Chia Yuan Ting
Meet Chia Yuan Ting, Hua Yi's 2019 Valedictorian. Read how her school journey shaped her into a curious, confident, and compassionate leader.
Chia Yuan Ting
Student from 2016 – 2019
Valedictorian of the 2019 Cohort
Venturing Out of Her Comfort Zone
Yuan Ting is currently studying at Nanyang Junior College and will be taking her ‘A’ level examinations this November. She credits Hua Yi for shaping her as a global and critical thinker. “Learning has no boundaries. Don’t think you are at the finishing point just because you have obtained a qualification. Education is what gives you the knowledge and fundamentals to pursue your passion.” Yuan Ting believes that one needs to be relentlessly curious and read beyond the textbook. She cites the example of the volatile COVID-19 pandemic situation which calls for everyone to improve themselves and stay relevant. The key to achieving that is to be curious. She is grateful for her teachers who have challenged her to think further and wider, and urges her juniors to be unafraid to seek help from those who are more experienced. In her opinion, existing knowledge needs constant refining and being abashed would only hinder us from thinking critically.
Benevolence, Integrity, Wisdom, Togetherness. These four school values are what Yuan Ting fondly remembers from her time at Hua Yi. For one, she has learnt to be an empathetic and resilient leader. “Some might think that a ‘leader’ refers to someone authoritative, but Hua Yi has always given every one of us the opportunity to be a leader in our own way. We were encouraged to rise above challenges, be it in situations within or outside our control.” She recounts an experience during her Secondary 3 Leadership Camp, where she and her classmates were tasked to walk from Bukit Batok Nature Reserve back to school. It was a physically draining task that seemed out of their reach, but was indeed a resounding example of them being able to take control of their mental capacity and push on, while caring for everyone’s well-being.
Yuan Ting also learned to be an active contributor to society. While she and her peers enjoyed the euphoria from the festivals celebrated in school, they also had the opportunity to extend this enjoyment to the vulnerable in the society. During Chinese New Year, they invited the elderly to spend their day singing to Chinese New Year songs and ‘lo hei’ with them. During the Secondary 3 overseas trip to Batam, they visited an orphanage and helped to improve their infrastructure, as well as spend time with the orphans.
Having tried out for the Netball team, Yuan Ting eventually joined the Red Cross when she was in Secondary 1. She never thought she would be part of a uniformed group. Just like many, she viewed uniformed groups to be strict in discipline and more rigid in nature. However, when she heard of her friend’s experience of the trials, which included the friendly seniors and peers, and the skills she could pick up, she made the bold decision to join the Red Cross. And Yuan Ting has never looked back, having grown very fond of the CCA, where she fostered her deepest friendships and which marked the start of her leadership journey. “The Red Cross gave me a glimpse into what I thought I was never capable of. My CCA became a huge part of building my confidence and identity. Never would I have thought I would be able to speak in front of the entire school during World Red Cross Day or run a blood awareness programme in public.”