Sec 1 Basic Leadership Training

Day 1: Regent Goes to Camp!

On Thursday, 12 May 2022, our Secondary 1 students embarked on the 3-day Cohort Camp at Changi Coast Outdoor Adventure Learning Centre (OALC). The camp gave our students the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills learnt during their Outdoor Education (OE) in PE, and Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) lessons.

After learning basic map-reading and navigation skills during their PE lessons in school, our students had the opportunity to navigate their way along East Coast Park for the Coastal Exploration. Place-based activities were conducted by the Outdoor Adventure Educators (OAEs) to give students a greater appreciation of the natural environment and insight into the impact of human activity on the environment. It was indeed heartening to see how our students encouraged one another as they hiked their way along the park connector. Although the students were tired by the time they returned to the campsite, they were in high spirits, knowing that they completed the 4 – 5km hike together as one united group!

While some of our Regenites were in action on land, another group of them were splashing and paddling in the bay just off the campsite. For many of our students, kayaking was an entirely new experience. Some of them were nervous about being out in the open sea for the very first time in their lives but they overcame their anxiety and steadily paddled around the bay under the supervision of the instructors. Through this activity, the students pushed the boundaries of their comfort zones and learnt that courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to overcome one’s fears.

Day 2: Regent Goes to Camp!

Tomatoes, chicken franks, butter, eggs…what delectable dish could our Regent Masterchefs cook up with these simple ingredients? Unlike the contestants on Masterchef, our students had to rely on the most rudimentary means of starting a fire and cooking in the outdoors! For our students, the most enjoyable part of the outdoor cooking activity was savouring every bite of their own cooking!

Although this was a non-residential camp, our students had the opportunity to learn to pitch tents because building a shelter to protect themselves against the elements is an important survival skill in an outdoor environment.

As the second day of the camp drew to a close, our students gained a greater appreciation of the importance of learning basic outdoor survival skills and looked forward to another day of outdoor adventure tomorrow.

Day 3: Regent Goes to Camp!

Over the past two days, the emphasis and focus of the learning experiences were on two of the school’s values: Gratitude and Empathy. The focus for today’s learning experiences was on the third value: Determination. At this point of the camp, many of our students were feeling the strain of two days of intense physical activities and being nudged out of their comfort zones. To make it through the final day of camp, our students needed to dig deep into their reserves and find the inner strength and determination to clear the final hurdles just before the finish-line.

The students started the day with a walk through the Forest Trail. As they marveled at the sights and sounds of Mother Nature during their journey, their Outdoor Adventure Educators shared interesting nuggets of information on the flora and fauna that could be found along the coastal areas of Changi.

After lunch, our students came together to challenge the team building games set up by their Outdoor Adventure Educators. Other students put their teamwork to the test through a series of challenges on the Low Elements. With the support and encouragement of their classmates, our students breezed through the teambuilding games and Low Element challenges with flying colours. The students finally realized the wisdom behind the saying: “If you want to go fast, go alone, If you want to go far, go together.”

As the camp ended, it was time for reflection and showing appreciation to those around them. Our students came together to write notes of appreciation for their amazing Outdoor Adventure Educators who went above and beyond to help them face their challenges, overcome them, and step out of their comfort zones. It was most definitely an enriching experience filled with fun and adventure for our Secondary 1 students! While the camp is over, the learning continues as the students apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills to their daily lives.