By Lucas Loh After numerous Cluster meetings and long hours of toiling in the Sun, the NPC Cluster group comprising of Peirce, Mayflower and Catholic High scouts have managed to accomplish their Cluster pioneering project, the Rain Tree tower. The Rain Tree tower’s design was inspired by the natural towers of nature, trees. It was modelled to mimic the elements of a tree such as multiple canopies of leaves and a heavy trunk. Through this design process, the Rain Tree tower makes the most use of the space, with its canopies doubling as an area for rainwater collection. To minimise its impact on the environment, the tower also makes use of recycled materials in interior structures such as facades and gutters.

By Jann Lim Our NPC team and service scouts completed a Drawbridge as part of a unit-based pioneering project component of NPC X. Its main highlights are its anchorage system- the block and tackle and also the drawbridge platform itself which is made up of spars and bamboo poles. The knots used in this pioneering are squarelash, sheerlash, snake and ladder platform lash, and roundlash. The drawbridge can be raised and lowered anytime, via the guidelines and pulleys attaching the the bridge to the pegs.

By Tan Jen Kai Today, the scouts celebrated Singapore’s 53rd birthday in school with a parade and march-pass together with uniformed groups (NCC Air, NCC Land, NPCC, SJAB) from the secondary section and cub scouts from the primary section. After several full-dress rehearsals and despite the heavy showers in the morning, the scouts put up a good show and commemorated this special occasion with pride and vigour. While foot drills are not as significant of a scouting activity as outdoor cooking or campcraft, it remains as an integral part of training in Catholic High Scout Group. Foot drills lay the foundation for discipline and instill a sense of strength and confidence in the scouts. It also encourages cohesion among the troop and self-control, allowing the scouts to display a strong front before the school/public. VIDEO: COURTESY OF MR LAK YAU HUI, CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

By Alex Chien and Tan Jen Kai This morning, the scouts unit partook in the annual South Area Scout and Venture Field Day. The scouts were filled with both anticipation and anxiety, but were all set on winning the overall championship. After reaching Queenstown Secondary School, the scouts were briefed at the canteen before proceeding to the respective venues. The Captain's Ball team assembled at the basketball court, ready to face opponents from the 10 other units. Although the team faced a minor hiccup in the first match, they quickly regained their foothold and outplayed the next 3 teams to earn a spot in the semi-finals. The Football team gathered at the soccer field and kept their cool to secure a draw in their first match. Having warmed up, they won with a score of 2-0 in the next match, scoring 2 spectacular goals within 15 minutes and ties in the next few fixtures. Lastly, across the soccer field was the Frisbee Team, who had trained hard for this competition. They managed to attain a score of 4-0 and 6-0 in the first 2 matches and ties in the subsequent matches. In the end, the scouts exhibited a good sense of sportsmanship and displayed a tenacious fighting spirit, achieving 3rd place overall. While the championship went to Beatty Secondary School, the scouts were contented with their achievements and forged closer bonds with each other. Captain Ball - 3rd Football - 4th Frisbee - 3rd Overall - 3rd

By Lucas Loh LEFT TO RIGHT: Peter Chung Tong Keng 曾東铿, Lee Chee Choon 李芝铨， Andrew Low Wui Meng 盧徽明 and Ling Swee Kean 林瑞敬 Carved by hand, totems are an iconic symbol unique to scouting in Catholic High. Recently, we had the honor of having four of our alumni, Peter Chung Tong Keng 曾東铿, Lee Chee Choon 李芝铨， Andrew Low Wui Meng 盧徽明 and Ling Swee Kean 林瑞敬, come back to visit. They explained to us its significance, and the history of the totem poles. Taking almost a year to carve, these totems are almost a decade older than Singapore herself. Find out more by watching the video below!

By The Ventures Unit CHSG INTER-PATROL SKILLS OLYMPIAD (IPSO) 2018 27 AUG – 31 AUG 2018 The Inter-Patrol Skills Olympiad is an inter-patrol competition where scouts will pitch their skills against one other. IPSO is an online quiz conducted across the Scouts Unit. The quiz will test any and every scouting skill in the form of an online Multiple Choice Question quiz. Attractive prizes will be awarded to the best patrol and top scorers for each batch! The quiz will be assessed individually and on a patrol basis. INDIVIDUAL AWARDS: Top Scorer (Batch), Champion Scorer (Overall) PATROL AWARDS: Top Scoring Patrol This quiz will count towards the overall best patrol for the year. The Quiz will be opened on the 27 AUG 0000, and close on 31 AUG 2359. They can access the form using this link : https://goo.gl/forms/j214z2H5HVwlJjDM2 or below at the bottom of this post! RULES: 1. Only one entry is allowed per person. 2. You may refer to notes and resources as you wish. 3. Sharing of answers with another person is not allowed. 4. The organising committee reserves the right to void any result deemed fraudulent, and its decision in all matters will be final. SECTION A: SURVIVAL AND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE (25 marks) SECTION B: FIRST AID (50 marks) SECTION C: ORIENTEERING (25 marks) DURATION: No time limit IPSO 2018 is organised by the Venture Unit of Catholic High Scout Group.

By Ryan Lim The scouts gathered today for a Bare Bow archery course. The scouts arrived in the morning eager and excited. To many, this would be their first time shooting a bow. The course started with a brief theory session. They were then grouped into 4 details, each taking turns to have a shot. While each detail had their turn, Course Instructors, led by NROC Mastercoach Michelle Yip, guided the scouts. They patiently corrected each of our mistakes, helping us to shoot with greater accuracy each time. As the day progressed and the scouts became more proficient in handling the bow, a mini Inter-patrol Challenge was organised. The last activity planned for the scouts was to hit a balloon pinned to the target board. Cheers could be heard as each detail took their shot at the balloons. A satisfying 'Bang' could be heard every time an arrow hit its mark. This marked the end to an eye-opening opportunity for the scouts.

By Nicholas Gan The Chief Commissioner’s Award Presentation ceremony was held on 25 August in Raffles Institution. There was a total of 76 awardees from 19 different scout groups. We are proud to have 7 scouts who have achieved the prestigious award this year. In his speech, the Guest-of–Honour Mr Antong Shahrudin Bin Rahmat congratulated the awardees on our achievement and also emphasized the importance for us to be role models for the younger scouts. The journey to achieving this award has certainly been memorable as we have had the opportunity to reflect on our past scouting experiences and how the scout values have enabled us to develop in our character. This has also been possible with the tireless dedication and encouragement from our teachers and leaders. Click here to download our programme booklet!

By Lucas Loh After a long exam break, the scouts are back in full force to support the NPC preparation! Each member has a role to play to make sure every detail is perfect so that we can be at our best for NPC 2018!

By Lucas Loh A hallmark of any troop, a campsite is the closest way to physically represent any troop's standard. A campsite built by campers not provides shelter and a safe productive space, but also marks the territory of the campers. As it is designed and built by our campers and our troop, it is a space to call our own. In this way, our campsite represents our troop to the rest of the world. In addition, campsites create living spaces for campers to interact and perform daily tasks. With so many different functions required that of a campsite, we ensure that every square inch of the campsite is optimised and utilised to its fullest. More often than not, campsites can be used to roughly gauge the ability of any group of campers - a messy and disorganised campsite will mean campers from that unit lack discipline to maintain order and hygiene. Likewise, a grand and majestic campsite, with robust functionality and happy campers shows that the unit's scouts are capable and well-trained, to not only survive, but thrive in the environment they are in. This is why Catholic High Scout Group takes such pride in our campsite - to mark our territory and to show everyone what we're capable of. OUR GATEWAY Designed to be seen from even outside Sarimbun, the SUNGATE, 太阳之门, is a behemoth of its own class and size. About 20 metres wide and 12 metres tall, the SUNGATE is the biggest gateway in all of NPC X. Fitting to its name, the SUNGATE is illuminated at night by solar-powered floodlights, a beacon of pride and evergreen strength to our unit and cluster. The SUNGATE is massive yet simple to build, being twice as tall as our Rain Tree tower (tallest cluster project in NPC X at 6m), but taking a third of the time to build. This is thanks to our signature design - to maximise every knot and pole. Simply put, the SUNGATE is born and made efficient. There are three main colours used in the design of the SUNGATE, being red, yellow and white, with red representing Triace Scouts, Yellow representing Cat High, and White representing Mayflower. The designs and prints of the gateway banners were all handmade. The white banners represent nature and its beauty, while the yellow banners represent the scouting skills necessary to fully utilise nature, to coexist and thrive with it. OUR FLAGPOLE Our cluster flagpole symbolically embodies the identity and unity of the three units - Cat High, Triace and Mayflower. Designed by us to stand upright on any ground, the flagpole characterises the adaptability and unwavering unity between the three units in the face of all challenges. OUR CLUSTER TOWER The Rain Tree tower is the tallest cluster project in NPC X, standing at 6m. Designed with safety and sustainability in mind, the Rain Tree tower is monument to the friendships between our unit and cluster. With a square base and an hourglass superstructure, it has two levels for visitors to enjoy. Despite is height, its design is safe and suitable for even cub scouts to climb, letting them better appreciate our campsite and the area around it. The tower is a testament to the strong bonds and collective strength of the cluster patrols, forged through the multiple trainings before and cumulative effort of everyone. It took only 7 months to train 3 patrols from 3 different schools to achieve all of this. It is not by chance, but through the Catholic High scouting spirit. No matter what challenges lie ahead, we can look to the future with confidence, knowing that through discipline and a good moral foundation, we can achieve anything. To read more on: NPC X Victory!: https://www.chsscouts.com/single-post/2018/11/22/National-Patrol-Camp-X-2018 Gadget Development: https://www.chsscouts.com/single-post/2018/11/25/NPC-X-2018-Gadget-Development Cluster Spirit: https://www.chsscouts.com/single-post/2018/11/25/NPC-X-2018-Cluster-Spirit

By Lucas Loh Gadgets have always been one of Catholic High Scout Group's fortes, often built with bamboo and cane. As one of our specialities, we take serious pride in our gadgets, with careful thought and calculations into each and every knot. In our spirit of excellence, we not only scrutinise each design element, but also ensure that every knot is tied tightly and perfectly, so as to ensure the gadgets meets operational requirements. Gadgets serve the needs of our campers and increase the camping standard and standard of living. Gadgets are critical to maintaining team morale as it provides comfort in-camp, keeping the campsite neat and hygienic. One example is the uniform and back rack below - helping to keep the team organised and efficient. This is one of the reasons why our scouts are able to stay one foot ahead of the competition, as motivated scouts work hard and efficiently. However, it is not easy to achieve such a high standard - many of these gadgets have had multiple revisions and countless practices to become what you see in the pictures. For example, the each knot and pole in the kitchen dresser below is calculated and deliberate, with redundancies removed and measurements made to perform each functionality exactly as intended. To read more on: NPC X Victory!: https://www.chsscouts.com/single-post/2018/11/22/National-Patrol-Camp-X-2018 Campsite development: https://www.chsscouts.com/single-post/2018/11/25/NPC-X-2018-Campsite-Development Cluster Spirit: https://www.chsscouts.com/single-post/2018/11/25/NPC-X-2018-Cluster-Spirit

By Jann Lim National Patrol Camp (NPC) allowed us to make new friends through a new concept known as cluster. It was a group of 2-3 schools being grouped together and they would have to camp, and accomplish tasks together. In our case, we were paired up with Mayflower Secondary and Peirce Secondary. We may have started off as strangers, and been super awkward at the start, but through our various cluster meet-ups where we trained together; we slowly got to know each other better. One reason why I think this cluster spirit is so strong is because we had gone through a lot together. From cluster campsite development trainings that included gateway, flagpole and tower, to lively skit rehearsals at the MPR, we definitely put in a lot of effort in the pre-camp phase. And these efforts did not go to waste. We had each other's backs throughout the camp. Some instances include: When Peirce needed assistance erecting their Pounders', we readily helped them. When the cluster needed more intings for the tower, Mayflower selflessly supplied them. Although the NPC camp may be over, the memories made and friendships forged will definitely last a lifetime. Through cluster dinners we bonded even greater with one another through playing games, telling stories etc. We also had a celebratory cluster BBQ on 24/11 to honour all the hard work and effort put in by everyone throughout the camp. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves, as we barbecued, played sports and even exchanged gifts! To read more on: NPC X Victory!: https://www.chsscouts.com/single-post/2018/11/22/National-Patrol-Camp-X-2018 Campsite development: https://www.chsscouts.com/single-post/2018/11/25/NPC-X-2018-Campsite-Development Gadgets development: https://www.chsscouts.com/single-post/2018/11/25/NPC-X-2018-Gadget-Development