Shazwan Shafie Got 8As!!

Yesterday the PMR results came out. At about 11am, I got an sms from Cikgu Razuki (of SMSTMFP) informing me that Shazwan got 8As in his PMR (I've requested earlier for Cikgu to inform me of his results). I was so happy to hear it that I called Cikgu Razuki immediately.

Now... Who is Shazwan? And why is he so special to me??

I got to know Shazwan when my gang went back to our alma-mater (i.e. SMSTMFP) on 6th August 2006. There were Yasmin (MD, Microsoft), Norita (Telekom Malaysia), Nury (UiTM), Halim (Aramco, Saudi. He was back for the summer holidays), Zuhdi (Process-3.com), Wan Hasamudin (MPOB) and me . We were there to "accompany" Yasmin who was to give a talk during the school assembly. Yasmin gave a fantastic 1-hr speech about her life, her ups and downs (and of course on how she came to be in the position she is now). She ended her speech with advices and tips on how to be successful. I've been back to the school before on similar occasions but I've never seen the hall full of audience (teachers and students alike) who were so captivated by her speech! One lady teacher even remarked later that she should have brought her daughter to listen to the speech! Well done Yasmin!!

After the assembply we had a brief tea break, before we continued with our "Meet the alumni" session with the form 4 and form 5 students. The aim was to give the students some motivation to succeed and also to brief them on various career fields. My gang was very good with the kids (I was only a facilitator, observing them giving talks and having the discussions with the students who were divided according to their interests). I was more of the time keeper, LOL!!

Now... where did Shazwan come in? You see... part of our itinery was to meet with a couple of students who we think need special/additional attention from us - we were looking for one or two students to be "helped" or adopted. And Shazwan was one of them.

The school picked Shazwan because at that time he had just lost his father due to a domestic mishap (he was trying to repair the house roof, and fell down to his death). Shazwan's father was a lab assistant while his mother is a school clerk. Shazwan is also the eldest (or at least the eldest boy) in the family. He is not getting the Biasiswa Kecil Persekutuan since he was considered to come from a double-income family.

We had a talk with Shazwan that afternoon. When Yasmin asked him "what do you want to be when you grow up?", his answer was "I want to be like you!". He must have been moved by Yasmin's speech! When we asked him about his academic achievements and extra-mural activities, we found out that he is not outstanding in either field. His academic performance was averaging between getting 2As and 3As only. We also asked him how was he coping with the lost... His answer showed that he lost some of the motivation due to the father's death, and it looked like he could not count on his mum for some stronger support - he told us that whenever he went home, he would find his mum crying (it must have been a big shock to her too!). We told Shazwan that being the eldest boy, he is now the "head" of the family, and he has to be strong for him mum and his siblings.

My gang decided to throw Shazwan a "challenge". We told him that if he can get at least 7As (giving allowance to some unluckiness), we will provide him financial support until (if) he gets the Biasiswa Persekutuan. He agreed to take up that challenge!!

[we met another girl who's mother is a single parent and sews clothes for a living. For both the girl and Shazwan, my gang gave a "once-off" "angpow". We hope that this show of care would motivate them to strive harder to succeed.]

And yesterday, Shazwan has shown that he performed up to the challenge!! Tomorrow I am going back to Kota Bharu for Eid Mubarak, and our alumni association will have a qurban ceremony at the school mosque (which the association has donated to the school!) on Monday. On the same day the returning students will come back to register for the new year, and they will have the feast of the qurban for lunch.

I have asked Cikgu Razuki to ask Shazwan to come early enough for me to meet him (I have to leave the school just about noon to come back to S Alam). I want to personally congratulate this great boy, and would like to hand him a personal gift. I want to show him that there are people who care about him!! (hopefully by then my friends would have banked in their contributions so that I am able to give him more!).

Note: A couple of friends have either came to me to give their contribution for Shazwan or called topledge. Thank you gang!! I hope Hasamudin (who'd be in Melor for Qurban) would be able to come along to meet Shazwan! Hasamudin's son himself who studies in Sabak Bernam got 9As - Congratulations to Amir!