Jester's Fair

What was the activity?

Jester’s fair is an annual charity event designed to raise funds for various charities in Thailand. Different stalls are set up around the area and each has a different game or activity for people to try out. Being the Service Pillar Leader of the Regents School, I was partly in charge of organizing our school’s stall: the Penalty Shoot Out.

Jesters Care for Kids

What were my aims?

1. Through undertaking this activity I was hoping to become a better communicator by advertising the Regent’s School Penalty Shoot Out stall.

2. Additionally, I wanted to help to create and design the posters which we needed for the stall. Lastly I wanted to become more open-minded and caring through interacting with some of the Jester’s kids.

Can you guess the name of the panda?

What did I do?

I arrived at the Diana Driving Range at 9.00 am and immediately began to set up the stall. A couple of the teachers and boarders had already arrived with all of the equipment we needed. Once everything was set up, we began to decorate the area by making attractive posters to advertise our stall. Throughout most of the day I worked at the Penalty Shoot Out stall and helped out by selling and collecting tickets, taking note of high scores and even going in goal a few times. During my breaks I did my part in the fundraising by participating in some of the other games around the fair.

Two of our students advertising the Penalty Shoot Out

What problems did I encounter along the way?

Upon arriving in the morning we quickly realized that the space which we had been given was about half the size of that which we had last year. Unfortunately this was an issue I had forgotten to double check prior to the event. This meant that we were really pressed for space but we managed to overcome this by removing some unnecessary tables form the area and changing the positioning of the goal post. In addition, about half way through the day we were running short on participants for the penalty shoot. We solved this problem by getting students from our school to walk around the fair with signs to advertise our stall.

My friends and I selling tickets for the Penalty Shoot Out

What did I achieve?

I believe I was an effective communicator since we managed to advertise the stall well. This was reflected in the substantial amount of funds which we managed to raise. Furthermore, I feel I was caring and open-minded as instead of playing games all day at different stalls, I spent much of my free time with the Jester’s kids whom were sitting in the shade of our tent. Lastly, I feel I was principled as I took responsibility for receiving a much smaller space than we had expected (I had forgotten to double check this ahead of time). As a team, we managed to rearrange the equipment in the area and the layout ended up being ideal.

An article from the Pattaya Mail about the event: http://www.pattayamail.com/894/features.shtml

CAS Hours for term 3 of Year 12

Round Square Conference 2010 Steering Committee Meetings

This is now the third term in which I have been working with the rest of the student steering committee in preparing for this year’s International RS conference.

Having lunch with Khun Nui at the Father Rae Foundation

What did I do?

Our long list of things to do is forever growing as we get progressively closer to the 9^th of October. This term, on the creativity committee, we managed to complete the digital copy of the t-shirt designs which means we have been able to place the order. This had been one of my aims for this term so I am very pleased. We have also largely focused on the program itself which includes organizing the registration, opening and closing ceremonies, international lunch, sustainable dinner, service day activities etc. Another major project we have begun is our student steering committee performance. We decided that during the opening ceremony we would like to present something on stage so we have been busy practicing and producing the music for this performance (see video below). One day after school we got to meet Khun Nui, who lives and works at the Father Ray Foundation in Pattaya. She was born without arms and legs and is going to attend our conference to tell her story. I have no doubt that she will be a very motivating and inspiring speaker.

The steering committee meets Khun Nui

What problems did I encounter along the way?

We came across a rather major problem this term which was the unstable political situation between the red and yellow shirts in Bangkok. A couple of schools have already dropped out as they consider it to be too unsafe. There is not much we could do about this apart from keep our fingers crossed and hope that the problems will soon blow by. As of right now we are going to continue planning as if the conference is still going to take place for sure!

Khun Nui writing us a receipt for lunch

What are my next goals?

My main aim for next term I hope to learn all the moves to the performance we are doing off by heart. Currently I am finding it slightly more challenging than expected as all the timings and angles have to be spot on for it to look good.

A drawn and written version of our performance moves

What did I achieve?

I now realize how much time and patience goes into preparing for a performance. In the dance we will only be using our hands but still I am finding it quite challenging. I certainly have a new found respect for people who engage in any form of performance and therefore feel that I am more caring. I also learnt a lot and have become more knowledgeable from simply listening to Khun Nui’s story. Through her struggles and hardships she learnt that positive thinking was the key to keep going. Khun Nui is today able to live on her own and take care of her herself, even without the use of prosthetic limbs, which made me realize that we are capable of so much more than we think.

The steering committee's rehearsal video

Find out more about the Father Ray Foundation: http://www.fr-ray.org/

Barazza Leader Discussions and Training

What is the activity?

This activity involved 80 other students who will also be barazza leaders at the up and coming Round Square International Conference along with the student steering committee. Barazza discussions will be compulsory at this conference which is why we are training 80 of our fellow students to run them. We will also be having practice barazza sessions at our own school. Barazza means “all on the same level” so people of all ages come together to discuss issues of global importance. This activity also involved a week of leadership training with the JUMP foundation at the Regent’s Koh Chang IDEALS centre.

Barazza leader meeting

What were my aims?

1. My aims for this activity are to become better at facilitating discussions with people of all ages and thus become a better communicator.

2. I also want to become more confident when speaking to a group of people and to learn some fun and effective ice breakers to use during the conference.

All barazza leaders on Koh Chang

What did I do?

At school we had barazza training sessions led by teachers and gap staff every Thursday after school and a couple times on Saturdays as well. During these sessions we were given stimuli such as a video or a speaker. We were then spilt up into groups where two people had to lead the discussion on the topic of the relevant global issue. We also had one week towards the end of the year where almost all 80 barazza leaders went to Koh Chang to undergo a leadership training program with Mr. Justin Bedard from the JUMP foundation. The trip was a huge success and on a personal level I definitely became more confident through several public speaking exercises. Between leadership exercises we played many games which could potentially be used as ice breakers during the conference, just as I’d hoped for. My personal favorite was the miniature tank game where everyone gets down on all fours, repeatedly saying “Miniature tank! Miniature tank!” in a funny voice, then walks in a straight line and just keeps walking until everyone bumps into each other and ends up falling over onto the floor.

Some barazza leaders engaging in a team building exercise

Did I encounter any problems along the way?

It wasn’t easy getting everyone out of school and to Koh Chang for a week and unfortunately not everyone could come. To solve this problem we arranged our own mini leadership training day on a Saturday after school where we passed on the games and exercises we’d picked up from the JUMP facilitators to the people hadn’t been able to attend.

Some barazza leaders and I playing one of JUMP's team building games

What have I learnt?

I’ve learnt little tricks to become a more confident public speaker and communicator such as standing up straight, legs shoulder width apart, loud and clear voice, keep making eye contact, pause, don’t speak too fast, speak with expression and with your hands etc. Through reflecting on my strengths and weaknesses I have been able to improve on these points. I also bonded really well with most of the barazza leaders and especially with the student steering committee which was a huge plus!

Find out more about JUMP!: http://www.jumpfoundation.org/

Article and photos from the trip by Denali Barron: http://www.thailandclimbing.com/experiential-education/jumping-into-leadership-and-community

Pattaya to Phi Phi Challenge

What was the activity?

This was a charity fund raising event which took place on a Friday after school. Each participating team had to pay an entry fee and then on the day of the event the teammates had to cover as many laps between themselves as possible (either on the running track or in the pool). The aim was for everyone combined to cover the distance from Pattaya to the island of Koh Phi Phi and back.

All the participants getting ready for the challenge

What were my main aims?

1. To keep up the team spirit

2. To challenge myself physically

3. To be a risk-taker by covering the distance using several different means of travel including walking, biking, roller skating, swimming, jogging, running etc.

Jogging around the oval

What did I do?

After school my team and I got dressed up into black sports attire along with pink tutus. The idea behind this was to have fun but at the same time I think it helped keep up the team spirit as the matching outfits really united us. During the four hours of the event I covered the necessary distance by walking, jogging and swimming. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to try out roller skating and biking which had been one of my aims. I will definitely try to do this next year though. By the end of the event I had managed to raise my heartbeat and work up a bit of a sweat just as I’d hoped so I definitely got a good sense of achievement. The overall distance covered by all the teams combined managed to exceed the distance from Pattaya to Koh Phi Phi AND back! At the end of the day you could tell that everyone felt really proud and had had a lot of fun. I didn’t manage to meet all of my targets but they are definitely something I can work on during next year’s challenge.

My team and I before the start of the challenge

What problems did I encounter along the way?

The main problem I encountered was that I got tired much faster than expected. The solution was to pace myself and whenever I got too exhausted I’d take a break and buy something to drink or eat.

My team and I swimming laps in the pool

What did I achieve?

Overall our team ended up not doing very well in terms of total distance covered when compared to the rest of the participants but we were still pleased with ourselves because we all managed to have a good time. We also donated some extra money to charity in addition to the compulsory amount. This made us feel good about ourselves as it was for a good cause and ultimately fundraising was the whole point of this activity. I was pleased because I managed to achieve my goal of being a risk-taker by covering the distance using different means of transport, come of which I may not have been very comfortable with.

Fobissea Senior Games 2010

What was the activity?

This was a two day event which took place at our school during a weekend in February. Schools from all around South East Asia came together to compete in both basketball and football. Personally I only participated on the first day as that was when the senior girls’ basketball team had all of their matches.

Silver Medalists!

What were my aims?

1. To raise my heart beat and break into a sweat to know I pushed myself physically.

2. To be a risk-taker by attempting some shots and potentially getting a few points on the scoreboard for my team.

3. To be caring by offering to take the place on court of any of my team members who feel they need a rest.

4. To keep up the team spirit.

The Regent's School sports teams

What did I do?

The games began at 10.00 am on Saturday morning and went on till 15.00 pm. Due to the lack of time, not all the teams were able to verse each other but of our many matches we only lost one thus ended up coming second place! We were all really proud as we performed much better than expected and felt we truly deserved our silver medals. Unfortunately I didn’t manage to shoot any baskets but I was able to act as a good defender by preventing some shots from the opposing team which made up for it. I did however manage to meet my other aims. In terms of keeping up the team spirit I shouted out supportive words such as “Nice shot!” or along with my other teammates. Also I definitely began sweating and raised my heartbeat whilst playing which gave me a great sense of achievement.

All the participants prior to the matches

Did I encounter any problems along the way?

The main problem we encountered along the way was that a couple of the players on the opposing teams didn’t have very good sportsmanship when the game wasn’t going their way. They even went so far as to shout offensive remarks to the people on the opposing teams. To deal with the situation we decided to just focus on playing good basketball and ignore the inappropriate behavior.

Second place medalists!

What did I achieve?

I thought the senior games were really exciting and this is definitely an activity I want to partake in again next year. I learnt that the most important thing when playing sports is to have a positive attitude and to support your team members. Overall I was a risk-taker as I attempted a few shots and was also caring as I sometimes took the place of some of my team members who felt they needed a rest off court.

CAS Hours for Term 2 of Year 12

Basketball Training and Matches 2010

What was the activity?

Basketball training was held every Monday after school for an hour. I decided to sign up because I’ve always enjoyed playing but haven’t been particularly good at it. Also since being on the volleyball team last term was so much fun I decided I wanted to engage in another sport this term.

The team!

What were my aims?

1. To develop my basketball skills and to simply become an all round better basketball player.

2. To improve on my shooting and learn to do a layup shot.

I attempted a layup shot

What did I do?

During practices we (the senior girls’ team) trained together with the under 15 girls’ team. I don’t think this held us back at all, if anything it helped me push myself to work even harder as a most of the younger girls were really talented players. After a couple training sessions we began competing with the other local schools in the area. Several of the girls on the basketball team had also been on the volleyball team from last term and so most of us were used to competing with these schools before. We quickly realized that as a team we were much better at basketball than we were at volleyball as we managed to win most of our matches. Obviously it’s not all about winning though, the main point was that we all had fun and got to know our team mates better.

Some of my team mates

Were there any problems along the way?

The main difficulty I encountered was to reach my aim of learning how to do a layup shot. It took me a while but with the help of my teammates I managed to learn how to do a proper one. I’m not yet good enough to get the ball in every time I take a shot but at least I have the proper technique. My next aim is to continue practicing my layups and to ensure the ball actually goes through the hoop when I shoot. That way I’ll hopefully be able to use layups during matches and help to get some points on the scoreboard for my team.

Playing against the U15 girls

What have I gained from this experience?

Overall this experience has generally increased my love for basketball and made me want to continue playing. I have also learnt that practice really does make perfect. You can’t just expect to get better at something overnight you have to be prepared to work in order to improve. I am excited to participate in the schools up and coming senior games. By playing basketball I have become more balanced as I now play a sport alongside my academic studies.

Pattaya Bed Race Planning and Activity

What was the activity?

The Pattaya Bed Push is an annual charity event in which teams push beds along the streets of Pattaya in a race to cross the finish line. Participants have to pay an entry fee per bed as a source of fund raising. Roughly 15 of us Regents students decided to partake and represent our school.

Decorating our beds before the race

What were my aims?

1. To be an inquirer. I would achieve this by finding out more about the charities involved in the bed race through sources such as the internet.

2. To work well and cooperate with all my other team members.

2. To physically challenge myself and to do my very best to keep up with the rest of the team’s pace.

The finished result of our decorated bed

What did I do?

As we arrived around four hours prior to the start of the race we had plenty of time to decorate our bed and to converse with our team members. During this time we also managed to talk through tactics on how to get the best possible time. As we could only have a maximum of four people pushing the bed at any one point, we decided to have some people wait alongside different points on the track in order for us to swap runners when we got tired. As we took time to talk through this I definitely feel that I managed to cooperate and work well with my team, just as I’d hoped.

Our bed was ready to go!

Were there any problems along the way?

During the actual race one of the problems I encountered was the fact that I was tired out faster than expected and was therefore finding it difficult to keep up with everyone else. I did push myself just that little bit further though, and definitely managed to work up a sweat. Fortunately my other teammates helped me out when I was too exhausted to run any further. On a personal level I can say I was very pleased with my efforts and as a team we managed to come in third which we all felt was a really big achievement considering there were around 100 beds in the race. If we participate again next year, then I will make sure I hydrate myself properly before the race so that I don’t tire out as fast. At the end of the day though the event was about the charities and, considering the vast number of participants, I’m confident a substantial amount of money was raised.

The road we ran on

What have I achieved?

From this activity I have learnt that when it comes to team based activities, communication is vital. We spoke to one another and delegated tasks very well which I think is why we performed so successfully. I have also learnt that it’s important not to give up even when I really feel like it. Pushing yourself that little bit further can really give you a strong sense of achievement. I was a successful inquirer as I found out a bit about the charities involved and the event organizers (Interact Rotary) through website such as the one below.

Learn more about the event and the charities involved: http://thailandlandofsmiles.com/2010/01/30/pattaya-international-bed-race-2010/

Round Square Conference 2010 Steering Committee Meetings

Our final t-shirt designs

Continuing on from term 1 I have been working with 15 other student in preparation for the International RS conference which we will be hosting this October.

What did I do?

This term we got a lot of feedback from the delegates who just returned from the latest conference in India. They explained to us what was successful about the conference and what could perhaps have been done better. Any good points we have tried to merge into our program and we have taken note of any points to improve on. As mentioned in my previous post, everyone has been categorized into one of the 5 subcommittees: creative committee, barazza committee (discussion groups which will be help during the conference), entertainment committee, activities committee or the miscellaneous committee. We are hoping this will make us able to work more efficiently and precisely as we can each focus on a smaller aspect of the conference. As I am part of the creative committee, we have spent the majority of this term designing and producing a digital copy of the conference t-shirts which will be given out to all the delegates.

Did I achieve my goals?

This term I have continued to send out the minutes on time which was one of my main aims. I have also been participating actively in discussions and taking detailed notes and any important issues. For next term I hope to continue work on the t-shirt designs, as well as to get started on the delegates’ goodie bags and their contents.

Were there any problems along the way?

The main problems we encountered were trying to fit all the necessary info onto the t-shirts in a nice presentable manner. However after a lot of discussion, sketching and a little help from the school’s marketing director, we managed to get a design which we are all happy with.

What have I learnt?

I have learnt that splitting the workload amongst all member of the committee (through using subcommittees) is the most effective methods for getting work done. Feedback is necessary as well in order to get everyone’s input and thus, the best possible outcome.