Adventure Camp- Boys of wisdom and stature

                    Sec 3 Adventure Camp- Boys of wisdom and stature.

   When people asks you about the best time in your secondary 3 life usually we students reply that the camp was the best time the class has ever felt a bonding, thus making it memorable.

It was a week before the secondary 3 camp and I was anxious I felt that we may not be a united class as there is a difference between us. Some of us are more towards studying and gaming while there are others that are enthusiastic about sports, because of this difference there was a thought that we may not get along well and only get into each others way, it has been happening since the school started we have not mixed around but instead sticking to the friends that we hang out with or share secrets to.

Then judgment day came, the entire secondary 3 cohort was carrying big and small bags for the camp. We boarded the bus and travelled a long distance as if it seem like we were travelling to Malaysia but thank god we finally made it after a one and a half hour of driving. Our legs were numb thanks to the bus ride nevertheless we were positive about the camp until we were told to sit in the fiery red sun. Even though we were mad on the inside but we tried to remain calm. When I saw the lodges the first image that came into my head was at least we have a place to sleep in and is sheltered. Suddenly, voices of a lady told us that we were going to sleep in tents and are to fit five people in the tent, it was then when I was bewilder furthermore we had to built our own tents I was trying to be on the positive side but I was slowly being eaten by the dark. We met our trainers and had lunch together, I was finally seeing the light as our trainers were quite well known to take things easy and sometimes to the extreme. Our first activity was ‘Nature Discovery’. We were given photographs of some plants and insects we had to get. I volunteered myself to search for the insects (alive). It was fun catch them especially the grasshoppers. After we achieved the samples, we were given a sheet of paper and were told to draw a map and indicate where we found the samples. From then on, our class was divided into two groups for the activities. During these activities, we had many opportunities to experience teamwork.

Soon dawn came upon us and it was also the time to replenish our body with food, than came our last activity of the day the blind man’s trail it was lots of fun and scary at the same time but we had a lot of courage and take on the challenge and we made it out alive.

  The next day was not as interesting for me as I was not allowed to do much because of my skin problem but I tried to help the class in many ways I can. To me the only fascinating thing was the campfire as we were united as one and I saw the improvement of the class. We did our cheer and enjoyed the show, but what I learnt the most was the speech Mrs Toh gave us she inspired me to continue and be the best of my abilities.

  It was the day when smiles was over everyone’s face even the sick was looking forward to it as it was the last day, we were rewarded for having the best cheer and gain the wisdom to be men of god. The debrief of Mr Kong was about life and the purpose and obstacles we will face in time to come.

Keefe Chew     (15)         3ST

A sense of belonging~ SEC 3 CAMP

   The Secondary three camp was really a life changing experience for not only me but all of us. During the camp, a huge bond was made between our class as it was essential to apply teamwork and trust among your team. Without further ado, I shall begin on my personal recount.

On that early morning of camp, as I dragged my heavy bag into the courtyard, the frowns on my classmates faces made it evident that they were unwilling to leave for camp. I decided that I should not think badly about typical scout camps, instead be optimistic. After usual morning assembly, we were assigned our camp leaders one was a Caucasian and the other was malay Omar and Hilmi. In minutes the cohort was marching up onto the waiting buses , that would bring us to Camp Christine. Soon the bus turn in to this stretch of road filled with grave stones and a huge grassland, not a soul to be found there. It was a untenanted without inhabitants this was a bad sign for us as the campsite was nearing.

In a few minutes, we found ourselves ‘unloaded’ out of the bus, and ask to wait on this grass patch with the sun scorch beating down on our necks. The camps commandants did their administration and soon enough we were given our next task which was pitching your own tent. The instructor showed us carefully how to set it while we watched and learnt .I was surprised that this was what we were going to sleep in. I also realized that all of us had to leave our luxuries like our comfy beds and air conditioning behind. Soon after our accommodation was set up, our first mission was to find insects such as a frog a grasshopper and a cricket.

The rest of Day 1 activities were activities like crossing from one tree trunk to the other tree trunk with just three wood sticks, it was amazing how my classmates actually step out from their comfort zones to give ideas to the team. Eventually, everyone in the group made it across and this gave me a sense of belonging to this special class which I am going to spend with till I leave this village. Another one of the memorable was the night activity called, the Blind Man Trail. In this activity all of us had to put on our blindfolds and hold the person in front of you so we would not lose our way in the trail. We then had to pass down messages as there were obstacles obstructing our way, you also had to entrust your friends in telling you the right orders as you only had the sense of touch and hearing. After group discussion, it was lights out.

On the second day, we were awoken by the chatter of the cohort getting ready outside our tents. We then gathered out, lethargically on the same grass patch to start ‘the kungfu panda’ morning exercise. Sadly it was extremely tiresome and making everyone more sluggish. Omar seeing our the ‘life’ in us, enlighten us saying that today was the day we were going into the mission ‘nature rumble’ which was surprisingly the highlight of the camp as we were going to get real muddy. This activity really thought us about the jungle and it can be a very dangerous place when trekkers like us don co-operate. It really made us grow some ‘balls’ as we had to walk carefully as it was extremely slippery and muddy. We even as boys had to hold our friends as support in case we slip. As we got through different stages of the forest, we came to a mud swamp which was chest level we had to literally slip yourself inside as trainer Omar was leading the front group, despite professional help, I got the assistance of my dear classmates to get down in the swamp. It was extremely hard to walk in the river at first as our shoe constantly get trapped in the thick mud below the murky water astonishingly as we got deeper it was actually easier to walk through the swamp. Trainer Hilmi tried to scare us with objects that look like weird animals in the cloudy water! Finally we reach the end of the swamp and had to pull each other up the slippery slope, we had to entrust each other to help each other up safely. Lastly, it was rafting it was when all of us could ‘bathe’ ourselves and our shoes in the sea. Many of us did not know how to build a raft then. Thankfully there a few scouts classmates that had obtain the skill probably in their camps. We all then gave the scouts all our attention on how to construct the raft. We really enjoyed our time at the water and some of us even fall of the raft. Although it was not much of a distance but we still enjoyed it.

Soon enough it was time to bead our trainers farewell, and we thank them for this life changing camp. This camp gave me a sense of belonging from this class as we as a class have grew in to man of wisdom and stature and will stand by each other in times of need in this two prosperous years. It will definitely be etched in a big portion of my brain, for the amazing brotherhood spirit made during this camp.


Done by: Colin Chua (7)

Secondary 3 Adventure camp: Developing into men of wisdom and stature

Developing man of wisdom and stature who will stand in favour with God and with man is our school’s mission. The camp was one of the challenges to achieve our school’s mission and also to bond our secondary three classes together as a school. Even though the camp was compulsory many did not turn up for wrong reasons. The camp was a three day two night camp.

Early in the morning we were to report to school in our P.E attire, there were many different shapes and sizes of back packs some looking like they are going for an overseas trip while others are as if they are just staying for one night. Some of us did not like the idea of going to the camp as we heard many scary and disgusting things from our senior’s past experiences while others were exited to go to the camp.

On the first day after what seems like a coach ride to Malaysia we reached the camp site. Everyone was complaining about how cramp their legs were and others just woke up from their short sleep stretching their stiff arms and making moaning noises. We got off the bus with our big and heavy bags and marched to the camp’s main dome. We were assigned our trainers and class names. The head of the camp briefed us though the fire drill and the rules of the camp grounds.

 We started by pitching our tents and the trainer did a demonstration, but not every tent was perfect. The first activity we did was to search for a list of things in the camp site; they were different types of leaves, grasshopper, cricket and a frog. I had the most fun chasing and catching the frogs and I even caught two of them. Next we did the magic carpet half of the class had to stand on the mat and we had to find a way to turn it over without anyone stepping off the mat we took three tries to do it silently.

At night we slept in tents they suppose to be able to fit us perfectly but one of our tent mates took lots of space we had a hard time to sleep. He even snored very loudly not letting the rest of us sleep in peace. The next morning we woke up and told him everything that he had did that night. We got out of our tents, washed our faces and assembled in front of the main dome on the grass filled with unknown insect crawling around and some might just crawl their way into our shorts. We did a very funny and unique exercise to start of the day. The next activity was to carry our classmates through a hula hoop suspended about half a meter off the ground without touching the hula hoop. We were able to do it a few times before we move on for our next activity. Our next activity was to built a catapult that can stand on its own and fire water bombs instead of firing at the targets we were given we fired it at each other. Next we had to use ropes to pull a bucket of water out of the center area. After that we had to hold onto the ropes and let our classmates walk one round around it everyone was able to do it but our fingers were very pain after that. The following activity was the most “interesting” part of the camp and it was the mud trail we put on our unwanted shoes and walked through it our trainers guided us through it we were almost lost in the forest we had to keep reversing our line as the path way was very narrow. Our next activity was boat rafting, we had to build our own raft and pedal with our feet we raced each other to a certain point. It was very disappointing because we could only pedal a very short distance.

The night of the camp fire we had to sing our classes cheer even though we prepared only five minutes before the camp fire we won first and the prize was two large bottles of coke for the class to share. I could not imagine that the camp was this fun and we had to thank our trainers for everything. Before leaving for school my class was chanting our trainers name Omar we just could not stop. It was as if we had taken ecstasy and could not control ourselves, we were even chanting his name on the bus. This is one of the best camps in my life so far.

By: Jeremy Au (4) 

Sec 3 Adventure Camp - Boys of Wisdom and Stature

I have never used to like camp. Thus, I was not looking forward to this camp. However, the camp had change my ways of thinking about camping. At the start of this year, they were many aliens in my class. However, the camp had helped me to know more about the people around me. 

As I reached the school, I was getting more and more worried because, by judging the books by their covers, I was one of the few who was not really excited. We were chatting among ourselves before the bell rang. After the morning assemble, we were introduced to one of our trainers and our group names. We then board the respective buses and depart of the camp.

In the bus, we were making ourselves comfortable by talking with one another and playing games. I, however, was trying to get some sleep. When we were arriving, I woke up by my friends’ mumbling that we were here our destination. 

When we arrived, we were allocated to the field where we had to wait for the other groups. After which we built our tents. Once the tents were done, we had our lunch. Then we started on our activities.

Our first activity was ‘Nature Discovery’. We were given photographs of some plants and insects we had to get. I volunteered myself to search for the insects (alive). It was fun catch them especially the grasshoppers. After we achieved the samples, we were given a sheet of paper and were told to draw a map and indicate where we found the samples.

From then on, our class was divided into two groups for the activities. During these activities, we had many opportunities to experience teamwork.

After our dinner, we went for our last activity for the day, night-walk. We had to blindfold ourselves and stand in a single-line with our chairman leading us. We had to trust one another in order to avoid accidents.

Then to end off the day, we had our supper, shower and went to our respective tents to sleep. By then, I could say that I was enjoying myself very much and took back what ever I thought about the camp before coming.

The next day, which was the most fun day of my live, some trainers came around and wake us up. I was the only one who had a shower that morning despite knowing how cold the water would be. We were given a certain amount of time to gather for our morning stretch before breakfast. 

After breakfast, we continue with our activities. The most exciting part was the 'Nature Ramble' , where we had to go in the mud. It was a very new and interesting experienced. Every step I took, my whole shoe was stuck in the thick layer of mud. However, with perseverance, I manage to lift my shoe out from the mud. And when ever i failed, my friends were there for me. That day, I learnt that I could always depend on my friends for their support.

Then, the next activity, we built our own boat out of the materials provided and headed for the sea.

Of course we had to take a shower after that. After we had our dinner, we received our Camp-Fire t-shirt. They were music owing on and we were all at our best mood. 

Our principe, Mrs Lucy Toh, start u the camp fire by giving an opening speech of us evolving  from boys to man and the declaration of allowing us to wear long pants when we returned school. All the classes did their cheer and went wild. We had a lot of fun that night. To be honest, I really did not want that night to end. However, we had to end our day by having supper.

Although I did not sleep well the let night, I menage to get enough rest. I, also, did not bath that morning as we were already running out of time. We continue on our routine by starting off with some stretching before breakfast. We were told that our class had won the best cheer award. Then, we strike down our tents and clean up the area before boarding the bus and come back to school. I was very sad to leave. Never the less, I was happy to return home.

From this camp, I made a lot of new friends and I am very happy about it.

-Yash (37) 3ST

The unforgettable sec 3 camp

     On the day of the camp i was feeling excited and i thought the following 3 day is going to be a lot of fun.When we were on the bus many of us gets so excited, we cheered for the camp to be successful.Soon we arrived at the campsite, the weather was scorching ,sweat was dripping from my head before we were assigned to our duty. I formed a group with some of my classmates,we were told to build up the tent by ourselves,for me i found it challenging at first because i don't have the experience of setting up a tent ,however we learnt to work as a team and help one another all the way eventually we got the jop done well.Finally its lunch time we had a quick meal with friends together,afterwards we had our first team bonding activity in the camp ,we were suppose to find the items the instructor gave us on the list, for example The Nature Trekking, we have to catch insects and frogs and finding dead leave like birdnest fern.the activities requires us a lot of teamwork spirit and it was an opportunity to push ourselves physically and learn mental resilience as well as team work.
      The best event during the 3 day camping was the camp fire even our principal was invited to open the campfire. So the trainers gave her a lighted log and she lighted up the campsite. The scorching heat from the fire was intense. The host was hilarious and we could not stop laughing i was  enthusiastic by him. We were then told to showcase our cheers and all the other groups had great cheers and they were so lively. We came out with our cheer  before the campfire. But when they announced that the “Best Cheer Award” goes to Benderlog. It was jaw dropping.
     It finally it came to the last day to break home, i was both sad and happy because these 3 days impact me very much, it left a good memory in my heart, i just hope that the camp would be longer so we would have more fun, but i was still happy to go home.
In this camp, i felt that i have grown stronger bonds with my friends and every game was meaningful.The debriefs that the teachers and the coachers gave us was like examples of how life would be and obstacles are for us to explore and succeed in the end.


FENG XINYU
3ST

What i did during the Sec3 camp that i did not go.

  On the day before the sec3 camp was scheduled, i sprained my leg while playing basketball which is my favourite sports and so i wasn't able to go for the camp. On the day of the camp my leg ached so badly that i couldn't get out of bed and needed my helpful maid to support me while i walk. I kept feeling the pain which is so irritating and inconvenienced me. I had to see the doctor, who gave me the most horrible medicine i have ever tasted, it was so bitter that i needed to eat sweets while eating the medicine.
  On the the next day i felt much better although there is still a little pain and could start walking myself without any help. As i had nothing to do after i woke up and had my breakfast, i switched on my computer to play some games. After playing for 3 hours i started rummaging through my kitchen cupboard for food and found some snacks like "rou gan" which we Chinese eat during Chinese new year (im not really sure whats it called in English) and some peanuts. Then i lay on my couch and watch television. I had just had to continue my routine of lying on the sofa and watch the television for the next few days.
Overall , i think not going to the camp was a blessing in disguise as I heard that people came out of the camp with muddy clothes and even missing shoes. Despite that , I felt very sad that I did not have the opportunity to do what my friends did in the camp.
 
Bryan Ong (5) 3ST

Secondary 3 Adventure Camp:Men Of Wisdom And Strature

These words are familiar to every Saint. I always think it’s easy to achieve this title but due to this camp it changed everything. It was compulsory for every Secondary 3 student. It was meant for bonding with one another and working together with our classmates. By writing this, I will tell you more.

We came to school with our heavy bags and we assembled as a cohort. We were all given group names and introduced to our trainers, Hilme and Omar. We were named Benderlog taken from The Jungle Book. We then board the bus and left school. An hour later we reached our destination. My first step into Camp Christine, a campsite meant for girls, it felt like I am in hell. But I said it too early.

We played games that required lots of teamwork and trust, such as catching wild creatures and dried leaves which fall of from the tree. My team did absolutely well on the first activity. But not for the second activity, my team screwed it up. It was “The Magic Carpet”. We were supposed to stand on this mat as a team and flip it over without stepping out of the mat. During that activity, our minds were not united and everybody was just making sure of themselves. After such a great start on the first day comes the second day. We were told that we had to do “Nature Ramble” and all the other classes had been mentioning about how dirty we would get and we would either love it or hate it. We walked through thick mud, tall grass, and the swamp which was waist level. Our shirts were all stained and we were drenched. All of us were stinky as a sewer. We enjoyed it as this happens once in a lifetime!

The highlight for this camp goes to the campfire. Misses Lucy Toh our Principal was invited to open the campfire. So the trainers gave her a lighted log and she lighted up the campsite. The scorching heat from the fire was super hot. The host was hilarious and the whole cohort could not stop laughing. We were then told to showcase our cheers and all the other groups had great cheers and they were so enthusiastic. We came out with our cheer 5 minutes before the campfire. But when they announced that the “Best Cheer Award” goes to Benderlog. It was jaw dropping.

Overall Camp Christine was a wonderful campsite. I learnt that teamwork is very important. Me being a new boy made lots of new friends and bonded with them through this camp well. Now we can call ourselves “Men of Wisdom and Stature”.

BY:QALISH (31) 3ST

Secondary 3 Adventure Camp: From Boys To Men.

On Monday, 24^th of February 2011, the Secondary Three students along with our form teachers went for the adventure camp. The camp is compulsory for every secondary students. I am now writing this essay to tell you my experience during the camp.

First of all, I thought that the camp would be complete rubbish, just like any other ordinary school camps. The camp was compulsory, and even though I was sick, I forced myself out from home to school for the camp for the sake of it.

Upon arrival, we had a small assembly and had our instructors assigned to our classses. After the assembly, we all had to set up our tents. It seemed difficult but in the end we perservered and finally built them.

We then had our lunch, which was quite disappointing, since the food they gave us were just worth only about two dollars. After that, we had our first team bonding activity in the camp. We were supposed to find the items that the instructors gave us on a list.

We had a lot of fun catching insects and frogs too. We had other activities too, but we all wished that it could pass faster, so that we may take a break. Most of the activities we did required a lot of teamwork and trust.

We had doubts in our friends not being able to assist us in our activities, but it turned out that they were always there to help us out of trouble in any way. Trust is very important when it comes to group work or group activities.

Without trust, there would not be a proper group performing well together. The same goes for teamwork. Without teamwork, there would also be fights and problems among every group. Without teamwork, everyone would not have a common goal to work towards to.

After three days and two nights, it was time to say goodbye to our instructors. We left the camp cheering for our instructors. Even at the end of the camp, we still had the camping spirit with us for the entire week.

Done by: Aaron Tan (1) 3ST

Secondary 3 Adventure Camp: Every Boy a Sportsman

On 24^th February 2011,Monday, my whole secondary 3 cohort was forced to go to the camp as it was compulsory.Most of my classmate was like me thinking that this camp was just a complete waste of time,we knew the school send us here so that to see if are mature enough to wear the long pants.

When we arrived at camp Christine we were sitting under the hot burning sun for like at least a hour my first impression of the camp was like thinking weather they were just dis-organised or just wanted to torture us,but my impression change as soon as we got started.The first thing we did was setting up the tent it seem hard at first when they demonstrated but since we had some people who were from scouts it seem pretty easy. 

We then started having our bonding activities.The first activity was the Nature trekking it was about catching insects and frogs and finding dead leaves like Bird Nest Fern,this game require you and your teammate to capture the frog or insect alive.Next we played the magic carpet it was about a carpet which we needed to turn around without stepping out,this game was both fun and very team bonding as we had to synchronized to when you want to jump so that we could slowly turn the carpet around.

On the second day we were supposed to do some warm up exercise and then continued our activity.The first activity was to transfer the people over without touching the hula hoop.This activity is about putting trust into your friends to help you transfer over.The next was the Space Odyssey we had to move together in 3people per hula hoop and our legs would be tied together we had to move together in a group and tied our legs together with the other groups and move together. After countless times of failure we finally manage to move together in a comfortable pace.

Our next activity was the Catapult is was to build a few stick of branch and lets build a water bomb catapult.We were given a few sticks and came up with a design which I say was pretty good considering that we almost hit our target which was just a bottle of cans.The following activity of the camp is Nature Rumble it was the muddiest stickiest and most tiring activity of the camp.I was alright with the mud and all until we got lost for about an hour with another group of girls from another school.We practically walk back and forth around three times and manage to make it in time for our final activity which would be Rafting.Since we were rushing for time we quickly built the raft and immediately started.I felt we were pretty fortunate for the fact we  could clean off the mud at the sea from the Nature Rumble.

The last and best memory of the camp was the campfire.It not like we always get to have a campfire a example would be the church camp I just attended which had no campfire.We had many cheer competition and even a dance competition and I never knew our trainers could hit the moves.

On the last day of the camp we were all packing our bags and were relaxing and chit-chatting with our trainers about the camp and even played a prank on the other trainers.In the last few hours we were reluctantly going off after thinking on what a great time we just had the camp. 

Leow Ee Whye(22)

Secondary 3 camp - A Sense Of Belonging.

                The Secondary Three Camp was a great experience for all the participants. It was a once in a lifetime experience for all of us as we were never going to be Secondary Three again. Although tiring, it created an opportunity to bond with our class.

                The camp started with the hour long bus ride to the campsite with our instructor, Omar sitting in the front seat and keeping quiet. He didn’t say a single word to us in that hour. Everyone thought he was strict and what we would call Guai Lan.

                After the bus trip, we all had to fall in under the scorching sun. Our class, especially, had to wait for the rest of the classes to arrive which was another hour as we were the first to arrive. After the assembly, the instructors guided us on packing our day packs, which were the essentials.

                Time travelled at light speed, and before we knew it, it was time for lunch. Anything edible was heaven to us. No matter how bland the food might be, we all finished it in an instant.

                Activities resumed after lunch and all the way until it was time for dinner. Dinner was a great time for us especially when we knew that after dinner, it was going to be bedtime. After a cool shower, we all proceeded to our tents, no matter how squeezy, we all had a good night sleep.

                The second day was a fun filled one. It started with the KungFu Panda Morning Exercise. Everyone enjoyed it very much. After breakfast came the low element activities. They were all activities that allowed us to trust our peers as our safety depended on them.

                After lunch came the dirty activities. The nature rumble which we all knew was coming and feared. As we made our way to the mud infested jungle, we all feared the worst that could happen.  What might have seemed to be an awful, disgusting and uncomfortable time, was a joyful time as we depended on each other for help. Omar decided to bring us on a different trail, which involved walking in a brown river. After getting out of the river, we faced a huge problem. We were lost in the jungle. While walking, we met a group of girls, who were walking slowly. Thankfully, it was a ‘scenic’ wait.  It would have been worse if it were a group of screaming boys.

                After walking 3 rounds, we finally made our way out, leaving the girls in the jungle. We then proceeded to build a raft. We had the opportunity to test it, and we were all proud of it.

                We went for a nice, cool bath after the mud therapy. And it was time for the long awaited campfire. We all had great fun singing along with the songs that were playing, completed with cheers and games.

                After the campfire, we all went to bed.

                The last day of the camp was here and we were all half hearted to leave, knowing that there was school the next day and that there was no more fun and games for us.

                After the debrief, we all cheered for Omar all the way until we boarded the bus back to school and bid farewell to the campsite.

                I guess we all had our part to play in the camp for it to go smoothly.

Sec 3 adventure camp

         Secondary 3 Adventure Camp- Every Boy A Sportsman

Like many other people from the secondary 3 cohort, I thought that the three day two night camp I am going to attend was going to be the worst three days of my life. But when I reached the destination, it did not turn out the way that I thought. Due to the sec 2 streaming exercise, I was separated with my friends whom I studied with for the past two years. When I got posted to 3ST, I saw many unfamiliar faces in the class. The camp was one of the best way to get to know them better.

The activities that were arranged for us helped us know each other better and build up our teamwork and trust. The games required both teamwork and trust in our team. In one game, we were told to try and get through the hula hoop without touching it. After several tries that failed, we finally realise that we have to believe in each other in order to accomplish the task. At night, we had to share a tent with someone we just knew. Through the activities, we get to know the weaknesses and strengths of our friends.

My favourite activity was the nature rumble. We managed to trek through a forest full of mud. At one point, we had to swim across a creek to cross to the other side.

This camp has taught us many values and helped me know my classmates better.

                                                                                                                                             - Krishnan

secondary 3 camp - men of wisdom and stature !!!

"Men of wisdom and stature" These few words familiar to every saint, i used to think that title was easily achievable, but the Secondary Adventure Camp had changed that mentality entirely. The camp was compulsory for every secondary 3 student in St Andrews school. It was a time of bonding, and learning with together with classmates. Let me tell you more about the camp in this essay that i have written.

At first, i was very, very reluctant to go camp as i felt that it was a waste of time, and many of my classmates felt that way too. Too bad it was written "COMPULSORY" on the form. When i first stepped into camp Christine, i thought my 3-days-2-nights stay was going to be a living hell. Firstly, the sun was scorching hot. We have to sit on a dirty grass patch while being yelled at the trainers who were in the cool shade. Living hell was my first impression of camp Christine, but that impression change after we had done the neccesities. 

We played some games that required great amount of teamwork and trust, such as catching wild creatures like frogs, crickets, grasshoppers and collect a few leaves. All this was done in the wide and vast field of the campsite. Our team managed to do pretty well although all of us where scared of frogs and other creepy-crawlies. We all so pulled through many games that involved alot of brainstorming, teamwork and trust, such as "The Magic Carpet" where we were required to stand on one side of a mat and try to flip it over without any of us touching the ground! It sounds hard but with a bit of brains, and a bit of teamwork, our team finally got it.

On the second day, we had our "Nature Ramble" there are endless debates about this activity, either you love it, or you hate it. For me, i enjoyed myself. We walked through the dense jungle in a single file with our trainer Omar leading us. Together as a class, we walked through thick mud, tall grass, and even a waist-deep swamp! We all came back with mosquito bites and smelt like the sewers for the rest of the day, but hey, how many times in your life do you get to experience something like that ?

The highlight of the camp was the campfire. It was my first campfire, and i sure did enjoyed it. At the campfire, we had two host that where also trainers. They where good with their jokes and they where humourous. We had a great time listening to them singing songs and telling jokes. Part of the campfire required us to showcase our group cheer. Many of the other groups had wonderful cheers, but our "not-so-hardwork" in 5 minutes managed to do the trick and won us the "Best Cheer Award". There was also a game of dance, i participated in it, but i lost despite my efforts.

All in all, camp Christine is a wonderfull place, and i learnt many things from her. I also learnt that keeping an open mind and heart to everything is important, if i had insisted on being ignorant, i would not have the time of my life there.After this camp, we can really call ourselves " men of wisdom and stature".


xavier ong
3st

Secondary 3 camp - A Sense Of Belonging.

This Secondary 3 camp really bonded us as a class. This is crucial as we will be spending the next 2 years of our Secondary school life together, and more importantly, we will be graduating together. If there is anyone who feels left out, or is not as involved, it would definitely affect us as a class one way or another.

Day 1 was the same old stuff for all the other camps. First we had to travel to the camp site, which was at an isolated area in Sarimbun. The Sun was scorching hot as all of us assembled in the grass patch in the camp site. We were introduced to our 2 trainers which played an important role, which was to make sure all of us bonded as a class, no one was left out or injured. We kicked start the first activity which required to pitch our tents with our classmates. This activity is very engaging as pitching a tent alone is very draining and it would not be as efficient as compared to having a group of people. Each team were grouped into clusters of 4, or 5 people. They were expected to communicate which part does this fit into, where this goes, where that goes, and ultimately, pitch up a tent that they would be sleeping in for the next 2 nights. Coming together, we learnt how to solve problems when things doesn't work out, how to resolve multiple opinions and thoughts from other students, brainstorming and finally coming up with a master plan, and pitching the whole tent together. This ensured participation of every single group mate as every had a different job scope to do, and we have to communicate with each other. It was indeed a joyful experience.

After lunch, we played a whole bunch of games which required not just efforts of 1 person, but the different strengths instilled in us. Some of us may be creative, some of us may be strong, some of us may have superb leadership skills. Even small things like encouraging each other along the way means a lot, and it definitely boosts our morale along the way. Bit by bit we were getting used to each others style of working, knowing each other strengths, and along the way, even knowing deeper things like our personality, what we like or dislike in a person. Strength without wisdom is useless, whereas vice versa. Creativity can only be effectively used if given an opportunity, our potential can only grow to the maximum if we dare to dream and step out of our comfort zone to execute. If our potential was 1 000 000, but we are given 0 opportunities, 1 000 000 multiplied by 0 is still 0. Whereas if you were given 1 or more opportunity, we would definitely have room to grow and learn. Every single of us is unique in our own ways.

This camp really gave us multiple opportunities to use our talents and expose us to different situations, forcing us to think at a more rapid pace, instilling in us innovation and creativity, and more importantly, using it to help others, not just ourselves. Which will be very useful as we walk down the next 2 years as class 3ST and 4ST together. When we are down, we are confident that someone will pick us up without looking to the left or to the right, we will never ever walk alone. The camp also gave us a sense of belonging and identity in the class, everyone has a part of play and a job scope to fulfill. The class spirit now will only grow stronger and more intense, in a positive way, of course.

- Ngai Yi Li (28)

Sec 3 Adventure Camp - Boys of Wisdom and Stature

On 24^th of February 2011, Monday, the secondary three cohorts in my school attended their secondary three camp. This camp is held every year and it is compulsory for the secondary three pupils to attend it, unless there is a good reason for not attending it. Today, I am writing this essay to tell you my experience from the camp.

On the first day of the camp, we were carrying our heavy bags to school. After the morning assembly, we were assigned to our trainers, Hillme and Omar. We then took a bus to our destination. My first impression of that area was that it was a deserted place as there was a cemetery there and most of the areas there was just a plain land. Upon reaching there, we were asked to assemble on a field and under the sun for quite long. Our first instruction was to pitch up a tent, where the trainers would demonstrate and we would pitch our own. We took quite some time and after we finish building our tents, it was time to have lunch. Our lunch isn’t as bad as what I thought, as in my previous camps we had ration food as our meals. After our meals, we were split up into two groups. We were lucky to have Omar as our trainer, as he is a quite slack trainer. We then have some team bonding activities until it was dinner. We then had our night activity, which we had to put a blind fold over our eyes, hold each other’s shoulder and the person in front would lead the people. Of course the person in front would not be blind folded. Then soon it was time we had our shower and turn in to bed, and of course our beds are not the ones with the mattress, but in the tents.

The second day, in the middle of the night, I was awaked by the mumbling of the people outside. I only realized that it wasn’t time to wake up only when one of the trainers scolded the boys and asked what they were doing outside their tents three in the morning. When it was time to get out of our tents and assemble on the field, we were reluctant but we had no choice. We had our breakfast and soon after, we went to our next activity, nature rumble. We had to walk in a trail of thick mud and what made it worse was the rain. We then took a walk into a small river which was chest level. We then had to make it through the forest but we got lost in the forest a few times. Our next and last activity was rafting. We had to build a raft that was strong enough to support us when we are at sea. At night was the camp fire, where we showed off our cheers and had fun. On that night I managed to get enough sleep.

The next day, which was also our last day, we were informed that we had the best cheer award and we also were awarded with two bottles of coke. We were also sad to leave the camp but grateful for our trainers who guide us through the camp. We then left the camp by bus and headed for home.

Post by: Lim Jun Hui (24)
Class: 3ST

Sec 3 Camp : Every Boy a Sportsman

Every boy a sportsman.  At first these three words did not meant anything to me as i was just any ordinary Saint Andrew boy going through his secondary school life. The day came when we had to attend this camp. I packed through the night and left for Camp Christine the very next morning after we assembled in school for morning assembly. In the bus we were singing melody and songs as we happily board the journey to the camp.

Not long, we arrived at Camp Christine, a girl’s camp at Lim Chu Kang. We assembled and had lunch learned to build a tent together as small groups of five and helping one another after we finished our own tents. Soon the day came to an end and thus I will share with you more about Day two, the highlight of the camp. As usual, we had breakfast and then lunch.

But all this were just starting to get interesting. As our camp instructor, Omar read out the next activity “Nature Rumble”. He exclaimed that were going to have fun or suffer depending on our attitude towards this activity and the class. We head out to the nearby jungle and soon started trekking. At the entrance of “the jungle” Omar told us some ways to keep each other safe.

The first being to tell your friends at the back to lift their legs or not, and the second to be able to encourage one another to carry out the activity. We were warned that we were going to walk through mud that were black and smelled like the exact replica of sewage water and walked through mud water that rose till chest level.

I took little notice of what the instructor, Omar was saying and just followed. As we reached the second part that was to walk through mud water that rose till chest level, i hesitated. But see the effort the instructor/trainer has to go through every twice or thrice a week and through my friends encouragement. I took the great leap forward and jumped into the mud water. As soon as we got out from the mud water, we had to go through the sewage like water again and get out from the jungle.

As we were walking out from the jungle, there was a slight rain and suddenly it started raining cats and dogs hence damping out spirits and speed. We had no choice but to continue. We escaped the jungle after getting lost thrice but hence leading me to understand the true meaning of every boy a sportsman. Not just being good in sports but to have the courage to “take the big leap”.

Done by: Lincoln Peh (30)  3ST

sec three camp-boys of wisdom and stature done by ong yeow loong

On 24^th February 2011, Monday, my school’s entire secondary three cohort attended their sec 3 camp. This camp is held once every year. Today, I am writing this essay to tell you my experience and what I learn from the camp.

There were many activities planned for us by the camp organizers. There were activities such as outdoor cooking and nature rumble. There were many other activities planned for us and every activity was carried out successfully.

All of the activities involved teamwork. By participating every activity wholeheartedly, I learnt many things about team work, and i feel that a new bond is formed between me and my classmates throughout the camp.

On the first day, the first activity we did was to pitch our tents. Followed by lunch and other activities that were planned for us. After sunset, we went back to the lodge that we were allocated to at the start of the camp to have our dinner. After dinner we did the Blind Man’s Trail. After that activity, we had our supper , bathing time then time for us to have our sleep after a long day.

On the second day, the fist activity we had was our morning stretch followed by our breakfast. Me and my classmates were excited for the second day as the activities planned for us on the second day were all the ‘’main attractions’’ of all the activities. But to me the Nature Rumble was the most fun out ofall the activities. We had to walk through a swamp but thing that made the activity fun was the rain. During our Nature Rumble, it rained halfway. The water level of the swamp rised to our chest level!

On the third day, it was time for us to pack up our and disassemble our tents. On the first day of the camp, I wanted to go home very badly, But on the third day, I did not wanted to go home!  On 11.30 am, we went to respective buses and were driven back to school. After a 1 hour ride, we finally reached school.  When I reached school, I missed those times I had during the camp! Of all the camps i've been to, sec three camp is the best!

Ong yeow loong(29)

Sec 3 Adventure Camp - Boys of Wisdom and Stature

    Our School Mission is “Men of wisdom and stature, in favor with God and man” but in this case it was boys of wisdom and stature. That was what I thought the camp was based on besides learning survival skills, having discipline and fun. The camp bonded me and my classmates together. I, a fellow Secondary 3 student who participated in the camp, am going to share with you the lessons, values and the trials we had to go through in the camp.

    The camp was indeed a test, of some sort, that tested us if we could work together as a team to solve and overcome the obstacles that stand in our way. The first activity was the Nature Discovery Hunt. We had to find specific objects on the list that were around the campus of Camp Christine. We were all split up into small groups of 8 to 10 people. I and my team set out not knowing which of the objects we should start to hunt for first. We walked out into the open field of the campus searching for the hidden items. Someone spotted a cricket, which was one of the items on our list. As the cricket was quite small in size, about two times the size of an ant, we had a bit of difficulty in catching it. We worked together as a team and we successfully captured the cricket. Almost the same thing happened for the two frogs that we caught. We all then separated in smaller groups of 2 to 3 people to look for the other items on the list. Me and my friend saw a lizard that had the abilities of a chameleon and I decided to catch it to get more points for my team. With my friends help, after failing for 4 times with perseverance I caught it on my 5th Try. We all gathered back at the Olave Hall to make a map of where we found everything.

    With Teamwork, we managed to get through almost all of the other tasks with no problem at all. We had completed the tasks that seemed like there was nothing that could overcome it but with teamwork, determination and perseverance, all things are possible. Before we knew it, it was lunch time. The food was better than I expected as the Primary 5 camp I went through left a bad impression in me on camps. I had to say that camp food was as good as or better than the food we eat everyday but then came the nights that we had to spend in tents. We had to forget the luxuries of beds and sleep on the floors of the tents. It was not entirely bad because I and my tent mates got ‘closer’ to each other.

    I thought that the last two activities made us bond and work together as a class the most. The Nature Rumble really made the ‘Man’ in us come out as there was an abundance of mud everywhere. The mud was covering our shoes entirely and we even had to cross a muddy river which was up to our waist. As there were hunter traps and no visibility at all through the water, we had to communicate and tell the people behind us about the location of traps and obstacles in the water and the worst part was that it rained twice while we were in there. The final activity was Rafting. It made us brainstorm together to think of a good way to design and build the raft. We had to listen to each other and help out one another while tying the wooden sticks and rubber tubes together. We had successfully made a raft that could stay together in one piece. Testing the raft was a satisfying experience as I could have never done this before and knowing that I have friends that go through thick and thin with me.

    During the campfire, every class needed to say their cheer. Our class 3ST had an amazing cheer that made us win best cheer. That really gave me a sense of belonging to this class and the school. After this grueling experience, we have matured into men of wisdom and stature and not just boys.

Justin Leong ( 20 ) 3ST

Sec 3 Camp Reflection - Every Boy a Sportsman.

During the 2 day long sec 3 camp, there were many activities going on at the same time. Some were interesting and fun like the teamwork activities and others were smelly and dirty like the forest walk which we had to swim in mud and unknown substance. Every boy had a chance to do some of the activities that are a either the same or similar professional sportsmen do like rafting, balancing challenges and low elements.

Most of the boys displayed somewhat the qualities of a sportsman. Examples like perseverance, hardwork and excellence. Even some boys were aren't aware of this but they actually shown some form of Sportsmanship unknowingly.

As for me, I think we did display qualities as a class. We had much cooperation and help from each other. The fact that we were forced to go the toilet together already made us quite bonded, the activities that we did on the first day of the camp made us really put our heads together and think real hard how to solve our puzzles.

During the second day, we had to help each other get across obstacles and difficulties we tried countless times and we finally managed to do it despite being tired and sweaty. Through this camp, I had really bonded with my classmates and they have gained my trust as we know we can help each other in the future.

Tan Jia Jie 33.

Sec 3 Camp Reflection - Every Boy A Sportsman!

When the word “Sportsman” come into your mind. What will you first think of? Many people would rather choose to think of a professional athlete like Usain Bolt. But for me, I rather think of what are the qualities that make a sportsman like being able to face challenges and accepting defeat and most importantly playing fair. But at the Sec 3 camp, I learn more about being a sportsman and I will be sharing with you the laughs and lessons we experienced in the camp.
Many like me prefer to be lying on the bed and snoozing off at this time but are rather better doing something than being lazy. The camp was not easy but we eventually still brave through it. Before the first activity started we had to split our class into two, although not with some of my good friends I think it was still fun to get to know other classmates. As the first activity started, we were supposed to split into smaller groups and then set out to catch frogs, insects and some plant samples. It thought us to work together, to have trust within our group. If one person from my group decides to back out, our group would have taken a longer time to finish the task and it was due to my group co-operation that we manage to breeze through the task easily and with communication and not a solo work we also manage to lift a bucket of water with two ropes standing a meter away and also we were also able to balance our classmates with a rope that others were holding tightly with it. If we wouldn’t have trust with each other this task will seem nearly impossible. There were other task that teaches us to work together; overall I learn something new here being a sportsman is to have teamwork and trust. Before we knew it, it was lunch time.
The food there was not bad, as it provides the staple food like rice with two or three other dishes, but we were starving and gobbled up everything in no time. The bathroom was flooded with mud and with around 300 boys we could not take our time as we take at home and thus everybody was in a rush to get their bodies clean and carry out their other activities. But it was needed as you do not want to go inside the tent dirty and smelly. It taught me to cherish the little things in life. In a very small and stuffy tent, we had to endure the annoying sleeping habits of our tent mates making you to have insufficient sleep the next morning. It was here that taught me another important lesson, it was brotherhood and lending helping them during activities was grueling. But it also made us persevere through the activities. After seeing some class walk through the mud and coming back smelly and sticky, it made me felt disgusted but that time of us going to the mud had to come sooner or later and so as we walked to the jungle it started to pour and thus making the mud more slippery and thicker and rose the water level higher. As we trekked deeper, people were falling down and thus their pants and shirt got wet and dirty too. Some of us were smarter as to hold our classmates for support in case we slipped. As we trekked deeper, there was a small river that we got to cross and the water level was at our waist some even to the chest. Thus making movement slower and more careful but no matter how careful you are there were some people bound to fall into the water like one of our instructor. There were some of us before the camp were trying to escape as they do not want to face their fear but eventually we still made it as a class and worse of all we were lost in the jungle for a period of time thus making more people fall and more challenges were faced but we all had smiles on our face as we may not have a chance to do it again with the same group of classmates as we cracked jokes and push each other into the mud and making hand prints on each other shirt and this also taught me a lesson is to face your challenges and not hide, no matter what the consequences. Luckily, after the mud trekking was the rafting and I really Thank God for this as we were all drenched and puddle of mud were stuck in our shoes. Building the rafting taught me to listen to our classmates as they strategies how to build the raft. We really enjoyed our time at the water and some of us even fall of the raft. Although it was not much of a distance but we still enjoyed it.
We were finally gathered together in the campfire for a long and cool performance prepared by the instructors. But we were also perform our cheers in front of the Sec 3 cohort thus making us nervous as our cheer was prepared 5 minutes before the campfire. But eventually, our class pulled through and made an awesome performance. This taught me an important lesson is that we felt the sense of belonging in the school and class.
Finally, it was the last day of the camp for people this was a joyous moment but for some of us we were hoping to stay longer to spend more time with the trainers and do more cooler activities. But after 3 days of hardship and torture, we built a bond that cannot be broken within our class. This also marked the beginning of long pants as some of us Sec 3 were most happy about. Eventually, we have to wave goodbye to the trainers and the place that has made many memories within our class and the cohort. Thus making Every Boy A Sportsman!

Name: Nehemiah (18)
Class: 3ST

advantages of potong pasir

Many Singaporeans nowadays buy houses carefully, considering areas like: The wind directions, where is the location. If you are buying a house, then I do have a good recommendation for you, which is Potong Pasir.
Potong Pasir is a neighborhood that is located somewhere in the middle of Singapore. So it is easier for us to go anywhere around Singapore. It is a very save environment there and there is also a neighborhood police post within that area. In Potong Pasir, there are HDB flats with unique structure, maisonette house and many different condominiums to choose from.
Living in Potong Pasir will definitely be very convenient for you to take transport as it only takes a few minutes walk to the nearest bus and MRT station depending on which side you are staying. There are Hindi temple and mosque around for us to go and pray if you are from any of these religious. Sorry that there is no church but only if you can go to the St.Andrew’s church.
If you were to have any children, education will surely not be a problem as there are kindergarten, primary school, secondary school, and a junior college. And if you have any elderly among your family members, they can always head down to the community centre to have some reading of newspaper and magazine. Residence too could join in activities held by the community centre such as taiji, archery classes, judo, silat, karate or just have a talk with other friends there.
If you have a tiring day of work, you and your loved ones could spend the evening strolling along the river, while your children are happily enjoying themselves at the playgrounds. When you all started feeling hungry, you can have different choices of food for dinner at the nearby coffee shops, or basically eat at famous fast-food restaurants like McDonald’s and KFC. There are three 7-elevens that you could go and buy some snacks. You could also buy essential needs at the ABC shop where all the things there are really cheap. So, it is good to stay in Potong Pasir and you could have an enjoyable life there.
Syazwi (26) 3ST

Sec3 Camp:Wisdom and Statue..

The sec 3 camp was really a new experience as we had two instructors watching our every moves and have our freedom taken. There were many activities and challenges involved.
Firstly,there was the making of the tents. The instructor showed us carefully how to set it while we watched and learnt.I was surprised that this was what we were going to sleep in.I realised this camp was far from being luxurious. Nonetheless, we still had to deal with it and were informed about the activities lined up.
There were lots of moments which I both liked and hated. For instance, the dirty toilets were in such a mess that it was impossible to wash yourself properly.The food was great and the instructors were friendly.The first day ended with us sharing tents and sleeping in awkward positions.
The second day was awoken by noises.That night I couldn't sleep as people were blasting loud music and making noises.There was little we could do.
The whole time we were living in uncertainty about what was installed for us.We just prayed and hoped we come back in one piece.Thankfully, we ended having only Ezekiel with an injured hand.
Then there was the mud adventure.It was very inhumane in a sense that we had to go through it. It was not pleasant , and mentioning it just makes me sick. But We learnt the true meaning of patience.Then there was the rafting,it was very chilly considering we just washed up a bit to get the mud off. We were in between malaysia and singapore.Luckily the current wasn't strong,we could really use the energy for later on. We were thankful we could change into clean clothing before proceeding on to the next activity. We had so many activities it is really hard to recall every single one of them. But there was strong team bonding and that's all that matters.There was no misunderstandings nor violent objections.Every thing was going smoothly and as planned. What was unexpected was the principal and vice-principal turning up for the camp fire.We had our laughs and our cries, and also a time to be serious.There were loads of fun although we were all close to falling asleep. Due to the rain, Our tents were wet and the path to our tents were very muddy. We were fighting with nature for adapting in every possible way. We tried to keep our minds clear, and not crack down or get homesick.I tried to constantly remind myself that I had my classmates to back me up. I hoped they would support me in what I do. The campfire was very mordenised with all the hit songs playing and the dancers and entertainers.The wilderness was really spooky as we didn't know what to expect during the mud trail.We just prayed we didn't slip and fall, which I did. We had a pretty tiring time. We could hardly think straight , I know I couldn't.We had to stay positive as possible,althought in our state it was really hard to imagine. The night was filled with running and loud voices.I guess it's alright to let out the pain for awhile.
On Day 3,We got to take down the tents and proceed to our departure and back to ''civilisation.''
To Conclude, It was definitely an unforgettable camp with so many people and events happening one after one another.It was like an episode of Man vs. Wild, only this time there was no expert around.However, we got to wear our long pants the next day.So in a way it was quite an adventure.I do hope that in future dorms are created in Camp Christine for us to sleep in, and n ot cramp us in small tents.
Index
9
3st




















Edward

Boys of Wisdom and Stature (Soo Ee Ter)

Sense of Belonging

Wisdom, the ability to judge what is true, right or lasting with the sum of knowledge gathered through the ages. Stature, an achieved level or status gained by growth, development or achievement. The Secondary 3 boys from St. Andrew’s Secondary, after braving the Secondary 3 Camp, has finally become boys of wisdom and stature, earning their well deserved right to wear the long pants to school, symbolizing maturity. The Secondary 3 Camp was not easy, and I, a secondary 3 boy from St. Andrew’s Secondary, is going to share with you the laughs, complaints and lessons we experienced in the Secondary 3 Camp.

Many knew the camp was a struggle, and they were right, having to get away from the luxuries and comforts of their bed and breakfast to rough it out in the camp, it was not easy, but everything we did, had a lesson to it. For the first activity, I and my class were split up into groups, required to do an activity, which was to catch or collect a few animals, insects, and dry plants. This taught us teamwork, trust, the importance of communication and that planning was important, as the other groups set out to do the required tasks, I told my group to stay behind, and plan about how we are to do these tasks. My groupmate, Jeremy Au, was experienced in catching frogs, and voiced out to let us know, therefore we put him in charge of catching the frog, and just like that, my other groupmates volunteered themselves into what they were to do, and soon we were well spread out and knew what to do. As we were doing the tasks, we kept talking to each other, telling each other if that certain item was found, or if help was needed finding it. The task was finished well within our time limit, with everything found, while other groups came back with multiple of the items and some items unfound. With those lessons learnt, we breezed through other tasks very easily, for example, with trust, my groupmates managed to balance our friend on a string other groupmates were tightly holding onto, with communication, we managed to lift a bucket of water, standing one meter away with nothing but two strings, and many other seemingly impossible tasks, and before we knew it, it was lunch time.

The food was not too bad, but it was certainly not very good either, but we were hungry, and edible is all we cared about. Amazingly, even in eating, there was a lesson we all could learn. As the day gone by, soon everything we looked forward to was the ‘not too bad but not very good’ meals we have, and just like eating, bath time was not very good either, and even taught us the same lesson. With around two hundred boys and around thirty bathrooms and thirty minutes bath time, everyone was rushing to get clean, and with all the sweat and mud we have gone through throughout the day, not bathing is not an option. Standing in a line outside a smelly and dirty bathroom only to have a quick one minute bath which is hardly even enough time to dry ourselves before we change into our clothes is something we do not usually do at home, but it was needed, and we all looked forward to it, and just like eating and bathing, sleeping was not very good either, and even taught us the same lesson. In a stuffy tent, on a thin layer of sheet between us and grass and holding way more people in a tent than supposed to, sleeping was torturous, but once again, we all looked forward to that good day’s rest. In all three daily necessities, we learnt to be grateful for the little things and to enjoy the little things.

Day after day, I and my class have been seeing boys from other classes walk by with mud all over them, we all knew that the dreaded mud run was nearing, and it would soon be our turn, we all feared it, it was disgusting, none of us wanted to go. As we trekked into the forest for our mud run, we all had that disgusted look on our faces, the mud seemed to get wetter and thicker as we trekked deeper, soon after, a very heavy rain started pouring down. Strangely enough, the deeper into the forest we got, the wetter and thicker the mud got, the heavier the rain got, the wider our smiles all got. Knowing this is an experience you shared with your classmates, knowing this is an adventure like nothing you have ever had, this is something you would enjoy. The mud soon got so thick and so dirty it was black in colour, and as we stepped into it, our shoes will sink in, and many would have difficult times pulling out their legs, and class mates would take the initiative to pull them out for him. Some would slip and fall, splashing mud onto their butts or faces, we all shared the laughter, and helped him up, some just simply embraced the mud and splashed it on themselves and on others. Our instructor took a detour and trekked into the brown river, where we communicated about what was under the river that could hurt us, cautioning each other about sharp branches. Some started scaring each other, some screamed, some laughed, some were just too busy worrying about what was under the ocean, but ultimately we all had fun. After we were done with the river, we went back on the narrow thick black mud path, but we were stopped with the slow movement of girls in front of us climbing a slippery hill. After about three minutes, the class was all seated down on the mud, pushing each other into the mud, cracking jokes and enjoying the view of the girls in front of us. We learnt that no matter how dreadful a task is, we can complete and enjoy it, as long as we are with our well treasured classmates. This is what I call quality time.

After the mud run we all gathered together in the campfire for a long performance the instructors have planned out for us. We entered ourselves in competitions, and showed off the class cheers we have been practicing during the past three days. We really enjoyed ourselves, and felt the sense belonging to our school and class.

After the three days of hardship and torture, we built up a bond with our cohort and our class, we have together grown into men of wisdom and stature, and we are now one family unbroken.

-Soo Ee Ter
Index 32

Secondary 3 Camp Reflection - Every Boy A Sportsman

One of the main objectives for school organizing committee to organize the Secondary 3 Adventure Camp was to allow each and every boy to realize their potential of becoming a sportsman.

For me, I have set to achieve various objectives. First was to develop my individual character besides looking at different approaches for team building so as to develop a greater bonding with all the schoolmates and peer. This is of paramount important in order to gain a better understanding over all my friends this new class. Without further ado, let me proceed to my essay on the experiences we had gathered during the camp.

When I arrived to school, I could feel that everyone was filled with curiosity and excitement. Soon after, we boarded the bus depart for our destination at Camp Christine in Lim Chu Kang. Everyone was full of enthusiasm, joy and looking forward to have a great time together.

When we arrived at the campsite, most of the smiling faces soon turned into angry and impatient since we were made to sit on the grass and listen to rules and regulations for almost 30 minutes with the bright sunlight along with the intensive rays shining at all of us. This was really a good initial orientation on our individual character building.
Following it was the tent pitching exercise which we will be sleeping in for the next two nights. All of us knew that it was critical to pitch the tent well if we hope to sleep well the next two nights. This exercise has also created some good bonding amongst most of us.

After the tent was pitched, our first exercise was to discover all the different types of plants and species in the camp within a specific time limit. We were split into two groups with one following Omar and the other followed Hillme. Although the time was a little short, we have managed to discover many plants and species which we were unaware before this exercise.

The rest of the activities of the day were to develop team-building spirit so as to allow each and every one to gain a better understanding since we were new to each other. All of us had fun and thought that it was helpful to know each other better.

Before we called off the day, there was an outdoor cooking which indeed has helped to improve our knowledge on cooking good and tasty foods.
Most of us ended the day rather relaxing and fun although some were feeling tired.

Second day of the camp everyone started early and enthusiastic after a good rest the night before.
This was followed by the morning physical training exercises conducted by the trainers. Many of us felt it was a good stretching since we had to rush to school every morning without any time to exercise.
Breakfast was Mee Goreng with Milo. It was filling, tasty and yet refreshing.

The next lesson was cheering practices for the Camp Fire. It was fun and we co-operated well.

Building a stable catapult was the next lesson. However, none of the team has managed to hit their target.

After a delicious lunch, we continued with our exciting activity that everyone was waiting for, Nature Rumble. When we arrived at the spot, it started raining whilst we all felt that it was more challenging since stepping onto the watery mud in a hot and humid weather would really feel terrible. The objective of this exercise was to care about each other and developing our team-building spirit although we were all muddy all over. We had some good experience.

Before the campfire started, it began to rain. All of us were forced to return back to the lodge and waited for further instructions; most of us including me were concern if the rain would stop on time. Since preparation of the campfire was completed, we hope not to miss it and do not want the trainers’ effort to be wasted. Fortunately, the rain stopped in time and the show continues. All participating classes took part in the cheering competition with creative and interesting ideas in their cheer and our class was concerned if we had a lower chance of winning the competition!

However, on the last day of camp, we were all shocked and surprised since we were chosen the best cheering class and received two bottles of Coca-Cola as reward.
Well, as all good things must come to an end so we sadly bid goodbye to the campsite.
On the way home, we cheered and shouted for Omar! Then soon after everyone followed and gave all the trainers a pleasant surprised.
Being a real sportsman, we cannot expect good results for doing nothing but to be proactive and be serious in taking up hard training in order to achieve good performance so as to leave behind a good impression.
By Koh Han Qin 3ST 17

Sec 3 Adventure Camp 2011

During the adventure camp, it was fun and enjoyable which most of us had fun during the activities as we learned how to co-ordinate together as a group to achieve our goals. On the first day of the camp, we met one of our trainers at the courtyard and our group was called Banderlog. We then headed to the bus filled with excitement and went on a really long bus trip all the way to the camp. Some of us acquainted with the other classmates along the way and when we finally reached the camp which was called Camp Christine, we had to wait for the other classes to arrive before we could start the camp.

Our first instructions were to pitch our tent which the trainers showed us how, we then had our first activity which was to collect things around the area specifically frogs,crickets,grasshoppers and leaves. After collecting, when we went back, there was a chameleon in the hall and then the trainer took control of the situation which people were crowding around and trying to catch it, the trainer put it in some plants which we left it alone. We were then given paper to draw a map of the place which we then stuck the leaves onto the respective places we found them. We were told to release our live specimens after showing it to the trainers. In this activity we learned how to work together to look for the specimens and to collect them. The next few activities were about working together which we had lunch after that. After lunch we were seperated into 2 groups which we had activities which concentrated on strategic thinking which we had to do things like a hoop which we had to go through without touching it and the electric fence which we could not touch the string which represented the fence. We had to think on how we can get the first person over then the rest until the last person which would be more difficult like the first person. After that we had dinner then we had to work on a cheer which we had a hard time getting a cheer to suit the name 'Banderlog' . We had a gathering afterwards which the trainers told the school about certain matters like cleaning up our own mess etc. We headed back to our dorm (underneath which is where we eat) and we had reflection there which we had supper after we were done. We were given time to shower then we went to sleep.

The second day we had a time trial activity which we had to do things as quickly as possible as a team. After that we had the "gladiator" activity which we built our own catapult which 6 sticks and string, our 2 groups built different catapults which we were supposed to hit a stack of containers. We had lunch after that which we had the mud trail which I could not go as I had bad rashes all over my body. I saw people getting muddy all over and some threw away their shoes after the trail. After that, we had a rafting activity which we thought as a team to come up with a raft design which could stay intact and be able to be pushed. We then had 3 races which only 6 of us could go onto the raft at once which we all had a chance to go. For those who were not on the raft, had to control the amount of string which was tied to the rafts so that they won't go too far away. After that we had to start a fire to cook some food and we had to carve branches so that it was clean. we cooked sausages and some dough which none of us managed to cook the dough, and then the trainers wrapped up chopped up apples and crushed cinnamon into aluminum foil which was chucked into the fire. After we the time was up, we put out the fire and shared the food. We had a shower afterwards then we had dinner. After dinner we had an activity called Blind Man's Trail (BMT for short) which we blindfolded ourselves and stood in a single file. The first person had to listen to the trainer guiding him and pass on the message if there was any bumps or stairs or a drain along the way. We had lots of fun and learned how to communicate as a group to ensure no one trips. After that activity we started working on our cheer which other groups already made their cheer the night before whilst we have not even decided. We managed to decide in the end and we had the campfire afterwards which it kept raining for a while but we managed to have the campfire when the rain stopped. When we finally could start, our principal started the campfire which a burning stick. We had campfire songs and then we presented our cheers. We were not really prepared but we gave it our best to get a chance at the best cheer award. After the cheers we had a dance competition which each of the groups had to send a representative out. The winner's group would get an additional 50 points. The class 3SA's representative won the competition and was awarded 50 points. After that our principal spoke to us and then the principal, vice-principal and other teachers left and we headed to our dorms and had our reflection and supper. After that those who have not showered were given time and then lights out.

The last day we had to keep the tents back into their bags and cleaned the place for the next school that came. We gathered and then the trainers announced the best cheer, best class and gave away prizes. We had won the best cheer surprisingly and it was like a 'last minute cheer' and we were given two bottles of coke. They then had a final speech then we left on our buses back to school. We said goodbye to our trainers before we left. Even after the camp we still had the spirit in us which we still did some of the things we did in camp.
After the camp, I learned how to work together as a team, think like a team and made new friends along the way.

Ezekiel Liaw (11)