Tan Wee Teck, Alfonso (21S20)

“A great artist can come from anywhere.” These are the words of Tan Wee Teck, Alfonso – a boy wise beyond his years – who hopes that his contemporaries can draw courage from his experience, and discover their own fields of passion to excel in. “Do not be held back by societal norms because I believe everyone has the right to pursue their passion and fulfil their dreams,” he shared resolutely.

From a tender young age, Alfonso was always in wonder about the world around him. “I had a lot of questions since I was young – how machines work, how lighting a mere match can get fires started – everything!” he laughed. “There was one time when I asked my parents why lightning exists and they gave an answer pertaining to religion. That did not satisfy me. Besides Religion, Science can also explain the wonders of the world. I came to motivated to read more and do my own research on how Science works”, Alfonso recalled candidly on how his interest in the Sciences was ignited.

It seemed as if Alfonso was just like any other student when he first joined Jurong Pioneer Junior College (JPJC) in 2020, hoping to complete his GCE ‘A’ Levels in 2 years and forging ahead to pursue his passion in the Sciences. Sadly, misfortune put paid to his dreams the moment he enrolled in JC. Right from his first year of study – his father was diagnosed with Stage 3 pancreatic cancer. To make matters worse, the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

It was a roller-coaster journey for Alfonso. He witnessed how his mother took on the role of the sole breadwinner while she took care of his father at the hospital, as only she was allowed to do so due to pandemic restrictions, whenever she could spare the time, be it in the day or late at night. As the eldest son, Alfonso felt a deep sense of duty weighing heavily upon his shoulders. At home, he did all he could to help ease his mother’s responsibilities and helped to take care of his siblings. In school, Alfonso worked diligently with exceptional, single-minded focus, wanting to turn things around for his family. “The hardest part for me was about managing a lot of things, all at the same time. Knowing that the pace of JC life was so fast, I struggled to find time to study while handling all the tumult at home. I became very sensitive; very high-strung, when came to my family. On the one hand, I had to find doctors for my father and seek ways to comfort him from time to time. Our lifestyles had changed too. We were struggling financially and sometimes our discussions about the future led to some quarrels. On the other hand, I knew that my time was running out on the school front of things. I had no choice but to study late at night despite feeling exhausted. And so, I got even more tired”. However, he chose to handle these difficult situations alone, not wanting to burden others around him.  Unfortunately, Alfonso’s father passed away the next year. His passing, coupled with the insurmountable stress Alfonso faced, took a toll on Alfonso’s mental health “It was a painful journey. Even as I tried not to succumb to stress and negative thoughts, I felt suffocated and hopeless. Sometimes, I even felt like stopping”, Alfonso sombrely shared.

The turning point in his life came when he did not do well at the GCE A Level examination in 2021. At that key juncture, he was well aware that his results led him nowhere. “I know that I needed to retake the exams. I do not like giving up. What had happened, lies firmly in the past. I just need to get up and try again.” Under the guidance of his Civics Tutors and one of JPJC’s Full-Time School Counsellors (FTSC), Mrs Estelle Ow, Alfonso felt encouraged to turn his circumstances around. Alfonso was determined to move forward. With a shift in his mindset, he recovered well and decided to repeat J2 in 2022 without hesitation. “I was not ashamed of my decision because I just followed my heart – I rode my storm with courage in the past two years, I am done with that, now is my time to make good and succeed. On top of that, I was feeling much better as I did not have much weight on my shoulders as compared to the past. And I knew I could do better.” Alfonso reflected about his decision to repeat the GCE A Level examination back in JPJC.

Having bravely hit the ‘restart’ button, Alfonso thrived in this new phase of his life. College life in 2022 was a breath of fresh air for Alfonso, and he could focus on that which he loved – participating in enrichment opportunities such as the National University of Singapore Quantum Physics e-Lecture, which broadened his horizons as he learnt in depth about the quantum world. He also got to stretch himself through his participation in the Australian Mathematics Competition. When asked about the core memories of his JC life, Alfonso’s eyes lit up as he recalled the college’s STEM Day. “It was so cool!” he quipped, “we got to extract DNA from strawberries. The whole concept of bringing STEM to life – it was amazing, because this is what the Sciences should be about, real-life application and solving problems!”

Alfonso also participated actively in Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) with an open mind and his signature curiosity. He joined the Debates Society because he was determined to extend his curiosity about the world to current affairs, constantly seeking platforms to understand the world in different aspects and deliver his points effectively. “Being in the CCA honed my critical thinking skills and enabled me to work under pressure. Also, it has trained me to speak my mind with courage and conviction. There was one time, when we were debating about gender equality and the opponents were from a girls’ school. The debate got tense and awkward but I was able to not to be affected by the situation and still thought critically and fast – if you ask me, I think I did pretty well in how I managed such situations!” he laughed.

It has been a long, long journey for Alfonso. When asked how he was able to make it through all the storms of his young adulthood, he did not hesitate to express his heartfelt gratitude to his teachers and the FTSC he had been seeking guidance from, Mrs Estelle Ow, Alfonso was especially thankful for the unwavering support and care of his Civics Tutors, Mdm Ong Lay Yean, Mdm Hedzlyn Helyaty and Mdm Song Ting Wan. In particular, Mdm Helyaty was also the Teacher-in-charge of the Debates Society, and through numerous conversations with her, Alfonso felt more motivated and ready for his examinations. “Our teachers were always there to help us. Other than organising extra lessons and Self-directed Learning Afternoon (SDLA) sessions, my teachers offered me support in many ways, such as providing me opportunity to join competitions despite the pandemic, giving me tips on managing my emotions, as well as introducing financial schemes to help alleviate my family situation.”  Alfonso did not forget his friends. “My friends were always there to comfort me. We conducted study sessions, we motivated each other. When things hit me hard, they always lent a listening ear and reminded me of my dreams; and encouraged me not to give up,” he added.

In his parting shot to his juniors, Alfonso had these wise words to share: “Do not be afraid to imagine the things that the average person wouldn’t ever think about.  One day, YOU might change the world. In short, do not afraid to be different. And most importantly, do not afraid to seek help, and ask, when you have to.”

Alfonso intends to continue pursuing his passion in the Sciences, while dabbling in interdisciplinary studies in his next phase of his life journey. While he is looking at securing a place at one of the local universities, he hopes to make an impact on the world. For Alfonso, not even the sky is the limit.