Inspiring Teachers Awards: Dr Wong helped me find my confidence through singing

Some teachers have a knack of identifying special talents in their students that they themselves would never have guessed they possessed.

Luke, 16, is grateful that his Raffles Institution teacher Dr Wong Joon Hwang discovered the singer in him and through music, got him to find his confidence as well.

Here is Luke's entry for the Samsung-Stomp Inspiring Teachers Awards:

"Well, for how Dr Wong inspired me, she inspired me to be confident, but not through the conventional means of public speaking, but instead, through the medium of song.

"Back before I entered secondary school, the word 'confidence' wasn't something that people would associate with me.

"I was quiet, only talked when I needed to and honestly, didn't have that many friends. However, four years and multiple school-wide performances later, I can say that has all changed, and it was all thanks to one teacher.

"She was the one who first discovered my so-called knack for singing and was the one who encouraged me to be the lead vocalist for a group project in her music class.

Luke's video audition that he sent in for his first talent show.

"Before that, I would have never even thought about performing, let alone as the lead vocalist but she saw potential in me and encouraged me to try it out.

"Lo and behold, I was still pretty bad at it. I would blank out at times and be unable to sing, sometimes even in front of just a recorder.

"However, every time I failed, she would be there to encourage me to try again and with her constant encouragement, I would eventually be able to perform in front of a camera, and eventually score pretty decently for the project.

"Fast forward to a few months later, she asked me to join my school's talent show.

"If not for her and her encouragement then, I would've probably taken the thought as some sort of joke, but after her constant support, I finally gathered the courage to give it a shot.

"I joined a group that my classmate had already started and in the end, although we didn't make it to the finals, we managed to get past the first round all the way into the live auditions.

"This then acted as sort of a springboard which got our group some attention from the teachers, and from then on, we've performed on National Day, Teachers' Day and even got into the finals two years back, and it was all because of her encouraging words. 

"Without her, I would've stayed in my shell. Without her, I would've never found out about this new side of me and without her, I would have had a much less fulfilling school life.

"So thank you Dr Wong, and I hope that you will be able to inspire and support others as much as you did for me."

The contest is now closed and winners will be contacted shortly.

Read all entries for the contest here.