Day 11 -- Making Change

Group 1 Adeline Wong 3A (30)

Today was definitely a fun day! We planned a project on changing our communities. Our group did a project on tackling obesity.  Thoughout the process we came up with different solutions and learnt to apply the SMART goal in our project framing, meaning that the goals we set are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.

We also went for the YMCA high ropes.  All of us definitely challenged ourselves to our fullest as we tried to accomplish different tasks at a high spot, such as jumping and leaning back on a high pole with other team members. We learnt to build more trust in others we are cooperating with.  

The highlight of the day was definitely the dreamcatcher-making session. We had a great time making our own unique dream catchers and it was a valuable experience for us to learn about accepting our flaws.

Group 2 Janice Wong 3L (31)

We went to the YMCA for high ropes today. We challenged ourselves by engaging in two high rope activities. The first one involved going up onto a plank to ring the bells with a partner. It was quite intimidating at first as it was so high above the ground, but then I was able to climb up there without getting too nervous.

The second one was much more challenging, as four people had to get onto a high platform and complete some missions together. It was very frightening as it was much higher up there and it shook a lot, but we managed to finish the tasks. It was really a great experience to challenge myself by climbing the high ropes.

Group 3 Kristie Wong 3T (34)

YMCA High Ropes had always been something we looked forward to, but never once had we ever imagined that it would be this challenging. From the moment we walked onto the vast grassland, we were shocked to see such a high platform balanced on a teetering pole. Next to it was a beam of wood, precariously balanced in mid-air, supported by another wooden pole that had metal hoops attached to it. We were in for yet another surprise when we were told to climb up in groups of two and four respectively. It was so high, and the pole wobbled so much; some of us were even scared of heights, making the high ropes challenge a gigantic one. However, as the saying goes, “nothing is impossible”. We did eventually figure out ways to work with our partners and perform the required tasks.

Climbing the high ropes was very significant for me, particularly because it made me challenge myself and overcome my fear of heights. Being scared of heights, I had to discipline myself and keep looking upwards, since looking down would inevitably have caused me to let go and tumble. I’ve come to realize that I don’t have to let my fears conquer me. I can conquer my fears by actively taking the first step out of my comfort zone. Life wouldn’t be the same if people never tried new things, if people only did what they were comfortable with. Life is, in itself, a great adventure, so we must constantly challenge ourselves to reach new heights and fulfil our goals.

Group 4 Bernice Suen 3U (29)

The focus today was making changes. We understood that servant leadership is important and beneficial as the leader shares power, puts the needs of others first, and helps people develop and achieve their potentials to the fullest. Servant leadership is what we should exercise. We also did a group project on making some changes to our community. Our group’s theme was putting an end to animal cruelty. We all put the knowledge we’ve learnt into practice. Having worked on the project, we have become more concerned and involved in our community.

The highlight of the day was undoubtedly high-rope climbing in YMCA. We cooperated with our friends to finish the activities. We cheered our teammates on and learnt that each team player’s effort is vital in completing a challenge, and we also pushed ourselves to reach new heights. It was an unforgettable and meaningful experience!

Group 5 Sabrina Ng 3P (22)
The tour is coming to an end, nevertheless it was still a fun-filled day. We had our lesson about making changes in community in the morning and learnt how a leader should be a public servant and help to improve the community. Our group did a project about building a colorful community for children and giving students back their childhood. It was a very informative morning.
After lunch, we set off for the activity I had been looking forward to the most, YMCA High Ropes. It was a memorable day for us because we expanded our comfort zones and broke through many mental obstacles as many of us, including me, are afraid of heights. We bonded with each other by encouraging and supporting our teammates. We learnt to trust each other more and overcame the difficulties to achieve new heights.
In the evening, we learnt to make our own dreamcatchers. “Patience is a virtue” is very true when doing this activity as we need to sew ad make the dreamcatchers slowly with a single sinew thread by thread. Our hard work paid off and the outcome was great. 
In a whole, we had an amazing day.

Group 6 Ella Lau 3U (18)

Today, we learnt about making changes. This formed the basis of our group project which concerned about a big problem in the world and the possible solutions. We tried to incorporate what we learnt in the past few days and apply them in our work. In the evening, we got the chance to present our projects and made our very own dream catchers.

The highlight of today was definitely the high and low ropes at YMCA campsite. All of us were extremely excited. Though the experience was terrifying, with some of us failed some challenging tasks on the high platform, we certainly pushed past our limits.

Overall, it was a very fruitful day as we learnt how to trust each other even more.

Group 7 Danica Yu 3A (32)

We started off the day with a lesson on how to make your community better by applying everything we learnt in this study tour. After an early lunch, we set off to the YMCA campsite for high ropes. It was the activity we all longed for. We attempted two kinds of high ropes. For the first one, four people got to climb up and stand on a high platform and do some challenging tasks like jumping and leaning back together. This required much trust among teammates. The second one was like a seesaw high up in the air. We were to climb up the pole and stand on the balance beam together and ring the bells. These challenging games really built trust in the team. I was so proud of those teammates who pushed their limits and overcame the fear of heights in order to complete the the challenge. The High Ropes became the highlight of this amazing study tour.

Group 8 Charmaine Li 3A (19)

In the morning, we learnt about making changes in community, I understood that a good leader should be like a servant by putting the needs of others before themselves and helping others to develop further and perform well. Also we need to motivate each other in order to achieve our common goal successfully. We also worked on a group project to deepen our understanding in this topic. During the process, we deepened our understanding of the importance of teamwork and communication. After lunch, we went to YMCA campsite for high ropes. By participating in this long-awaited activity, we learnt to conquer our fears. The challenging games helped strengthen our trust and friendship. They activity reminded us of the importance of teamwork. The most memorable part of the day was the Guest Craft Session: Dream Catchers. We learnt to be patient as it took us quite a long time to make our own dream catcher. It was such an amazing and unforgettable experience.