Starstruck: Amanda Ng Yann Chwen

I was part of the 2011 pioneer batch of Starstruck! young writers, in Form 5. For a year, we contributed articles and photographs for the stuff@school pullout, which was circulated in schools. The programme was such a labour of love on the part of our editor, Anne Barbosa. She patiently, painstakingly taught over 40 teenagers across the country the basics of crafting stories, interviewing, editing, house style, captioning and more.

The year’s work led up to an internship at The Star for some of us. In retrospect, quite a lot of trust was placed in us, to go out there, witness things, interview people and write stories – when we were just 16 to 19!