Some 14,000 attendees (http://www.siww.com.sg/media/third-edition-singapore-international-water-week-hits-new-highs)—including mayors, ambassadors, princes, urban-planning and water expert —from 85 countries. Deals in water management worth over $2.8 billion. More than 70 events spanning five days. Supported by 600 polytechnic student volunteers, including181 go-getting student bloggers from Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s School of Film& Media Studies who wrote for a prestigious blog by Black & Veatch (http://www.bv.com/wcm/press_release/06012010_1627.aspx)
For the first time, News Writing students were sent to cover 14 events during the Singapore International Water Week. Their task: to do interviews at a variety of community, business and technology events for a four-page newspaper project devoted to water issues.
Students found themselves rubbing shoulders with PrimeMinister Lee Hsien Loong (http://www.siww.com.sg/water-activities), Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean (http://www.siww.com.sg/opening-ceremony-speech-mr-teo-chee-hean-deputy-prime-minister-and-minister-defence). They got to chat with the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim http://www.siww.com.sg/thank-you-remarks-dr-yaacob-ibrahim-minister-environment-and-water-resources-singapore, and the Chairman, President and CEO of Black & Veatch, Mr Len Rodman http://siwwdiary.com/2010/07/01/practicing-the-craft-of-journalism/. They also got to meet influential thought leaders on water such as Professor Robert Glennon, who authored Unquenchable: America’s Water Crisis and What ToDo About It (http://rglennon.com/) .
For the students’ efforts in blogging for SIWWdiary.com, aninfluential blog on water issues hosted by engineering firm Black and VeatchWater, FMS received a certificate of appreciation from Dr Yaacob. He also made a point to chat with students present and asked them about their aspirations.
Olivia Ng Li Wen http://siwwdiary.com/2010/07/13/unquenchable-sense-of-excitement-at-resorts-world-sentosa/, a Year 2 MCM student, received the certificate on behalf of the school at an SIWW Appreciation Dinner at the Marina Barrage on July 27.
The experience was a good way to expose journalism studentsto real-world events in real time, said Ms Koh Joh Ting (http://www.np.edu.sg/fms/aboutus/staff/Pages/kjt2.aspx), the News Writing lecturer, our Journalism Section Manager, who led the collaboration with PUB and B&V.
The former journalist with The Straits Times noted: “The students’ grasp of what makes a news angle improved dramatically, as did their interviewing skills. Students who attended multiple events throughout the five days also developed a better news sense; something that is impossible to teach unless we let 181 students venture out of the classroom and compete for the news.”
Students who saw their posts published on SIWWdiary.com also realised how their writing can influence other people in real time, she added.
“Water is a complex yet well-researched issue, with many angles, that lends itself to a module with nearly 200 students chasing for an angle. We are very grateful to PUB ( http://www.acnnewswire.com/article.asp?art_id=4033&lang=EN)and B&V for this very fruitful experience. They were really supportive of our students’ learning and we hope to repeat the experience next year.”