YMCA SCC @ Si Ling (Jul – Dec 2016) Newsletter
YMCA of Singapore – Impacting Lives, Nurturing Community Champions
Let’s bring everyone up to speed…
Special Picks:
Welcome back to the 2nd half We have the results of the first of 2016! cup stacking competition and In this issue we will bring you also shed a little more light on up-to-date with a couple of how we teach character values programmes that were in YMCA SCCs with a special mentioned in the first pick article.
• Do we really need to teach good character? • Ready, set, stack!
newsletter and there are a few In this special pick, we focus on other memories we will share the character value of with you! ‘perseverance’.
Do we really need to teach good character? Jul - Dec Highlights: Adventures, In our Backyard…
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Good VS Evil… Who will win? 2 Food Glorious Food! 3 Shake, Rattle and Roll…
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Character Building lessons have been a foundation in YMCA’s extensive programme. Our mission in teaching character values to the students is to promote positive social behaviour, responsibility, kindness, care, respect, and teamwork. However, most people seem to think that good character does not need to be taught, that it is common sense. But is it common sense really? How does one learn or teach good character? In YMCA, we strive to impart these values through games, group discussions, roleplaying, and watching snippets of videos showing
examples of these values. Focusing on the value of perseverance, the children discussed with the teachers what it means to persevere. They also made posters with words of encouragement such as ‘pick yourself up and try again’, ‘keep trying’ and ‘you can do it’. This was really tested when the children participated in our first cup stacking competition. There were many times egos clashed and patience tested, but the children came together and persevered!
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Ready, set, stack! Our very first cup stacking competition took place in June with weeks of preparation.
An intense moment in the competition and the victory shot
“We were so nervous and did not expect to win but…we are so happy to win!” Fiona & Allyssya
We are very proud to say that two of our girls, Fiona and Allyssya, bagged first prize for their doubles collaboration!
Many hours were spent watching videos of practice runs as well as practicing these runs over and over again.
There were moments the children wanted to give up because they could not get a ‘clean run’, but it was a very In the doubles competition, proud moment for the one player played as the right teachers when we witnessed hand and the other as the left the children encouraging hand. one another amid the To accomplish the task at distraction of hand required utmost co- announcements and cups ordination, co-operation and dropping! focus.
Adventures in our backyard…
Top: SLSCC & JWSC2 students at Pasir Ris Park Bottom: Alyssa with her lantern masterpiece
During this theme, our children learnt a little more about adventure sports in Singapore.
that we use in our everyday lives, which are also used for many types of sports.
Rock climbing, abseiling, wake boarding and mountain biking were only some of the sports we explored deeper.
The children then made simple bracelets made from old t-shirts using a hitch knot and a macramé knot.
They learnt about technical terms and 7 types of knots
Good VS Evil…who will win? The children made and decorated paper lanterns while re-visiting the legend behind ‘mid-autumn festival’ in September. Not many know the story of Hou Yi and Chang E…do you? Another story of good VS evil is celebrated in the festival of
‘Diwali’ in October/ November every year. The children made paper Rangoli (Diwali decorations) and enjoyed their attempts at narrating the legend behind this festival.
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Food Glorious Food! In following the ‘Around the World Theme’, our teacher Ms D. came up with 12 mouthwatering lessons for our ‘Y Junior MasterChef’ programme to teach the children to prepare balanced snacks and/or light meals with little to no cooking required. The children learnt quite a few things about food from the world around us.
They made simple snacks like sandwiches, sushi rolls, tortilla wraps, popiah, orange dessert with chocolate cake, vanilla ice-cream, and even a simple honey lemon drink to soothe ones’ throat. These are but a few of the moments captured of children having fun while learning about food from around the world.
Top: Enjoying their mini cheesecakes
The children from both centres pump up their adrenaline for a 60minute session of aerobic workout and strength training exercises.
Left: The children showing off their very first masterpiece, a peanut butter and apple sandwich. Right: Enjoying the fruits of their labour, Australia Day drinks (lime juice and yellow watermelon stars)
Shake, rattle and roll… The year-end cum Christmas party was planned with 200% fun in mind. The children helped with the decorations and were so eager to find out what the menu was for the day. Yes! Feed my belly please! A dance-off kicked off the day’s events with children dancing to favourites like ‘Gangnam Style’, ‘Happy’ and of course ‘YMCA’! No dance off would be complete without it! Next up were old favourites with
“Future.”
games like the egg and spoon race with a twist, best newspaper-dressed model, musical chairs and balloon relay races. We stopped for lunch of pizzas, chicken wings, sandwiches, noodles, and desserts galore! The party continued with caroling and the Christmas secret Santa gift exchange. Then as all good things come to an end, so did our last party for 2016 with group pictures taken. A party to be remembered for a long time to come!
Top: Upper P Class of 2016 Bottom: Christmas baubles and spoon race (slight twist from the traditional egg and spoon race)
Editor’s Note
YMCA SCC @ Si Ling
2016 has been very interesting and definitely lifechanging for both the teachers and all the children!
From Left: Mr Joshua, Mr Chris, Ms Jo, Mrs Quek & Aunty Mary… Our team during our 2016 Annual Dinner and Dance on 16th December.
When we started in 2015, the YMCA team had some shoes to fill…with new relationships to make and trust to be gained. The children of Si Ling Primary School have been
nothing short of smart, cheeky, funny and lovable. We will be eternally grateful for the precious two years with the staff and students of Si Ling Primary School. As we move on to 2017, we wish all in SLPS the very best in all their future endeavours! Joanne Korrine
About Our Organisation… We’re on the Web! See us at: www.ymca.org.sg
Perseverance at its best! Kai Xin kept at it and stacked this amazing tall house of cards! Way to go Kai Xin!
YMCA of Singapore is a volunteer-based Christian organisation that seeks to serve and impact all members of the community, regardless of race, language or religion, through programmes, services and enterprises to develop the body, mind and spirit.
Students doing ’Rangoli’ to commemorate Diwali
Even our boys got in on the action! Zuhair showing off his recycled t-shirt hitch knot bracelet! Now say that 10 times