DHS-psyCOYlogy!: National Day Observance Ceremony, 8 August 2023

Hello Guides!

Today was the long-awaited National Day Observance Ceremony that most of the Year 2s and Year 3s spent many CCA sessions training and practising for. For the National Day Observance Ceremony that was held on the eve of the National Day, 8th of August, all for Uniformed Groups in the school were to participate in the parade with the 9th Singapore Infantry Regiments. All of us had a strong sense of pride during the parade despite the tiring and never-ennding training sessions.

National Day Observance Ceremony:

Reflection from a Year 2 in P5:

For this year’s National Day Observance Ceremony, we were very honoured to be part of the parade along with the Ninth Singapore Infantry Regiment and the other Uniformed Groups. During the practices for the contingent, we learnt many new skills such as Hentak Kaki Jepat Hentak, or marching on the spot, and how to Belok, which is turning while marching. Some challenges we faced while learning these things were keeping the whole contingent coordinated and aligned, especially during Belok. During Belok, we had to turn 90 degrees while marching, and we found it hard to keep our rows in line and also keep up with the beat at the same time. Another challenge that we faced was coordinating with the scours during march out. While during march in we simply had to follow the pace of the St. John contingent, we had no one to follow during the march out and instead had to try and match our pace with the scouts on the other side of the field. This required a lot of practice, coordination, and communication between both Guides and Scouts. However, through multiple practice sessions and a lot of feedback from seniors and our Guiders, we were able to refine our contingent and improve before the actual parade. After the actual parade, we all felt a great sense of accomplishment as we felt that we had improved greatly since the first practice session and were truly able to put our best foot forward during the parade. Apart from the accomplishment of the final parade, we all managed to bond together through many tough rehearsals and the fact that executing the commands well required a great amount of teamwork. Furthermore, I was able to understand the importance of National Day more after being so closely involved in the ceremony in school, and I think I would not have felt so strongly about this event if I had not been involved in the parade. All in all, I greatly enjoyed my experience training for and participating in the parade and will treasure these memories and lessons learnt for a long time to come.

Reflection from a Year 2 in P6:

For this year’s National Day Observance Ceremony, we were very honoured to be part of the parade. Unlike the other contingents and parades we have taken part in before, this was one of the most exciting ones yet. However, we faced many challenges throughout the preparation for this parade. We learned how to Hentak Kaki Jepat Hentak, which is marching on the spot, and Belok, which is turning while marching. We had to make sure that we did not move and stayed in the same spot while we Hentak-ed and make sure that we were still in line with the people to our left and right and in front of us while we turned at the designated point so that the contingent will look neat and not disorganised. Another challenge we faced was marching at the right timing and speed as we had to march at the same pace as the Scouts. We had to practise a lot and have coordination and communication with them. We put in a lot of effort in the preparation for this parade and we were really satisfied with our performance during the Observance Ceremony. Through the Observance Ceremony preparation sessions, we got to know one another better and create memories that will last a lifetime. For this year’s National Day Observance Ceremony, we had the 9th Singapore Infantry Regiment otherwise known as the 9SIR join us in the parade. Being an active participant allowed me to feel the gravity of the occasion and connect with this year’s National Day Observance Ceremony's purpose on a personal level as this experience prompted me to reflect on the passing down of values from our founding fathers and the responsibility of each generation to honour and remember them. In conclusion, participating in the National Day Observance Ceremony as a member of a contingent was an honour, and despite facing challenges in preparation, we learned new commands, practiced coordination, and forged stronger bonds.

Reflection from a Year 2 in P4:

During the National Day Observance Ceremony this year, both the Year 2s and Year 3s were involved. We went through multiple contingent practices with the other Uniformed Groups (UGs) to ensure that we were all familiar with the procedure for the ceremony. I think I have benefitted a lot from this experience. For a first, I learnt many new commands I had never heard of before and familiarized myself with the ones I already knew. For example, we learnt what Belok was and how to do it. Belok is to turn while marching. Commands such as Hentak, I could not remember what it was from previous events that required us to form contingents. Hentak is to march on the spot. With every great journey, challenges are faced. Since the Scouts and National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) cadets were on the other side of the field, us Guides and St. John Brigaders had to synchronise the speed and the sizes of our steps as we made our way to the front of the field. This was quite a big problem as to look neat, we definitely had to be synchronised, which we were not at the beginning. However, after many contingent practices and comments from our seniors, the contingents of all four UGs became a lot more synchronised. A special thing about this year’s National Day Observance Ceremony was that the Ninth Singapore Infantry Regiment (9SIR) joined us in the celebrations. Some of them joined us in the contingent while others put up an impressive showcase for the entire school. From the oohs and aahs we heard from the school, I think the school population was impressed too. This year’s National Day was definitely one to remember and I look forward to doing this again next year! I not only learnt the power of communication and teamwork but also formed stronger bonds with my batch mates, getting each other through the many sessions in the sweltering sun. All in all, I really enjoyed this experience and I think it did many wonders for us, allowing us to feel pride in UGs as a whole but also, our nation.

Reflection from a Year 2 in P3:

On 8th August, after arriving at the field at around 0650, we stood in contingent and practised some drills. This extra practice helped to soothe my nerves. It was not that the numerous rehearsals that we had left me uncertain about my marching skills, but a certain level of anxiety still gripped me fiercely. However, I managed to calm myself after looking around at my fellow batch mates and seniors. I felt comforted and became quite optimistic about the proceedings. I was even in the mood to sway a little and flash smiles to those around me. At around 0730, students started to arrive, accompanied by the glorious sun rising above the buildings and glaring at us. As the shadows faded away, we got into position, occasionally watching the 9SIR do their drills. Anticipation mounted and at 8 o'clock it was time for all of our labours to come to fruition. Fortunately, the contingent and marching segment passed by without a hitch. I made sure to be conscientiously aware of the positions of the people next to and in front of me, so as to not step out of line. Along with having to Belok (to turn while marching) twice during the ceremony, keeping in line would be one of the biggest challenges we had to face. I am glad that we all managed to overcome that challenge on the actual day instead of repeating the same mistakes we usually make during practice - not walking in a straight line, not keeping in line, etc. I recited the pledge and sang our national anthem with pride. Before I knew it, it was all over. After our contingent, we rushed to sit on the benches and enjoyed the performance by 9SIR. We savoured the view of the student body, colourful with the assortment of blooming umbrellas. 9SIR's demonstration was one not to be missed nor forgotten! As the ceremony came to an end, we took photos to commemorate the efforts we all put in and mark the day special. To put it succinctly, Dunman High School’s 2023 National Day Observance Ceremony was an unforgettable experience. Memories made will not easily be forgotten, having been relieved every time we had contingent practice. Not only did this experience strengthen the bonds between all of us, but it was also a fantastic opportunity for us to become better acquainted with the other Uniformed Groups.

Reflection from a Year 2 in P2:

For this year's National Day Observance Ceremony, both the Year 2s and Year 3s were involved in the contingent. During the rehearsals, we learnt many new skills, such as Hentak, which refers to marching on the spot, and Belok, which refers to turning while marching. During the rehearsals with the other Uniformed Groups, we were severely lacking behind as we were not as synchronized as the other Uniformed Groups. As this was our first time trying Hentak and Belok, we had difficulties with the timing and maintaining the alignment of rows. As a result, we were pointed out for marching too fast and not being in sync with the other Uniformed Groups. However, that did not dampen our mood as we tried our best to improve every rehearsal. Soon, after a few rehearsals, we managed to march in sync with each other and the other Uniformed Groups, along with maintaining the alignment of our rows while marching. We were all pleased with our improvement. We were also rewarded with drinks during each rehearsal after standing under the scorching sun for a long period of time. On the day of the National Day Observance Ceremony, we arrived in school at 7am to practise the drills one final time before the actual parade started. Soon enough, the entire school was seated in the field and the ceremony started. I felt that the parade was a success as we all practised hard enough to be in sync with one another. This parade has helped all of us bond together more after many tough parade rehearsals as we required teamwork with each and every one of us. We all took photos together to remember the exact moment of being part of the parade. I have enjoyed the rehearsals immensely and will forever treasure the moment of being part of the parade for the National Day Observance Ceremony.

Reflection from a Year 2 in P1:

The National Day Observance Ceremony came with a rather fantastic procedure. Throughout the rehearsals, we practiced drills that were previously unknown to us, achieving coordination that had been practically unheard of. This was largely due to the feelings of inadequacy we all experienced upon realizing the extent of coordination disparity that existed between our Guides contingent and the other Uniformed Groups. Personally, this feeling was aggravated when I was informed that we would be joined by the 9SIR contingent as well. I thought then that we would never match up to standard. However, practice makes perfect. Although I would not describe our final performance as “perfect”, it was definitely a significant improvement from where we were initially. Rehearsing for long hours under the sun was also not what I would call fun, but I think we understood the necessity of it, and the isotonic drinks provided for us proved to be greatly appreciated. Another thing that stood out to me was the rehearsal session in which we were tasked to interact with members of other Uniformed Groups during water breaks. This was an immensely interesting experience, especially since I come from a class that has a Uniformed Group population consisting of Guides and Scouts only, with a single exception. Therefore, almost every face my group approached was unfamiliar to me, making our short but friendly exchanges all the more meaningful. The thought came as a mild shock to me, but I actually enjoyed participating in the whole ordeal. The themes of unity and discipline felt tangible and real when displayed in our marching and drills. Having exclusive previews of the band’s performance pieces was also a great bonus, at least personally. By the day of the Observance Ceremony itself, most errors had been rectified, and I felt confident in our contingent’s ability. Anxious, yes, but mostly proud to be part of the ceremony, and proud to be part of my country.

Reflection from a Year 3 in P6:

On 8 of August, we celebrated National Day as a school. The celebration started with a National Day Parade, consisting of four Uniformed Groups and even the 9th Singapore Infantry Regiment. This was the first time I was able to see the army up close and I am extremely grateful to them for being the protectors of Singapore. Before the actual National Day Parade, we trained extremely hard and were extremely excited to be able to take part in this year’s National Day Parade. On the actual day, before the National Day Parade commenced, we practiced some foot drills to prepare ourselves for the National Day Parade ahead. As the reserve Contingent Commander, I was unable to be part of the contingent. During the National Day Parade, I applied what I had learnt throughout all the rehearsals that we had for the National Day Parade and acted as the Contingent Commander for the reserves. During the National Day Parade, I was in awe, seeing all four uniform groups and the 9th Singapore Infantry Regiment marching in. As the music played and they marched in, many of the students were extremely excited in seeing their own classmates marching and clapped loudly when the music started playing. I felt extremely proud and happy seeing my batchmates and fellow Guides march in. When the national anthem started playing, I felt a strong sense of pride that I am a Singaporean and vowed to do my best in everything that I do. I am extremely thankful and honoured that I was chosen as the Reserve Contingent Commander. Overall, through this National Day Parade, I have learnt much more about foot drills and the other four uniform groups through the many cca sessions that I shared with them. All in all, I have learnt much and made many memorable memories through this year’s National Day Parade.