The eighth month of the year has come and gone, all too quickly. Comparatively, August had seemed a little stagnant, overshadowed by the ominous September examinations that are looming nearer and nearer as I speak. An illusion, I must say! August was no man in the dark! Many events took place in August, namely the finalization of the much awaited First House Cup results, with the last event being the Cempaka iMovie Awards. I urge all readers to check out the special cover on the event by the master of movie-making himself, that is Wong Leong Khim on the ups and downs and what to expect when watching and making a movie!

August had started with a splash, and very Big Splash it was! Much adulation to the Seladangs, the brave bulls who fought through sweat, blood and tears to finally get the coveted chance to jump in last into our swimming pool this year. Congratulations Seladang! We (the rest of the houses) truly salute you, although with slightly bruised egos! Also, good luck to the juniors handling the houses next year! Don’t let us seniors down!

July had ended with Live Right Now, our annual major campaign which was focused on influencing all Malaysians to live a healthy lifestyle, free of smoking, improper eating habits, and other petty tendencies us Malaysians face in our everyday lives (Do click to read the cover of our campaign!). Thus, it would be almost expected of August for Cempakans to be absolutely beaming with health, but oh the irony! The number of those falling sick had increased! Ah, it is the evil work of the H1N1 influenza, the worldwide pandemic, the major hoo-ha of 2009. I strongly urge all readers to take care of yourselves and prepare for the worst, but expect the best out of situations.

Commencements! Ah, the most prestigious night of the year, where deserving students are recognized for their work and contributions to the school. Do read the article on the Annual Commencements, where it would prove to be sentimental to some, and inspirational to others. On a much lighter note, to all Harry Potter fans out there, do read the review on the latest movie based on the Harry Potter franchise and see if you share the same views as our writer, who had given it a rating of 3.5 out of five stars!

As I have mentioned earlier, August started with a bang, and most certainly ended with one too! Covers of the Merdeka Celebrations, the Platinum Expedition, and even the recent Lady Gaga concert in Macau will be awaiting you in the next issue! Do not miss it, dear readers, for we are what we are because of you. If you have any feedback about our newsletter or any inquiries whatsoever, do not hesitate to email me at chengtsiaolin09@cempaka.edu.my.

Thank you, and happy reading!