Sunway A-Level Math & Logic Challenge 2010

The Sunway University College yearly A-Level Math & Logic Challenge which started in 2006 aims to increase the level of math proficiency among students in Malaysian secondary schools and to promote math as a challenging and interesting subject. It is open to Form 3, 4 and 5 secondary school students.

This year the competition attracted 96 schools from Peninsula Malaysia to the recent competition at Sunway. Some of the schools came from as far as Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak and Penang. In total there were 192 teams with 384 students and scores were awarded based on individual MCQs in Round 1 and teamwork challenges in Round 2.

The champion team that emerged was Chong Hwa Independent High School made up of Too Sheng Tack and Loo Han Rong. This is the second time the school has become the champion in the competition. The First Runner-Up was Hin Hua High School, Klang and the Second Runner-Up was SMJK Katholik, Petaling Jaya.

The Champions (Left to right), Mr Ong Lim Chuan, math teacher; Loo Han Rong and Too Sheng Tack with Elizabeth Lee, Executive Director, Sunway University College

The prizes for the Top 3 teams included trophies and bursaries valued at RM15,000, RM12,000 and RM8,000 respectively for the Champion, First Runner-Up and Second Runner-Up team members, applicable for the A-Level Pre-U programme at Sunway. The champion school also received a Challenge Trophy and the schools whose teams won the Top 3 prizes were given cash of RM500, RM300 and RM200 respectively. The top 10 highest individual scorers of Round 1 received bursaries for the A-Level programme valued at RM6,000 and the 11th to 50th received bursaries valued at RM5,000.

The champion schools of the past were Foon Yew Independent High School, Johor Baru in 2006, SMJK Katholik, Kuala Lumpur in 2007, Chong Hwa Independent High School, Kuala Lumpur in 2008 and SMJK Katholik, Petaling Jaya (for the second time) in 2009.

The questions, which were created just for the competition, were devised by the experienced team of 9 Sunway A–Level math teachers headed by Dr Wong Yoke Chen, Director of the A-Level programme at Sunway.

The University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) sponsored 10 Amazon Book Vouchers valued at £10 each to the Top 10 individual scorers of Round 1. The value in prizes for the competition totaled RM154,000.

School of Hard Knocks

Have you ever reeled in fear and disbelief after reading story after story about crime in the newspapers?

Marc-André Plouffe, a Canadian lecturer in the Canadian International Matriculation Programme, at Sunway University College decided to do something about this. Marc and his two colleagues, Sumathy Ramasamy and Yvonne Woi enlisted the help of Victor Ooi, a black belt martial artist to conduct a self-defense workshop for female students at Sunway.

35 students turned up for the day-long workshop. The participants were first given lessons on possible dangerous scenarios. The workshop mainly unveiled the use of one’s body as a “weapon” in an unexpected threatening situation. This included slapping and how to use knees or elbows and other practical self-defense tips. The issue of date rape was also brought to the table and discussed in terms of understanding and preventing such a danger.

CIMP student Nadia Tan said “It was an interesting workshop. One never knows when something bad will happen and I am now more conscious about people around me and more careful to survey the situation around me to avoid dodgy people or situations”

Marc-André Plouffe shared “We really hope that this workshop has benefited our female students, by making them more aware of their personal safety when going about their usual activities therefore allowing them to feel more secure and confident when on their own”.

Getting High On Adventure and Responsibility

Students of the Canadian International Matriculation Programme at Sunway University College decided to take matters into their own hands in a mission to make the world a better place. The exact spot they wanted changed? Gunung Datuk in Negeri Sembilan, a popular trek with a summit that offers spectacular views, however the camp areas are defaced with the bane of human apathy – garbage and grafitti.

Led by their lecturers, Tan Meng Chwen and Nancy Litman, the 16 students Judith, Farah, Stephani, Nini, Aloysia, Arie, Dicky, Ikhwan, Kourosh, Edi, Naseem, Joanna, Amir, Nisita, Nee On and Amos (present and former) were mobilised up the mountain, bearing 5 litres of thinner, 20 pairs of gloves and 60 garbage bags.

The students spent a good part of the morning cleaning and scrubbing paint off boulders and collecting an endless array of waste – from empty wine bottles, cans, mineral bottles, cigarette butts, wrappers to footwear, cutlery, buckets, a sports bag, caps and even a ring!

“One way to change the mindset of students is by getting them to go on treks like this as we want to instil in them, sensitivity to the environment and to act responsibly” said Tan Meng Chwen. “If we all work together, we can make a difference to the world we live in” added Tan.

“The garbage was just too massive to be cleaned up in one day but we still did a great job and the place looked better” said Muhammed Ikhwan one of the CIMP students who joined the clean-up. “It’s unbelievable how inconsiderate some campers can be and this exercise is definitely a wake-up call to trekkers not to leave anything behind and take their garbage back with them” he added.

Tan hopes to incorporate mountain clean-ups as a regular feature of the students’ community activities that they have to fulfil in their curriculum. “We don’t mind the work however the only problem is that the cost of purchasing the materials for the clean-up can be quite high. We certainly hope a sponsor will come forward in the future to help in this great cause”.

Mission of Compassion for quake victims

The students and staff of the American Degree Transfer Program (ADTP) of Sunway University College (SyUC) were so moved by the plight of the victims of the recent earthquake – hit Pakistan that they decided to put their compassion to use to raise a sum of RM6,058.30 to help in this cause.

This fine collective effort was born out of the need of the students and staff to consolidate their sympathies into action and to create something concrete which will make a difference. These funds will be channeled through the worldwide efforts of humanitarian organization, Mercy Malaysia, to ensure that the victims continue to be saved and protected against the onslaught of extreme winter conditions.

During the week of November 10 to 16, the student council and several volunteers of the program collected donations from staff and students of Sunway University College and Monash University. SyUC as an institution also joined in the efforts by making a contribution towards this worthy cause.

These acts were complemented by the sale of food, compact discs and books. Delicious homemade food items such as pastas and cakes, were the results of the generous efforts of individuals from faculty members, students and their parents, and are certainly appreciated. “Candygrams” and book marks were also on sale.

The students and staff of ADTP feel rewarded in being given the opportunity to pitch their efforts to assist the earthquake victims. The experience has enriched the students and made them more aware of the importance in having a social responsibility to help in any capacity, communities of the world, who are in more dire circumstances than them.