VIA Project @ SHECARES Open House

On 24 July 2026, three Secondary 2 students from class 2-Care, Starlett Seng, Angel Ong, and Javan Pek, had the honour of representing Peicai at the SHECARES Open House, held at the SHECARES Centre run by SG Her Empowerment (SHE). The event was graced by the Guest-of-Honour, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Edwin Tong, who officially marked the occasion with remarks on the importance of online safety and the role of community in supporting survivors of online harm.

The students’ participation was the culmination of their class Values-in-Action (VIA) project on online harms, undertaken as part of Peicai’s “Learn, Act, Pass-It-On” VIA framework. As Secondary 2 students, they were at the “Act” stage of their VIA journey, translating their understanding of a social cause into meaningful, community-facing action. Class 2-Care had prepared a range of artefacts specially for the open house, which drew members of the public across both 24 and 25 July 2026.

The students set up three interactive stations at the event. The first featured a publicity video produced by the class, introducing visitors to what online harms look like and how youths can seek help. The second station displayed a series of infographics that communicated key findings on youth perceptions of online harms, helping visitors understand the scale and impact of the issue among young people. The third station was a pledge board corner, where members of the public were invited to write a short personal note committing to take action against online harms, a simple but powerful way to engage the community in collective responsibility.

A highlight of the day was the opportunity for Starlett, Angel, and Javan to personally walk Minister Edwin Tong through their interactive display. Starlett was subsequently featured in The Straits Times in a photograph showing her introducing the Minister to the students’ work, a proud moment for the school. The students also had the privilege of meeting Mr Francis Ng, Singapore’s first Commissioner of Online Safety, as well as Peicai Secondary School’s School Advisory Committee member, Ms Evangeline Tan.

SHE, the organising non-profit behind SHECARES, recognised the students’ contributions in their event publicity, noting that the Peicai students brought a valuable youth perspective to the open house through their original videos, student-created works, and the public pledge board.

For Starlett, Angel, and Javan, the open house was far more than a showcase. It was an opportunity to witness their class VIA project come to life and see firsthand the impact their work had on real visitors and guests. Stepping out of their comfort zones to interact with distinguished guests, including a Cabinet Minister and Singapore's first Commissioner of Online Safety, the students demonstrated the Peicai values of Responsibility and Care, recognising their duty to their community and acting with compassion to contribute to a safer online environment for all. Their resilience shone through as they navigated the demands of a large-scale public event with courage and adaptability, engaging confidently with members of the public and dignitaries alike.

The experience also deepened the students' socio-emotional competencies. Through meaningful interactions with guests and the public, they strengthened their communication and collaboration skills, exercised responsible decision-making, and developed greater social awareness of the challenges faced by online harm survivors. Engaging with a cause that extends beyond Singapore's shores also broadened their civic and global literacy, helping them appreciate the wider significance of the work they had contributed to. Most importantly, the students came away with a deep sense of pride, knowing that the effort they had poured into their VIA project was worthwhile and had made a genuine difference.

The students’ involvement in this meaningful event reflects the spirit of Peicai's VIA programme, which seeks to nurture compassionate leaders who serve their communities with purpose. By advocating for online safety and engaging the public in conversations about digital responsibility, 2-Care students, represented by Starlett, Angel, and Javan demonstrated exactly what it means to lead by serving others. Peicai Secondary School is immensely proud of their dedication, confidence, and commitment to making a difference.

Our student, Starlett Seng, walking Minister Edwin Tong through the class’s pledge board and its purpose in helping raise awareness on online harms.

Our student, Angel Ong, walking Minister Edwin Tong through the infographics that the class has created on online harms, signs of online harms, as well as youth insights on online harms.

Our student, Javan Pek, at his booth, where he introduces the class’s video on online harms to visitors.

Our teachers and students taking a group photo with Minister Edwin Tong at the open house.

2 Care’s class pledge board, featuring visotors’ pledges at the SHECARES Open House.

Infographic 1: What online harms are.

Infographic 2: Possible signs that someone has experienced or is experiencing online harm.

Infographic 3: Youth insight on online harms