This is article is part of the Undisrupted series, a series of articles detailing our troop's response to the current COVID-19 situation, allowing training to continue even when physical CCA sessions have been postponed showing that our troop is truly prepared and unwavered even in the face of the pandemic.
By Wong Zheng Tat
As a fitting closure to the month of May, Catholic High’s Scout Troop successfully completed the most ambitious scout’s training in the Undisrupted series – a mass online zoom call for the entire scout troop.
Consisting of ventures and leaders, a grand total of 85 scouts attended the meeting, which was organised with the intent of providing a platform for inter patrol bonding. In the 150-minute meeting assembly, scouts were able to undergo a scavenger hunt as well as a survival-based expedition activity. The scavenger hunt saw scouts searching for items on a list around their houses under the direction of the patrol leader. The survival-based expedition is a post-plane-crash scenario where scouts have to evaluate the 5 most valuable items to carry along. It gives scouts the opportunity to share their views with the patrol and learn how to support their points. Scouts were also given a post- training activity to create a skit within their patrols. Patrols were given 2 weeks and free reign to express their creativity.
To achieve such a feat, the scout facilitators made full use of zoom features such as breakout rooms for scouts to engage and discuss within patrols. With the guidance of the patrol leaders, the scouts displayed extraordinary teamwork and ingenuity, completing the task while learning more about each other.
Online CCA training normally focuses on teaching skills. Catholic High Scout Troop recognises that this would bring about a distance within the patrol, and more importantly the troop due to the lack of collaborative training. The distance present will pose an issue to the development of leadership skills within the scouts, especially the patrol leaders. Thus, these activities not only develop the patrol leader’s leadership capabilities in managing the patrols but also gives them opportunities to earn the respect of their members.
With 72 years of history, Catholic High Scout Troop has always placed an emphasis on crafting a premier training standard to produce the best of the best scouts. Even in unpredictable times like this, Catholic High Scout Troop continues to hold true to its mission and will continue to do so in the future.