North Vista Secondary School

Everlasting Vision. Those two words, the motto of North Vista Secondary School, echo through the halls of this Sengkang institution. Right here, where we stand, once stood Thomson Secondary School, until its relocation and renaming in December 2000. North Vista Secondary School retained a piece of its history though. The school kept its Chinese name, 德新中学 (Dé Xīn Zhōng Xué), to honor its past life as Thomson Secondary School. The roots of North Vista Secondary School actually stretch back to 1956. In that year, amidst the Chinese middle schools riots, Thomson Government Chinese Middle School was born. It later merged with Thomson Vocational School, becoming simply Thomson Secondary School. The year 2006 marked a significant milestone. North Vista Secondary School celebrated its Golden Jubilee, commemorating 50 years of educating students. The festivities included a torch relay, a homecoming ceremony, a grand concert, and even a gala dinner. North Vista Secondary School isn’t your typical secondary school. Its unique schedule sees formal lessons starting later on Wednesdays. This allows students ample time for their Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) in the morning. The school embraces the digital age with a dedicated Digital Arts Studio. This studio, equipped with Macintosh computers, allows students to explore their creativity through digital image creation and other multimedia projects. North Vista Secondary School goes beyond the standard curriculum. It offers Higher Chinese and, remarkably, Physical Education at the ‘O’ Level. In fact, it stands out as one of the few neighborhood schools in Singapore to offer the GCE ‘O’ Level PE Program. Sports truly thrive here at North Vista Secondary School. The school has earned a reputation for its basketball, netball, golf, and athletics teams. These teams have consistently achieved national titles and dominated various external competitions. In 2011 alone, both the athletics and golf teams brought home national medals. Athletics excels in sprints, middle-distance, and distance events, while both basketball and netball clinched Zonal Championships. North Vista Secondary School also nurtures artistic talents through its comprehensive arts program, NV-AEP. Monthly art exhibitions and unplugged music sessions provide students with platforms to showcase their creativity. The diverse musical genres explored range from metal and pop to classical. “Art GEMs,” a permanent art exhibition space, displays impressive 2D and 3D artworks created by the students. This dedication to arts education led to North Vista Secondary School receiving the National Arts Education Award (Spark) in 2011. North Vista’s legacy extends beyond academics and extracurricular activities. Its alumni include notable figures like Tang Guan Seng, a former MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC. Another distinguished alumnus, LTC (Ret.) Chan Seck Sung, served as a retired SAF Commando Officer and pioneer in the Commando Formation. And who could forget Jon Toh Hong Lim, a Project Superstar two semi-finalist, and Lim Lu Kai, a Lee Kuan Yew Award winner?