Latest news with #SpectraSecondarySchool
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Former footballer Madelin Lock shoots for honours at NBA Rising Stars Invitational
SINGAPORE – Madelin Lock is as good with her feet as she is with her hands – as a student-athlete she has proved her prowess on both the football field and basketball court. A former Lion City Sailors academy player, the midfielder scored a hat-trick in her final game for the club's under-16 team in 2023. And on May 23, the Hwa Chong Institution basketball captain, 18, led her team to the National School Games A Division girls' title. Football and basketball are her favourite sports, but in 2023 the Singaporean quit football to focus on the latter as she wants to 'pave the way' for the next generation. 'I realised that in football, a lot of my teammates want to go pro, and there are a lot of opportunities given to footballers, such as the Unleash The Roar! (scholarship), and people like Danelle Tan have already paved the way,' said Lock, on the sidelines of a clinic held by the National Basketball Association (NBA) at Spectra Secondary School on May 30. 'So I was hoping that, since I had the option, that I could do either one… I wanted to try and pave the way for basketball, because basketball has a very special place in my heart, I just love training by myself, and I feel I could train for hours. 'I feel that since I am fortunate enough to try, I might as well just try and pave the way for future generations.' The 1.60m point guard will be part of the Hwa Chong team who will compete in the NBA Rising Stars Invitational, the league's first regional basketball tournament for youths aged 18 and under, from June 25 to 29 at the Kallang Alive precinct. Spectra Secondary School students participated in a basketball clinic conducted by Natalia Andre (centre) from the NBA Asia's basketball operations department. PHOTO: NBA The event will feature high school teams from 11 countries and territories across the Asia-Pacific, with Singapore's A Division boys' champions Anglo-Chinese Junior College and United World College South-east Asia Dover joining the mix. Sheila Rasu, NBA Asia's head of marketing communications, said: 'Doing events in Singapore was just part of our commitment to be entrenched in the community here. 'There have been discussions over many years about what we can do here, and that was the genesis for us to create this high school tournament. It's a first of its kind. Our ambition for this particular tournament is that it becomes the premier tournament for high school kids.' The Karim Family Foundation (KFF), which also sponsors the Singapore Badminton Open, have also come on board as a community partner for the tournament. KFF principal Cindy Karim said: 'My family and I have always believed in the power of sport to inspire ambition, build character and unite communities. 'Through Karim Family Foundation's support of the sporting community, we hope to encourage young athletes in Singapore to pursue their dreams professionally and to see sports as a meaningful and fulfilling career path.' Noting that the NBA event is a 'great opportunity' for her, Lock is also looking ahead to her basketball future. She added: 'I do have the option to play in America right now, but this year, I will focus on my A levels and focus on getting better, and then next year I might go overseas, go to America and attend camps and try to find the most suitable option for me. 'I want to make sure that I'm very comfortable with the school I'm going to, at the same time, I'm also open to playing in other countries like in Europe. At the end of the day for me, the goal is to play professionally, be it in the WNBA or the Euro League.' Melvyn Teoh is a sports journalist at The Straits Times. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Hougang Secondary students turn stale bread into sweet victory at ITE skills competition
(From left) Hougang Secondary School students Muhammad Ariq Danish Mohammad Azhar, Wong Hong Xi and Mohamed Firas Mohamed Rafi won the BreadCycle Challenge at the finals of the 9th ignITE Skills Challenge at ITE College Central on May 20. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY SINGAPORE - Three students from Hougang Secondary School upcycled day-old bread to make skincare products, breathing new life into food waste. For their innovation, they were one of the winners on May 20 at the ignITE Skills Challenge 2025 finals, a competition organised by the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). Held at ITE College Central, the annual contest is designed for secondary students to explore technical skills while gaining a deeper understanding of the courses offered by the institution. After receiving feedback during the preliminary rounds that their product had a short shelf life, the team replaced yoghurt with kaolin clay and added essential oils to improve longevity and give the product a more appealing aroma. 'As teenagers start to grow acne, they will feel insecure about themselves. We aimed to create skincare products to aid them,' said Secondary 3 student Wong Hong Xi, 14, one of the team's members. 'Beyond this competition, I want to continue fixing this project's flaws,' he said, adding that he hopes to start a business in skincare in the future. The team clinched first place in one of the categories - BreadCycle Challenge: Innovate and Repurpose - where participants were tasked to upcycle day old bread into other items. Among the participating schools, Spectra Secondary School emerged as overall champions, bagging the most trophies across the 16 challenges. A skincare product made from stale bread and other ingredients was amongst the winning entries of the ignITE Skills Challenge 2025 finals. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Some of these challenges include Ultimate Robotic Claw, where students control a robotic arm to sort and move objects and The Business Enterprise where students manage a new start-up business. In a speech at the event, ITE chief executive Low Khah Gek said: 'ignITE Skills Challenge is more than just a competition. It is an invaluable opportunity for students to learn and then apply their knowledge and skills in real-world scenarios.' Now in its ninth year, the competition has evolved with the times, featuring 16 skills challenges under three key themes: smarter innovations, sustainability and entrepreneurship. This year's challenge drew the highest number of sign-ups in the past five years, with 1,767 students from 63 secondary schools. This year's challenge drew the highest number of sign-ups in the past five years, with 1,767 students from 63 secondary schools. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Some students said the competition gave them a new sense of direction in their studies. 'This challenge inspired me to look deeper into entrepreneurship and business courses,' said Hong Xi. Students from Spectra Secondary School encouraged those who are interested in hands-on skills to take the leap. Together with their teammates, Secondary 4 students Reyhan Kuthubudeen and Mohammed Audi, both 16, came up with prototypes of coasters made from expired bread. Both teenagers hope to study pastry and baking at ITE College West. 'Don't be afraid. Even if you lose, at least you have had some experience in the areas that you can improve on,' said Reyhan. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
