From Overcoming Stage Fright to Being in the Spotlight

How the GEM Mentoring Programme helped Toh Kai En find his voice, confidence and leadership.

When he first joined CDAC’s GEM (Go the Extra Mile) Mentoring Programme, Toh Kai En was a shy Primary 4 student who preferred staying in the background. Today, the Secondary 1 student from Deyi Secondary School performs confidently on stage, takes on leadership roles in school, and is ready to try new challenges without fear. But that transformation did not take place overnight.

The GEM Mentoring Programme, which runs from primary school to postsecondary, is a structured and supportive environment where students can develop social skills, confidence, and self-awareness.

The programme is more than just a series of activities—it provides mentorship, guidance, and emotional support. Each session begins with a casual lunch, where mentors engage students in small conversations to make them feel comfortable.

This is followed by an interactive activity, learning reflections, and Circle Time, where students discuss their experiences and feelings.

A Quiet Boy in the Background

When mentors first met Kai En in 2023, he was a soft-spoken Primary 4 student who kept to himself. Referred to the GEM Mentoring Programme due to limited home support, Kai En appeared shy and reserved. It was not easy for mentors to engage him at first.

But beneath the quiet exterior was a boy who was both curious and willing to try. “I felt nervous because I was meeting new friends,” Kai En recalls of his first days in the programme. “But I was also excited to try new things.”

One of those “new things” was learning how to play handbells — something he had never tried before. Later, he also gained his first experience performing handbells as part of the GEM group, and it marked the beginning of a gradual shift. Kai En’s mentors played a key role in that change in him. “They encouraged me and they made me feel safe,” he shares. That sense of safety — of being able to express himself and experiment without fear — gave him the confidence to step forward.

Finding His Balance — Literally

Beyond music, the GEM Mentoring Programme introduced Kai En to circus art activities that challenged both his body and mind. In one activity, students had to balance on a cylinder while performing coordinated movements with diabolos — a task that required focus, control and core strength.

For Kai En, it turned out to be easier than he thought.

“To be honest, it is actually not too surprising,” he says with a smile. “I know how to play the diabolo from before, and my balance is actually okay because of the amount of sports I do. Those sports require a lot of balance so that I don’t fall down.”

An avid badminton player — now his school CCA — Kai En credits his height and core strength for giving him an advantage. “They really give me an advantage so that I can balance my weight.”

The circus art activity was part of the programme’s broader aim to stretch students beyond their comfort zones. For Kai En, it did more than improve coordination — it strengthened his belief in his own abilities.

Stepping Onto the Stage

The biggest transformation, however, happened on stage. “Before joining GEM, I actually had stage fright,” Kai En shares honestly. “I didn’t want to go up on stage.”

Through repeated performances during the programme, that fear slowly faded. Each opportunity increased his experience. Each round of encouraging applause helped to build his courage to stand on the stage and face the audience.

“After GEM and all the performances, I stopped having stage fright and I can do public speaking with ease now,” says Kai En.

Today, it is hard to imagine that he was once afraid to step forward. He speaks clearly and confidently, sharing his thoughts with ease. If you did not know his past, you would never guess he had once struggled to speak up.

More importantly, the confidence now extends beyond performances. “Whenever I face new things now that I am unfamiliar with, I’ll just try,” he says.

At the Ang Mo Kio Primary School booth during GEM Day 2025, Kai En confidently stepped into the role of a young guide, walking Minister Chee Hong Tat through the display boards and sharing what he had learnt during the GEM sessions. He introduced the “positive self-talk flower” activity, explaining how the exercise helps students reflect on encouraging thoughts and build confidence. Through his sharing, Kai En brought the learning to life, showing how these simple activities can make a meaningful difference in how students think and feel about themselves.

Growing into a Leader

As Kai En gained confidence, he also began stepping into leadership

roles.

In Primary 6, he guided younger GEM students, patiently explaining activities step by step when they did not understand. “I felt proud of myself for helping someone,” he says.

That sense of responsibility followed him into secondary school. Now in Secondary 1, he serves as an ICT representative, supporting his teachers by helping to set up IT equipment in class so that lessons run smoothly.

Apart from GEM, the CDAC tuition programme has also supported him academically. CDAC tuition helps him reinforce what he learns in school, especially when lessons move quickly. While the GEM session was conducted in English, Kai En was able to communicate with his GEM mentor in Mandarin, which has also strengthened his command of the Chinese language, one of his weaker subjects.

Having lived in Vietnam when he was younger, Vietnamese is one of his stronger languages. Today, he proudly teaches his classmates simple Vietnamese phrases when they ask — another quiet sign of growing self-assurance.

A Friend Who Walked the Journey with Him

Behind every confident step forward is a circle of support. For Kai En, that includes his mentors, his family — and a friend, Sean, who has been by his side since kindergarten. Sean is not only Kai En’s closest companion but also a fellow participant in the GEM Mentoring Programme. Together, they have grown side by side through the journey.

“I want to thank my friend Sean,” he says. “We’ve known each other since kindergarten. After all we’ve been through, we support each other emotionally. When we’re feeling lonely, we have someone to lean on.”

Though they now attend different secondary schools, they remain connected through tuition and shared memories. Through every stage — from shy primary school days to standing confidently on stage — Sean has been part of that journey.

From a quiet boy in the background to a young leader ready to take on new challenges, Kai En’s story is one of steady growth thanks to the provision of safe learning spaces and supportive mentors, which have helped to instil in him the courage to try new things.

And as he steps into the next chapter of his life, he carries with him the confidence he has built — and the friendships that helped him find his voice.