The June Camp App - Modernising the Scouting experience

Written by Evan Chow

The troop’s 2026 June Camp was planned as an Amazing Race across Singapore in an effort to create a gamified camp. Inspired by the web-series; Jet Lag: The Game, the camp has many intricate rules, systems, and niches. 

^ The landing page of the app

Part of the gamification efforts of the camp included the introduction of powerups, point systems, transport budgets, and a list of over 85 unique checkpoints across Singapore. Traditionally, game masters would need to manually record, and tabulate scores,

while scouts might need to refer to paper references for the list of checkpoints, without a live reference of their progress in the game thus far. These were unnecessary friction points that made the game less enjoyable. Instead, we created an app to track all gameplay in an intuitive, simple, and organised manner.

The June Camp App started with a drafting of the basic framework and mechanics using Gemini Canvas Pro, an AI coding tool. This was the troop’s first endeavour into the usage of AI for scouting activities, with AI empowering us to create new & innovative ways to engage Scouts.

The app code was then manually edited on Visual Studio Code for greater reliability and functionality, with the help of Codex, another AI tool. It was then hosted with Firebase and Firestore. A subdomain, cp.chsscouts.com (no longer active), was setup too, to give the app a polished feel and easy navigation.

The app consisted of 5 tabs; Home, Checkpoints, Store, Backpack, and Rank. Each of these tabs can be individually locked from the Venture’s overwatch account.

THE HOME TAB

The home tab shows the current multiplier status, total points, live activity feed, and

the digital dice and notes feature to enhance gameplay. Scouts are able to view live events in the game through the activity feed, including time-based multiplier events and checkpoint completion events.

THE CHECKPOINTS TAB

This tab contains all 85 unique checkpoints, their respective point allocations, and their activities. Once the task has been completed and verified, the scouts log their completion by passing the app to the venture attached. This ensures game integrity due to the two-factor authentication (2FA) implemented. This system is also prevalent in the transport cost logging system (see below).

THE STORE TAB

The store tab contains the full list, price, and details of the powerups available. This

includes point multipliers, clues, and transport budget upgrades. The purchase of such powerups automatically deduct from the points wallet.

THE BACKPACK TAB

Scouts can activate their powerups and log transport costs. Multipliers activated here will automatically apply to the next checkpoint. As each patrol starts with $10 of public transport budgets per person, and an ez-link integration was not feasible, transport fares for each trip are manually logged, with venture approval.

THE RANKS TAB

This tab provides live standings of every patrol,

showing their points status and overall ranks.

THE OVERWATCH ACCOUNT

The Venture/Gamemaster’s command account allowed for the manual lock, override, and event activation. The account can access a patrol’s full details including notes and active powerups. 

Throughout the camp, the app quickly became a familiar sight among participants. Whether it was Scouts checking the leaderboard after a challenge, Ventures approving completed tasks, or patrols planning their next move based on available side quests, the platform became an integral part of the camp experience. What began as an experimental idea gradually evolved into a shared tool that connected the various aspects of the programme. Despite being introduced only shortly before camp, patrols were able to navigate the system with minimal guidance, demonstrating the growing digital literacy of today's Scouts.

More than just a digital tool, the June Camp App served as an experiment in how technology can be meaningfully integrated into Scouting. By streamlining camp administration and enhancing participant engagement, it allowed both Scouts and Ventures to focus more on the camp experience itself rather than managing spreadsheets and paperwork. As digital solutions become increasingly prevalent in society, initiatives such as these demonstrate how Scouting can continue to evolve while remaining true to its core purpose of developing capable, adaptable, and forward-thinking youths.

The June Camp App marks one step in this journey, opening up new possibilities for how technology and artificial intelligence can support future programmes within the troop.