By Lucas Loh and Ryan Lim The 3D2N Venturing Challenge Course 2019 represents the pinnacle assessment of a President Scout's abilities in both skills and leadership. In the December of 2019, two of our Ventures, Lucas Loh and Ryan Lim, attended this test work as part of their PSA journey. For the two of them, this was the cumulation of their years of training as a scout, a challenge that encompassed all aspects of Scouting. In the weeks leading up to VCC, the ventures trained intensively in bushcraft, backwoods, knots, first aid, and many other areas to achieve the highest standard possible. The importance of this was not only to ensure that they would do well as individual candidates, but they would also be a strong testament to the premier training Catholic High Scouting has to offer, bringing glory to the troop. Preparation for VCC Every aspect of the preparation was done in the spirit of excellence, each cubic centimeter of volume accounted for, each item selected carefully and packed perfectly. One example would be about how this Mess Tin was packed. At the bottom laid a Tommy Cooker, with Solid Fuel neatly stacked and wrapped safely on top. to the right, five sheets of exactly 1m by 1m of Aluminium foil were prepared, precut to allow for ease of usage and removing the need for the cardboard core. Another example is in the extreme lengths gone to compress the clothes we packed - In the black roll, there was a shirt, socks and underwear rolled compactly. Then, it was compressed and squeezed tight with cling wrap and clear tape to waterproof the clothes, something that would prove extremely useful during camp due to the non-stop rain we experienced. The compressed roll was as hard as a block and was completely rigid, facilitating packing. This standard of packing is a reflection of our preparation in all aspects, especially skills-wise where the Ventures were grilled on knots, practiced backwoodsman multiple times and, in the days leading up to VCC, every waking moment was spent strategizing, thinking of ways to be even more prepared to take the test work. During VCC At the start of the course, there were 14-15 participants. By the end of the course, there were 7. We were, of course, part of this 7, but this was not by chance. The biggest curveball many of the candidates were not prepared for was the continuous rainy weather, for at least 70% of the 3D2N we spent there. However, for the Catholic High Ventures, we were undaunted by this as it was an environment familiar to us, similar to what we were trained in. We were used to the trickles of water dripping down out face every moment and the pitter-patter sounds on our ponchos as we worked tirelessly as if the rain wasn't there. For the Catholic High Ventures, not only were we trained as Scouts to work in spite of the rain, but we also trained the Scouts as Ventures in the rain with them. We did not let the environment determine us, hence we were prepared mentally and physically for the weather. Our greatest enemy is ourselves, and this couldn't be better reflected through the experience of VCC. Each day, we were given tasks to complete on our own time and target. Some of the candidates struggled to find the motivation to persevere in the rain and the daunting odds that faced them. Each night, we had little sleep as we froze in our waterlogged bashas, futilely trying to air and dry feet that had been soaked for the whole day. Suddenly, being dry had become a short-lived luxury that lasted at best half an hour. But to the Catholic High Ventures, this was not a challenge for us. We knew that we could not fail because of the weather. That we not only owed it to ourselves to try our best after such long preparation and investment in VCC but more importantly, we owed it to our troop to succeed. We had to bring glory to the troop, to put it at the top and through this much greater source of motivation, we gave our 200%, for 3D2N until the very end. Failure was not an option. However, beyond motivation and the daunting weather, the strongest pillar of support for us in these 3D2N of isolation from the outside were our values and principles. Throughout the camp, we lived in accordance with the scout law and promise, protecting our integrity and honor as PSA candidates and scouts. Above all, we put the troop at the top, displaying the true Catholic High Scouting Spirit and Spirit of Excellence in Skills and Character.

By Lucas Loh Today, our troop took part in the 2019 South Area Orienteering Competition. A total of 5 teams from the Scouts unit and another 5 teams from the Ventures unit took part, and they have managed to bring glory to our troop. For the Scouts Unit, we have 1 team achieving Gold, 3 achieving Silver and 1 Bronze. For the Ventures unit, we have 1 team achieving Full Marks, 3 achieving Gold and one team achieving Bronze for the whole competition. This competition is a testament to our spirit of excellence, with Gold award being our modal standard. Precision and accuracy is one aspect of our training that trains our scouts to this standard of excellence. In the competition, teams had to find the exact lamp post / button demarcated on the map and this can only be done if they could navigate find the exact location with minimal room for error. Our scouts are also trained to be efficient, to be able to reach their checkpoints in the most effective way while minimising distance traveled. This allowed them cover all the checkpoints in the limited time. Our scouts are trained to be highly aware. Awareness of self allows them to most effectively strategise accordingly to their ability. Awareness of environment allows them to orientate themselves quickly even in closed terrain and find the shortest route to the checkpoint. Finally, these scouts have put our troop at the top by bringing glory to our troop and putting in their best effort.

What does it mean to be precise and accurate? To achieve precision and accuracy requires a keen awareness of oneself and the environment. Self-awareness goes beyond knowing ones likes and dislikes, it involves ability to gain control your own subconscious mind in order to modify your behavior. Mindset drives behavior, every action has its purpose. The subconscious mind is the one that drives our motivation in life. A scout must be aware of simple things such as how he walks, how he stands to how he thinks and reacts. Environmental awareness can only be achieved when a scout keeps all his senses engaged. Kims game is an example of how environmental awareness can be tra ined in ones scouting journey. But the ability to recognize and distinguish tastes, sounds, smells and touch, to observation skills and photographic memory goes beyond Kims game. It trains a scout to remain alert of his daily life, to be able to recognize threats and nonverbal cues. All these skills are versatile and allows one to gain a mastery of self. Success in every aspect of life can be achieved. The mind of an archer, a pianist and a warrior operates in the subconscious mind. Because the subconscious mind is already attuned to ones senses, small details like the sound of an arrow hitting a target board, the touch of keys of the piano and the movement of a weapon has been amplified in his mind and has become muscle memory. The repetition of such actions becomes second nature and precision is achieved

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. To read more on: NPC X Victory!: https://www.chsscouts.com/single-post/2018/11/22/National-Patrol-Camp-X-2018 Gadgets development: Cluster Spirit:

7 months of dedication, commitment and sacrifices made by the troop and two other cluster units (Peirce Secondary and Mayflower Secondary) has come down to this one camp. Prior to the opening of the camp, the NPC team and service scouts were treated to a celebratory dinner by the teachers and leaders to thank everyone who laboured tirelessly whether it was on the field or behind the scenes. Entering the competition, the team was determined to fight with an indomitable spirit and give everything they had. From camp development and cooking to pioneering and backwoodsman, the team was always fixated on the task at hand and strived for precision and perfection despite the downpours, lightning and mud. Over the next few days, time flew past swiftly and soon, the NPC team was seated in the field tentage for the award presentation with the troop by the side to uplift the team's spirits and cheer on for them regardless of the outcomes... Best Unit & Cluster Camp Development: CHS, MFS, PSS Best Cluster Pioneering: CHS, MFS, PSS Best Cluster: CHS, MFS, PSS Gold Award: CHS As the Camp Chief announced these accolades, the troop applauded and celebrated with sheer pride. The team had aced 3 out of 5 of the major components in the camp and it was evident that our efforts had not gone down the drain. Finally, the defining moment had arrived and everyone instantly lowered their heads in silence. "Next, we will have the Challenger Award...... Not in order of merit...... Catholic High School" The troop erupted in jubilance and euphoria as everyone rushed forward for a memorable photograph with the team and challenge plague. The other two challenger awards went to Victoria Arrow Scout Group and Zhenghua Fox Scout Group who earned the challenger plague. To end off the night, the troop carried on with the troop cheer, hollering at the top of their lungs. This is our 5th Victory out of the 10 NPCs throughout history; the order of victories being: NPC 1-5: CHS, CHS, Hornets, Arrow, CHS NPC 6-X: CHS, Arrow, Fox, Fox, CHS. "While most scouts would be euphoric over winning NPC, clinching the top position, to be named the best troop in Singapore, we must remind ourselves that this is not the end. Catholic High Scout Group has always been champions by our own standards. We define ourselves and we do not use the metrics of others to measure ourselves. This title is no more than a label with a 2 year expiry date, which others have placed upon the troop. The true reward and takeaway from this camp is the lives that were touched, the people that we have encountered and the hearts of others that we have won over. For the NPC team, coming this far, you can stand on your own now, continue to be an inspiration for the future batches of scouts and to put our troop at the top. For the Mayflower gentlemen and Peirce ladies, bring home not just your titles but also the experiences and lessons you have learnt. Let this be the start of your golden age and catch the spark that ignites an everlasting legacy while it lasts. It has been a joy and privilege working with all of you, and hopefully we meet again. Above all, 智仁勇, 日行一善, 深谋远虑. Only through discipline, incorruptible morals and our law and promise can we achieve true greatness and not just superficial and fleeting joy..." - Lucas Loh, Venture Chairman To read more on: 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 Cluster Spirit: https://www.chsscouts.com/single-post/2018/11/25/NPC-X-2018-Cluster-Spirit