Some 85 young artists from Blangah Rise Primary School drew portraits of Singapore’s Olympians and Paralympians for their book, In Pursuit of a Dream.
Each drawing in the book, which also contains inspirational notes, drawings and quizzes, highlights one or more of the Olympic values of friendship, excellence and respect, and the Paralympic values of courage, determination, inspiration and equality.
The book also contains fun facts, inspirational notes, and well-wishes.
When producing the book, the students were able to meet some of their subjects in person. For instance, they interviewed the Paralympians about their personal journeys. The book was eventually presented to all athletes.
“We hope the book can resonate with the athletes on what the values stand for and encourage them to give their best in the competition,” says Mrs Sabrina Tan, Head of Department of Aesthetics. “Similarly, we hope our students are inspired by the athletes’ commitment and dedication, to work towards pursuing their own goals.”
“We hope that our stories, artwork and photographs will encourage them to keep pursuing their dreams!” says Primary 6 student Phua Ser Yen.
The initiative is well-aligned to the school’s Aesthetics Education curriculum and its objectives: to cultivate an environment where the students are competent and confident to create, along with an appreciation of the arts.
More importantly, students can celebrate the vibrancy of life through meaningful connections with society and culture.
“Being involved in the largest international sporting event the nation is participating in provides them with a greater sense of belonging,” says Mrs Tan. “Students know they can do their part to show support for the Olympians and Paralympians.”
Go behind-the-scenes and see how the book was produced here:
Check out the e-copy of the book here: https://www.blangahrisepri.moe.edu.sg/special-projects/in-pursuit-of-a-dream/