Scouting is also called the youth movement or training of youth in informal education which includes outdoor activities. These include hiking, sports or games, bandaging, knot tying, marching, obstacles, and other activities that will enhance the scouts to be responsible citizens in our community and country as well. Therefore, DepEd promotes scouting in every school from elementary to senior high school. So, every year all schools in our country will conduct scouting activities.
Last January 12-14 our school conducted a school backyard camping. It was a 3-day activity with various activities. Before the activity, we planned everything like having five patrols. For each patrol, we designated offices and had a list of things to be brought individually and by patrol, planned menus, and daily assigned tasks. This is to have a smooth camping activity for each patrol.
Supposedly, on the first day of our camping the construction or installation of a tent using wood and bamboo without using nails but instead using a rope or straw following the basics of knot tying because the rain kept on pouring we were not able to build our tent. We made it until 11:00 midnight. I can't imagine how my scouts made it but we successfully built our tent until midnight. In the afternoon session was the investiture ceremony. This is a ceremony wherein the scouts were formally given rank and declared the Boy Scouts. After the investiture was the parade of all scouts and the opening ceremony. The Scout Leader presented the number of troop leaders and several scouts. For senior scouts, we have 11 troop leaders and 92 senior Boy Scouts.
After the opening ceremony, the assigned cook of every patrol prepared their dinner using firewood. Others were very busy gathering water, and firewood and building their tent until it was finished until midnight. Even If I told them to stop building their tent the senior scouts insisted that they would finish it because, on the second day, there would be another activity to be done in the morning.
On the second day at 7:00 pm after having the morning routine, the scouts prepared themselves for the color ceremony or the flag raising. After the flag raising the games. The first game we played was the London Bridge. After the first game, we went to our quarters since the rain kept on pouring. If not for the rain, we would continue our games and various contests but the weather did not cooperate. Hence, we just continued our practice on yells, BSP song, knot tying, bandaging, compass reading, marching, and a lot more until the evaluation time.
It was already 7:00 in the evening when our Senior Shouts were evaluated since the evaluators started their evaluation from the Kawan and there were a lot of categories to be evaluated especially for senior scouts. After the evaluation, the scouts ate their dinner and prepared themselves for the campfire. We started the campfire at exactly 8:00 in the evening. It was a solemn ceremony with presentations from different patrols. The ceremony ended at exactly 10:30 in the evening. Afterward, the scouts fixed their bed while I was preparing to travel and go home. The ceremony ended successfully with the spirit of a true Boy Scouts who were leaders and always ready all the time.
On the third day the community service, awarding, and obstacles challenge. The scout cleaned the school campus, road side of the school. After which was the awarding. My Patrol was the overall champion. After the awarding was the obstacle challenge. We encourage every participant to perform the obstacle challenge so that they will be given a camping certificate. Many of the senior scouts participated in the challenge. It was very challenging but they all had fun. After that was the lunch. After taking lunch the scouts prepared their belongings in going back to their home.
Congratulations to all Boy Scouts who completed the 3-day camping. It was a tiresome activity but the learnings they got were immeasurable. Thankful to all the parents who supported their son to join the camping activity.Likewise my thanks to all troop leaders for the effort, time, and money extended to support this training.
That's all for today. God bless and Have a nice day!!