When his parents passed away when he was 9 year-old, Ben* and his older sister had to stay in several places before settling down in Gracehaven. Life has been challenging, but that did not deter him from striving hard to achieve his aspirations.
Losing his loved ones at a tender age, Ben felt alone. He eventually fell into bad company and did not do well in school. His teachers in Montfort Secondary School, however, never gave up on him.
“I had low self-esteem and got into fights easily. Since I was in Normal (Technical) stream, I’d always felt that people looked down on me. However, I’m very grateful that some of my teachers who knew my background, never hesitated to encourage me. Their care and strong support made me realise that I should take the opportunity to turn all the disappointments into motivation to do better and be better,” he said.
With the encouragement of his teachers, Ben transferred to Normal (Academic) stream and even topped his cohort at the ‘N’-level examinations. Currently, Ben is pursuing a Diploma in Engineering at Temasek Polytechnic and is a recipient of the Ngee Ann Kongsi Scholarship.
For Ben, the journey was not easy both emotionally and financially. He is grateful for the school’s support and financial assistance through bursaries.
“With the bursaries given to me from primary up to even polytechnic level, it has helped me focus on my studies as I did not have to worry about school fees or daily expenses. I spent within what is given to me, and if I want to save up, I worked part-time during school holidays,’ opined the Year Two student.
Once a rebellious teen with little purpose in life, his teachers and friends have helped Ben get on the right track.
“When I was in secondary school, my classmates were very understanding. To help me get through the payment of class t-shirts, they helped me out as much as they can by chipping in. These small gestures go a long way and I really appreciate what they have done,” the 19-year old shared.
Despite the rough patches and challenges, Ben found his passion and is working towards his aspirations.
“Right now, I want to focus on getting good grades and hopefully, enter a local university with the help of a scholarship after serving National Service,” shared the aspiring Engineer.
*Name has been changed
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