By Kavya Thirunavukkarasan (Chairperson) and Ong Yu-En (Chairperson)
Trees towering over you. Leaves crunching beneath your feet. Birds chirping melodies as the sun filters through the canopy. A mesmerising interplay of light and shadow and a tranquil ambience for you to take in. Amazing isn’t it? If you think so, then the Outdoor Adventures and Activities Club (ODAC) might be where you belong!
“Adventures are where we go together”, and your ODACian adventure starts with the Basic Training Camp (BTC) in March. As a prequel to what our CCA has to offer, BTC aims to orientate the incoming Year 5s to ODAC by honing their camping skills such as tent pitching and outdoor cooking over the three days and two nights we spend in school and at the Pulau Ubin Campsite.
Bonding over singing songs around the campfire and gazing up at the starry night, BTC is just the beginning~
The next milestone in ODAC will be organising and taking part in Outdoor Adventure for Kids (ODAK), a community outreach Values in Action (VIA) programme in April. ODAC collaborates with voluntary welfare organisations to bring children from less privileged backgrounds or those with special needs on an exciting day out in nature. It’s a chance for these children to have fun and enjoy the great outdoors, creating unforgettable memories and fostering a love for adventure. For ODAK ‘24, our CCA collaborated with The Singapore Association For The Deaf (SADeaf) and accompanied children with hearing impairments to Hay Dairies Goat Farm.
Following ODAK, we start gearing up for Raffles Race, an annual school-wide event held in May. This amazing race is a test of wits and physical strength in which the Year 5 and 6s can make loving memories with their friends as they conquer the different stations scattered all over Sentosa Island. With the theme “Echoes of Dawn” for Raffles Race ‘24, the race for a new age was indeed a turning point in our journey.
In line with Gryphon Recall in July, ODACIA is an annual invitation for ex-ODACians to interact with their juniors and seniors from various batches. By passing down the baton of knowledge and keeping the torch of legacy burning bright, ODACIA is truly a reflection of how far our CCA has come.
Last but definitely not the least, what would the outdoors be without expeditions? Every year, the Year 5 batch gets an opportunity to go on two overseas expeditions, one in June and another at the end of November. To train for these expeditions, we take part in many body-conditioning activities such as physical training and hiking various routes around Singapore.
Our CCA sessions are usually held on Mondays (4.30-6.30pm) and Wednesdays (8-11am/12pm). Mondays are reserved for skills and physical training. Essential skills include first aid, knot tying, tent pitching and backpacking. PT games are conducted to maintain our members’ physical fitness while still finding joy in the process!
On Wednesdays, we spend our time partaking in various outdoor activities such as hiking and backwoodsman cooking! As we pick up our backpacks and set out on a new route everytime, we immerse ourselves in the nature parks amidst Singapore’s urban city. We are able to catch a breath of fresh air, taking a break from our usual busy schedules while admiring the flora and fauna around us. Not forgetting the enriching discussions we engage in with our teachers about things we see on the hikes, allowing us to learn so much more about the environment.
So, what are you waiting for? Join us and let’s embark on this adventure together!
