Flourishing at the 2022 National Day Parade

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by Wynstelle Olga (Sec 2E), Kerin Chua (Sec 2C), Kayla Ng (Sec 3B), Sarah Chan (Sec 3B) and Daniel Gan (Sec 3A)

They were due to perform soon. The waiting room was filled with students who were dressed in red and white costumes of various designs. While some of them were tense with butterflies fluttering away in their stomachs, others were brimming with excitement. The Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary) students who had signed up to take part in the 2022 National Day Parade, engaged in one last round of practice. They were determined to ensure that their final performance for Chapter 5 would be flawless.

Fairfield was given the golden opportunity to perform in the mass dance segment ‘Stronger Together, Majulah!’ at the 2022 National Day Parade, alongside participants from other schools. Fairfield snapped up the chance to do so, knowing that it would be a good way to nurture and inspire her students to greater heights. The school called for students to sign up in January and more than a hundred students eagerly signed up for it, knowing that it would be an experience of a lifetime.

Indeed, they put their heart and soul into learning the energetic dance steps from their choreographers within seven months. They devoted all their Wednesdays and Saturdays to the dance practices. As it drew nearer to the actual day, they continued to demonstrate great resilience and unity rehearsing under the hot sun at The Float @ Marina Bay.

Finally, the moment everyone had been waiting for had come. All the Fairsians involved calmed themselves down and inspired each other to do their best. Cheers erupted from the audience as they entered the stage. As they performed, fireworks resembling the shape of a phoenix decorated the sky! The audience waved their glowing lightsticks energetically and joined in the singing. Hearing their voices and seeing their enthusiasm, our Fairsians, invigorated by the show of support, carried on with their choreography to the tune of rousing cheers. At home, many of their schoolmates and teachers tuned in eagerly to catch a glimpse of their friends and students respectively. Fairfield was immensely proud of their performance!

Towards the end of the show, everyone sang the national anthem and recited the pledge loudly, demonstrating the pride that they felt as Singaporeans. Two of our Fairsians also met and shook hands with President Halimah Yacob. As the students left the stage, many of them burst into tears knowing that this chapter of their lives had finally come to an end. Throughout the seven months of training leading up to the actual parade, they had learnt the importance of teamwork and resilience. They knew that they had gained precious memories flourishing as One Fairfield on the national stage, and the ties they had forged would continue to remain strong.