A fun fund-raising celebration dinner

 

The much-anticipated date was just around the corner and as IJ Convent Johor Bahru alumni will gather in Johor Bahru for the fund-raising celebration dinner on Saturday, 30 August, the question arose about a visit to the school premises.

 

A section of the banquet hall with alumni of 
IJ Convent Johor Bahru through the years

It did not take long to obtain permission from the Primary and Secondary school authorities for alumni to enter the school premises for a walk-about in their alma-mater from 10am to 2pm on Saturday.

 

When this information was shared through social media, alumni who longed to visit the school again were thrilled with the privilege and made plans to be there for their walk down the proverbial Memory Lane.

 

A visit to the school premises was a special highlight for many, especially alumni who now live abroad or in other cities, and have not had the opportunity to see their old school again until this very momentous occasion of its centenary celebration.

 

Two Masters-of-Ceremonies, Emilda Corea
[Left] and Yvonne Loh [Right]

Generations of students have completed their 11-year education from Primary to Secondary schools in the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus, Johor Bahru, while some enjoyed additional two years of kindergarten school.

 

That Saturday morning, the visiting alumni not only had a fun and nostalgic experience on their walk through the familiar corridors but they also saw for themselves the many changes and how the old property required upgrading and repairs.

 

Then they had the rest of the afternoon to get ready for the much-anticipated reunion gathering that evening and many planned to arrive earlier to spend more time meeting up with former schoolmates. This dinner event was part of the series of fund-raising activities organized by the Convent Association of Past Pupils (CAPP).

 

The IJ Convent Johor Bahru choir with
their peer conductor [Right]

In a banquet hall filled with almost 100 tables (of 10 people each) talking, laughing and posing for countless photographs, one can simply imagine the noise level and the challenge to get the event programme started amid all this chaotic fun.

 

While there were event photo and video booths set up in the foyer, tables were arranged inside the banquet hall for the sale of fund-raising celebration merchandise like the 100-Year Anniversary Souvenir Books, T-shirts, tote bags and fridge magnets as well as a charming miniature school badge.

 

My own story on the Johor Bahru Convent
school is featured in Book Three of
My Johor Stories

With permission from the CAPP, I had the privilege of a table to promote My Johor Stories books at the event. When the third and final instalment of My Johor Stories, My Johor Stories 3: Proudly Johor, Then and Now was launched in December 2022, all the MPH bookstores in Johor Bahru had ceased to exist after the global pandemic years. So readers had to go online to buy my books from, mphonline.

 

Aware that many readers preferred to touch, feel and smell the physical books before they bought them, I have permission from MPH to keep a small stock of books to sell at pop-up events such as our school’s 100-Year Anniversary celebration.

 

With a proud owner of the trilogy
of My Johor Stories, a collectors' item now!

This was extra meaningful for me as I had featured my own story on the Johor Bahru Convent school among other proudly Johor stories, published in this third book.

 

It was also very encouraging to meet with alumni who (are my readers!) happily declared that they were finally able to meet me in person – and had me autograph my books they bought – as the trilogy of My Johor Stories have now become a collectors’ item.

 

From the position of the table for My Johor Stories in the hall, I observed alumni who had preordered their celebration merchandise items and arranged to collect them at the event, and who finally received their very own mementoes of a significant milestone in the school’s history.

 

The two MCs worked hard
to gain control of the crowd!

Meanwhile, some of the IJ Convent Johor Bahru luminaries who are featured in our 100-Year Anniversary Souvenir Book and were there for the celebration, came over to say, “Hello.” We had already communicated online so it was good for us to connect a face to a name.

 

The two Masters-of-Ceremonies (MCs), Emilda Corea and Yvonne Loh, did a marvelous job in trying to gain some crowd control and finally managed to get the alumni to be seated at their allocated tables.

 

I too, obeyed their call to sit down and slowly made my way (through the crowd!) to Table One where I was to sit with CAPP committee members like Mrs A Oliveiro and Mrs A Y Lim.

 

Meanwhile the IJ Convent School Choir was assembled on stage, to take in lead in singing the State and National anthems when the event programme officially starts.

 

Mother Superior Theresa Chua
[Left] drawing the winning tickets
for the Raffle draw while Mrs O
[Seated Right] looked on

Just as I settled onto a chair, Mrs A Y Lim approached and told me that my seat was not here but over there, and pointed to the VIP table where Mrs O was already seated with Sister Mary Theresa Chua, Provincial of the Infant Jesus Sisters of Malaysia, also known as Mother Superior, and the heads of the Primary and Secondary schools among others.

 

I was pleasantly surprised and reluctant to go because it was such a large table and not convenient to socialize with any conversation across the table. When I (finally!) shifted over to that table and found my place (marked by my name!), Mrs O welcomed me and graciously introduced me to Mother Superior Theresa Chua.

 

The best part about my place at this table was an unobstructed view of the stage so I could capture some good shots of the presentations that ranged from performances by the school choir, cultural dance groups, elegant ballet dancers and soprano singer.

 

A group of alumni capturing 
a photo memento with Cikgu Zul

In spite of the MCs doing their best to impart information to the alumni or while the performances were happening on the stage, the former schoolmates/classmates gathered there continued talking non-stop, reconnecting with each other with photo sessions, lively chatter and laughter.

 

There was, however, a moment of complete silence as we solemnly honoured the memories of those who had already left us.

 

One of the fun things the alumni did at the event was trying to recognize their former teachers – who by now were retired and advanced in age – so groups of girls approached their teachers to renew their acquaintance and capture a photo memento together.

 

Yvonne Loh introducing the cute and
coveted teddy bears for the Raffle draw

That evening, I observed that the most popular teacher who was approached by the alumni for a chat and photograph together, must be Cikgu Zul, a cultural dance practitioner/teacher who is well liked as a former class teacher.

 

Among the highlights of the evening, was a fund-raising Raffle draw where the top prizes were 12 cute – and coveted – teddy bears.

 

[Weeks prior to the event, when photos of these teddy bears were posted on social media, the questions poured in (repeatedly!) about how to buy them.

 

The school's Shared Aspiration list was presented

While a response was given that clearly stated, it was NOT FOR SALE but for a fund-raising Raffle draw, the same questions kept popping up… In fact, after the dinner, we continued to receive enquiries on social media about buying these teddy bears!]

 

In the two-part Raffle draw, happy winners were thrilled to take home four teddy bears dressed in the original Blue & White Convent school uniform while eight teddy bears, were made up of pairs dressed in sports attire of the four House colours for Saint Xavier (Red), Saint Michael (Yellow), Saint Theresa (Blue) and Saint Patrick (Green).

 

[Thank you all who contributed to this Raffle draw. Once again, the answer to the query is, “No, there are no teddy bears dressed in such outfits for sale. Thank you.”]

 

Former teachers and principals gathered
for a group photograph

With the alumni gathered together, it was an excellent opportunity to share about the practical needs of the school in terms of building maintenance, replacements and renovations, for everyone to have a clearer view of how their donations and contributions will be used in improving the building premises for the use of future generations of students. After all, the original building is already 100 years old.

 

Another highlight of the evening was the invitation to former teachers to gather for a group photo. Their movement to the front of the hall drew the attention of alumni who came closer to capture their own photos of their former teachers.

 

Members of the CAPP at the cake-cutting ceremony

After the photo session, each teacher was presented with a special token of appreciation for their passion and commitment to guide and nurture young minds, and inspire them to become women who can contribute positively to the community.

 

A centenary celebration was not complete with a cake-cutting ceremony so members of the CAPP along with the President, Mrs O, and Vice-President, Mrs A Y Lim, heads of the Primary and Secondary schools, and some former teachers, assembled on the stage to cut the cakes – Yes, there were several cakes that represent the 100 Years of IJ Convent Johor Bahru.

 

And to round off the school’s centenary celebration evening, everyone was on their feet to sing with gusto, the familiar lyrics of the School Song. Visuals were posted on the screen along with the lyrics but everyone already knew the song by heart.

 

“…May the good Lord bless our Sultan kind

Who in peace preserves our town

He throned Our Lady’s image there…"

 

Through these meaningful lyrics, we honour the proud legacy of the strong relationship between the Johor Royal Family and the Infant Jesus Sisters whose work with students of the Johor Bahru Convent in 1925 so impressed the Sultan and his consort that they decided to donate that piece of land at Jalan Yahya Awal to build the school, the alma mater of generations of women over the past 100 years.

 

Alumni on their feet to sing
the School Song in unison

The school façade continues to be graced by the iconic marble sculpture of Our Lady, a gift from Sultan Sir Ibrahim and his consort, Sultanah Rugayah. An inscription engraved on a plaque will let generations of students appreciate this special bond and mutual understanding between the Johor Royal Family and IJ Convent Johor Bahru, that started so long ago.

 

As the evening’s programme drew to a close, the celebration continued for various groups, classes and cliques who had their own plans for what is popularly known as the after-party where they will enjoy each other’s company with less formality.

 

For many, their reunion gatherings in Johor Bahru had kicked off before the dinner celebration and went on during the day after the event, in smaller groups for private gatherings to eat familiar food and visit familiar places in and around the city.

 

And as we looked back to the past, we can also look at ourselves in the present to see how far we have come in our lives, careers and achievements, not just for the school but also for our families and ourselves. Well done, everyone!

 

Happy 100-Year Anniversary IJ Convent Johor Bahru (1925 – 2025). Wishing you greater heights of achievement with the present and future generations of students in the next 100 years and beyond.