On February 28th, 2025, which was a staff-only day, the Rutherford College Cultural Committee (IC Sandi Perumal and heads Max RobbMarkham, Praveena MS, Lisa Chieu, Indi Botting, Jimmy Egginton , Charlotte Dye and Lok Yean Yong ) put together an exciting training day with activities related to team building, goal setting, a dance challenge, and haka training. They also managed to squeeze in a Photography Workshop and an introduction to a Poster Workshop.
The day kicked off with a few team-building games, which were a great way for everyone to break the ice and get to know each other a little better. After the fun activities, the heads of the committee introduced themselves. This was followed by the school’s cultural coordinator, Sandi Perumal, sharing the exciting goals and plans for the year ahead, as well as the expectations for everyone involved.
It was then time for the photography workshop. Mr. Rajeev Nedumaran, who has worked as a photographer and editor in places like India, New Zealand, and the United States, gave an in-depth talk about the photography process. He covered everything from understanding different types of cameras to mastering key settings like shutter speed, lens length, and exposure. Students also had the chance to take photos around the school, putting what they had learned into practice. The hands-on experience was not only fun but also gave everyone a chance to get real feedback from Rajeev himself, which was incredibly valuable.
After the workshop, the committee gathered for a shared lunch with a wide range of delicious foods. “It was one of the best shared lunches at school!” someone mentioned in the feedback form. It was the perfect opportunity to relax and recharge before heading into the next activity: a rehearsal for the school haka and the upcoming Polyfest Dance Challenge activity. Led by the Cultural Committee leaders, everyone gave their best effort in practicing the haka and learning a new dance routine. The committee members learned a lot from this fun and energetic dance rehearsal, no matter their skill level.
To add to this fun learning marathon, Jimmy gave a quick but informative session on poster design. He showed everyone how to create attention-grabbing posters that are both informative and visually appealing—an essential skill for promoting school events throughout the year. It was probably the shortest but most effective poster introduction ever! It was entertaining, too.
All in all, the day was a huge success. Everyone had a chance to learn something new, work together, and have fun, leaving the Cultural Committee energized and excited for the year ahead. It was a fantastic start to what’s sure to be an amazing year of cultural events at Rutherford College!
Fabian Fabricius
Cultural Committee Member
