An auspicious start to the year - Thai Ponggal

Our National Anthem

The Tamil festival of Ponggal

The Tamil festival of Ponggal is celebrated over three to five days.



The first day of Ponggal is Bhogi and what you see features a ceremonial house-cleaning where old, worn-out items are burned and new ones are brought out. The next day, women draw intricate designs in front of their houses using wet or dry rice flour.


The word Ponggal means “to boil over,” and so it is the name of the dish prepared from newly harvested rice for the festival. The Ponggal dish is prepared by boiling rice with coconut, peanuts, jaggery (unrefined sugar), chickpeas, and milk until the pot overflows - this signifies good luck and an abundance of blessings. Women draw a kolaam or auspicious design with rice flour on the floor. Then they create a small stand with cow dung on which they will later place the Ponggal pot.

Prayers and bowls of ponggal are offered to Surya (the sun god), Bhogi (the rain god), and Indra. The farmers then take the ponggal rice, mix it with water and sprinkle it over their fields. They believe it to be a natural pesticide.

The third day of the festival is called Maatu Ponggal and it is dedicated to the cows that have faithfully assisted in the cultivation of the crops. As a reward, the animals are bathed and decorated with paint, flowers, beads, and bells.

Clean and Green Singapore 2008

The YEGs together with the MF Alumni put up an exhibition at the Clean and Green Singapore at the HDB Hub in November 2008.

Kenneth was on hand to explain to our minister Dr Ng about the importance of Shoo Mozzie.

Rui Xiang explained to the public about the green transport movement in Singapore.

Meanwhile, two of our students were on stage helping to conduct a game show.

And the alumni were busy explaining to the public about organic living.



Did you know that garlic and lemon grass can be used as an effective insect repellent?

Marcus of Sec 3F had a great day explaining to students how to play a game.

Japan Exchange Programme

Mayflower Secondary School has established a deep and sustaining relationship with a school in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. We have been conducting this exchange programme with them for over 15 years.

This year, in August, a group of Japanese students visited our school. They spent a day with our students. In December, our students will visit them.



















P.E. lesson was enjoyable. The language of sport is universal!
















It can also foster deeper relationships.

















The students were given a unique opportunity to take part in outdoor activities in our tropical climate.

Later, they attended a Geography lesson

Mrs Audrey Koh took the effort to allow the students to savour some local cakes.

The classrooms were decorated to welcome our friends from Akitakata City and Kagamino City.


Please go to the websites below for more information about Akitakata City.
Akitakata, Hiroshima
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akitakata,_Hiroshima

HeartWave 2008

Connect Singapore - Hand in Hand, A Nation We Stand! 8 Aug 2008

Between 11.30am and 12.15pm on 8.8.2008, many in Ang Mo Kio were affected by the temporary stoppage of traffic (less than 10 minutes though) to facilitate the joining of hands by 30,000 youths to form a very long human chain.


Mayflower students were on hand to form part of this chain.

By joining tens of thousands of youths, together with the President of Singapore, holding hands to form an unbroken human chain in the heart of Singapore and reciting the National Pledge symbolizing “one united people”, our students were given an opportunity to stand united with others youths in Singapore.

Mr Han our O.M. was actively engaging and inspiring our students to stay focussed and to hold on together.

Connect Singapore was one of the signature events in NDP 2008 Celebrations Calendar,
and the biggest mass participation event in Singapore ever. Best of all it was All done by the YOUTHS, including our very own Mayflowerians!

Speaker's Corner : Your view counts

The N.E. committee believes strongly in the need to provide various platforms for our students to express their opinions and views.

During the Humanities week, a group of students explored this issue. "Is the National Day Parade still relevant today?"

Students were engaged in a heated discussion as they explored the reasons and objectives of celebrating National Day.

Through this platform, students got to examine issues from different viewpoints and that learnt everyone has the right to express their opinions.