They spoke in their mother tongues at home while my family spoke English. All this helped to expand our life experiences, which we might not have been able to do if we stayed in our own circles.

There, I met three of my closest friends, and we have known each other for 11 years. We started out as playful kids figuring out life. As we approach adulthood, I love how we always try to be there for one another.

As a child, I received a lot of support from LSC teachers, and my best friends greatly influenced who I am today. I was aware of what volunteers did for us and knew I could contribute by volunteering in the future. Now as an alumna, I return during my school holidays to help out in ways that are unique to me. For instance, I leveraged my knowledge as an optometry student and gave a talk to LSC students on myopia, a growing concern among kids in Singapore.

I’m grateful to the teachers for always welcoming me back and my best friends for our enduring friendship. Meeting them helped me grow through each experience, shaping me into the person I am today.”

Your support for Lakeside Student Care has enabled us to care for generations of children and inspired students like Si En to give back in their own ways. Help us continue this meaningful work with children and youths by donating or raising funds for our campaign #TheNextGeneration: https://lakeside.org.sg/support-us/the-next-generation#donate