Patrol Activity, 23 August 2024

Hi Guides! Today, we had Patrol Activity before our first Camp Prep Session for ATC'24! We are very excited to tell you all about it.

Reflection by a Year 1 in P1 on Patrol Activity:

During Patrol activities on 23rd August, we were partnered with P3 and tasked to build a Fireman's Ladder and encouraged each of us to climb over it. After tying and building the Fireman’s Ladder, we found that some of the Lashes were not tight enough even though we were given 15 minutes to tie them. I feel that we should have had a better sense of urgency and 抽 and hold tension while tying the Lashes to make sure they were tight. When I was tasked to 顶 the 木, I noticed that the Ladder leaned sideways occasionally. However, after communicating with the Guides on both sides of the Ladder, we managed to keep it steady. I was too scared to flip over and try to use the Fireman’s Ladder even though the seniors kept encouraging all the Guides to try. Hopefully, I am able to muster up the courage to do so next time. After that, we had a game called “Capture the Flag”, where the 2 Patrols had to retrieve either 1 of the 2 pieces of cloth corresponding to "true" or "false" to answer various questions related to information in the Guides' notes. In my opinion, our patrol revised the notes this time round, so we won the game by getting to 5 points first. Through these Patrol Activities, I learnt that tying tight lashes efficiently is very important as they have to support the weight of a person, and we have to tie quickly as well to ensure that we do not 过时.

Reflection by a Year 1 in P6 on Patrol Activity:

On 23rd August we had PA and we did Fire Man's Ladder (FML). But before that, we had lash training. Each member had to tie one square lash, one diagonal lash , and one A-架 and we were given 35 minutes. I was barely able to complete all three lashes and had some difficulty doing my A-架 as it was my first time doing a pioneering A-架 by myself but I managed to do it in the end. I think one improvement I could have made was to tie the square lash and diagonal with a greater sense of urgency so that I had more time to figure out my A-架. After that, we did FML. Unfortunately, our dimensions were off and at first, our second and third 木 were too close together but after making some adjustments, it was too far apart. Because of this, we were unable to flip. I think one improvement we could have made was to do it once and do it right , we should have measured the FML properly so that we could flip in the end. Overall, I think that this PA was quite successful as at least we were able to complete the structure but I hope we will not make the same mistakes in the future.

Reflection by a Year 2 in P4 on Patrol Activity:

On 23rd August, we had Patrol Activity. We were tasked to do a creative structure that represented Dunman High School and included rafting. We had to complete various challenges in order to ‘unlock’ different logistics. Each of the challenges were worth different points and were of different difficulties. As the number increased, the amount of points that could be acquired also increased. Some required the entire patrol while others only required one person and the challenges were actually quite fun. A lot of them involved a lot of cheering which I think is great for patrol identity, I feel that it also brought the whole patrol closer together as we had to work together for a lot of the challenges. We decided to make a swing as it represented the swings at GSL that we go to before 集合 and we were given 1h and 30 minutes. We were able to complete this task within 1h 41 minutes and I think that we did really well as most of the lashes were quite tight and we did not have to 从抽 any of them. However, one improvement we could have made was to work with a greater sense of urgency when completing the challenges as some of them took quite a long time. I think that this PA was very fun and I look forward to having more PAs planned by the Y3s.

Reflection by a Year 1 in P1 on Camp Prep:

After our patrol activity, we went to 团部 for ATC camp prep. Initially, we were planning to do lash training first and then start on our gadgeting structure. However, our counsellors suggested that we start on our structure. We started building an indoor fire altar. The process was quite smooth as we had done indoor fire altars just the week before. In the end, we finished the gadgeting structure much faster than the previous time, which was around 40 minutes, also having a majority of tight lashes. This was a big improvement, meaning we worked with a better sense of urgency and were getting better at tying tight lashes. Despite the improvement, we still had some issues like not all the 脚s of the tripod were touching the floor, therefore the tripod was quite unbalanced and shaky. Our counsellors explained and reminded us that it would be dangerous if the 木 holding the zinc plate and the tripod were unstable as there would be heavy objects such as bricks placed on the zinc plate and there would be food placed on the zinc plate and if the zinc plate were to fall or if the tripod was accidentally tipped over, the food and bricks on the zinc plate would also topple over. There would also be fire used to cook the zinc plate to cook the food, which could lead to members getting burnt if the zinc plate or tripod fell. The other problem pointed out was that our manpower allocation was not efficient as there were only two Year 1s tying lashes on a tripod while others were tying lashes on the other tripod. Thus, we learnt that we need to improve on our manpower allocation. Our counsellors also gave us Year 1s a “test” to name all the logistics needed for the indoor fire altar, which we were able to answer, showing that we were getting more familiar with the structure and logistics. Through this camp prep, I have not only bonded better with my ATC patrol members and learnt how to work with different people with an open mind but also had been given a chance to familiarise myself with the logistics and steps to make an indoor fire altar.

Reflection by a Year 2 in P1 on Camp Prep:

During our Camp Prep we headed to 团部 to carry out our activities. We overran slightly during Patrol Activity, so we had less time. Initially, we planned to carry out lash training. However, a counsellor suggested that we start building a structure immediately as lash training is not the same as doing an actual structure. Hence, we started to build an indoor fire altar. The process went quite well as we had just built the structure the week before, but there were still some parts that the Year 1s were a bit confused about. We set a target of finishing the structure in 35 minutes, but we ended up missing the target and took 39 minutes instead. However, it was an improvement from the time that we took for 集合, which was 45 minutes. It was a good improvement, but we can improve more by taking less time to tie our lashes, and making the lashes tighter as we had to 重抽 a few lashes, making the process take more time and also reducing the manpower we could use for other lashes. We also could have allocated our manpower better as our seniors pointed out that most people were gathered around one tripod while the two needed tripods were being tied, leaving two of our Year 1s alone. We also could have set target times to finish our lashes by, so that we could have a better idea of how fast we need to work. This camp prep was definitely a good way to check our standards of the structures, and also find out how we can improve on them.

Reflection by a Year 2 in P2 on Camp Prep:

On 23 August we had a Camp Prep session after Patrol Activity. We got into our Annual Training Camp patrols after PA. P2 had plans to combine with P3 to build a kitchen shelter, so that the Year 1s could familiarise themselves with the steps of building one as we would be doing so during ATC, and the Year 2s can recap on it too. This way, it would be faster and more time can be saved by combining patrols as only 1 kitchen shelter can be built at the elevated platform at a time. However, the lightning alert suddenly went off and we had to come up with a wet weather plan on the spot. I think that next camp prep session, we can be more prepared by thinking of wet weather plans and other problems we might face before the actual session. We decided to start planning and building our creative gadgeting structure for ATC at 团部 as a wet weather plan. The structure we came up with was a rubbish bin with rafting beside it to hold our stuff for example our 白绳 box. In the end, our structure turned out amazing and it worked exactly how we wanted it to. Though we did not get to build a Kitchen Shelter, we still managed to overcome the problem and change our plans without wasting time.

Reflection by a Year 2 in P4 on Camp Prep:

For Camp Prep, my patrol practiced the building of an Indoor Fire Altar, as well as learning how to build a Flagpole from the Year 3s. After tying the two tripods of the Indoor Fire Altar, we took the measurements for the tripods in order to tie the 定脚s. Afterwards, we tied the horizontals before adding the Zinc Plate onto the structure. However, due to not paying attention to the big picture of the structure, the 木 was slanted and it was not stable enough to hold the Zinc Plate in place. We also realised halfway through building the Indoor Fire Altar that we had collected a few wrong logistics. Thankfully, the Year 3s were extremely patient and allowed us to use different 木s just for this Camp Prep. After re-measuring, we attached the Zinc Plate onto the structure successfully and proceeded to tie the diagonals. After a short amount of 过时, we completed the structure. Most of the lashes were tight and secured in place. Afterwards, we had a debrief for our structure, and we proceeded to build our Flagpole. As none of my patrol mates had any experience with tying a Flagpole, we were all quite clueless despite reading the Guides notes in advance. Thus, our Year 3s patiently taught and guided us in building it. We learnt how to tie a Mickey Mouse lash, and how to use the 银钉s. We also realised that the building process was quite similar to a part of building a Kitchen Shelter. After all the guidance from our Year 3s, we left this Camp Prep session with a better understanding and more knowledge on building a Flagpole and overall, it was very enriching. I look forward to our next Camp Prep session!

Reflection by a Year 1 in P3 on Camp Prep:

During our Camp Prep we headed to 团部 to carry out our activities. We overran slightly during Patrol Activity, so we had less time. Initially, we planned to carry out lash training. However, a counsellor suggested that we start building a structure immediately as lash training is not the same as doing an actual structure. Hence, we started to build an indoor fire altar. The process went quite well as we had just built the structure the week before, but there were still some parts that the Year 1s were a bit confused about. We set a target of finishing the structure in 35 minutes, but we ended up missing the target and took 39 minutes instead. However, it was an improvement from the time that we took for 集合, which was 45 minutes. It was a good improvement, but we can improve more by taking less time to tie our lashes, and making the lashes tighter as we had to 重抽 a few lashes, making the process take more time and also reducing the manpower we could use for other lashes. We also could have allocated our manpower better as our seniors pointed out that most people were gathered around one tripod while the two needed tripods were being tied, leaving two of our Year 1s alone. We also could have set target times to finish our lashes by, so that we could have a better idea of how fast we need to work. This camp prep was definitely a good way to check our standards of the structures, and also find out how we can improve on them.

Skills Training, 12 August 2024

Hi Guides!

Today the Year 3s did WAGGGS and Year 1s and 2s did Badgework. 

Reflection from a Year 3 in P3 on Fishbowl Activity:

The fishbowl activity went like this: six people sat in a circle while the rest sat around the outside, listening. At any time, observers could jump in by touching a guide's shoulder and swapping places. The 'fishbowl' debated on a provided topic related to healthy food choices and personal nutrition. The 'fishbowl' discussed the topic for five minutes. During this time, each observer has one opportunity to jump into the conversation. In the first round, I was in the circle. I was hit by that mind-fog of being put on the spot, for our debate topic had been a little odd; it was a question, that since 70% of the human body was made out of water, what did the body use all the water for? We bounced from metabolic processes to waste clearing systems, and even talked about internal cell movements (cytoplasmic activity); it was then that the biology students including myself took over the conversation, and it became increasingly less like a debate and more of a brainstorm. People were tapped in and out so quickly that before the 5 minutes were up we had all been inside the fishbowl at least once. It was a new experience for the first round of this activity and we all thought it was fun and interesting. The second round was more engaging. Having gotten a better feel of how the activity should go, we talked more fluidly and the conversation flowed. The second topic was on the necessity of regular checkups, and so we debated on the effectiveness and need for such policies, weighing between regular basic checkups and major healthcare coverage - which to subsidise? Overall it was a very enjoyable, insightful activity. Besides learning more about the different topics, I also gained a new level of insight into my batchmates' beliefs; I would like to do it again, on topics that we were more familiar with and interested in.

Reflection from a Year 3 in P1 on Guess the Food Activity:

During the Guess the Food Activity, we first had to make a list of the ingredients present in our favourite dishes, before taking turns to read them out for others to guess the dish. The objective of this was to make us more conscious of what we consume on a regular basis, allowing us to determine the healthiness of such decisions. We were all able to guess each others’ favourite foods quite easily, and realised all of them included quite high amounts of table salt. Later on, we were taught about the importance of a balanced diet and good nutrition to keep our bodies working well, with a strong immune system. On top of this, we found out that eating a variety of foods is also important, and we should avoid eating the same dishes everyday. An abundance of varied vegetables and fruits is required for a balanced meal, and we noticed a lack of this in some of the foods we had listed. For example, chicken rice usually only contains a meager portion of cucumber slices, which contributes inadequately to a healthy and balanced diet. The high amounts of sodium in many of the dishes we brought up is also a cause for concern, for instance in French fries, known to be very salty. Apart from this, we should always make sure we drink lots of water every day. The consequences of not having good nutrition, which requires us to have 3 balanced meals daily, were also brought to our attention. If we do not receive the nutrients our bodies need, we may get tired and sick easily, possibly suffering from malnutrition. Hence, from the Guess the Food Activity, we were made more aware of whether our current food choices are healthy, and what we should do to improve our nutrition. Overall, it was a very educational and helpful activity.

Reflection from a Year 3 in P4 on Serious Scenarios Activity:

During our batch’s first WAGGGS activity as leaders, we participated in a series of activities centered around the critical issue of malnutrition among girls in countries such as Madagascar, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Tanzania. One of the most impactful activities was the “Serious Scenarios” exercise, where we were tasked with exploring the severe consequences of malnutrition and some of the side effects that come along with this pervasive issue. In this exercise, each group was provided with a scenario to act out, designed to illustrate the real-life challenges faced by girls growing up in malnourished conditions. My group was given a scenario that revolved around a young girl who had grown up malnourished. When she became a mother, her child was born with a weak immune system and iron deficiency. Initially, the scenario appeared somewhat amusing to us, but as we delved into it and began to rehearse our roles, the gravity of the situation became strikingly clear. We were confronted with the harsh reality that many girls around the world face, especially in underdeveloped regions. Through this activity, we learned that iron deficiency, a common issue in malnourished populations, is caused by a lack of essential foods like fish, eggs, and whole grains—foods that are often inaccessible to children in these low-income countries. As a result, these children grow up with severe developmental challenges, both physically and mentally. Moreover, we realised that these issues are compounded by a lack of education. Many of these girls are unaware of the implications of pregnancy and childbirth, leading them to become mothers when they are not fully prepared to support a child. This cycle of malnutrition and poverty continues, perpetuating the struggles faced by these communities. The five minutes we spent assigning roles, discussing how best to portray the scene, and rehearsing it were enlightening. It deepened our understanding of the complexities surrounding malnutrition and the urgent need for global action to address these challenges.

Reflection from a Year 3 in P5 on Family Menu Activity: 

The Family Menu Activity really made me understand the importance of planning a balanced and healthy meal. We split up into 3 groups, with about 4 members each. Through this activity, we had to ensure that we keep to the requirements while planning for a family's 3 meals for a whole week. At first, it had to be just a healthy, tasty yet affordable meal. We had many ideas, starting off with a good Granola Breakfast to a Salad for dinner, but we slowly ran out of ideas as we wanted to give this family we were planning for an interesting and personalised touch to every single meal. We were in a dilemma to balance out the cost of each meals across the day so that relatively more expensive meals are paired up with relatively cheaper ones in the same day, to make it affordable. However, we could not put any cheap meals like Instant Noodles as it is neither nutritious nor healthy. Thus, to strike a balance between affordability, healthy and tasty was what made this activity so thought-provoking and immersive. We realised that it was a difficult task and understood the importance of planning the week's meals out, especially for lower-income households that have to watch their expense while still wanting to provide a healthy and tasty meals for their loved ones. While we almost completed the week's meal plans, we were suddenly interrupted by our ICs - We now had to include iron-rich food as there is a teenage girl in the family! This made the activity even more complicated as we were not as familiar with what nutrients were in different kinds of food, except the bigger categories such as poultry, fish, vegetables, grains, dairy and fruits. Thus, we had to request for some help from people who are more well-versed on this aspect and they told us that iron-rich food included strawberries, watermelon for fruits, whole meal breads for grain, tofu and beans, eggs, chicken and pork for poultry, and spinach and sweet potatoes for vegetables. We then realised that many of these food were already in our planned meals before the side quest so we were glad to add on even more iron-rich food. We then completed the task well with a "Great Job" from our ICs. We are now pleased to say we are ready to plan affordable, healthy and tasty meals for our families.

Reflection from a Year 1 in P6:

On Monday, we had a 集合 where we did badgework. The seniors told us to bring some foolscap paper and recyclable materials for the activity. We quickly assembled for the  集合 and the seniors gave us instructions to go to the 1L classroom to start our badgework. We were all instructed to start the badgework by drawing. We were all supposed to draw still life, a Girl Guides friend or batchmate and our patrol flower, which in this case is a Morning Glory. After about half an hour, we were done with our drawings, the seniors instructed us to write a letter to a teacher or important person to persuade them to talk at a 集合. We were then instructed to build three useful items with at least one knot, or one braid and so on. We had to include a braid or a knot as it is linked to Girl Guides. Through this activity, we learnt to think out of the box and be creative as there are countless possibilities for the structure that we were going to build. I learnt that we each have our own sense of creativity and unique ideas. Everyones’ ideas and finished products were all very interesting. Some of us had built weaved baskets by folding pieces of paper into thin strips and others had baskets with braided handles. I made a Chapteh themed toy made up of a top of a can and also ripped some paper into thin strips and twisted them around to make the “feather” on a Chapteh. I had so much fun and I am sure my batchmates did too!

Reflection from a Year 2 in P4:

The Year 1s and Year 2s were tasked with completing badgework that consist of artistry and writing skills. Before the day of badgework, we were required to prepare recyclable materials and four foolscap papers, as well as essential items for arts and crafts like scissors and glues. The badgework was very fun as it consists of several options one can choose from to draw and write or create. It really gave us an opportunity to put our critical thinking and innovation into action. Firstly, we were given options ranging from drawing still life, your very own patrol flower, a portrait, a creative drawing, and a scenic landscape. Secondly, we were asked to write a formal letter, an essay or a poetry. Last but not least, we must create a usable or ornamental objects using the recyclable materials we possess. Various people have different strengths and abilities and the diversity of options was great to showcase hidden talents of our patrol mates. We were given a limited amount of time to complete all the tasks. At first, we took a long time deciding on which to work on, which is rather time-consuming and unproductive. Thus, we soon realised the time strain and quick work on deciding. We drew our patrol flower, the orchid together and had a whale of time coaching each other to draw various things. Though the subsequent projects are different, we worked together as a patrol and helped each other when in need. One of the Year 1s had difficulty weaving a basket, as one of the task include weaving out of items we brought. It uses our problem-solving skills as we searched for alternative material or methods to best support the criterias as well as take the limited time into considered. Since there was only paper available for weaving, the Year 2s taught the Year 1s how to weave properly, simultaneously working on their own projects. After the badgework, we showcased our works to one another during patrol corner and we all found the designs interesting. The badgework helped us to understand the importance of time management, coordination and problem solving skills which will last with us forever in our Guiding journey. 

Hope that everyone had fun during this 集合 although the batches were split. We definitely had a good time learning new facts on Girl Powered Nutrition, the theme for WAGGGS, as well as having fun attaining badges through our creativity!

Published by:
Chan Zi Xuan
56th 届 Secretary

National Day Contingent, 8 August 2024

Hi Guides! This year, our Year 1s and 2s, as well as selected Year 3s were involved in Contingent for Dunman High School's National Day Parade on 8 August. It was a proud moment when we displayed our Contingent skills.

Reflection by a Year 2 in P4:

In the week leading up to the school’s National Day celebration on 8 August, the Year 2 Guides and some Year 3s participated in rehearsals for the contingent. We practiced alongside St John Brigade, the National Police Cadet Corps, and the the Scouts. During the marching portions, we also had to follow the beat of the music that was played by the school’s Symphonic Band. As we were following a different timing than what we were used to, which was the timing of St John’s. However, we quickly got used to the different timings and practiced well. We also faced a few other issues with our contingent. Since we do not do contingent often, some of us were unfamiliar with some of the commands. Also, we were sometimes out of sync while marching forward and marching forward. Also, some of us were swinging our arms while marching on the spot and were lifting our legs. To help, the seniors from St John’s Brigade came over and told us what we were doing wrong, and how we should fix it. Their advice proved to be extremely helpful, and we were able to do much better during the rest of our practices. There were also a few changes to the contingent during the rehearsal itself. Some procedures were changed, and it took a while to get used to after practising the previous procedure multiple times. Practice was definitely tiring, but it was a rewarding experience and it was also fun to learn more about the commands, and timings and also interact with the other Uniformed Groups.

Reflection by a Year 2 in P5:

On 8 August, I participated in the NDP contingent with my batchmates and a few of my seniors. We had to go for numerous training sessions to ensure that we were extremely familiar with the commands. There was a lot of stress on us as we knew we could not make a mistake during the actual march-in. I was especially nervous as I was the right marker, the first person in the Guides contingent. Additionally, the Guides contingent was the first contingent to march in. That made me even more pressured as I had to march perfectly and start on the right beat so that others behind could follow. If I made a mistake, this would affect the people behind me. With this in mind, I felt extremely nervous as I was not only representing myself, but I was also representing the Girl Guides of Dunman High School, the proud Uniformed Groups of Dunman High. Nonetheless, I tried to put all my worries aside and looked straight ahead and focused on marching, hands ninety degrees with my head held up high. On the bright side, I got a lot of support from my peers, seniors, and juniors. When they saw me, they started smiling and even waved. At this sight, I felt truly proud to be a Guide. The marching went smoothly so I was relieved. My worry was for nothing! All in all, marching for the NDP contingent was an enriching and enjoyable experience. I would do it again as I enjoyed my time during Contingent.

Reflection by a Year 2 in P6:

I believe that the NDP contingent rehearsals were extremely helpful in helping us practice for the actual NDP day where we would march in front of the school. It was a good opportunity to check our understanding of each command and ensure that we were familiar with the actual procedures that would happen on the day itself so that we would not mess up on the day itself. During the NDP rehearsals, we had to be constantly reminded to listen out for the timer’s timing and ensure that we were all in sync such that we look organized and uniform. The various rehearsals helped refresh our memory before the actual march in. On 8 August, it was slightly stressful due to the pressure of marching in front of all the other students. Should we have made a mistake while marching in, it would have been obvious that we had messed up for the other students who were sitting down. We had to closely follow the beat as the band was playing and focus on marching in sync with everyone else. As we recited the pledge, we had to speak in loud voices so that our words would not be slurred and could be heard clearly. The process of marching out was less stressful as we had already passed the marching in which had gone smoothly, allowing us to feel more comfortable and at ease with marching out. I believe that a key factor in enabling the marching go smoothly was the rehearsals as they were extremely helpful. I am very grateful for the rehearsals and our seniors for overseeing the rehearsals and helping us improve. It was truly a fun experience.