Hi Guides!
During the first 集合 of term 3, we had the long-awaited Combined Activity with the Scouts planned by the Year 4s. During the combined activity, we played station games in our combined patrols with the Scouts. 2 of the stations were related to Pioneering, the other 2 were related to Gadgeting and Inspection, and the last 2 were related to 绳桥.
Stations 1 and 2: Pioneering
In this station, Guides and Scouts were first tasked to tie as many Square and Diagonal Lashes as possible within the given time as part of a competition with another patrol. Afterwards, the patrol who tied the most lashes would choose one out of the 2 structures shown to tie, and the other patrol would automatically have to tie the other structure.
Reflection from a Year 1 in P1:
During combined 集合, there was a pioneering station. Two identical frames made of spars were laid out for us, and we were tasked to compete with another patrol to see who could tie the most number of good lashes in the same amount of time. My patrol quickly tied as many lashes as we could in hopes of winning. We worked extremely well together and managed to win the contest! The Year 3s from the winning patrol, us, were then able to choose which pioneering structure we wanted to build next. The Year 3s from my patrol chose to build a structure consisting of a Tripod with an X shape attached to it. We split into two groups, one group to build the Tripod and the other to build the X. Even though we tried our best, we did not manage to finish the structure within the given time limit. We were quite disappointed as it was a simple structure that we should have been able to complete within the time. I feel that we could have worked faster and managed our time better. We should also have been more aware of what other things had to be done, instead of just standing around and doing nothing. I believe we all had a great time working with the scouts in this combined 集合. All in all, this pioneering station was fun yet enriching.
Reflection from a Year 1 in P2:
On the 30th of June, we had combined 集合 with the Scouts. We played a variety of activities such as first aid, gadgeting, pioneering and more. However, the most exciting and memorable activity was, of course, the pioneering station. We were competing against each other to see which patrol, between patrol 9 and patrol 12, would win, as we encountered a swamp monster in the game. Reflecting, we could have worked together more cohesively and collaboratively, as when one of us was tying the tripod, the rest of us were just looking at him. We could have used our manpower more efficiently by cheering more enthusiastically or 报时 more consistently, as we took 17 minutes, which is much longer than the time we were given to finish the tripod. Thankfully, Patrol 12 came to our rescue and helped us in the end, so we were very grateful for their help. We were the last group to finish and did not win, but we made many memories which definitely made up for it, as we all enjoyed the pioneering station with both Scouts and Guides collaborating as one, forging friendships and also gaining new opportunities to bond as brothers and sisters.
Reflection from a Year 2 in P1:
On Friday, we had combined 集合 with the scouts. The second station my patrol participated in was located outside the hostel canteen, where we had to race with another patrol to see who could tie the most lashes on a frame made of spars, within a given time. The winning patrol got to pick which pioneering structure—out of two—that they would build, and whichever patrol finished tying their respective structure the fastest would be the overall winner of the station. My patrol only managed to tie three Square Lashes and two Diagonal Lashes on the frame. Therefore, we lost, allowing the opposing patrol to decide which structure to build. In my mind, I thought that they had picked the more complicated one. When we started building our structure, however, we quickly realised that our base was a Tripod—meaning my patrol could not do anything while waiting for one person to finish tying the Tripod, which took quite a while. After he was done tying the Tripod, we had to rush the rest of the structure and did not manage to complete it in time. When those in charge of the station asked the other patrol why they had decided to pick the more complicated-looking structure, they replied that the structure they had chosen required fewer lashes. My patrol was told that our structure had taken such a long time to build because we could only wait for that one person to complete the Tripod before doing anything else, while with the other structure, everyone could be tying something at once, which would get the structure completed much faster. I found that extremely fascinating. This pioneering station was very fun and interesting, so overall I really enjoyed it.
Reflection from a Year 2 in P2:
On Friday, we had combined 集合 with the Scouts. The first station my patrol had to go to was the pioneering station. The first task was to tie as many square lashes and diagonal lashes as possible on a frame within 10 minutes, while 3 people from our patrol had to do a series of physical training. I felt that we should have worked faster as we took too long to lay out the frame, leading us to tie fewer lashes. However, we still managed to win Patrol 4. The winning team could choose between 2 structures and we chose the first structure as we thought it was easier. However, we still did not manage to finish the structure. I learnt that we should have used our manpower more effectively so that we could have completed the structure within the given time. We also should have 报时 more often. Personally, I found this station very interesting and enjoyed it very much as I got to work together with my patrol mates for the first time. This combined 集合 helped us to get to know our patrol mates better, bond together and forge new friendships with not only Guides but also Scouts.
Reflection from a Year 3 in P5:
For station 1, we were required to do pioneering. To start, two patrols were given 7 minutes to compete and see which patrol could tie the most number of square and diagonal lashes. I feel that my patrol could have 报时-ed more during that activity so that we could have worked faster and had a better sense of urgency. Furthermore, some of the 麻绳 were quite long, therefore, some lashes took longer than others because of the 绕. After the 7 minutes, the seniors checked all the lashes and allocated the points - each acceptable square lash counted as 2 points while each acceptable diagonal lash counted as 3 points. Although the exact number of points that each patrol obtained was not revealed to us, my patrol unfortunately lost, and the other patrol got to choose their structure for the next activity first. However, my patrol was still motivated to do our best and give it our all in the next segment. For the next activity, a year 3 from my patrol went to look at the structure that we were tasked to build. He first gave us the instruction to tie a tripod using 3 红木. While one person was tying the tripod, the others tied timber hitches on each 脚 of the tripod. We also cheered and 报时-ed constantly, which helped to boost the patrol morale. Although we took a very long time to finish tying the tripod, we still tried our best to complete as much as we could during the time given. However, we had very little time left, and we only managed to complete the 定脚s, which was slightly disappointing. I believe that we could have worked faster during this part as we should have been able to finish the tripod in a shorter amount of time. Nevertheless, this station allowed us to work on our pioneering skills as well as learn to work together with new people, and thus I think that it was a memorable experience.
Reflection from a Year 3 in P3:
During last Friday’s combined 集合, we did a range of activities from gadgeting to pioneering and even 升桥. We were grouped into 12 patrols of Guides and Scouts, then headed off to our respective order of stations. Station 2 was my patrol’s second station. First, we had a competition with the other patrol to see who could tie more lashes within a specified amount of time. 2 points were awarded for every Square Lash and 3 points for every Diagonal Lash. Eventually, our patrol won, though we could have worked faster and improved our communication. Since we won the first part of the station, we got to choose the Pioneering structure for part 2. I chose the second structure on behalf of my patrol, as that could be tied simultaneously, which would reduce the number of people not doing anything while the main tripod was being tied. However, our patrol made a mistake when tying, as two of the 青木s were supposed to form an “X”, but by the time we realised, it was too late. This served as a reminder to pay better attention to details, as even small differences could change the entire structure. Overall, the entire combined 集合 was enjoyable and enriching, and it was clear how much effort the seniors had put into it.
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Stations 3 and 4: Gadgeting and Inspection
For the first part of this station, Guides and Scouts were to work together and build a shelter in their combined patrols that could fit at least 1 member. After building and 拆掉ing the structure, they were then to complete an inspection layout as a patrol.
Reflection from a Year 1 in P6:
For the gadgeting station during combined 集合 on Friday, we were tasked to build a shelter. At first, my patrol had different ideas on how to build the shelter. After a while of discussion, we decided to start by tying two A-架s. Then, we tied 顶脚s on the A-架s and connected the A-架s. After that, we tied two diagonals at the base of the structure and covered the structure with two ponchos to make it a shelter. When the Year 4 asked me to try to get into the shelter, I realised that it was hard to get in as the shelter was very small. During the debrief, we were told that our structure was good but we could have made the structure look neater by 收ing the 鸟绳. We could also have 报时ed more frequently in order to have a stronger sense of urgency. After building the shelter, we had a round of inspection. As a Year 1, this was my second time, so I was confused about what to do. While the Year 3s sorted out most of the things during the inspection, I feel that we should have tried helping the Year 3s more, instead of just watching them. From this inspection, I learnt that the 麻绳 has to be put in a 5 by 3 format. Overall, I am more familiar with the things in our 配备 after this inspection.
Reflection from a Year 1 in P5:
Last Friday, we had combined 集合 with the Scouts. As a Year 1, it was my first time having combined 集合. In our combined patrols, we had to go to different stations to complete different tasks. They required different skills, such as gadgeting, pioneering and most importantly, teamwork! I enjoyed the station where we had to build a shelter the most. The Year 4s thought that it would be a good idea to have a friendly competition with Patrol 1. As a patrol, we had to brainstorm ideas on how to build the shelter. In addition, we had to work fast as we were only given 30 minutes to build the structure. We decided to build two A-架s and used 2 木s to connect the structure. Next, we tied a diagonal lash at the bottom of the shelter. Finally, we put the canvas sheet on top of the structure. Building the shelter was a good way to practise my lashes. Both patrols finished building the shelter on time and did not 过时. Both patrols did very well in building the shelter, and most of the lashes were tight. I think we can apply this sense of urgency in normal 集合 and continue striving to work within the time given. After building the shelter, we had to do a round of inspection. The seniors gave us a layout that we had to follow. As this was only my second time doing inspection, I was still unsure of the different names of the equipment. Hence, I watched my seniors lay out the equipment neatly while trying my best to memorise all the names of the equipment. We had to work extremely fast as we were only given 4 minutes to complete the layout. Fortunately, my patrol did not 过时. Both patrols did inspection accurately. All in all, combined 集合 was a new and enriching experience for me.
Reflection from a Year 2 in P6:
Last Friday, we had combined 集合 for CCA. We were tasked to build a shelter that was waterproof and could fit at least one of our patrol mates. My patrol came up with a structure quickly as we only had 20 minutes for this activity. We built two tripods, then the 顶脚s. Originally we were supposed to connect the two tripods with a 中短木 and cover it with a poncho but we ended up not having enough time to complete our structure. The lashes on our structure also were not up to standard as we took a much longer time for each lash compared to the standard timing, and some of the lashes were also quite loose. I feel like we could have had a greater sense of urgency and 报时 more as we were reminded to do so several times by the Year 4s. We could have also cheered more to keep the morale high. For inspection, my patrol was able to complete the layout with time left. We also had fewer than 2 mistakes, so we did not have to do forfeit. All in all, I think that we could have improved significantly for our shelter, but we did well in our inspection.
Reflection from a Year 2 in P5:
During combined 集合 with the scouts, one station was a gadgeting and inspection station. First, we had to build a shelter out of gadgeting 木 and a poncho, which had to fit at least one member of our patrol. My patrol decided to build a simple quadpod and attach the poncho to the 顶脚. This was one of the first few times I have tied a quadpod lash, so while it was slightly stressful and not ideally tight, we managed to complete the structure without any time extension. Personally, one of my main takeaways from this is that sometimes the solution might be simpler than you think and there is no need to overcomplicate things. The second part of this station was inspection. Usually, inspection layouts are rectangular, but this time, the layout was circular. This was quite an interesting layout but we still managed to complete it within the time we were given. In hindsight, we could have packed the 配备 neater after the inspection for the sake of the patrol after us, so that’s something to improve on. Ultimately, this year’s combined 集合 may not have been incredibly exciting, but it was certainly a very fruitful experience as I got to know the scouts in my batch better.
Reflection from a Year 3 in P6:
In station 3, we did Pioneering and Gadgeting. We were tasked to build an emergency shelter that could fit 1 patrol member. We decided to build a Tripod and open it the widest, such that we could still tie 中木s as the 定脚s. After building the Tripod, we took a poncho for the 配备 and tied it on top of the Tripod. I definitely think that we should have tied a bigger structure so that it will be more convenient for the person to hide under the structure during an emergency and also for the person to have complete protection. We also had extra time which we should have made use of to 重抽 loose lashes as we had a lot of them. For our timing, we took 15 minutes to tie one Tripod, which definitely could have been faster. After Gadgeting, we proceeded to do Inspection, where there were 2 ICs, one from each group. Even though we were able to complete the layout, we till 过时ed by 1 minute, which was unacceptable. During both activities, we should have 报时 more and asked for time extension before the time was up. We also should have made sure that our lashes were tight and should have a better sense of urgency.
Reflection from a Year 3 in P1:
For station 4, we were tasked to build a gadgeting structure that could provide shelter for at least one member in the patrol. Originally, we were planning to do 2 tripods but decided against it for fear of time constraints. In hindsight, we should have went with tripods instead of A-架s as A-架s needed internal diagonals, thus crippling the practicality of the structure. The structure also ended up shearing, which could have been prevented by having tighter lashes and ensuring that the 2 A-架s were upright when tying the horizontals. Nevertheless, I think we did rather well as our lashes were mostly tight, and everyone was involved in the building of the structure. For inspection, we were rather stunned when first given the layout as it was circular, instead of the conventional rectangle. This led us to take a minute or so to come up with a big enough circular shape. Afterwards, it was rather smooth sailing, some of us were passing items, and some of us were arranging them in the correct position. In the end, we had a perfect inspection with 0 mistakes. All in all, this station was fun and also tested our adaptability and creativity. Though there were certainly areas for improvement, I think we did quite well at working together and keeping within the time limit.
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For this station, Guides and Scouts took turns between 顶ing the 绳桥 and having a try at the 绳桥. This allowed them to learn the importance of trust and teamwork. Some patrols also had a segment of First Aid after the 绳桥, allowing them to brush up or learn new First Aid knowledge.
Reflection from a Year 1 in P3:
Among all of the station games we participated in for our CCA session on Friday, the 绳桥 station stood out to me the most. At first glance, I thought the 绳桥 structure looked really cool. However, prior to that day, I had never heard of 绳桥 before. As the Year 4s in charge of the station introduced 绳桥 to us, the curiosity and excitement I felt turned into fear and nervousness. The fact that I was the third person in line to climb the 绳桥 made me even more scared! When my turn came, I could feel everyone staring at me. It was terrifying. As I followed the guidance of the Year 4 senior, Shannon, I found that being able to swing my legs up at the start and cling onto the rope actually required a lot of strength. As I slowly tried my best to make my way to the end, I suddenly heard one of my patrol mates start cheering for me! I felt really touched by all the support I received. Even though I could not climb to the end of the 绳桥, I honestly thought this station game was really fun, and I also feel really grateful to the seniors who helped and encouraged me when I felt afraid. After everyone in my patrol finished climbing the 绳桥, we had to 顶角 for the structure when the next two patrols had their turn. I felt so much pressure as the structure kept on moving bit by bit even though I had tried my best to 顶角 and keep it in place. After this station, I felt a burning feeling in my sore legs, and I was really exhausted. Even though it was quite a tough experience, I am glad to have been given the opportunity to try out 绳桥 for the first time! I was able to learn so much from this station game and I really hope we have this again one day!
Reflection from a Year 1 in P4:
On Friday, we had our first combined 集合 with the Scouts and it was a great experience! We got to try out many activities, such as 绳桥, inspection, and pioneering. To be honest, it went better than I thought it would, and it was one of the most memorable activities we did together was to 绳桥! At the start of 集合, the Year 4s built two A-架s to support both sides of the 绳桥. We had to climb upside down across it and pull ourselves with our legs along the rope so as to move forward. I was supposed to support one of the A-架s first with my other patrol mate, and as easy as it may sound, it is quite difficult. We have to push the A-架 back and I would always have a dreadful feeling that it would fall backwards onto us, but I trust my fellow friends supporting it! With our strong teamwork, the people on both sides managed to support the 绳桥 and keep it together! It is very important to ensure the safety of the person trying to move across the 绳桥 and we were quite nervous too. The 绳桥 was quite high at the time, and it seemed impossible, but there were some enthusiastic people who were excited to try and they managed to do it! They did not give up in the middle and continued to push through. Some of us were asked by our seniors to give it a try and even though some of us were nervous at first, we definitely did not regret trying out this game. It might not seem easy and you need to have a lot of trust in the people supporting you. It was an amazing experience for me, one of the most fun activities we were offered! It is adventurous and also fun for many people. It takes courage and trust and I have learned that teamwork is also fairly important. To sum up, I think 绳桥 is definitely something I would look forward to trying again next time!
Reflection from a Year 2 in P3:
Last Friday, 绳桥 was the last station game for me. When I arrived outside the Media Resource Library with the rest of my patrol and realised that our third station game was 绳桥, I was so scared and nervous to the point where I felt faint. I had this enormous fear that I would fall and injure myself very badly while climbing the 绳桥. However, I was not the only person with this fear. All my other Guides patrol mates were also terrified, and we were all fervently praying that we would not have to climb the 绳桥. We also happened to be the last patrol (out of the four patrols already there) to climb the 绳桥, so we watched nervously as our fellow Guides and Scouts climbed the 绳桥 before us. However, as we watched them, we surprisingly realised that the 绳桥 actually looked really fun to climb. Although we were still scared that we would get injured, our entire patrol actually grew to be quite excited when it was finally our turn to climb the 绳桥. We all bravely stepped forward, and with the assistance of the Year 4s in charge of this station game, we all managed to climb the 绳桥. However, I believe that the best thing about this station was the team spirit that we all displayed. It was incredibly heartwarming to see how we all cheered super loudly when one of our patrol mates was climbing the 绳桥. Overall, I had a really great time during the 绳桥 station, and I am glad that I have managed to face my fear of climbing a 绳桥.
Reflection from a Year 2 in P4:
During Combined 集合 on Friday, I had a lot of fun with all the activities planned, but one of the activities I enjoyed the most was 绳桥. I have never really been good at 绳桥 in the way that somehow I always lose my grip halfway through the course and fall. This time was not much different but I did manage to make my way a little closer to the other end of the 绳桥. I hope that in future 集合s or Patrol Activities (PA), I will be able to complete the course. Although I have never been great at 绳桥, it is still one of my favourite activities in Guides as we get to cheer for our patrol mates, batchmates, and fellow Guides and Scouts. This definitely boosts morale! Although the Scouts had some cheers we were unfamiliar with, we were quick to pick them up and cheer alongside them, similar to how they picked up our Guides cheers quickly. During this 集合, as patrols, we had to take turns to pull the 麻绳 from both sides of the 绳桥. For example, when P1 and P2 had their turn on the 绳桥, P3 and P4 would be the ones pulling the 麻绳. I think this trained our sense of teamwork as we knew that we had to work as a team to pull the 麻绳 taut to ensure the safety of our fellow Scouts and Guides. We knew that we could not slack and give up even when it got too tiring and instead had to persevere through until it was time to swap. Overall, 绳桥 is one of my favourite Guides activities and I hope I will be able to experience this activity again!
Reflection from a Year 3 in P1:
On the 30th of June, during the Guides and Scouts combined 集合, the first activity my patrol had was 绳桥. For this activity, some people had to hold the sides of the 绳桥 in place and pull on the ropes on both sides, so that the rope was taut in the middle and could hold a person’s weight. My patrol had to hold the structure in place so the other patrol could get past the 绳桥 first, and then we rotated with them so everyone got to try to get across the 绳桥. From this part of the activity, I learnt how to properly 顶 a 绳桥 so that it can function like it is meant to. I also learnt what to do when things like the 角 of the sides of the 绳桥 are sliding, and how important it is that safety measures like mats are put into place properly to minimise the risk of injury. Fortunately, I was one of the people who got to try to get across the 绳桥. When getting across the 绳桥 there were points when I felt scared and when the rope was grinding on my legs, and I wanted to give up. However, my fellow guides cheered me on and I managed to get to the other side of the 绳桥. This led me to learn the importance of perseverance and the support of others during crucial moments. One thing I think my patrol could have improved on was that we could have encouraged each other to try the 绳桥, instead of waiting for the seniors to do so, because during the activity, many people were too scared to try it, and even though the seniors tried to get more people to participate, many people were unenthusiastic, which led to a lot of time wasted. If we had cheered each other on and encouraged one another more, I think more people could have gotten to try the 绳桥. Overall, this activity was a positive and fun learning experience for me, and I am glad that I got to try the 绳桥.
Reflection from a Year 3 in P4:
The combined 集合 with scouts was very enjoyable, especially this station. It was only my third time doing 绳桥 and I had always enjoyed it as it is not a very common thing we get to do. Two patrols would balance the 绳桥 out first while the other two would go across, and then the roles were swapped so everyone could participate. I felt a sense of unity as I tugged at the 绳 with my patrol mates. We all had to work together to balance out the heavy A-架s. Since it is so difficult to counter the weight of the person, 绳桥 is really about trust between everyone. I am really glad we had that trust because it made the activity more fun, and more people had the chance to try it. Another thing that was encouraging was how some of us cheered for each other while trying the activity, which reinforced our bond together and encouraged each other. I think we could have cheered louder, however, and 报时ed more to keep better track of time although it was a more relaxed activity. While waiting for our turn on the 绳桥, I also got to know some of my seniors and juniors better. Although my patrol did not try the first-aid, it was a fulfilling experience.
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Published by:
Chin Yan Tong
55届 Secretary
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