills, creativity and courage in front of an audience which included state Education Department (JPN) deputy director Abdul Rahman Bolhassan, Malaysian-American Commission on Educational Exchange (Macee) officials, Yayasan Sarawak representative Ellen Manium, Redzuan Ahmad from Ministry of Education, sector heads, district education officials, principals, senior assistants, teachers and fellow students.
The students were selected from schools in which 10 Fulbright English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) from the United States of America had been teaching for the past 10 months.
The 10 schools from which the students came were SMK Bandar Samariang (Kuching), SMK Semerah Padi (Kuching), SMK Kota Samarahan (Samarahan), SMK Muara Tuang-Samarahan (Samarahan), SMK Siburan (Padawan),SMK Taee (Serian), SMK Tarat (Serian), SMK Serian (Serian), SMK Simanggang (Sri Aman) and SMK St Luke (Sri Aman).
The audience was entertained by the students who performed with great boldness. Some of the acts centred around the themes of bullying and the importance of realising self-power and self-belief, while others featured a-cappella and the re-telling of the fabled stories of ‘Snow White and Seven Dwarfs’ and ‘The Hunger Games’ with a Malaysian twist.
Jointly organised by JPN and Yayasan Sarawak, the event themed ‘Moments in English: An ETA experience’ was created specifically to show just how important and special the youth of Sarawak truly are.
The students had fun as they displayed teamwork and proved that they were indeed the ones we need to be directing our whole-hearted attention to for the betterment of our world. These bright leaders of our future wowed the audience with laughs, emotion and inspiration. Everyone in attendance walked out of the auditorium impressed by their abilities with the desire to do all that they can to encourage their continued growth.