Henry Park Pelican (Cub) Scout

By Deputy Senior Sixer Zeqi Day 1 In the morning, we were briefed for the camp, and after placing all of our bags in the dance studio, we took our day bag and went on the bus, immediately heading to Sembawang Battleship Park for the sandcastle building contest. We had a whale of time working as a six to create our sandcastle. After judging, we played at the playground before leaving for the hot spring, which was unfortunately under maintenance. After returning to school, we went to the library where all of us sung some songs before all of us went into the music room for a one-hour nap to recharge. After lunch, we played some games before eating dinner and setting out for our night hike. When we returned from the hike at Chinese garden, we washed up and went to sleep. Day 2 In the morning, we had breakfast before we went into our six corner to design our own kites for our kite flying. Then, we left for the Live Tortoise and Turtle Museum where we fed some turtles before coming back to s...

By Possum Sixer Isaac Neo On Saturday, I arrived at school brimming with excitement and eager for the long-anticipated 20th anniversary celebration. Bagheera assigned us to the front gate to greet the esteemed guests as they arrived. After several rehearsals, we managed to coordinate our timing and get ready for the guests' entrance. When the VIPs showed up, our senior sixer, Zac, warmly welcomed Mr. Desmond, the Chief Commissioner, while the sixers saluted the gathering of dignitaries. After that, we headed to the school hall for the Gala Dinner. Inside the school hall, Baloo gave a speech that celebrated the achievements we've made over the past two decades. Shortly after, the Chief Commissioner inspired us with an uplifting talk about our history and future opportunities. Following this, we joined a Zoom meeting with Mr. Robert Koh, our Akela, before dinner. Baloo then kicked off the grand feast after sharing details about the meal arrangements. The Gala Dinner showcased a w...

By Platypus Sixer Dinesh The morning unfolded like any other, filled with the familiar sounds of excitement of cubs talking about the games day that was about to begin. Some scouts busily checked badges, while others engaged in lively conversations, sharing jokes and stories. The atmosphere buzzed with energy and anticipation. Soon, it was time for the Sixers to bring out the flagpole. We carefully secured it in place, and before I knew it, the Senior Sixers blew their whistle, prompting everyone to rush into the horseshoe formation. After the colour party, we quickly organised ourselves into Indian Files. Hathi announced that we would be completing the Term 4 DJC (Diamond Jubilee Challenge) that day, a task that had everyone’s attention. She handed out worksheets to each scout, explaining that the questions were based on the badges we had earned throughout the year. The unit then split into Six Corner, where the Cubs eagerly grabbed their writing materials and yellow booklets, their e...

By Kookaburra Sixer Bai Letian It was still dark when we set out, with the faint glow of dawn just beginning to lighten the eastern sky. We gathered on the edge of a winding trail that led through the forest, our backpacks weighed down with supplies and snacks for the journey. The destination was an unusual one—Henry Park Primary School. It was a school I knew well, but arriving there on foot, through winding trails and dense forest paths, would be a completely new experience. The air was chilly, and our breaths formed small clouds in the cold morning air as we adjusted our packs and prepared to start the hike. There was a quiet excitement among us, that sense of adventure that comes with embarking on a journey to a familiar place in an unfamiliar way. A group of us had decided that hiking to the school would be a unique challenge, testing our endurance, navigation skills, and patience. We started down the trail at a brisk pace, the crunch of boots on gravel breaking the morning silenc...

By Emu Sixer Zhe Yuan When I arrived at school, I was warmly greeted by a group of my friends. After we recited the scout promise and law, we were divided into two groups: Year 1 and Year 2 together, while Year 3 formed the other group. The Year 1 and 2 scouts were learning how to set up a tent, while the Year 3 group focused on building a basha. I was part of the Year 3 group, where we learned about the knots needed for the sides and the purpose of a basha. Meanwhile, the Year 1 and 2 scouts engaged in a friendly competition to see who could set up their tent the fastest. After their competition, we held our own race to see who could build the basha the quickest. However, Ikki decided to join in and built his basha by himself, finishing it faster than all of us, despite there being six people in each of our groups! After all the excitement, we were instructed to tear down our bashas and return to a single line, known as “Indian file.” I reunited with my cubs and was thrilled to learn ...

By Kangaroo Sixer Jeremy Today, I attended my weekly scout CCA, where I reunited with my fellow scout members, and we chatted happily together. We started the meeting with a color party, which set a cheerful tone for the day. Next, we gathered to listen to our leaders' instructions about the activities planned for later. After that, we moved to "Six Corner" to discuss our upcoming art and craft projects. We were tasked with creating two items—Item A and Item B (I won't spoil the surprise for the P6 seniors!). Half of my group worked on Item A, while the other half focused on Item B. We poured our best efforts into both projects, and we felt proud of the final products. We were confident that the P6 seniors would love what we made! Once we finished, we tidied up the area, as there was some rubbish on the floor after our activity. We then headed to the library, where we practiced singing campfire songs with our leaders. It was a fantastic time filled with laughter and c...

By Koala Sixer Ng Kye At the start of our meeting, after the flag-raising ceremony, we took a few minutes for "Six Corner," a dedicated time for goal-setting and discussion. This allowed us to reflect on our objectives and share our aspirations with one another. Following this, we divided into two groups: the first-year scouts and those of us in our second, third, or fourth years. The first-year scouts were led to the 1B classroom, where Hathi went through the requirements for the Bronze Arrow, and many began working on their Bronze Arrow. As part of the more experienced group, we moved to the 1A classroom, where we engaged in a SCDF Crime Prevention test aimed at earning the Crime Prevention badge. This session was both informative and practical, equipping us with essential skills for recognizing and preventing crime, which are valuable not just in scouting but in our everyday lives. Once we completed the test, we switched places with the first-year group to participate in b...

By Deputy Senior Sixer Zeqi  Today, we celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival with elderly guests from AWWA. To prepare for the event, we brought mooncakes as part of the celebration. The day began at 9 a.m. with a briefing from Hathi, who outlined the agenda. Grey Wolf then explained the rules for the game we would play with the seniors, demonstrating with the help of the sixers. The game involved each of us sitting opposite an elderly participant, sharing two ribbons with them—one end of each ribbon held by us and the other end by the senior. The objective was to transport a balloon from one end of the table to the other, passing it through a goalpost. Due to the limited number of elderly guests—35 in total—not all cubs could pair up with a senior. Consequently, some of us functioned as gamekeepers or gamemasters in separate groups. When the seniors arrived, we escorted them to the canteen, where we had set up the area for our activities. The game was a hit, and both the cubs a...

By Echidna Sixer Theodore Pillay At the start of the meeting, we were split into three groups: Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3 cubs, with each group proceeding to a different skills station. Year 1s learned basic knots, including the Reef Knot, Clove Hitch, and Round Turn with Two Half Hitches. Year 2s learned the Clove Hitch and Square Lashing, while Year 3s focused on Square Lash and Tripod Knot. I was in the Year 3 group, where we learned some lashings to tie sticks together. Rama taught us how to make square lashings. After tying one lashing each, we combined our respective lashings to try and make a cube. Unfortunately, we ran out of time and couldn't complete it. Next, we built a tripod using sticks and a figure-of-eight knot. We combined two tripods and a stick to make a cooking stand/pull-up bar, which is known as pioneering. Afterward, we regrouped according to the different Progress Badges. The leaders of each progress badge guided the cubs on the requirements for each badge. ...

By Bilby Sixer Andre On 17 August 2024, it was Games Day! I arrived early at around 8.30a.m. to sign off my badges. I was eager to start the meeting as I wanted to take part in the activities with my friends. As soon as it was around 9, the scouts got into our horseshoe formation. After that, we got into Indian file as fast as light. Then, Rama explained the activities we had to do that day. There were 4 stations. Firstly, standing broad jump. Secondly, shuttle run for 50m. Thirdly, we had to skip for 50m and lastly, we had to sprint 50m. There was a point system: you get a maximum of 3 points per station and the lowest was 0. You must get at least 10 points out of the 4 stations to get a gold badge. For silver, we needed 8 points and for bronze, we needed 5 points. Next, the pack was split into groups. My group, Bilby, was paired with Echidna. We were then sent off to do the stations. Firstly, we did the standing broad jump which was pretty hard. The highest anyone got was 195cm. I go...

By Bilby Sixer Dmitri Tay On August 3, 2024, the scouts had their second hike of the year. All scouts were instructed to arrive at school early. I was very excited and eagerly looking forward to the hike, so I made sure to arrive early. At around 7:30 am, two huge buses arrived. Chil, the adult leader in charge of the hike, gathered us in front of the school library to check our items before we set off. By 8:00 am, we had arrived at Rifle Range, where we eagerly began our hike. The weather was perfect—not too sunny or rainy. After walking for approximately 2.5 km, we stopped at a very tall and large tower. The leaders asked us to ascend the tower in groups of six. When we reached the top, we were greeted by a breathtaking view. It was a wonderful experience for all of us. Afterward, we continued walking for a few more kilometers until we saw a large waterbody. Finally, we reached our destination—MacRitchie Reservoir. The leaders instructed us to take a break and have a small picnic. We...

By Deputy Senior Sixer Zeqi Today, we visited the fire station and police station. We met at 8 am, but due to the fogging, we gathered in the library first. There, we went over safety rules and made sure we were hydrated by drinking and refilling our water bottles. We were then divided into two groups, each assigned to a different bus. Soon, we reached the fire station, which was impressive in its height and presence. Upon arrival, we went through a bag check at the entrance and were led to the waiting area where we had a great view of the fire engine and ladder. It was tall and majestic. Then, we were greeted by the fireman. We were instructed to split into three groups. Each group was led by either a fireman or a police officer. We took turns to visit each station. My group followed along the fireman who explained the purpose and history of the fire station. We also observed the various lifesaving ambulance. Then, we went to see how fast the firemen could put on their gears. The targ...

By Deputy Senior Sixer Ang Yi Chen I woke up at 7:15 a.m. and got myself ready for Scouts. I had to reach the meeting point by 8:30 a.m. to attend the Akela candidates' briefing. After that, I signed off my badges and helped carry the flagpole. Zac, the Senior Sixer, then gave the command for us to gather in a horseshoe formation. After that, we lined up in an Indian file and took attendance. Last week, Ikki mentioned the importance of being on time and said there would be a penalty for those who were late. So today, those who were late had to lead us in singing and dancing to a song. For the orienteering theory lesson this week, we were split into three groups. The Year 1 cubs had a track and trail sign refresher. They also learned about compass parts and map parts. The Year 2 cubs learned how to estimate distances on a map using a scale and how to read coordinates. The Year 3 cubs had a revision on how to estimate distances on a map and read coordinates. They also learned an inte...

By Senior Sixer Zac Loh On July 13th at 8:45 am, I arrived at the Kidzone for our meeting, eager and ready. To my surprise, the P6 Akela candidates hadn't arrived, leaving us without Senior Sixers and Sixers. Despite this, we proceeded with the flag break and then engaged in a team-building game. Our challenge was to move the entire Six from pillar 10 to 11, delicately balancing a ping pong ball on a spoon. If it fell, we had to start over. Two of us could go first by one holding the spoon and the other holding shoulders. To bring more people, everyone had to hold onto the spoon handle. The first two rounds were normal, but in the third round, only the Sixer wasn't blindfolded. Then, in the fourth round, we had to stand on one leg while holding onto each other's shoulders. After the game, we proudly awarded badges and certificates to the new Assistant Sixer, Sixer, and Senior Sixer. Just as suddenly as they had been absent, the P6 Akela candidates arrived, surprising us all...

By Senior Sixer Donald Or I arrived at school at around 8:30 am and immediately reported to the hall. It was the most exciting event of the year for me! I was looking forward to it as it was my last Amazing Trail. Most of the Scouts had already arrived and were chatting excitedly in the hall, with their parents sitting at the back. Other schools in the North Area had also joined us. I got my Amazing Trail t-shirt from my facilitator. When I saw the design, I was very excited. It said, "Amazing Michelin Hawker Food Trail!" I like anything about food, so I knew today was going to be great. I was in the Kookaburra six, and I talked to my juniors about the Amazing Trail. Soon, it was time for the briefing. Ikki briefed us about the starting time and when we needed to report back to school. He also told us about the point system and optional tasks. The part I was most excited about was that we needed to take videos and photos to combine them into a video. After the briefing, we we...

By Senior Sixer Ewan Tan “Yes!” I exclaimed to myself. Today is the Amazing Trail. It has been a beacon of my memories in Scouts. Every Amazing Trail provides an opportunity to lead, make friends, and have fun! I woke up and quickly got ready for the long day ahead. Upon arriving at school, I was greeted by a sign instructing us to gather in the hall. At the hall, I waited for the other Cubs to arrive. This Amazing Trail was a little bit more special because HP Pelican Scouts had invited other scouts from the North Area. I was excited to know this year’s Amazing Trail theme. It was themed around Michelin Hawker Food. We changed into our Amazing Trail shirts and set off for the long journey ahead. It was tiring and challenging, but Scouts don’t give up. We took it on and overcame the difficulty. But most importantly, we had fun. Back at school, the Sixers and I welcomed the guest of honor for our gala dinner. Our hard work had paid off! We scurried onto the stage—we had won the Amazing ...

By Platypus Sixer Evan Li Today, we did a fire lighting activity. We were taught many useful tips and how to light and sustain a proper fire. The 1st year cubs were taught how to light up a match stick safely. The 2nd year cubs were taught how to light up a solid fuel with a match stick. The rest of the us used dried leaves as tinder for our fire and used matchsticks to light the leaves. After lighting the leaves, we put the sticks and twigs on top to sustain the fire for longer. After the sticks caught fire, we put our largest pieces of wood onto the fire to sustain it even more. Making a fire is an important skill that all scouts should know. Fire keeps you warm and can help you cook, but we must learn to be careful with fire. We all learnt how to be safe around fire today. After the activity, we went to the music room to practice the dance for the amazing trail dinner. The scouts did well and are looking forward to the amazing trail next week.

By Wallaby Assistant Sixer Zeqi Today, we learnt how to do basic household chores. The day started early in the morning when the Akela candidates headed off for their interview. Then, cubs started piling into the KidZone when it was eight thirty. At nine, we started the meeting. Since there was no sixer and senior sixers, assistant sixers had to take over their job to conduct the flag raising. Yichen and Dinesh was our acting senior sixer, and the rest of the assistant sixers were acting sixers. After the flag raising, Ikki told us the plan for the day. We were learning basic household chores. At first, many of us were not interested in it as they thought that they would never use this skill in their life. However, we soon came to understand the importance of this meeting. Before he briefed us on the stations, Ikki introduced three alumni to us. They were Abram, Miao Xin, and Luke. Luke was the one in charge of the clothes folding station, while Miao Xin took on the responsibility of o...