The UnIChannel

Pop!Corn: We Not Naughty

2012-01-29T10:40:00.002+08:00

Da Teenager's verdict: 4 out of 5 stars!

Honestly speaking, this trailer, does not depict the whole movie to its full glory. I like it for its realism (especially in the Singapore context), as well as the exciting parts & the humor.

This movie shows 2 boys, Wei Jie, from a typical Singaporean family, who is being looked down by his mum because of being in the worse polytechnic in Singapore, & Jian Ren, who comes from a rich family, and is a runner for loansharks just to spite his career-minded mum who adores her younger son. As the story goes on, it shows how Wei Jie's family got into more trouble when the father got addicted to gambling, and how both boys began to gain more confidence with their dedicated teacher's, CK, guidance. (If any teacher is like CK, he definitely deserves a teacher award.)

Lessons learnt?
The importance of family, having confidence in one's talents, even though many are looking down on you, & of course, BE POSITIVE (mostly emphasized in the movie, but I'm not saying why, you have to watch it to find out! :P)

Personally, I think this is Jack Neo's best movie so far; on top of local issues that affect the average Singaporean, both young and old, the emotions shown, are so authentic! (Look out for the 8 year old! So cute! :D)

Watch it while you still have the chance! :D

P.S. For those living in the West, Golden Village @ Jurong Point will be closing for renovations from February till May, so get your movie fix at either Eng Wah @ West Mall, or Shaw @ Chua Chu Kang! :)

Da Teenager, signing off! :)

Jalan IV (:

2012-01-28T00:47:00.000+08:00

Why Suria?

What's the link between this show and what am I going to post?

Red Cross was in featured Suria's Jalan IV! :D It shows on every Thursday at the 9pm to 9.30pm time slot.

Basically, this episode talks about 2 major local disasters in Singapore, namely the collapse of Hotel New World, & the cable cars disaster in 1983, and how each disaster is being handled, as well as the rescue missions. This led to the importance of ordinary singaporeans, like you & me, should be aware of such incidents, and to fully prepare ourselves for future possible disasters. The host was given a mini lesson on Disaster Management and Basic First Aid, by our very own Mr. Lawrence Ng, from Singapore Red Cross Society.

Thus, all this past incident has taught us valuable lessons on how important Disaster Management and First Aid is and how is it relevant in Singapore. When the time comes, the skills that you have learnt in Red Cross will be of a great help!

Do not take things for granted that disaster will not befall on Singapore!

Last but not least, another main highlight of the the show!

You will find the settings of the show and the people appeared awfully familiar. *winks*

(PS. Here is the link for the show found on XinMsn CatchUp-TV)

Jalan IV Episode 5: Bukit Ho Swee

The Lanyard

2012-01-27T00:07:00.002+08:00

So, what does the lanyard mean to you? Let us hear from a few people who replied... as promised, your identity is kept safe with us.

"One reason why it is so aspiring is because it adds a zest of flavour to our white uniform, hence making us look smarter."

"It is true that a cadet with lanyard would be labelled as an 'outstanding cadet' but I didn't need to be outstanding. I just needed to fulfill my duty as an NCO and serve my unit. To make sure my cadets' trainings run smoothly and they enjoyed coming to Red Cross."

I believe that many of you out there believe these two views that the lanyard adds flavour to our uniform and to be labelled as an outstanding cadet. So the pursuit of getting a lanyard begins here... I believe majority of you wanted the lanyard for the same reasons as seen above. I mean, come on! Wearing a lanyard around your school during training or CCA Open House, people would be intrigued by your lanyard and would probably comment how smart you look with your lanyard, etc etc. Your fellow squadmates, coursemates, juniors look up to you as they all know the lanyard is a prestigious thing and it definitely brings glory and honour to the unit.

However, some beg to differ...

"Through my NCO life and a camp, I've learnt that the lanyard doesn't matter or affect your life at all...I just needed to fulfill my duty as an NCO and serve my unit... After understanding all these, a lanyard didn't seem that important after all. "

"After everything ended, I went to have dinner with my division-mates, and the thing that surprised me was to know that one will actually hate another because he/she had a lanyard and that person didnt. To add on, they were very close throughout the camp... To me, lanyard ruins ones thinking, friendship, hatred towards each other. "

Shocking isn't it? I, myself, find it hard to believe when I read that part. This particular cadet ended off with a sentence that I said a few months ago.. and I do questioned a few cadets when they talk to me about attaining the lanyard.

".. the involvement of the lanyard makes all the HQ events lose its original purpose."

Now that is a sentence that struck me as I am surprised that a cadet share the same thinking as me. So, it is your turn.. does the lanyard really mean everything to you? Is attaining the lanyard the sole purpose of all the HQ events? To me, it is not! But what about you..? Take time to reflect. (:

While you're reflecting, I'll end off with three sentences that probably will make you think more..
- Lanyard is just a piece of red string. You have, don't show it off. You don't have, don't cry about it.
- A lanyard does not earn you eternal glory, but true effort does.
- The lanyard does not represent me, I represent myself.

A Memory of Solferino

2012-01-24T20:30:00.001+08:00

Sec 1s will be joining Red Cross trainings soon! :D

Do you remember your first Red Cross Knowledge lesson? How was the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement founded? What role did Jean Henri Dunant (a.k.a Henry Dunant) have in the creation of the Red Cross Movement?

I had the good fortune of reading “A Memory of Solferino” when I was Sec 2. Henry Dunant wrote A Memory after the events of the Battle of Solferino, and the book inspired the establishment of the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross).

Dunant wasn’t a doctor or a governor or some big shot – in fact he was a businessman! Yet, Dunant was able to stand up for what was right, and his actions continue to help the sick and the suffering up to this day :)

The clip below was taken from the movie on Henry Dunant. It gives a grand impression of the events of Dunant’s time, even though you probably won’t understand the language :>

(start at 4:58)

Da Teenager: Chinese New Year Eve - Special Edition~

2012-01-22T19:00:00.000+08:00

Here's Da Teenager, bringing you pictures of the atmosphere & mood, right here in your own home!

Yes, there is no need to go out of your house to squeeze with the crowd, enjoy what the photos depict! :D

First up! Decorations!~

Spring flowers~

WARNING: Mini Chinatown up ahead!

Next! FOOD GALORE!

ROAST.DUCK. NOMNOMNOM~

Talk about East meeting West: Steamboat, on an induction cooker.

Baby abalone :P

The final set up for the steamboat :D

Homemade meatballs :P

Now for some home cooked food! (no doubt claimed to be the best food by everyone xD)

Raw ingredients in the making! Veggies and other delicious stuff! (Sorry for bad quality!)

and here you can see the 8 course dinner lol! Chicken Soup, Mixed Stew, Fish (A must have!) Stir Fried Veggies and Pork! :D authentic chinese cuisine haha! My family does have quite different cooking style from most ppls xD

To end off:

Happpy Dragon Year to one and all! :)

A Penny for Your Thoughts..

2012-01-19T09:56:00.001+08:00

A penny for your thoughts... and we wanna hear from you.

What does a Lanyard mean to YOU?

Do tell us by emailing us at: theunichannel@gmail.com by Monday (23 Jan 2012), 1800hours.

Do not worry, we will keep your information as anonymous.

3 Rs

2012-01-19T00:03:00.000+08:00

Hello readers! Movement is back with this little meaningful video that somehow links to the previous post we had, 'we CAN'.

This is a rather cool video about the importance of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle where it has been changed to a song version. Hope you enjoy this video and make a difference starting from yourself. Let us all save the Earth and be environmentally friendly!

YOSS Documents & Calendar Of Events 2012

2012-01-16T18:52:00.003+08:00

Hi all!

Please note that the documents distributed during the Youth Officer's Sharing Session is now up on the Download Section :) Documents include:

1. Calendar of RCY events of 2012

2. New SRC Organization Chart

3. Procedures for Uniform Requisition

Da Teenager: Decision. Decisions. Decisions.

2012-01-14T16:43:00.000+08:00

On last Friday...

I am sure your graduated seniors and our dear 13/12s, Volunteer Instructors-to-be, has made one of the most important decision in their life. A choice that paves a path towards your own future. Be it A levels, Diploma or even Nitec/Higher Nitec, as long as everyone put in your utmost effort to it. I sure all of you will excel in careers all of you have chosen.

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work learning from failure.” ~ General Colin Powell

Please do not let your results be a obstacles to your dreams. But make it a stepping stone, a motivation to success!

It certainly hurts me to see everyone brood over their results. I'm sure most VIs would agree with me that O's level is not the end. Because another Chapter is about to begin. BRACE YOURSELVES, GATHER ALL YOUR FIGHTING SPIRIT!

and off you go, your are ready!^^

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” ~ Robert Collier

To end off,

I dedicate this song to our 13/12 VIs to-be and the graduated cadets!(:

Da Teenager, signing off! ^^

New Year's Resolution (Part 2)

2012-01-12T22:52:00.000+08:00

Hey readers!

UnIChannel is in CNY mood too... all red already LOL :P

Trainings should be in full swing already - have you done your own RCY resolution for 2012? As a follow-up to last week's Unit Issues post, I'll share some personal "goals" I had for myself as an NCO not tooooo long ago...

1. Equip the incoming batch of NCOs / Sec 3s with good leadership skills and the correct attitude
2. Be a good role model to the new Sec 1s
3. Go all out in training my unit's squad for the Footdrill Competition (should give you a rough idea of who I am... not telling hehe) - but no more FDC this year :(
4. Always be contactable by others for unit matters

Whatever your resolutions may be, always challenge yourself to achieve (sounds familiar RCYC peeps? :P) and work towards your goals. Keep calm and carry on, and don't give up - you'll get there.

Wishing you all the best for 2012!

Trip to Island of Nias by RCY Teachers Part 3

2012-01-10T19:07:00.000+08:00

Norazleen Ayob, Woodgrove Secondary School RCY Unit OIC

Resilience in its Simplest Form

Simplicity started right at Nias domestic airport. The usual conveyor belts and electronic screens with the flight numbers flashing were not present; instead, in its place, there were five to six staff who were manually shoving the bags through the side opening, waiting for the baggage tags to be handed to them. Despite this simplicity, order was still present as caution was exercised when the baggage tags were tallied with the numbers on our bags. It took longer than usual, yes, but work was still done, through proper ways.

As we made our way to the Farmers’ Training Centre (FTC) which was located about a half-hour drive from the airport, at least the scenery that greeted me had already formed a certain set of expectations for what might lay ahead of us the following four days. The expectations were no different from what transpired during our planning stage, but it was different when you were actually affirming those expectations.

The FTC was housed on a rather big piece of land; ample of land pockets to experiment on and grow crops for both educational and business purposes. There were over 10 sleeping areas that could house 2 visitors each, a cosy canteen and the coolest ‘open’ concept toilets. To top it all off, the staff there were warm and sincere. Their warmth had allowed us to find out the four-year history of the Centre in less than an hour.

The common occupation in this part of Nias is farming. As such, the FTC should have been one of the most popularly frequented places where farmers would come to learn the best farming methodologies and use as a platform to share farming techniques with each other. This is indeed one of the goals that the management of FTC is working towards to achieve for its community. In spite of the new change in management in less than three months, the management committee is optimistic and believes that changes will happen, with time and effort.

When something is done for the greater good, Nature somehow has its way of combining all the forces and energy together to get things done. Some may take longer than planned, but work still gets done.

“Since you know how prone this part of Nias is to natural disasters, like earthquakes, would you consider relocating?”

This question was posed to some of the FTC staff there. The response was quite predictable – they would rather stay put. Yes, some may view, from a sympathetic point, that the Niasans do not have a choice and that their fate to be living day-in-day-out with the risks of natural disasters hitting them anytime is more or else sealed. However, their body language, and the level of ease with which they responded to the question, seemed to paint a different picture altogether. They seem to embrace the fact that they need to be well-prepared to face any form of natural disasters because it is their lifestyle to live alongside Mother Nature; that is part and parcel of being a Niasan.

Sustainability: A Concerted Effort

From the very brief stint that I was there, I’ve learnt that education is not really a huge priority. When the basic needs of shelter, food and water are not fully met, it is inevitably difficult to place much emphasis on education. This tension could be observed from the situation at one of the visited hospitals, Stella Maris Hospital.

Driving up the long winding slope, we were greeted by a freshly painted serenely white building. No one would have guessed that the path would have led to a hospital. No one on foot, both the sick and the healthy, would have made it to the top with comfort. But, like most organizations, ideally, behind every sturdy exterior, there is, more often than not, a solid supporting foundation.

And I was right.

The Sisters who greeted us exuded passion, sincerity and commitment to serve their community. As much as they were frank in sharing some of the obstacles they were currently facing, they were just as modest in explaining how, at the end of the day, all they want is to provide their people with the best medical treatment that they could afford to.

It doesn’t take rocket science for one to recognise that one of the main challenges that the hospital is facing is not a matter of physical resources. The hospital has sufficient medical equipment and ample rooms for treatment. It is the trained and professional manpower that is lacking. There are qualified doctors in the neighbourhood, but there is only a handful, I reckon. And, just like any young individuals, these young doctors are ready to take on the world with their careers. Most of them wanted to explore greener pastures. The concept of ‘rural-urban’ exploration may be foreign to us back at home, but it is very real there. Personally, I wouldn’t blame them.

Coming from an environment where life is like a rat race, where the concept of ‘time is money’ is passé, it is indeed difficult for me to empathise and fathom how such an issue could be solved within a short period of time. But I guess what I failed to see was that, the issue could and would be rectified, but, with time. There is always a silver lining.

Recently, the hospital has had some help from the doctors from our own country, and also other countries like Japan, who came over to provide complimentary medical treatments for the people. These measures may only be temporary, but they are still efforts that would bring the hospital closer to achieving the standards that they hope to attain – decent medical treatments. Hopefully, with time and in time to come, ample assistance would come in, be it within or across borders.

It only takes one person to spark off a change. It takes a group to believe in it. It takes a community to sustain it.

The Movement - we CAN

2012-01-10T01:42:00.000+08:00

Hey readers! This post, we have a look an an easy way to contribute to a large cause, one small step at a time.

Did you know that aluminium can pull tabs can actually be put to good use in ways other than simply recycling the save the environment? Collecting 1500 pull tabs could lead to the creation of one of these:

This is a prosthesis (artificial leg); important for those who have lost limbs due to landmines regain some function of their legs.

In countries such as Angola, Cambodia and Afghanistan, landmines continue to pose a problem to citizens. Landmines cause great and almost irreversible damage to people's lives, which is why the use of landmines is banned under International Humanitarian Law as it causes unecessarily cruel injury to civilians long after the war. Innocent civilians can accidentally step on hidden landmines not cleared after the war and wrongly assumed safe.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has a rehabilitation centre in Afghanistan that helps outfit such victims with prosthetics to give them another solid shot at life.

Did you know that Singaporeans have staged campaigns to collect these pull tabs too? in 2011, Project 11 (visit their site here!) collected 6 tons of pull tabs, which can make almost 12000 prosthetic limbs!

A little step can indeed go a long way - how will you make that contribution this year in 2012? :)

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. - Mother Teresa

RCY 60th Anniversary Celebrations – Logo Design Competition 2011

2012-01-09T11:52:00.000+08:00

RCY will be celebrating its 60^th Anniversary this year, and it’s going to be BIG. Want to make your mark on the celebrations? Here’s how:

Pick up the Logo Design Competition Application Form from your YOs
Read the details, including the fine print! (Hint: QR Code)
Start designing the logo! The winning entry design will be featured as the official logo for the RCY 60^th Anniversary Celebrations (subject to changes)

Start designing now, if you haven’t already done so. Some pointers to take note of:

The deadline for submissions is 26^th January 2012. Both hard and soft copies are to be submitted.
This competition is open to both Link (Category A) and Cadet (Category B) Units, as well as to VIs (Category C). Each school unit can only send one team, with the cap set to 4 members. Only one entry is allowed per team. Only team members are allowed to contribute to the design.
Designs have to be related to the theme “Celebrating The Red Cross Spirit”, and incorporate some values of Red Cross, i.e. Humanity and Equality.
Do a short write-up (about half a page will do) about your logo design.
Any use of the RC Emblem or RCY logo should be in line with the guidelines for usage.

Results of this competition will be announced in late February 2012. Selected entries will be showcased here. Stay tuned as we announce more details about RCY’s 60^th Anniversary Celebrations in the coming weeks!

Pop!Corn: Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol

2012-01-07T13:45:00.001+08:00

It's Da Teenager here yet again, with another movie that is a must-watch! :D

There's historical sights (Kremlin), "sightseeing" (Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, in Dubai), traveling round the world (Russia, Dubai, India), on top of comedy & action packed 2 hours plus movie!

This 4th installation of Mission Impossible proved to be exciting, with the IMF shutting down when it is being implicated in a global terrorist bombing plot. As such, Ghost Protocol is initiated where Ethan & his team will have no help & no contact, while they go undercover to clear their organization's name.

A worthy movie to watch, but prepare for surprises as well!

Hope that your first week of school has been an awesome one :)

Da Teenager, signing off!

New Year Resolution

2012-01-03T20:51:00.001+08:00

Hi readers!! Hope everyone's having a good first week of school and got good teachers, timetables, blah blah...

2011 probably has been a great year for many of you out there. First time that the First Aid Competition was held in a public place (woohoo), Camp Unity for RCYC, and lots more... I'm sure that you've had fulfilling experiences in RCY, whether at HQ events or in your own unit as well!

So, what about 2012?

As we usher in the New Year, many of you would have made your own list of resolutions. But how about your life in RCY? What do you want to achieve in 2012?

Will you join NDP, SYF, UIP, ULP, or RCYC?
Which competitions will you join?
What badges do you want to get this year?

If you didn't do your best in 2011, will you do better this year?
If this is your last year in RCY, will you give your best for your juniors and cadets?

What do you want your unit to achieve in 2012?

Think about it, and make your very own RCY resolutions for 2012 :)

Philippines Mission Trip

2012-01-03T12:01:00.000+08:00

The Movements Bloggers take a break this week as we let one of the volunteers who went for the Mission Relief Trip to Philippines last week to blog about her experience.

"Hello Everybody. I'm Hidayah! The whole Mission Trip has been life changing. Truly seeing the devastation with your own eyes is a whole new experience compare to seeing the photos in the newspaper. As i step on the area where the flood affected, the houses, trees, electrical wires all destroyed, i feel so fortunate being a Singaporean. The so called worries we have and complains we do everyday are really minor to what they have. The ground i stepped on, god knows if there are still people buried under it. It like a slap on the face, "wake up. You should count your blessings that your parents are still alive, you still have a home to live in."

I have prepared a video that include all the photos and short reflection,

which i hope can bring the message out to you guys."

Be grateful. Stop Complaining, Appreciate & Smile.

Pop!Corn: Sherlock Holmes; A Game Of Shadows

2011-12-31T21:29:00.004+08:00

The must-watch movie, before you start the new school year!

Comedy, action packed and a good storyline, 3-IN-1 :D Shall not reveal more to prevent spoilers :)

HAPPY NEW EVE EVERYONE!

Da Tenager, signing off! :)

RCY VIs Bringing Smiles to the Flood Victims @ Phillippines

2011-12-30T00:45:00.001+08:00

Do catch our very own VIs (Ambrose Sir, Hidayah Ma'am) helping to bring smiles and happiness to victims of the floods in Phillippines! Their mission trip began on Wednesday, and they will be returning on 31 December. View the video here!

UniChannel will be sharing with you their experiences next week on The Movement!

Heart for Resident Animal @ RC Campsite!

2011-12-30T00:01:00.001+08:00

Usually we see it walking around at the far side of the field. Finally, a close up of our resident pet, the Toddy Cat, the at the parade square!

For more information on the animal, visit : http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.com/2009/11/great-musang-stakeout.html

Unit Issue will begin posting next Thursday :D

Philippine: Waist High

2011-12-27T01:55:00.000+08:00

Found this on Tumblr.

It's really meaningful.

If you have a Tumblr account, go reblog her post.

Let others know about this cause.

It's the least we can do, yeah?

To Reblog, Click here!

"Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it"

-Song of Solomon 8:7

Trip to Island of Nias by RCY Teachers Part 2

2011-12-26T15:34:00.003+08:00

Ms Reginia, Rivervale Primary School Youth Officer

Packing list for Exploratory Trip to Nias

An open mind with loads of adaptability
An ounce of compassion
A pair of observant eyes
A pair of good listening ears
A sweet tooth

Probably the most important item on the packing list to Nias will be compassion - a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering. Empathy will not be needed for this trip as it will be hard for Singaporeans to fully understand the trauma that the people in Nias went through. Very fortunately, we have never experienced earthquakes on our little red dot. Yet, for the island of Nias, earthquakes are a frequent sight, so much so that it has become part and parcel of their lives. The worst hit was in 2005 and that led to SRC sending in aid to help rebuild the lives of the people in Nias. Six years on, how much has been done to help the people in Nias? With that objective in mind, we went to Nias with an ounce of compassion. Only an ounce is needed as excessive compassion may result in adverse consequences.

Next, you will need a pair of observant eyes and a pair of good listening ears. Eyes are needed to scan the surroundings and see for ourselves how devastating life can be to the people in Nias.

For the five days in Nias, I saw the wrinkled hands of a farmer, the faded peeling paint of a farmer’s dwellings, the interesting sight of drying clothes on top of shrubs and roofs, the sparkle in a teenager’s eyes just to be able to survive, the hunger for education in another’s teenager’s eyes, the sorrowful eyes of a dog, Rambo and the list is endless…

With a good pair of listening ears and of course, an excellent translator, we proceed to unfold layers and layers of stories from the people of Nias. The saddest tale in my opinion is not the number of injuries or deaths that happened during the 2005 earthquake. It is the stark fact that sustainability of projects is a challenge in Nias.

Stella Maris Hospital in Nias has very fortunately received a significant donation from Singapore to build an avenue of healthcare for the people in Nias. Upon entry into the building, the sight of clean, white walls and the distinct smell of disinfectant greeted me. The place looked new. Yet, if we have left without better understanding the operations of the hospital, we would have thought that the hospital is doing decently well. After all, looks can be deceiving. Unknown to many is the disturbing fact that the hospital is not receiving enough medical aid. For the entire hospital, there are only 12 nurses and 3 part time doctors. With only 3 part time doctors, surgical procedures are a challenge. For those who require surgery, they have to go to Medan, a good distance away. I cannot help but wonder how many lives were lost because they were unable to receive help in time.

At Stella Maris Hospital, ambulance is simply a van with no other forms of medical facilities on board. With the money used to build a whole new building but with none to ensure the sustainability, are we rearing a white elephant?

As with most community service projects, keeping an open mind is a must in order for one to immerse in others’ culture as well as to reap the most benefits from the trip. You can plan everything to a T but things may not go as planned. The adaptability is needed for one to be able to think on his toes and think of new alternatives for the projects to proceed. For this trip, planning takes place every now and then as the team works with new information provided or new project sites visited. Of course, with an open mind and loads of adaptability, the team returned home to the little red dot with the objectives of the trip met.

A sweet tooth is a must as drinks in Nias are astounding sweet. That of course may lead to problems like diabetes in Nias. For the people in Nias, probably a high level of sugar gives them the energy for manual labour. This is especially true as obtaining carbohydrates in other means can be a challenge for the poorer families. Rather than to have artificial sweeteners in their lives, do we have the ability to make their lives sweeter by providing them with skills for livelihood and hopes for a brighter future?

Nias is a place filled with viable community projects but what we hope to achieve is not just providing an experience for Singaporeans. We hope to provide a glimpse of hope for a brighter future for the people in Nias through sustainability of projects. Only then, can their lives be made sweeter…

With that, let me share with you a personal favourite humanitarian quote:

The world is a dangerous place. Not because of the people who are evil; but because of the people who don't do anything about it. –Albert Einstein

Food for thought - Are we contributors in making the world a dangerous place to be in?

VIP 13/12 Camp Day 3

2011-12-24T02:31:00.001+08:00

"And the moon shine high, in the clear blue sky

And all was bright and gay~"

Bom Bom Bom Bom.

Sounds familiar to anyone? Cadets, VIs, Officers? Oh yea~ Piang piang I like it~

As Day 3 of the Volunteer Instructor Programme comes to start, I was both excited and sad as this would be the last day I would see my future juniors taking charge of their VIP camp. Indeed, time has passed by so quickly that I have totally forgotten that it was my last day to capture these precious memories.

Impartiality. Help everyone.

The VIP trainees were given a mission to accomplished on an exercise in the morning. They were all on a mission to rescue passer-by casualties to their first aid base located somewhere in Singapore. As the rescue mission started, screams and shouting could be heard loudly as chaos erupted around Singapore. From underground tunnels to the walking pathways, casualties in numbers were increasing as the trainees raced against time to rescue every casualty.

Slowly as time passed, the trainees finally realised the importance of everyone, not a platoon itself, working together as a team to strive to help everyone no matter who they were. Indeed, as a VI-to-be, they had to ensure that each of them know how to all work together as a team, especially when it comes to any events or in emergency, as stated in my last post.

Just as the exercise ended, showers of rain from above came upon everyone as everyone headed back to the campsite, with the familiar green ponchos were taken out.

While I was walking back with one of the platoons, the platoon started to say some cheers that brighten up everyone's mood:

"And the moon shine high, in the clear blue sky

And all was bright and gay~"

Just then, flashbacks were on my mind. Period. It was the exact same cheer that my VIP platoon did last year when we were walking in the rain on the way back to campsite as well!! Ahhhh those sweet memories of VIP 12/11.

My VIP mentor, who was just beside me on the way back, asked me,

Mentor: "Remember the good old times from last year, Elias?"

Me: "Of course sir!"

I couldn't help but sang the cheers along with the platoon.

Universality. You and I, the same, everywhere.

Once everyone got back safely at campsite, it was time for the preparation for the most anticipated highlight of the camp, the VIP camp campfire. Every trainee knew that they had to display their best performance for the campfire as their eager seniors would be attending the campfire.

As dusk approached, yells and laughter could be heard. The seniors have arrived! All of them were especially excited at the sight of their new batch of juniors that they couldn't help but wipe a smile on their faces. One of the most senior VI batch even had a full strength specially for this highly anticipated highlight of the camp.

At last, Chief Trainer Qiu Yu sir started the campfire rolling with the lighting of the campfire.

With the lighting of the campfire, everyone was treated to performances such as special dance items and a really sound-alike auntie lucy that really lifted everyone's mood. Soon after, a barbecue was held in the canteen to commemorate this special highlight of the camp, with the seniors included as well. For this period of time, I felt as though the campsite was full of people as there was just so much joy and laughter as VIs catched up on their past VIP camp experiences, along with the VIP trainees enjoying themselves with each other company over the barbecue.

Sadly, it was time for me to go home soon after. It has been indeed a really eye opening experience getting the chance to see my future, or should I say, juniors in action running their own VIP camp. This experience of getting the chance to be involved in this VIP camp will never ever be forgotten. Nonetheless, I really look forward to getting to know my junior VIs-to-be better and also looking forward to seeing everyone of them in action again in future RCY events.

As I packed my camera back into place for the last time, I looked up to the sky. Once again, there were many shining stars, 47 of them to be exact... Stars that shone even brighter this time as compared to the last time. Indeed, the journey had already begin.

RCYC 2011

2011-12-22T11:53:00.001+08:00

Endless memories in just 4 days.

For a view on all activities and photos that happened during RCYC 2011, view here:

RCYC Blog

On the blog, click on 'Next' to view the various days.

Enjoy!!!

Trip to Island of Nias by RCY Teachers!

2011-12-18T22:57:00.003+08:00

A team of three teachers and two volunteers embarked on a Learning Journey to the Island of Nias in Indonesia from 01 to 05 December 2011. Their mission? To meet the following objectives:

a. To provide Red Cross Teachers with an opportunity to be exposed to the international work of the SRC.

b. To provide SRC's Corporate Communications with the intelligence and information on how the Red Cross Movement has changed the lives of those most affected by the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami and 2005 Earthquake in Nias.

c. To pilot a programme that aims to groom a group of teachers to be advocates for the work of the SRC in schools and other organizations.

d. To explore opportunities for volunteers to be involved in long-term (4 to 5 years) sustainable projects in the area.

This post by Mr Wee Ngai Shen from Woodgrove Secondary School is the first part of a three-part Reflections series, written by the teachers on their thoughts about the Trip. Enjoy and feel free to leave your comments on the tagboard

Self Discovery...

The trip to Nias Island proved to be a trip where our innate senses, our inner emotions and compassion for people get stirred and flown out to the inhabitants of the island. They truly drew people to their strength and determination to live; as well as the optimism and glitter in their eyes.

There was a lot of planning done within the excellent dynamic team of five to fine tune the objectives, the procedures to elicit the information from the locals, as well as pre-empt the possible outcomes and any difficulties we may encounter along the way; in fact, starting with the end in mind.

Self discovery of capabilities

Throughout the trip, there were a lot of questions posed to the locals: How were they affected by the 2004 tsunami and 2005 earthquake? How did they survive? How did Singapore Red Cross help them? How did they maintain their livelihood after that? Questions like that flowed like currents gushing out from a burst dam during our interviews. However, we remained focussed: All we wanted to do is to determine the stand of Singapore Red Cross in the Nias Island disaster reconstruction efforts. We would also be finding out the possible opportunities we can embark on, no matter how long term or short term the projects are. We communicated with the locals, children and the people in charge of the key projects so far. I also personally helped with the diagnosis and maintenance of the computers used in a better off local orphanage; and also helped, with the team, to compile the information gathered into a video meant to bring more light to the current situation in Nias Island. However, is that all we could do?

Self discovery of limitations

Facing the adverse living conditions, we realised that there is only so much we can do so far. Electricity and water were only available during a certain periods of the day, availability of sanitation and water filtration system, maintenance of local medical equipment, availability and sustainability of the local medical team, are just some of the pressing issues we would not encounter in Singapore, yet they plague the Nias inhabitants like some nasty parasites. These are real life situations in Nias; areas where they need help in; areas where we can all try to help. How could we educate them in a way where the effects of help provided can be prolonged? Will we be restricted by our mind paradigms on their capabilities?

Self discovery of the innate strengths and survival instincts

What would be a good gauge of the locals’ survival instincts? I could clearly see the growing success of the reconstruction efforts and the optimism among the locals. However, I could also sense the poor are actually getting poorer due to the rising living vosts. One bicycle, used to cycle ten kilometres to school every morning, could easily cost eighty Singapore dollars. A motorcycle which could be used to transport fifty kilograms of crops to the nearest town fifty kilometres away could deprive a family of two thousand five hundred Singapore dollars. Children are still studying with a chalkboard which seemed ready to split apart any moment. These living conditions did not deter them from expressing their smiles of gratitude. They continued to strive and focus their energies to do their best in their own world, which is growing by the minute. Education in the rural villages is still not the paramount priority, but the villagers at least know the area they can strive in: agriculture.

This trip leaves us to ponder what sort of long term and short term projects we can embark on, how to gather the forces to visit the place again and the plans following that. Of course, bringing our school students there will pose a number of issues from the parents, school management and students themselves. Nonetheless, the problems we would face in Singapore, when compared to the locals who are fighting for their survival and livelihood every minute of the day, appeared to be embarrassingly trivial. Let us discover more about what we can do to serve our humanity better.

Wee Ngai Shen, (Huang Yisen)

Woodgrove Secondary School RCY 2IC

Soon to be memories! Or just another holiday?!

2011-12-15T05:15:00.000+08:00

School Holidays are close to the end. Do you miss your own RCY Unit,
or is your passion dying out?

I want to share with you guys something personal this holiday.

Come closer.

Ready?

I think all of us have experience the loss of something precious. Loss of a relationship, loss of passion, loss of direction etc... Not because something went wrong between two parties or unforeseen circumstances pull parties apart. This loss happened merely because nothing happened and we start to get the feeling that the distance between us and the party slowly lengthen.

Putting this in perspective of RCY, some of us might feel that we grow ever more distant with RCY. For some of us, we don't have many activities.

In conclusion I'll give you a solution, I noticed I have lose out all the fun, knowledge and experience during my cadet life! So don't lose such awesome opportunity!!! Join Events as much as, when you are able! and make full use of your holidays to fill it in with awesome and simple unit camps to bond everyone, you will never know what more you will gain back.

After sharing so much, and no matter how fun I can explain it to be... I just wanna say!
"You will never know it, unless you are in it!!!"

Start Your Day Saving Lives!

2011-12-13T16:34:00.000+08:00

Hi Everyone!

Just a few days ago, the Singapore Red Cross launched its new ONLINE blood donation campaign! SRC hopes this will boost the effectiveness of its Blood Donor Recruitment Programme :)

Check out www.facebook.com/sgredcross to find out if you or your family members are eligible to donate blood! Every bag of blood can save 3 lives, and really means a lot to those who need it. Ask your parents to take the quiz - giving blood is probably the best Christmas gift your family can give to anyone (plus it's free!) :D

Nom-Nom-Nom @ Takoyaki balls!

2011-12-11T11:39:00.001+08:00

Hi all!

Im back and as promised, Im reviewing the awesome takoyaki balls!

So, if you look above ^^^^^^^

you can see the ones im talking about!

There are 4 different types of sauce to choose from, and I chose "Cold Leek Tempura Sauce"
they even pack the sauce in a seperate container for you if you are eating takeaway! :D

so, as you can see, I got a separate container for the sauce!

and with addition of 1 Dollar, you get a drink too!

Choices are Coke, Spirte, Lemon Tea oooorrrrr...Japanese Matcha!

I thought it tasted quite unique and authentic!

you dont get this anywhere haha!

So anyway the takoyaki balls were delicious! they were super crispy on the outside and soft on the inside!

there were also big chuncky juicy pieces of octopus inside!

Im a fan of octopus so I enjoyed it a lot haha!
4 pieces for 3.80, 1 for the drink, it is actually quite filling for a snack! :D
The store is called Tsukiji Gindaco, and can be found in ION and Raffles City AND Bedok Point near campsite! :D

Heres something extra.
Best Fries Forever! (yes thats the stall name)
6 different flavours of dippings (Garlic, Beef, Nacho, Spicy, CURRY and Salsa)
Poured in huge amounts on freshly fried potato (equally huge amounts!)
Price ranges from 3.90~4.50
ITS sooooo goooodddd!!
The picture is their best seller, Beef+cheese sauce!
Personal favourite is Garlic, which tastes like tartar sauce hahha xD

VIP 13/12 Camp Day 2

2011-12-11T00:01:00.001+08:00

Just like what I have mentioned in the last blog post, its always interesting to be a neutral for this VIP camp. Definitely. Judging from today, it has been an eye opener for me.

It has been a full day into the VIP camp, and our 47 trainees are still giving their all to stay awake and not give up.

Thats quite amazing for starters.

This showed how hungry each of them were in their journey to becoming a Volunteer Instructor. Hunger. Pride. Nothing else can describe today's performance of the VIP trainees.

Humanity. Help because he is human.

The morning kicked off with an adventurous exercise taught the trainees the importance of teamwork and being together as one. Not going to reveal anything else here but if you do join VIP in future you would know about it next time ;)

Unity. There can only be 1.

Today's Day 2 of the VIP camp was specially important as it falls on the same day of the annual specialisation investiture ceremony for Volunteer Instructors during the camp. Every Volunteer Instructor that has fulfilled the objectives of becoming a specialization member were honoured with a token of appreciation as well as a ceremony to introduce each of them into their new specialization.

However, instead of VIs running the whole show, it was both the VOP trainees and VIP trainees who ran the show instead. The VIP trainees were the one giving the instructions to their other batch mates as well as ensuring everything went smoothly. As it was their first time taking charge of such an important ceremony, there were doubts that something would go wrong. But in actual fact, I thought they did a good job in running the show given that it is their first time carrying out the exercise. Credit goes to them and the VOP trainees for putting up a successful investiture ceremony:)

As everyone headed to sleep, a few of the VIs made a daring rescue mission that rescued... oh well, an innocent but cute resident of the campsite.

VIP 13/12 Camp Day 1

2011-12-09T15:06:00.001+08:00

As a neutral for this whole VIP 2011 Programme, I always feel excited of the prospect of having the opportunity given to be part of this journey of the 47 trainees in their 'quest' to become a VI. Many people around me envied me for this rare opportunity I was given, not even money can cause me to give this priceless opportunity up. This really gave me the chance to relish and recall back memories of the days before officially becoming a Volunteer Instructor.

Officially. No kidding.

Its been one year since I was just like each of these VIP trainees, getting ready for camp, pumped up and ready to go. My batch, 12/11 (yay!), will never forget what we all went through as trainees before becoming a VI. In fact, they are all willing to start all over our VIP camp for the sake of experiencing it and recalling those good memories again.

And then there were 47...

47 trainees on their way to becoming a Volunteer Instructor.

It all began on a hot and dry morning, 47 trainees assembled outside the campsite anxiously getting ready for the day to start. Whispers, giggling, mutterings and heated discussions to ensure the next four days go alright were intensifying.

As everyone stepped into the campsite, there was this sense of urgency among everyone as they flocked to the parade square for the muster parade, where the trainees had their first briefing of the whole camp. Every trainee in each platoon had their part to play throughout the camp as it will be run by a platoon for each of the four days. Nonetheless, it was important that everyone knew the programme schedule and their roles so that the camp would flow smoothly.

Suddenly, continuous long whistle blow were heard from the canteen.

Fire.

Immediately, everyone gathered at the field where they assembled by their platoons. Indeed, the sense of urgency was getting more intensified.

As hours passed, the scorching hot weather became a concern as it appears to be pulling everyone down as the trainees began to take charge by ensuring the whole campsite was safe and ensuring the area around was clean. Thankfully, the trainees worked well together, with some valuable lessons learnt along the way.

Neutrality. Take no sides.

The trainees once again had to present their lesson presentation to their batch mates and trainers. As compared to the last contact session, it was obvious the trainees took the extra mile and effort to improve their MOI. One of the trainees even made her own snakes and ladder game that was related to RCY,

While capturing photos of the trainees, it lead me to recall last year VIP camp when I was just like them three hundred and sixty five days ago. Back then, my role for my platoon was something I was clearly not familiar with, especially when it was my very first time handling that role. But thanks to my supportive platoon mates, batch mates and the help we gave one another, we all made it through. If only time could be reversed..

I couldn't help but smile at the thought of all those flashbacks.

As I packed my camera back into place, I looked up to the sky. There were many shining stars, 47 of them to be exact... Stars that shone brightly. Indeed, the journey has just began.

VIP! To Lead With Pride! Hoohaa!

VIP 13/12 CS2

2011-12-09T08:42:00.001+08:00

Last week was indeed one of the most busiest saturdays at the Red Cross campsite. In conjunction with the Volunteer Instructors Programme 2011 Contact Session 2, the cadets who signed up for the upcoming RCYC camp were having their contact session too.

While the RCYC trainers and cadets were having a blast, back inside the campsite, the VIP 13/12 trainees were having their contact session 2. Some of the trainees recalled the ten core values of being a Voluntary Instructor, one of which is uphold as important during the whole day, and that is Professionalism. As a VI-to-be, they had to ensure that they uphold professionalism, in their bearings, displaying themselves differently from the cadet they used to be. Even with cadets around, they had to portray themselves as a VI.

The contact session started off with Hadi sir introducing to the trainees the importance of Red Cross Knowledge to school units. Though some may argue that other specs such as footdrill, evacuation and outdoor activities are more important, most of the trainees finally understood why RCK is so important.

Not long after, the trainees proceeded to practice their lesson presentation in front of their individual platoons and trainer. This session proved to be interesting as different trainees came up with their own lesson presentation in different creative style, as seen above:) These lesson presentation skills are essential for VIs-to-be when they return back to their units to conduct a lesson.

The trainees were even given the opportunity to work together with the VIs involved in the Volunteer Officers' Programme during their camp. Various areas such as Safety, Logistic, Programme and F&B were worked out by the trainees, while guided under the watchful eyes of the VIs. With that, we conclude the second contact session of the Volunteer Instructors' Programme.

Oh yes and for entertainment, here is one of the RCYC platoon cheers that they specially dedicated:

BOOM!!!~ Campfire's!! Burning!!!

2011-12-08T23:55:00.000+08:00

Having fun this holiday? Having too little camps, or you are just having too many this holiday!
Not all Camps have to be harsh and tough! You can have fun camps just like this!

We woud like to give our biggest thanks to Woodgrove Secondary School for inviting us to such an memorable event!!!

Interested in awesome Camp, but no venue? Our very own Red Cross Campsite welcome you!!!
Just get your YOs to book from RCY VDD!!!:D

If you would like to invite us to share your joyous occasion, do feel free to email us at theunichannel@gmail.com and wewill record this occasion!!!

Stay Till for more!....

World Aids Day (2nd Dec): The (2015)Quilt

2011-12-07T00:46:00.001+08:00

Every day, 1 000 babies are born with Aids

There are approximately 34 Million people living with Aids.

1.4 Million pregnant women are HIV+ require medication everyday which cost 40cents/day

So what's the plan?

Many celebrities are supporting this cause.

From Hugh Jackman to Miley Cyrus, they are supporting this cause!

#endofAIDS

You can join in the support too!

(click to enlarge)

Credit: 2015quilt

Create your own digital Quilt to show your support!

(click to enlarge)

Credit: shopred

With so many companies supporting, you can easily purchase something and support the cause as the proceeds goes to

The UN Foundation Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria - Inspired by (RED)

So what are you waiting for?

Be like Nike.
Just Do It.

Red Cross Youth Challenge 2011 (Camp Unity)

2011-12-06T17:38:00.001+08:00

Camp unity is back!!!

For those who wanna know what is going on, or for those who are already IN IT, then check this new RCYC blog out! Photos, application forms, packlist, updates of each day, you name it!

http://www.dtwdramas.com/rcyc2011/

Nom-Nom-Nom @ Homemade Ice-cream!

2011-12-06T00:35:00.000+08:00

Da Teenager here, bringing a special post on…..*DRUM ROLLS*…

Making your own HOMEMADE ICE-CREAM!

For this case, I have demonstrated on making Chocolate ice-cream, but if you prefer other flavors, just change the flavor of your milk!

If you want other types of ice-cream recipes, do refer to this website: www.serving-ice-cream.com/ice-cream-recipe.html
Take note though, not to try those which require eggs. While it's true that eggs make the ice-cream texture smoother, you will need to sterilize eggs, which takes a long time. So warning, Please try out the recipes that DO NOT REQUIRE EGGS (Philadelphia style recipes).

Enjoy! Da Teenager, signing off!

RCYC Contact Session 1 Details

2011-12-02T01:27:00.001+08:00

Hi all!

Here are the details of RCYC (Camp Unity) Contact Session 1:

Reporting time: 9.00am
Ending time: 1.00pm
Location: Red Cross Campsite
Attire: Mufti
Things to bring: Writing Materials, 1.5L water bottle

See you there!!!

CCA Fair (Part 2)

2011-11-30T19:56:00.001+08:00

Remember, FUN is all you need!

Hello again readers ^^
Here is part 2 to the CCA fair post!
Last week, we have seen some of the ideas that could be used in your CCA fair in your school.
So now, its time for tips on how to attract more people to your booth ^^
Some of the tips you may have seen or read about it before, some of it maybe rather boring but crucial.

SOOOOOOO...here goes...

1. BIG SMILE :D
Welcome your freshies with a big friendly smil and encourage them to see what you can offer!

2. Stand in front or beside your display.
NEVER stand behind your displays, especially tables! If you do that you are creating a wall between you and the person viewing your displays.

3. Send thank you notes/prizes (If you want)
After each freshies view your booth or complete a game or activity, give them a thank you note or your very own CCA flyer. Do include encouraging quotes :)

4. keep it SIMPLE
Don’t overwhelm your freshies with a lot of information.
Keep your display simple, clean and clutter free.
This will allow them to understand what your want to put across.

5. Tell your story!
Connect with your freshies! Tell them your fun and interesting experiences in Red Cross!! Share your very own stories with them...

6. End with a smile on your face! No matter big or small :)

Some tips to take note~

How to connect.
Try not to say “May I help you?” or “How are you doing?” Everyone is saying that.
Try saying: “Hello, Welcome! We’re from the Red Cross Youth ... ...”
Use open-ended questions, that will encourage more than just a one-word answer :D

Don’t make them wait.
Make sure you have enough manpower to handle your booth. Research shows that 58% of people will not wait longer than one minute. :P

Hope all these tips will be a great help to you readers out there!!
Cheers and stay tune to The UniChannel for more ~

Groove to the Beat: Mnet Asian Music Awards LIVE @ Singapore Indoor Stadium!

2011-11-29T23:21:00.001+08:00

Da Teenager, doing a short News Flash on the biggest Highlights on TV tonight, that made every show on the broadcasting TV Channel, Channel U, to be postponed, just for this one event: MNET ASIAN MUSIC AWARDS (MAMA) 2011!

The broadcast started at 4pm, whereby it was showing the red carpet and showing all the biggest stars in their best attire. The whole thing started at 6pm, and by then both Facebook and Twitter were showing some form of flooding already.

From amazing performances by popular K-POP groups, to surprising new finds like Jane Zhang Liang Ying, it was a solid show! Twitter became over-capacity, Facebook was full of news of results and performances, to the point that even if you are not watching, you know what is going on! :P

The top winners for MAMA 2011?

1) SUJU (Super Junior), with Best Male Group and Album of the Year
2) SNSD (Girls Generation), with Best Female Group and Artist of the Year
3) 2NE1, with Best Vocal Performance Group and Song Of the Year

For the list of the other winners, you can refer to this website: http://mama.mnet.com/en/winner2011_main.asp

& now, I present to you….*drum rolls*……SNSD & SUPER JUNIOR PERFORMANCES!
ENJOY! Da Teenager, signing off!! :D

VIP 13/12 CS1

2011-11-26T23:07:00.001+08:00

Last Saturday, 26th November, over 50 graduated Secondary 4 cadets came down to the Red Cross Campsite for the first ContactSession of 2011's Volunteer Instructor Programme. This year's VIPparticipants come from over 20 different Red Cross Youth units around Singapore. With cadets from the Unit Instructor Programme also at the Red Cross Campsite having their camp that day, the atmosphere was filled with noise as the campsite was full of cadets from the multi-purpose hall all the way to the canteen.

"I need a volunteer"

Once the Volunteer Instructors-to-be settled down, they were reminded about their bearings and displaying their best behavior they had to display as their journey of a VI-to-be starts, which includes having pride in themselves and being professional in whatever they do. Clearly, everyone was hyped up for the first contact session towards their journey in becoming a VI.

Not long after, Chief Trainer Qiu Yu sir addressed the eager learners to the programme and explained the background of the VI family as well as the programme outline.

After much anticipation, the VIs-to-be were allocated to their various platoons and had a fun time introducing themselves to their platoon mates. Through this time of bonding, it was evident that new friendships have started as each trainee begin their journey in becoming a VI.

In their own platoons, the trainees had a group discussion on what they think the role of a Volunteer Instructor were and this was shared with everyone else. It was clear that most of them had a common insight of what the role of a Volunteer Instructor was, which includes being professional in whatever they do.

As the day went by, the trainees were given a refresher on Red Cross Knowledge by Hadi sir, who refreshed their memories on RCK syllabus that they had doubts with, by using the role-playing method that ignite everyone's interest.


Trainees working in pairs attempting the RCK Bronze and Silver papers

After a long and tiring day of fruitful learning, the Volunteer Instructors-to-be went home having learnt new things, with each of them having an important task in hand for their respective platoon. With that, we concluded the first contact session of the Volunteer Instructors' Programme 2011 that has proven that more interesting weeks are soon to come.

UIP 2011 Camp Day 1

2011-11-25T16:39:00.001+08:00

Today Chief Trainer Hadi Sir introduced the remaining of the 11 Big Strategies. For those of you who didn't catch last week's post, the 11 Big Strategies are like sauces and toppings that you can add to your lessons to spice things up.

Strategy number 8, for example suggests that we throw in simulation activities to enhance learning. Simulating actual scenes where skills are actually applied can also help your audience understand the context of the lesson better :)

Speaking of which, at around 5pm, the campsite flew into chaos when several VIs collapsed simultaneously at the parade ground. The screaming of the "next-of-kins" VIs added even more drama to the whole situation. This of course, was a simulation exercise to help show why we teach the different subjects in RCY - First Aid & Evacuation for disaster manangement, Outdoor Activities for setting up shelter in disaster zones, Footdrill to build confidence and teamwork through giving and following commands.

The highlight of the day would probably be the Confidence Runway in the evening. Everyone wore their formal clothing and got to practice walking confidently in front of a large audience. With upbeat music blasting in the background, this was a really good opportunity for everyone to practice and build up their confidence.

We rounded up Day 1 by revealing the Simulation Activity for Day 2. This is going to be the first time the UIPers are getting the opportunity to go through an "almost real-life" unit training. Tomorrow will be a long day but I'm sure all of us will be looking forward to it.

VIP 13/12 Contact Session 1 Details!

2011-11-24T03:46:00.001+08:00

Hello to all VIP trainees!

Administrative Details

Reporting Date: 26th November 2011, Saturday

Reporting Time: 9.00am (please arrive 15mins earlier for registration)

Dismissal Time: 6.30pm
Reporting Venue: Red Cross Campsite
Reporting Attire: Mufti (any Red Cross T-shirt w/ Jeans or Track-pants)
Bring Along: Water Bottle, Writing Materials

Do spread to all your peers who have registered for VIP too! See you there!

UIP 2011 Camp Packlist

2011-11-23T20:14:00.001+08:00

(CLICK TO SEE THE FULLSIZE IMAGE)

Rest well everyone, camp starts in less than 36 hours and I can't wait! :)

CCA Fair (Part1)

2011-11-23T10:00:00.000+08:00

Hey peeps!!
Ready to recruit new fresh bloods into your school's Red Cross units??
Having tired of doing the same old thing again and again every year?
Want some ideas, but could not get any?
Here are some ideas you guys may want to consider ^^

1. Fancy Drill Display

I bet most schools sure have prepared for the open array drills segments in NFC2011 but
did not have a chance to shine with their well prepared and amazing Fancy drills.
why not use your fancy drills skills to attract the fresh bloods?
Its COOL and very professional toos!

2. Mission

You can collaborate a firedrill "mission" with your very own sch?
Let your very own cadets display their Fist Aid and Evacuation skills!
The frieshies would be able to feel it first hand of what Red Cross Youth cadets are capable of :)

BUT if you do not want it to be sooooo BIG...
Give your cadets some scenarios for them to act out and choose some of your cadets to be the first aiders on standby.
Once the "mission" begins, your first aiders that are on stand by would be activated!

3. Mass dance/ FlashMob

Do you still remember this year's World Red Cross Day mass dance?
If you do you use the dance to do a flashmob?
The dance is easy to learn and fun and lively too!
While you are dancing, attract people to your booth
After dancing, people will realise that Red Cross Youth is not only about doing first aid.
But a lot more!

Anything is possible,
All u need is a little creativity and effort!!

more ideas and tips coming up next week ^^
So stay tuned to The UniChannel...

Elephant Refuge @ Thailand

2011-11-22T23:33:00.001+08:00

Elephant bathing in the lake.

Although elephants in Singapore are greatly protected, it does not seem to be the same for the other country.

If you are like me, someone who can't afford to go oversea to volunteer there personally due to cost.

What WE can do now is to spread the awareness and allow more people to be aware of such happenings.

Through this, we can then have more people to support this movement and keep it going on. :)

GO ELEPHANTS!

UIP 2011 CS3 (CLICK TO SEE VIDEO)

2011-11-21T15:16:00.001+08:00

UIP 2011 Contact Session 3 was pretty cool, with all our instructors-to-be having lots of fun delivering their Task 2 lesson.

This week, we saw many really impressive visual aids! Not only will these visual aids help your juniors learn more through your lessons, they also reflect the effort you put into planning your lessons - this means that your juniors will want to put in more effort in learning too :)

Hadi Sir and Xing Yuan Sir impressed by really artistic visual aids

This week, we also introduced the primary specialisations of UIP 2011- First Aid and Red Cross Knowledge... This included revealing the newly developed First Aid Bronze/Silver/Gold syllabus!

Here's a sneak peek at Hadi Sir's super-compressed RCK lesson last Saturday (he squeezed 8 hours into just 10mins).

Nom-nom-nom @ Ion Orchard!

2011-11-19T00:30:00.000+08:00

Hi all!

Da Teenager is back with more awesome food updates!

Today! Special investigation to the foodmall in ION orchard!

Don't get daunted by the expensive mall because most of the food down there is quite affordable! Even those stingy people on a budget (i.e. ME) can find good food at affordable prices!

OK!

Today's main course will be Xiao Ba Wang Mee Sua!~

Anyway, I bought a set meal consisting of one mee sua, one drink (flower tea!), one salted crispy chicken and one tea egg! which you can see the the picture belowwwww…...

All for just $7.30 in total! Though it may seem a bit expensive compared to food courts etc, but it's super worth it as I was actually FULL after finishing it!

So here's a course by course review!

Firstly is the chicken! Though the meat is kinda tough, the marinade is very good indeed! It is quite different from all the other chicken you get elsewhere!

Then we move on to the tea~
It's like a sour plum tea, but with a herbal aftertaste (which is like a flower-scented taste)
Very unique indeed, but I think not everyone will like it? Try at your own risk :)

Now for the main dish *cues for drum roll*………. MEE SUA!

Actually I found it only average O.o, though there are some yummy meatballs inside. Oh and the tea egg was just….normal.
The chili they provide is very spicy though...
Anyway the broth in the mee sua was quite tasty, however the mee sua was too thin for it to have any texture..
Not to mention the small spoon the provided was not suitable for mee-sua-eating at all...

All in all it was quite worth it for 7.30! My brother just told me that apparently their milk tea (the other choice for the drinks) is quite good, so I shall try that next time!

Here are a few other stalls in ION!
There's 4 fingers, quite a nice fried chicken stall that my friend went to!

I took a bit of the chicken and the fries from my friend, they were quite delicious! Especially the specially marinated garlic chicken~

On the way out we came across another few interesting stalls!

This stall sells rice balls in various types of sauces/paste!
Above is their black sesame powder and sweet soy sauce hahahahaha! My personal favourite from this stall is their red bean paste!

OOOH last but not least, the famouse takoyaki stall in ION!!

It's around $3.80 for 4 takoyaki balls and $7.00 for 8.
Though it may seem a bit expensive, they are really generous with the size!

The octopus bits in the takoyaki balls are twice to three times the size compared to other stalls, and they also have ginger, onion and tempura bits in the takoyaki balls!
Not to mention that their takoyaki is at least 1.5x bigger than those from other stalls!

Oh yes! Though I did not take a picture, but do try the Rock Salt Cheese Green Tea drink from this stall named Happy Lemon! It's quite a….unique drink XD

Will definitely try it and review it for the next time I go out! :D

Da Teenager, signing off~

P.S. Look out for a special next week! Da Teenager will bring food, right into the comfort of your own home!~ *secret grins*

UIP 2011 CS2 (CLICK TO SEE VIDEO)

2011-11-18T00:13:00.001+08:00

We started off the 2nd Contact Session of 2011's Unit Instructors Programme with a high note, with the different platoons engaging in different bonding activities, and playing games like Charades.

Sadly by lunchtime, the skies had grown dark and cloudy, and it began to pour. This however, did not manage to stop the fighting spirit of our VIs and instructors-to-be, with everyone quickly moving into shelter to continue with the programme :)

This week, Chief Trainer Hadi sir introduced the "11 Big Strategies", essentially eleven strategies that would help make your lesson more effective. Of the eleven, Hadi sir revealed four-and-a-half of them, including Key Ideas (the 11th one), which was explained in CS1... go ask your UIP friends what these strategies are about!

To end off this segment, we've included a special feature video to give you all a glimpse of what's going on in UIP (see below). Anyway all the best for CS3 guys!

He who fails to plan is planning to fail (Part 2)

2011-11-17T20:52:00.001+08:00

Heyreaders, did you do your homework and find out more about EUA? I hope you did,because you might get a little confused otherwise!

Onto the main topic - how do you plan for EUA? First, you need to know where youwant your unit to go, and what direction you want your unit to take.

Unit Direction

Shouldmy unit focus on First Aid or Evacuation? Do I put more fun Outdoor Activitiesor rigid Footdrill? (Actually, Footdrill can be fun if you teach it well - askthe UIP peeps!)

Theanswer: YOU decide. You and your committee can create Mission and VisionStatements, or simply a list of goals which you want to achieve for your unit bythe end of your time as an NCO.

Forexample, let’s say ABC Red Cross Unit wants to:

1.Achieve EUA Gold for 2012 (long term, tangible goal)

2.Nurture passionate, proficient and disciplined cadets (long term, intangiblegoal)

3.Win a district prize for First Aid Competition 2012 and Current AffairsCompetition 2012 (short term, tangible goal)

Naturally,ABC Red Cross Unit would want to plan their trainings such that it allows cadetsto obtain 3 Bronze badges by the end of Sec 1, 2 Silvers by the end of Sec 2,and 1 Gold by the end of Sec 3. This not only fits their 2^nd goal ofnurturing proficient cadets, these badges are also part of the EUA criteria forproficiency badges. Furthermore, covering more core subjects in their trainingsyllabus also helps them in EUA Criteria 3. Not two, but three birds killedwith one stone!

Inaddition, they would also focus more on First Aid and Red Cross Knowledge inorder to achieve their 3^rd goal - the competitions focus mainly onFA and RCK. By the way, these subjects are the most important and “unique” toRCY: other UGs do Footdrill, Scouts do OA, and so on. FA and RCK are our “trademark”subjects (hence for UIP, participants need to choose either FA or RCK for oneof their specialisations).

Nowyou see why you need a direction? :)

Planning for EUA

Onto the most anticipated section! Firstly, to plan properly for EUA, you should compileyour own set of EUA points (even if your YO does it) so you can keep track ofit yourself, and make changes to your plans if needed. Let’s touch on eachcriteria one by one - not too long though, if not I’ll be talking until VIPcomes. (Who’s going? :D)

Howdo you make more cadets join your unit / stay in your unit / come fortrainings? For many schools, there are recruitment drives or something likethat - that’s where you go all out to bring in more cadets. Mark it on yourcalendar, and do something really special to grab everyone’s attention andthink Red Cross is really cool (and not just some sissy CCA)! Like, try havinga “flash mob” of first aiders doing First Aid on your own “casualties” in themiddle of nowhere or things like that (but of course, get your YO’s approvalfirst).

Tomake cadets stay in your unit and come for trainings, make them feel RC isworth going for, better than Facebooking at home or playing Skyrim / MW3(usually, guys only). Treat them with respect, make them feel loved and caredfor, do fun things to break the monotony, keep them engaged in lessons!

Next,to ensure that your cadets get the required badges (base this on your unitdirection!): estimate how long it takes to teach each subject then set youraccreditation dates accordingly (do help them revise), but remember to spreadthem out and have a variety of subjects so cadets don’t get bored duringtraining. Also, be realistic! If you only have 50 hours of trainings a year,don’t expect them Sec 1s to get all the Bronzes - they can’t absorb that much,neither can you deliver so much.

Criteria3, 4 and 10 come together. Have trainings once or twice a week, cover all thecore subjects (RCK, FA, Evac, FD, OA, etc.), and make everyone exerciseregularly to buff them up for NAPFA. Even if your unit’s focus is not, let’ssay OA, it doesn’t hurt to do it occasionally and decrease its priority - atleast they know it’s part of RCY and it’s important! What you cover duringthese trainings should generally lead up to competitions - if you aim to win aprize in FAC, do more First Aid during trainings so that your cadets are moreprepared even before competition training starts! As for camps, do somethingthat’s memorable - do things that cannot be done during a normal 2 hourtraining! (Hint: Use the night to your advantage)

Doyour cadets want a chance to interact with other units? No problem, that’sCriterion 6 for you! Have activities with other UGs within your school andother units (both cadet and link) at least once a year. This is the time foreveryone to make friends and have fun - no need to stick to same-gender unitsif you can’t find one, as long as you’re comfortable. You can even try having acadet-cadet-link inter-unit activity to clear all the Criteria at one go, andmake it even more fun for everyone!

Criteria7 to 9 are all linked through one central group of people - your YOs! Your YOsreceive emails informing them of events, events like UIP (yay), NDP, SYF, FlagDay, UOP and YOSS. Remind them to inform you of these events (at least,everything but the last two) so that you can choose which cadets to go for them- send as many as you can! As for UOP and YOSS, remind them to go for thesealso, not just for the Criteria but for them to “upgrade” themselves.

Afterthe compiling is done (whether by you or your YOs - remember to include evidence),remind your YOs to send it on time! That’s Criteria 5 for you.

Withall that in mind, it’s time to create your unit’s plan for 2012! It may be goodto keep a calendar to mark out all the events (even the HQ ones) so you don’toverlap them. Have a meeting with your committee to do the necessary planningand discussion.

Istarted off with a quote, so I’ll end off with another quote for you readers tothink about!

“Agoal is a dream with a deadline.” - Napoleon Bonaparte

Remember,if there’s a will, there’s a way. Till the next Unit Issues!

Philippines- Save the Children

2011-11-15T00:50:00.001+08:00

Do you know...

- the population there is about 97, 976, 603?

- the size is slightly larger than the Arizona?

- 30% of the population is below the poverty line?

- 26.5% of the children under 5 are malnourished?

- only 60% of births are attended by skilled health personnel?

Let's all help if opportunities are given upon us without hesitation and at the same time be appreciative to the things we have. :)

Reminder: The monk challenge is still on! Mail us your answer now to win attractive prizes!

Nom-nom-nom @ Makan Place, Ngee Ann Polytechnic!

2011-11-12T23:30:00.000+08:00

Da Teenager is here once again this week, bringing you my latest food cravings!

So after a whole day of school, I need some gooooooood food to perk me up, and what's better than a piping hot plate of Omelette Rice with Korean Chicken Cutlet!

TADAAAAAAA!!!

Not a fan of spicy food? No worries. the gravy is not really spicy at all. Even I don't have to worry that I would sweat all the way in the air-conditioned food court ^^ Plus a bite is all that it takes to send you on cloud 9 (literally). Rice is definitely an awesome match with the Omelette. The chicken is chunky enough and I bet that once you start, you can't stop until the last rice grain!~ YUMMMYYYYYY! However, its would be great if they would give side-dishes to go along with it or having a bowl of Miso soup. (:

The best part? It's only for S$3.50!

Heavenly food, at such a good price!

You could just take buses 52, 61, 74, 74e, 75, 151, 151e, 151A, 154, 154A, 184 and alight along Clementi Road. There you will see a Gigantic Institution of course! you will have to walk further up to a slope. Walking past the Convention Center and School of Business and Accountancy. After that turn to your right side. You have arrived that Makan Placeeee.

Hope you did not drool over your computer! Da Teenager, signing off! :P

He who fails to plan is planning to fail (Part 1)

2011-11-10T13:04:00.000+08:00

I'm sure many of you readers out there have heard about this famous quote by Winston Churchill. Though it is a bit crude, the essence behind it does make a lot of sense. Before you embark on something, you should at least have a rough idea of what you intend to do.

Which brings me to my main point - where do we want our units to head towards? Usually, it is something like this: "I want my unit to win a district prize at First Aid Competition", or even something simple like "I want my juniors to be more pro in footdrill". However, most of these goals cn actually be consolidated into a single one: achieving Excellent Unit Award (EUA) Bronze / Silver / Gold.

So what actually is EUA Bronze, Silver, or Gold?

There is actually a set of criteria which units have to fulfill in order to get EUA points - when your unit gets the required amount of points (out of 500), you will be awarded with that level of EUA. Here's an overview of the things that EUA consists of:

1. Membership and Attendance of Cadets (70 points)

This part is broken down into three categories - total cadet strength in the unit as a percentage of the school, retention rate of cadets, and attendance of cadets at training sessions. What this means is, the more cadets you recruit to join your unit, the less cadets who quit or transfer CCA, the more cadets who attend every training, the more points you are going to get.

2. Cadets Proficiency Through Incentive Badges (70 points)

These badges comprise a few: Standard First Aid, Total Defence (Bronze), National Heritage, and of course your normal Bronze, Silver and Golds. The more your cadets learn, the more "pro" they are at core subjects, and the more "shiny" their uniform is, the more points you'll get.

3. Unit Training Sessions (60 points)

The number of trainings you have, how relevant your trainings are to the core subjects, and whether you conduct unit camps or not, all these contribute to this segment.

4. Participation and Achievement in Red Cross Competitions (50 points)

Yes, you do get points for participating! Of course, credit has to be given where credit is due, and if your unit has achieved a prize (even a district one), you can get points too.

5. Administration (30 points)

Punctuality is very important - submit all the relevant documents on time, and this should be no problem.

6. Bonus Segment (25 points)

Strictly speaking, this segment is not truly "bonus" as it is still part of the 500 EUA points. For this part, your unit has to participate in inter-CCA events: between cadet unit and cadet unit, between cadet unit and link unit, and of course between UG (uniformed group) and another UG.

7. Participation in Activities Beyond the Unit (90 points)

Beyond the unit? What is that? These activities include national events such as NDP and SYF, HQ activities such as World Red Cross Day and Flag Day, school-based activities such as first aid duties (for swim carnival, etc.) and enrichment activities such as rock climbing or even OBS.

8. Participation in Red Cross Fundraising Activities (25 points)

Of course, as a member of the Singapore Red Cross you have to do your part for the organisation too - participate in SRC fundraising activities such as Flag Day and also do your best in raising money through the SRC Pledge Cards.

9. Teacher-Officers' Proficiency (40 points)

Did you think teachers do not need to learn first aid, footdrill, evacuation, or attend programmes by HQ? Think again! Your teachers have to get SFA and participate in UOP (Unit Officers' Programme) and YOSS (Youth Officers' Sharing Session) to fulfill this EUA Criteria.

10. NAPFA (10 points)

Yes, the dreaded 2.4 km run, the impossible standing broad jump, all these are part of the criteria too - as a cadet, you have to be fit as well!

Awarding of EUA

EUA Gold: 90% of overall score (450 points), limited to top 20% of units
EUA Silver: 80 to 89% of overall score (400 to 449 points), limited to next 30% of units
EUA Bronze: 60 to 79% of overall score (300 to 399 points)

I've explained so much about EUA, I think many of you are a bit lost right now. Not to worry, here's some homework for you readers out there: go find out from your YOs or VIs what the exact EUA criteria is! There is an official document and even a points calculator (which usually your YO fills in), so have a look at those. If you're not an NCO yet, don't worry, this will still help you understand the overall direction that your unit should be heading towards.

But what to do about all these criteria? How do you plan for an EUA Bronze / Silver / Gold? What can I do to help my unit achieve EUA?

These questions and more will be answered in the next part of this post, coming your way next week. If you have any specific questions about EUA in the meantime, please direct them to your YOs!

Stay tuned :)

Boat Donation

2011-11-09T00:58:00.000+08:00

The Singapore Red Cross has donated 18 rubber boats to support the flood relief efforts in Thailand. The boats are set to arrive in Bangkok by Saturday.

These boats can carry up to 560kg in weight, and cost a total of $50,000! That's a lot of money :O

There are many ways we can help, not only through charity but also through raising awareness and encouraging our friends around us to support the relief efforts in Thailand. Although we might not be able to help in big ways, every small step, such as keeping our ASEAN friends in our thoughts, will go a long way to help the flood victims in Bangkok.

UIP 2011 CS1

2011-11-08T18:50:00.001+08:00

Last Saturday, over 150Red Cross Youth cadets came down to the Red Cross Campsite for the first ContactSession of 2011's Unit Instructors' Programme (UIP). This year's UIP participants come from over 40 different Red Cross Youth units around Singapore.

Once our instructors-to-be arrived, they quickly joined theirrespective UIP groupmates, who were already sitting in circles introducing themselves to their groupmates. By 9am, the whole parade square was filled up.

Later on, the instructorswere given a task that they would have to complete by the end of the day – theywere given an RCY subject (either First Aid, Evacuation, Footdrill or OutdoorActivities) to teach later in the afternoon. But before that, all the instructorswent through a crash-course to learn the skills they needed in order to deliver theirlesson well.

Soon, it was time for the instructors to present their lesson. Althoughsome of us were a bit worried about our presentations at the beginning, I felt that the lessons went on very smoothly in general, and weren't as hard as we all thought they would be :)

An instructor gives a lesson on how to execute "sedia" properly.

A glimpse of an engaging map reading lesson.

After a long and tiring day, our UIP cadets went home having learnt something new. With that, we concluded the first contact session of the Unit Instructors' Programme 2011.

NFC 2011 Videos (Part 3)

2011-11-07T19:22:00.000+08:00

Hello all!

After the long wait, here are the NFC 2011 videos of JWSS, VS, RGS and TKSS!!

Most of the pointers made for previous videos can be applied to these videos here. Just some small comments:

JWSS: like that idea of side to side and you did taking steps to the sides.You have many ideas and many movements, but they can only shine if you had more time to practice its sharpness, swiftness and unity. Then your drills can be one of the best! Great job though!

TKSS: Love the start. And applause to the cadet whose shoe came off, yet you still continued to march!! Courageous effort that all of us can learn from. Formations are great, and theres a good standard of precision and unit.

Do note that you're not allowed to do that move in 1:45. because that "tai chi" move breaks the conventional rules of FD in RCY. nevertheless, applause to the part between 2:41-2:46. Excellent work and united movement. Well done!

RGS: Love your formations, especially the clock one! and the hand gestures for 2:03, the actions can be seen clearly because of the contrast between your arms and the gloves/uniform. Our advice would be for you to choose a slightly even faster beat, because the song you chose has quite a slow tempo, so despite your great formations, it might get a little draggy.

Music is key to increase the excitement and the 'showcase' feel, only then will your audience enjoy it even more! But still, awesome work there!!

VS: Super job well done!!! If you had stuck by the rules and not cross the line of footdrill too much (like doing a backward march) you'd do a super duper awesome job!!! love the formations at 1:28. Practice more, emphasize on the swiftness and the basics of FD (banging, distance when taking steps, arm swings) and you'd really be on your way to creating one of the most awesome open array drills that RCY has ever seen!

Having said all this, we daresay that this year's NFC open array drills have made tremendous improvement compared to past years. If we can all focus on our basic foundational skills, then our level of footdrill and open array drills will really be top notch across all RCY units.

Well done everyone!!!!

Look out for the final NFC video release on 21 Nov from Raffles Institution and behind the scenes of how their team trained in order to achieve their 1st runner's up position!

Check In! @ Hortpark (Part 2)

2011-11-05T23:45:00.000+08:00

Da Teenager is back with Part 2 of Hortpark! With slightly more preparation (like getting a map and being in proper attire) this week, only the weather nearly forced me to cancel my quest to fully explore Hortpark.
Thankfully it was only a slight drizzle, so I started my quest with my trusty camera and map :D

1st stop: Lifestyle corner

Next stop: Roof Top Garden!

Look at these amazing vertical walls filled with creepers :)

The next stop: The passage walk! (With a small surprise in it)

There's a fish tank! :D

Native garden:

The one I had been looking forward to, the Butterfly park! But met with a disappointment…

Just my bad luck O.o So I moved on….and was rewarded with an interesting find!

& last but not least, another BIG open space at the end of Hortpark!

There are many other sights at Hortpark, however as of now, some of the popular spots at the Hortpark are not ready yet, as it takes time to prepare the spots; plants and flowers don't take overnight to grow :)

Hope you have enjoyed these 2 editions of the Hortpark :)

Da Teenager, signing off :)

UIP Task 1 Helpline

2011-11-05T00:00:00.000+08:00

For all UIP Cadets,

Do note that you can find the notes to understand the various topics for Task 1 by downloading from the following link click here -->

Here is a sample lesson plan for you see as a guide when doing Task 1:

Click to enlarge

Remember that you can always ask your mentors via email or through the UIP 2011 Facebook group.

For those who missed out today's Contact Session, do download the notes from the link provided in the facebook group as well.

All the best, and see you on the next UIP Contact Session 2, 12 November 2011, 8.15am at RC campsite!

UIP 2011 Details

2011-11-04T01:12:00.001+08:00

Unit Instructors' Programme 1st Contact Session is this Saturday, 5th November 2011.

Date: 5th Nov 2011

Time: 8:30am, expected ending time to be 6pm

Attire: Red Cross Mufti (Red Cross T-shirt + Trackpants)

ALL trainees to have their breakfast before coming.

Things to bring:
1. Writing Materials (pen and foolscap)

2. Money for Lunch

3. At least 1Litre and above of water bottle of any brands

For cadets that are unsure of the directions to the Red Cross Campsite, there will be 2 Volunteer Instructors in Red Cross T-shirts waiting at Kembangan MRT Station from 7:30am-8:10 am to guide them to the Red Cross Campsite.

To download the latest notes, click here -->

See you there!

Has winning become EVERYTHING? (Part II)

2011-11-03T20:23:00.003+08:00

In our last entry on - has winning become EVERYTHING? (Part I) we showed the objectives of MOE.

Confident Person :

who has a strong sense of right and wrong, is adaptable and resilient, knows himself, is discerning in judgment, thinks independently and critically, and communicates effectively.

Self-directed Learner:

who questions, reflects, perseveres and takes responsibility for his own learning.

Active Contributor:

who is able to work effectively in teams, is innovative, exercises initiative, takes calculated risks and strives for excellence.

Concerned Citizen:

who is rooted to Singapore, has a strong sense of civic responsibility, is informed about Singapore and the world, and takes an active part in bettering the lives of others around him.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So why do we compete? Well, besides from being students and reading books to gain knowledge. MOE wants students to be an all-rounder, being proficient in both knowledge and in skills. Skills are something that you cannot just learnt from out-of-the-textbook, but it is rather through experience, practice and one's aptitude.

Some of you may start to wonder, what has competition got to do with the MOE objectives? Well, in my opinion.. Through competition, we will become an Active Contributor - for whenever competition is coming, we are often group together with people we may or may not like but yet we are working together towards the same goal, be it big or small. Let's take the recent National Footdrill Competition to be the example. A simple squad of 15 cadets are needed, but the process of training is tiring. We all need to learn to bang as one squad, our arm swings have to be coordinated and so on and so forth, and that is just for preliminary round. If the squad makes it to the final round, Open Array Drills is the one that needs to be showcased. To have a successful, eye-catching and crowd-wowing moves it's not easy. To do so, we need to work as one, and come up with innovative and creative steps. Like the Fairfield Secondary School NFC squad, they strived for excellence together as a team, and worked towards a common goal - winning the competition. Indeed, they did!

Confident Person - the National First Aid Competition is the best example I could think of when comes to this objective. The team leader of the FAC squad must always remain calm, take control of the situation and his/her team-mates, especially when things get a little too out-of-control (with reference to FAC 2011 Finals). The team leader must give out clear and concise instructions to his/her team-mates and must be sure of the proper methods used for evacuation and first aid treatment. The team-mates, likewise, must be adaptable to different scenarios, stay calm and is always ready for last minute instructions by the team leader. In every competition, it takes two hands to clap and in this case - rescuing the casualties to safety by using the correct methods of evacuation and treatment.

These are just two objectives that are being met so far before and during the competitions. However, there is just one more objective...

There is no doubt that we all train to win a competition because that is the goal that we have set for ourselves. We used different tactics every year, to train our body and our minds are trained to think that we MUST win the competition. There is no fault for having a goal and the determination to chase after that goal, I suppose that it is part of human nature isn't it? Being competitive is good, but there isn't a need to go over-competitive. There isn't a need to jeer other schools and accuse them of copying your tactics, or accuse the judges for being blind. Instead of this jeering and accusing, we should all take a step back and breathe..

Start reflecting.. Reflect on the performance that you and your team mates gave during trainings, reflect on the performance that was given during the actual competition. Open thy eyes, start looking at other schools' strengths and reflect on how they did they win.. and even the schools that did not win for they might possess some skills that they had that you didn't have. Do not be too overcome by the tears and emotions that comes right after the announcement of the Champions, cry and quickly get over it. Start thinking of ways on how to improve your unit's standards, be it Footdrill, Casualty Evacuation & First Aid or Red Cross Knowledge, so that your juniors are more well-equipped for the next year's competition.

This does not stop here, even if you are part of the winning school this year.. Do this as well! For you are helping your unit by constantly improving your standards.. and maybe who knows, if all Red Cross Youth units do this, the standards of Red Cross Youth will improve as a whole!

Remember, the secret of winning does not just stop at the one competition that you won. But rather, it is to improve your unit's standards every year.. With this, I have brought in the third MOE objective - Self-directed Learner.

Competitions are here to bring out the best in each one of us, not to tear us down. They are here to constantly help us to improve ourselves every time that we are defeated, and not admit defeat every time that we lost. They have values that we may often forget.. Teamwork. Communication. Leadership. Humility. Dignity. Care for other team mates. Empathy. Creativity. Willingness to take risks. Tenacity. Altruism. Being organized. Discipline. Flexibility. Adaptability. Respect. Resilience. Harmony. Integrity. Being open for all to learn together.

We Challenge You!: Thailand Flood 2011

2011-11-01T03:11:00.000+08:00

If you happen to see the monk in the painting, what will you do?

In less than 50 words, tell us what you do, stating what you are (a village man, a medical officer, etc).

You stand to win vouchers!

Email to theunichannel@gmail.com by 15 November 2011.

Do not forget the following details:

Name:

School Unit:

Home Address:

(entries without the details will be ignored)

All The best!:)

Check In! @ Hortpark (Part 1)

2011-10-29T01:57:00.000+08:00

Thinking of getting closer to nature, yet it's accessible?

Look no further, as Da Teenager brings you the first part of the series of exploring Hortpark! Let me share with you my journey, as well as a lesson learnt from it :)

It was a random idea, really. While on a bus ride to Habourfront Centre, I saw the Hortpark sign, and on the spur of the moment, alighted and headed towards Hortpark! And my unprepared, impromptu journey began!

My original intention was to walk through Alexander Arch, to Henderson Waves and then, Mount Faber. The journey looked promising at first…

Until…

The horror…. I had to walk back to where I started. The result of not doing any prior homework :(

So, I decided to explore the actual Hortpark instead :D

Floral Walk, on the way to Hortpark.

Entrance to HortPark.

The Water Garden.

The big open space below right below the Visitor Centre. Perfect for mass games (Or even a bonding session with your respective school units!)

The Balinese Garden.

As I had no Hortpark map and underestimated the time I needed to explore the whole of HortPark, I had no choice but to leave halfway due to the impending rain.

So, always plan and prepare before doing an activity, if not you may end up getting disappointed due to unforeseen circumstances :)

Hortpark Part 2, coming up next week! Da Teenager, signing off!

Each moment of the year has its own beauty."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

RCYC Community Project

2011-10-28T11:49:00.004+08:00

Hi all,

We will be doing a community project during RCYC where every participant and VI will be giving out a new set of accessories for needy children before they go to school in 2012. Your YOs have already been informed of what you can donate to us (pencils, pens, erasers etc) tomorrow at the Red Cross Campsite (29 Oct 2011) so that we have more donations to be given out to more needy students.

Do help us in this first ever community project for our very own fellow Singaporean Students who need that small bit of shine in their lives. Some have to use one single pencil for the entire year, and imagine how short the pencil is by the time Semester 2 arrives.

So do your part and give them that bit of help. A few new pencils, pens, rules and erasers goes a very very very long way in helping these students, our fellow Singaporeans.

Seek your YOs for more information!

To Lead With Pride...

2011-10-27T18:54:00.001+08:00

Volunteer Instructors, in short VIs. Wonder why VIs exist? Ever wonder why your VI wouldmake unconditional sacrifice for you? VIs are just volunteers right, so why are they so willing to give their time to us, the cadets?

Click on the Video below and it will tell you why.

Yes! It’s just one word, a word so powerful that choose this road, "Love"

VIs are no different from you. We were all once cadets. Like how our VIs have loved us, we have chosen this road to contributeand pass down the knowledge and passion within us to every single one of you today. Giving them aplace to belong and a life they will never regret. You can be the one to change their life today!

If you have the same passion and feeling for your unit andjuniors, you are the right person that we are looking for! The passion, the commitment, leading the ones you love... It is a feeling that you will never forget, the decision that you will never regret. I can say this because I have never once regretted the road I have decided to take, Leading the Ones I Love and To Lead With Pride.

Registration Deadline: 11 November 2011

So, what are you waiting for... Do not hesitate any more! Join VIP 2011!

VIP 13/12 Training Prospectus

Homely Humanity: When clean water is scarce

2011-10-25T23:30:00.000+08:00

Hey readers!

Water may be everywhere, but sometimes it comes in short supply: did you know that fresh, clean drinking water is hard to find in a flood situation? The floods damage waterworks and prevent victims from accessing clean water not dirtied by seawater, which can contain deadly bacteria and cause unpleasant conditions such as severe diarrhea.

In 2009, the Singapore Red Cross donated about 3000 water purification devices to the Phillipines to help flood survivors obtain clean water. A quick video of the pump here:

In other cases, water can do some amazing things to brighten up people's lives. Here's a short video on how some really simple thinking can bring about a large impact through some low cost innovation:

Clever, ain't it? Little things can go a long way...be in in fundraising for the recent SEA floods, helping out your friends, studying for your exams or simply training with your unitmates, every little gesture and every little effort in life can go a long way if directed properly - here's a personal quote that this blogger would like to share:

“The few who do are the envy of those who only watch.” - Jim Rohn

strive on and stay hopeful-

VIP 1312 Registration

2011-10-25T10:54:00.000+08:00

VIP Registration is extended till 11 November!

Do sign up by asking the forms from your YOs if you have not done so!

NFC 2011 Finals (JSS & SCGS)

2011-10-24T23:58:00.000+08:00

Hello all!

Really great work from these 2 open array drills from Singapore Chinese Girl's School RCY and Jurong Secondary School RCY!

Here are some comments which can help you to improve your open array drills, which you can use for recruitment drive next year!

Do note that the comments below were not based on the judge's decisions for NFC2011, and are merely from the VI who was filming this video.

1. Don't count your timing out loud! It doesn't do justice to the music. The music helps to steer the formations, so count the timing in your hearts. It'll definitely make your drills a looooot better!

2. Try not to have too many static poses for a long period of time. Formations which are dynamic (everyone moving, or more than 50% moving) will not make the audience bored. You have only 3-5 minutes, and the audience attention span is not more than 30 seconds, so keep moving and keep making it dynamic, then your audience will be interested in what is coming next.

Eg for the SCGS formations, the 0:47 when the cadet moves in and out of the line, that was pretty long, considering that only a few were moving and we know what is going to happen throughout that particular movement, so it does get a little too static and can lose the audience's interest.

Have to comment though that during that portion, the arm swings were super great!!! :D Do note that controlled steps are not allowed, so open your steps wider. Footdrill rules are more important, so get into formation without having to control your steps.

2:45-3:00 was the slow march, might be too long considering that you slow marched in the same formation. Slow marching into another formation will be a better idea, or slow march into another formation or in a particular direction but end up with the same formation. Think of variations. Always video your formations when practicing, and then you can see how you can further improve them.

3. Keep your formations creative and unexpected. For SCGS, love the circle turning from 1:47!! 3:16 movement from a circle to an S to the figure of 8 was spectacular too!

JSS, love the salutes on 0:57. Static salutes complementing with the movement salute was not only creative but gives the spotlight to the 2 halves of your squad. Got to work on your timing though, make it seamless and practice more, then people will be in awe because they can't comprehend how you are able to execute such an intricate and sleek move and still keep to the same footdrill timing and hit the beat of the music!

4. Hand movements can either help you or break you. For JSS, really like that small hand actions to the lyrics (give me your heart) while keeping to the FD movement. Do note that with more practice, you can achieve a united timing and it will look a lot more united and powerful. Also, when doing hand movements, face the audience to let them see what you have. If you show your back, the effect is less, and there goes all your hard work trying to memorize the steps.

Yup that is all for this week! Do check out next week's videos of Jurong West Secondary School, Victoria School, Raffles Girl's School and Tanjong Katong Secondary School!(For TKSS video, we did not manage to get the full video due to the camera heating up. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.)

(Do also note that Fairfield Methodist Secondary School, Cedar Girls' School and St Margeret's Secondary School has requested for their videos not to be uploaded, and we will abide to their requests. Evergreen Secondary School will not be shown due to a technical fault which caused glitches to the video. Our apologies for the inconvenience.)

Pop!Corn -Real Steel; the Real Deal

2011-10-22T00:28:00.003+08:00

With the End-Of-Year Examinations over & done with, this week, I here to vent/rant about this GREAT movie that is a MUST MUST MUST-WATCH :D *drum roll…*

It was unexpectedly GOOD! No, it was excellent! If you are a Hugh Jackman fan or a fan of robots, this is the movie that you should definitely, and MUST, watch and don't want to miss!

There are loads of action involving kicks and punches during the movie, but behind all these actions, there is a special lesson behind about a father's love for his child and also that anyone can do the impossible no matter what happens and regardless of the person's age and background as well, just like a David who overcame Goliath even though people thought it was impossible!

Oh well shall not say anything more lest it become spoilers! Hope that you enjoy the movie if you watch it!

Da Teenager, signing off :)

"Tonight, imma fight, till we see the sunlight"

Has winning become EVERYTHING? (PART I)

2011-10-20T13:03:00.000+08:00

Is winning everything? Sure, we all train to win a competition because that is the goal that we have set for ourselves. However, when we do not achieve the goal that we wanted or have fallen short in some positions, we turn the other way..we start blaming ourselves for not being good enough. we start jeering other schools and accusing them for 'copying' our tactics. We accuse the judges for being blind to not see the errors that other schools have done, or not spotting the good things that we have executed. We become selfish. We become black hearted. We start to forget the purpose of such competitions - be it Red Cross Youth related or not - and the objectives of the Ministry of Education.

Before we start to get lost in that direction, let us take a step back and look at why we join competitions in the first place.

The objectives of MOE: To nurture each child to be a....

Confident Person :

who has a strong sense of right and wrong, is adaptable and resilient, knows himself, is discerning in judgment, thinks independently and critically, and communicates effectively.

Self-directed Learner:

who questions, reflects, perseveres and takes responsibility for his own learning.

Active Contributor:

who is able to work effectively in teams, is innovative, exercises initiative, takes calculated risks and strives for excellence.

Concerned Citizen:

who is rooted to Singapore, has a strong sense of civic responsibility, is informed about Singapore and the world, and takes an active part in bettering the lives of others around him.

In a recent opening speech by Mr Heng, Minister of Education, he mentioned a few things that relates to this topic and I believe strongly that many of us have lost sight or did not know why CCAs were created in the first place. I believe that this will answer your questions..

"One important context, outside of the classroom, has been CCAs. CCAs are an integral part of our education, to build character and to provide holistic education. We must reemphasise that the intent of CCAs is not to win medals per se, but to learn the value of excellence, teamwork and discipline; to be gracious in victory and resilient in defeat."

So, with this.. I strongly believe that majority of us have already lost sight of this and winning a competition has become so important to us because of our pride and ego. Competitions are created to ensure that we are not only book-smart, but also to instil other values that simply cannot be taught in a textbook.

What values are we talking about?

Teamwork. Communication. Leadership. Humility. Dignity. Care for other team mates. Empathy. Creativity. Willingness to take risks. Tenacity. Altruism. Being organized. Discipline. Flexibility. Adaptability. Respect. Resilience. Harmony. Integrity. And the list goes on and on.

Instead of striving to win for every competition, strive to bring out the best in all of us! Whether you're an NCO, VI, or YO - we should ALL strive to bring out the best in all our cadets/students/juniors.

Here's a little something to end of this whole post..

"A good unit needs to know who their cadets are at the point of entry, studies their needs and strengths; states what it would like them to become when they leave the unit; then exercise diligence and imagination to get there. A good unit creates a positive experience for each student – allowing him to acquire the basics, but more importantly, making him a confident and lifelong learner. It provides a supportive and appreciative environment for NCOs/VIs/YOs to experience the joy in impacting lives. A good unit is student-centric and allows NCOs/VIs/YOs to do their best for every cadet."

more to come.. (: stay tuned.

UIP 2011 Registration Extension

2011-10-20T12:55:00.000+08:00

Hi all!

Do note that the UIP 2011 has been extended to 27 October 2011. Please do send your registration forms soon!

This year's UIP is extremely important because the new syllabus for First Aid, RCK, Evac, OA and FD for cadets will be launched during the programme. So do keep your unit updated by sending your future leaders for this programme.

Finally, do note that if you are sending at least 2 cadets, both have to take one primary specialization each: First Aid and RCK. This is to ensure that your unit gets updated and exposed to all the subjects.

For more info, download the UIP prospectus here if you have not done so: UIP 2011 Training Prospectus

World Habitat Day

2011-10-18T09:31:00.000+08:00

How about you join in the effort by creating awareness about it?

We will then get to appreciate what we have even more. :)

NFC 2011 Finals: Northbrooks Secondary School

2011-10-17T01:28:00.000+08:00

Hello readers! Here's Nortbrooks Secondary School Fancy Drill 2011!

Every school has been sent individual judges comments for them to improve.

Here, we simply wish to give our views while watching the open array drills. By no means are these comments related to the judges. These comments are made from an audience point of view, for those of you who aspire to use some of these formations for next year's Recruitment Drive (If you're thinking of using open array drills as one of the strategies to attract sec 1s ;D )

In 5 points, here's what we gotta say:
1. Love the powerful start. Can be even more powerful if everyone synchronizes really well.
2. Unity is super super key, especially when displaying in a formation style. Every small detail can be seen, so make sure the basics drills are trained.
3. If you want to use small hand actions, make sure they can be seen by everyone. You must note who your audience are, and where are they watching from. Can the actions be seen even from the highest floors (considering that your audience might be hanging around from the 3rd-4th floor)
4. Maintain the mood throughout the performance. If formations remain stagnant, attention of the audience might drop
5. Props can either make your performance excel or sink. If you want to use it, make sure you own the object, not the object owns you. In the performance above, there were times when there was very very good use of the pole, but do note that this have to be maintained throughout! Then your audience will continue to "oooooooooooooh!!" at how spectacular your squad can be!

Overall, a job well done Northbrooks RCY! :D

Hope these comments will help you if you need to create new formations to inspire more people!

Next week, catch 2 NFC finalists: Singapore Chinese Girls School RCY and Jurong Secondary School RCY. See you!

Da Teenager; Weekly Bites!

2011-10-15T01:23:00.000+08:00

We are back, with a bang!

To celebrate this joyous occasion, I will now introduce the 3 new categories that you can snack on every Saturday!

1) Nom-nom-nom

Food reviews; the delicious, & the misses

2) Pop!Corn

Movie reviews; Worthiness VS Trashy

3) Check In!

Places to hang out (not too late at night) either by yourself, or with your friends (or even as a unit bonding outing during the holidays!)

EOYs are almost over/ done with, so stay tuned to this space, as Da Teenager brings you tips & ideas on how to relax during the weekends! Remember: all work & no play makes Jack a dull boy *winks*

Signing off, Da Teenager :D

A journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step.

To Teach & Inspire...

2011-10-13T00:30:00.000+08:00

Have you ever wondered how your seniors or NCOs can deliver each lessons with such passion, creativity and drive? Do you aspire to be like them?

Well, if you do... This post is just for you! The UnitInstructor’s Programme (UIP) is the programme that help your seniors teach with such passion and creativity. With the aid of this programme, you will not only learn how to teach the subjects you wish to specialize in, but you get to learn how to develop your future cadets with skills and values through the subjects as well!

How do you train teamwork and communication in evacuation? Or understand the importance of being neutral and impartial through RCK? Or comprehend adaptability and creativity in Outdoor Activities?
Well, UIP will teach you that!

UIP is catered for Secondary 2 cadets, (sec 3s are allowed if your unit does not have enough sec 2s) to create a learningplatform that allows you to develop your own style of teaching throughexperimental and engaging means of training. In other words, it means Sec 2s it’s an opportunity that you SHOULD NOT MISS! It's going to be a very enriching experience for you as you get to learn the different styles of methods of instructions, helping you make your lessons and your audience interested in the subjects that you're teaching.

So what are you waiting for? Do your unit justice and help your future cadets by signing up now! Better lessons = better trainings = happy unit = happy CCA = unit achieves good results and great people with great character!

Ask your YO to sign up now!

Find out more about UIP by visiting the photo albums of UIP 2010!

Stay tune for more in our next Unit Issue!!!

UIP 2011 & VIP 13/12 Letters & Training Prospectus

2011-10-11T17:25:00.003+08:00

click to enlarge

Hello all!

The following are the documents circulated to teachers and Youth Officers of RCY Cadet units.
Please note that in order for you to register, you have to acquire the registration form from your YOs, and ask them to send the forms to VDD.

Due date for UIP 2011 registration form is 19 October 2011.
Due date for VIP registration form is 21 October 2011.

UIP 2011 Letter to School
UIP 2011 Training Prospectus

VIP 13/12 Training Prospectus
*Please seek your YOs for the registration form should you or your friends wish to join VIP .

*Click on the links above to download.

See you there!

The Movement 2.0

2011-10-11T00:32:00.001+08:00

The Movement return with 4 Categories:

a. Homely Humanity
Location: Singapore

b. 7 continent, 5 seas, we are One Big Family
Location: All Over the World

c. Know Our Neighbours
Location: Asia

This clip is part of the Video from 2010's International Youth Exchange Program in Japan.
Can you guess the countries, just by looking at the flag? :)

d. We Challenge You!
Location: Invalid.
Test your humanity knowledge with our quizzes, puzzles and games!

The 4 categories will be posted in no order. So stay tuned for the posts! :)

UIP 2011 First Info

2011-10-10T03:45:00.001+08:00

Click to Enlarge

UIP letters and application forms will be sent out to schools by Tuesday, 11 October 2011. Do look out for them!

NFC 2011 Finals Videos Intro

2011-10-10T03:25:00.001+08:00

Formations for inspiration. :)

Hello!! Hope that your examinations went well so far! Good luck to those who are finishing/just getting started!

Videos of the NFC finals will be posted starting next week. We wish to inform you first that there are a few teams whose videos were not taken/cut half way due to technical errors with our camera (DSLRs get pretty hot under the hot weather on 3 September) and we wish to sincerely apologize should you not be able to see certain teams online.

Please also note that some teams' videos will not be showcased as the teams do not wish for their video to be uploaded. Teams who wish for their videos to be taken down, please feel free to email us at theunichannel@gmail.com.

Videos will be shown at no particular order, and has been chosen at random to be posted each week. The final video shown will be the Champions of NFC 2011.

Catch the first video next week: Northbrooks Secondary School. See you!

Upcoming Events & Final Year Examinations

2011-09-12T17:30:00.002+08:00

Hello all readers!

We wish to take this opportunity to wish all of you the best of luck for your upcoming Final Year Examinations, especially to those taking N level, O levels & A levels!!

As our bloggers will be taking their exams as well, we will be resuming our blog posts on the 10 October (Monday).

Stay tuned for more information and updates on the Nov/Dec Holiday RCY events, and of course the long awaited National Footdrill Competition Videos! (Do note that only school units who have given us their permission to post their videos will be showcased here)

Just a heads up, our next RCY event will be as follows:

22 October: Gold Modular Workshops

29 October: Gold Modular Accreditations

5 November: Start of Unit Instructors' Programme 2011

26 November: Start of Volunteer Instructors' Programme 2011

15-18 December: Red Cross Youth Challenge 2011: Camp Unity

Exciting events coming your way, but do remember to study hard and excel in your academics first! Take care, all the best and see you real soon on 10 October!

Groove To The Beat: Just A Kiss - Lady Antebellum

2011-09-10T16:01:00.000+08:00

Sweet Music Video they have here!

While watching this video, memories just flashed through my mind.

Here is something that i want to share with all of you:

Time will just keep on ticking, it waits for no one.
Human moves on from phase of life to another.
Leaving traces of memories behind.
Sometimes,it is forgotten.
So pictures and videos are the perfect tools.
to capture perfect moment in time.
It is something that remains the same no matter what.

So.. Have you captured your perfect moment yet? :)

NFC updates

2011-09-09T23:51:00.018+08:00

OMG! were you there during The RCY NFC2011!

33 Teams were competing against one another till the end, to be the best Foot Drill Squad.

12 teams made it through to the final round, The Open Array Drill also know as the Fancy Drill.

Our UniChannel Team were all there at the very first second to get the insides & awesome action just for you.

12 teams have put in their best and showed their best to the judges. I believe our team have put in their full effort and I am sure all their Instructors, Teachers, Seniors as well as fellow RCY unit mates and School are really proud on them.

Of course we have a new Champion Squad this year.

The Fairfield Methodist School(Secondary)RCY!

Congratulations!

Unfortunatly we are unable to show you this year Champion Squad Routine.

We have their Fancy Drill Routine Song here with us. Please Enjoy.

zSHARE - 01 - Track 1_1_.mp3

Coming up next week. We will be updating more on NFC with awesome actions,and updates. And if possible we will be broadcasting actions on 3rd Sept 2011 and also interviews on our finalist Squads.

Kenya: Malnutrition

2011-09-06T22:35:00.004+08:00

If only food is this easy to get, there will be less malnourished children in the world.

This week, The Movement talks about life in Kenya.

Here's a short film that you should watch

Lesson learnt: Do Not Waste Food.
One person's trash is another person's treasure ;)

The NFC 2011 Finalist

2011-09-06T00:48:00.011+08:00

On 3rd September, we saw many awesome squads that made it through, setting a new history behind! And here are the results.

Champion Squad: Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary) (FMS)S

1^{st Runner-Up: Raffles Institution (RI)

2nd Runner-Up: Cedar Girls' School (CGS)

Final 9 Squads in Alphabetical order:

Evergreen Secondary School

Jurong Secondary School

Jurong West Secondary School

Northbrooks Secondary School

Raffles Girls' School

Singapore Chinese Girls' School

St. Margaret's Secondary School

Tanjong Katong Secondary School

Victoria School

Please Stay Tune as more updates on NFC 2011 will be posted.}

GLEE 3D!~

2011-09-03T01:23:00.001+08:00

For all Glee fans, this is it! Glee 3D is finally in theaters since Thursday, just in time for September's one week break!

Other than getting a Glee concert experience (with confetti seemingly being thrown towards you), it's more than hearing the popular Glee songs & seeing your favorite characters up close! There are also 3 interviews on 3 individuals, on how their lives were before Glee & how they are able to accept themselves better & change to be more positive about themselves, since they have a member to relate their life story to.

From the movie, it's evident that Glee has certainly created a world phenomenum, as everyone, regardless of race, color, gender, watches Glee. Many have different perceptions about the world & the people around them.

Shan't provide anymore spoilers!

A MUST-WATCH this school holiday!

To end off, here's the SUPER CUTE mini Warbler! Enjoy! :)

Da Teenager, signing off :)

NFC Final Tip

2011-09-02T20:45:00.010+08:00

Hey this is a shout out to all NFC participating teams!!!

_______________________________________________

NFC 2011 is in a few hours!!! Excited??

Have you take every single advice??

Done every single preparation??

Lastly are you guys READY?! :)

NFC2011 will be a exciting event for all you guys!!! get your supporters down now!!

And hit the floor with a BANG!!!

Because the Judges will be looking at you from their 90degree & 45degrees angle!

Don't worry and trust your teammates and go through every obstacle!!!

Don't care what others say or think and just go out there and do your thing!!!:D

In few hours all you'll gonna be in the limelight and the stage is yours!!!

SO HIT IT!!!

ENJOY!!!

& HAVE FUN!!!

CYA THERE!!!
______________________________________________

gift

2011-08-30T01:24:00.003+08:00

Selamat Hari Raya to our Muslim readers!

While we're getting into the festive mood, did you know that the need for blood donations appears to increase during holiday seasons? This is because collecting bodies such as the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) actually see less walk-in donors during festive periods.

However, the demand for blood donations is constant - Singapore requires 350 units of blood every day - that's 350 x 450ml = 157.5 litres of blood, or about 30 people's worth! Encouraging donors and the public to donate (or continue donating) is hence a crucial goal of the Singapore Red Cross in supporting healthcare at home.

Here's a really cute video of a blood donation advert!

Enjoy, and happy holidays XD

Selamat Hari Raya!

2011-08-29T22:45:00.004+08:00

http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs50/f/2009/260/1/a/Selamat_Hari_Raya_2009_by_zooldevil.png

Here's wishing all our Muslim friends Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri!!

Listen to My Voice Within: Chapter One

2011-08-27T22:45:00.000+08:00

When we step into a place,
In a where it's so foreign.
everything is so new,
Everyone had their guards up.

All it begins with a smile,
That's how our friendship were forged.
We laugh, we cried.
We learn, we fight.

I don't know how long it last,
I will make sure the time counts
Enjoy while we can,
Before everything fades away.

The bonds we hold,
The time it took to mold.
We laugh, we cry.
We learn, we fight.

There will be a time,
When we have to bid goodbye..
We walk our separate ways,
Let's not forget..

How we laugh,
How we cry..
How we learn,
How we fight..

These lyrics are written to remind myself how hard it is to build up a friendship.

One that will stand tall even in horrendous weather.

Cherish the time you have with your Classmates/Batch-mates.

Enjoy, I hope you all enjoy it!:D

NFC Tip 5

2011-08-25T15:42:00.002+08:00

For all you commanders out there, here's a tip for you! (:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The shout.
Commander of NDP.
Apart from winning the Champion, first and second position... For the COMMANDERS OUT THERE, this award is SPECIALLY FOR YOU! For those who had forgotten about this part, the National Best Commander is actually awarded in the QUALIFYING ROUND. So DO TAKE NOTE! =b

To assist you commanders to get one step closer to THIS one and ONLY award, here's some notes YOU COMMANDERS need to take notice of~

Distinctness - This depends on the correct use of the tongue, lips, and teeth to form the separate sounds of a word and to group those sounds to force words. Distinct commands are effective; indistinct commands cause confusion. Emphasize clear enunciation.
Loudness - This is the volume used in giving a command. It should be adjusted to the distance and number of individuals in the formation. The commander takes a position in front of, and centered on, the unit and facing the unit so his or her voice reaches all individuals. Speak loudly enough for all to hear, but do not strain the vocal cords.
Inflection - This is the change in pitch of the voice. Pronounce the preparatory command—the command that announces the movement—with a rising inflection near or at the end of its completion, usually the last syllable. When beginning a preparatory command, the most desirable pitch of voice is near the level of the natural speaking voice. A common fault is to start the preparatory command so high that, after employing a rising inflection, the passage to a higher pitch for the command of execution is impossible without undue strain. A properly delivered command of execution has no inflection. However, it should be given at a higher pitch than the preparatory command.
Projection - This is the ability of your voice to reach whatever distance is desired without undue strain. To project the command, focus your voice on the person farthest away. Counting in a full, firm voice and giving commands at a uniform cadence while prolonging the syllables are good exercises. Erect posture, proper breathing, a relaxed throat, and an open mouth help project the voice.
Snap - This is the conciseness of the command.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stay tune for more coming soon! (:

IHL: Libya

2011-08-23T00:15:00.001+08:00

The Movement goes around the world (wide web)

in search of stories, just for you

(cue for background AWWW)

Anyway, today's stop is LIBYA :)

Enjoy!

Motivational Posters

2011-08-22T00:01:00.002+08:00

Click and Download For your unit usage. You can use them for your computer wallpaper too!

RCK Bronze & Silver Notes, & RCK Gold Accreditations

2011-08-21T00:49:00.007+08:00

Dear all,

To those of you who attended the RCK Modular Workshop today, here are the Bronze and Siler Notes for your reference:

Bronze Notes

Silver Notes

Here are vital information that will assist you in preparing for the upcoming RCK Gold Modular Accreditations on 10 September 2011:

Team members: 3-4

Attire: Full Red Cross Uniform

Medium: Powerpoint, skit, drama, musical or anyway you want to present your content, as long they are informative, innovative and enriching for viewers.

(click on the pictures below to enlarge them)

Feel free to ask questions here should you require any assistance. For those who have failed RCK Silver today, you will be taking the Silver accreditations first before you are allowed to do the presentation.

All the best to all teams!

Captain America: The First Avenger!

2011-08-20T00:02:00.000+08:00

Captain America!

It's one of the biggest box office hits now! ^^

Anyway, there are 2 parts that strike me most after watching the trailer and the movie!

The first part: when he dived onto the grenade to protect others instead of diving for cover. It really shows how brave he is and how he is willing to sacrifice himself for others. Admirable indeed!

The second part is when the professor was talking to him.

"No matter what happens, promise me you will stay true to yourself, not a soldier, but a good man."

I think it applies to us as well. No matter what happens in school, RC, or anything, we should aspire to be honest to ourselves. And, above all, be a good man :)

After all, that's what matters; not what positions you hold, what you have accomplished.

"What good is a man that gains the whole world but loses his soul?"

Go watch the movie if you have the time! It's quite a good movie with stunning visual effects and a good storyline too!

And the ending is.... -shan't spoil it anymore ^^-

OH YES.

-top secret!- stay ALL the way at the end of the movie for a sneak sneak sneak preview of what's coming up next May 2012! ^^

signing off~

Da Teenager!

NFC Tip 4

2011-08-17T22:01:00.001+08:00

Have you ever wondered how they put up such an impressive performance? Aside from the long hours of training, they must have also done a lot to correct individual mistakes.

When in a squad, any person who makes a small mistake (even something like not raising legs to 90 degrees) stands out very easily. The more of these small mistakes there are, the less coordinated and united the squad will seem.

If you want your school's squad to look as awesome as the students in the video in the coming National Footdrill Competition, be sure to spend some time to make sure that all drills are not only executed correctly, but together as ONE squad!

Good luck to all units in your trainings for NFC and do your school proud :)

Bicycle For Humanity

2011-08-16T00:01:00.000+08:00

Hello! The Movement's back!

How did you find Nat & Alex? Do you like them? :)

Bicycle For Humanity (B4H)

It started in 2006 in central British Columbia.

The idea is simple: Give up your old bicycle for the poor.

4 containers in 2006, to 8 in 2007 to 40 containers in 2010!

"Almost everyone has ridden a bike, everybody understands their value and remembers the freedom they first experienced riding a bike.

To millions in Africa who walk for water, medical help or go to school, a bicycle is empowering and the first mode of transportation on their journey from poverty to a better life"

-bicycles-for-humanity.org

Follow them on Twitter! or like them on Facebook :)

Humanity knows no geographical boundary.

(Exactly what ICRC, IFRC and NS are potraying, yes?)

See you at the RCK Gold Modular Workshop!

Current Affairs Competition Dance Champions Interview

2011-08-15T20:39:00.002+08:00

Want to see the winning performance once again and know the secret behind it? Take a look!:

Look out for more interviews from winners in the future!

NFC Tip 3

2011-08-11T18:43:00.003+08:00

Yet another post for NFC! The Shimmering White! Keep your requests coming in! Meanwhile, I will be looking through our archives *coughs coughs* Wow, that's a lot of dust. Anyways, as I was saying.. I will be looking through our archives and will be posting anything that is Footdrill-related!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Boys'.
The Girls'.

Have you ever wonder why is our uniform white while the other uniform groups are like green, blue, navy blue etc? Why must it be white which make us so difficult to sit on the ground because we are afraid of making it dirty? But have you notice that OUR uniform is actually one of the most outstanding uniform as compared to the others? If you put all the uniform groups together, our's stand out the most. So we SHOULD be proud of our uniform! =>

Our shimmering white uniform... White stands purity and kindness, is it the reason why it's this choice of color? Because we are suppose to serve one another which also leads us to showing kindness to the people? Coming up with many reasons why is it white and not the other types of colors... Hmmm.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

KEEP YOUR EYES ON HTTP://THEUNICHANNEL.BLOGSPOT.COM for people such as Da Teenager and the Unit Issues will be sharing soon on fancy drill! We won't tell you when (so to provide that air of mystery), so do come and check on the blog often and I believe you do not wish to miss it! (:

NDP Break & Upcoming Events (Aug & Sept 2011)

2011-08-09T23:59:00.002+08:00

Hi readers!

We hope that you have enjoyed your National Day Celebrations, and witnessed our very own RCY contingent on the NDP 2011 today! Enjoy the holidays tomorrow as well!

Super super Awesome job to all NDP Participants: the cadets who acted as casualties in the disaster scene before the parade, the RCY parade contingents, our VI flag bearers and our VIs who helped out in the first aid duties over the past Saturdays! Have a great rest as well, and thank you for everything that you have done!

Meanwhile, the bloggers will be taking a break, and will be back in action on 16 August 2011! Enjoy the many videos that we have posted!

Finally, here are the upcoming events for those who have missed our previous posts:

1) 20 August: RCK Silver & Gold Workshop, Evac, FD and OA Gold Workshop

2) 27 August: RCK, Evac, FD and OA Gold Accreditations

3) 1 September: Teachers Day! (Do wish your Teacher ICs and YOs a happy Teachers Day!)

3) 3 September: National Footdrill Competition 2011 (Excitement!)

4) 5 September: September Holidays

5.) 7 September: Red Cross Flag Day

Take care everyone, prepare well and see you next week!

Natasha and Alex (NDP Special Edition)

2011-08-09T23:58:00.000+08:00

*btw Natasha didn't really make it clear just now, but one of our VIs actually promoted a charity on her Facebook wall in the weeks before her birthday! She even asked her friends to donate to that charity as her birthday present :D

"Serving not for self, but for others in need of assistance." - Nigel Chan

"Humanity is not a virtue that needs to be spread - it exists within every individual and every being. As humans, we are already born with the capacity to display acts of humanity, and now it is merely a matter if we choose to develop and bring this trait out in ourselves, and in the process, empower and inspire others to do the same.

"I believe that humanity should be measured not by the magnitude of deeds, but by the heart. Compassion can manifest itself in the simplest of ways, similarly, it too does not necessarily need to be a complex publicity stunt. Rather, it could just be the quiet but reassuring presence of a friend who lends a hand to help by first lending an ear to listen to someone pour out their sorrows, and then a shoulder to cry on." - Debra Jane Thio

Unsung Heroes: Episode 1 (NDP 2011, Special Edition)

2011-08-09T02:39:00.006+08:00

Many have been wondering what VIs really do. Well, here it is. More Unsung Heroes episodes coming soon!

All the best RCY Marching contingent!!! We're all behind you!!!

Majulah Singapura!

2011-08-09T00:26:00.002+08:00

Remember to catch our RCY NDP Marching Contingent today, 6pm on any local TV channels!