Thaddeus Tan, 14

School: Montfort Secondary School

Topic: A letter on a class celebration proposal

Award: High Distinction, Junior Category, 2024

Dear Mr Low.

I am writing to share a piece of news that I had learnt about recently. By now you should know that our math teacher, Ms Lee, is on a month's leave. Having been worried about her, I recently not only emailed her to check on her but also asked about her endeavors. Through our emails, I learnt about Ms Lee's extraordinary and selfless decision to donate her kidney to a stranger in need. This news has truly touched my heart and has motivated me to organise a celebration for her.

This piece of news has brought back many memories for me. A few years ago, my uncle had end-stage kidney failure and the hopes of him surviving after a few months or even years even with kidney dialysis was very grim. However, at my uncle's worst moment, there was a man who donated his kidney to him. Until today, we still don’t have the chance to thank him and do not know what his intentions are for doing this. After seeing Ms Lee do the same thing as the man who helped my uncle, I am filled with a sense of admiration. Her kindness is an example that all of us should embody as a class.

With your help I would like to organise a class celebration to congratulate Ms Lee for her bravery and show our appreciation for teaching us many valuable lessons such as kindness. I think on the day she comes back from her leave, we can organise a variety of activities where the students can present cards commending her bravery and students can also fold some paper stars as part of the stars of love project to show our appreciation to her. After all these activities have been carried out, we can end off with maybe a small cake that everyone can enjoy and at the same time reflect on the day's events.

Having this celebration is important for several reasons. Firstly, it provides us with an opportunity to express our support for Ms Lee's incredible act of kindness. By coming as a class, we can show that her selflessness has not gone unnoticed. This will also allow us to show our support for organ donation and inspire others to do the same in the future.

Additionally, celebrating her generosity can serve as a reminder of how one person's generosity can have an impact on others. Her example aligns with our school values of compassion and service, and this will allow students to learn from her example, therefore carrying out her actions in our school and fulfilling the school’s mission of shaping students into a man for others.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to read my proposal. I look forward to this opportunity to celebrate as a class the extraordinary kindness and generosity of Ms Lee. I hope to discuss this further with you in the future and look forward to your reply soon.

Regards,
Asher Tan

Disclaimer: Please note that the views and opinions expressed in the essays for the Live On Festival 2024 are those of the participants and are not endorsed by the National Organ Transplant Unit (Ministry of Health).

To learn more about organ donation and organ transplantation in Singapore, please visit www.liveon.gov.sg