Now in FACEBOOK!

Now in FACEBOOK!

Aspire! CCPE Alumni is a group formed for ex-Co-Curricular Programme Executives based in the East and South Schools in Singapore. The aim of this group is to continue the friendship and bond which was once shared among the CCPEs and the company.

Join the group if you were once a CCPE with Aspire! Keep in touch with all the friends you made while with Aspire!

Cheerios!

Chingay With Springfield

Being a ccpe is not about your results in English Language. So pardon me if my English is super wonderful that none of you readers can read it.

Wow, how cool is my opening? haha.

I've thought about the opening for quite some time now.

Chingay Singapore 2009

This was actually held on 30th and 31st January. My school took part in the event for their Sec 4 NT CIP.

If you saw them live on TV or on their repeat telecast, my school students would be the ones in the lion suit. I did not expect Chingay this year to be a very huge event, but I was wrong.

One of the perks of being a CCPE is that you get to travel. :)

Even though, it was kind of last minute for me, I just had to jump into the chance of taking awesome photos of the events. Definitely an event worth going for. You should have seen the whole thing LIVE. yeah, I got backstage passes. Meeting the media, meeting the other participants, meeting loads and loads of people in their beautiful makeup. There were some pretty chicks as well. Heh.

Ouh, I get a free t-shirt as well.

Cool kan?

Hi to all Aspireans,

It’s been some time since my last post.

I was with the Executive Planner Committee on January 10, celebrating an Appreciation Dinner to mark the end of a very successful project. I am sure all of you who have seen the Executive Planner 2009 are mighty proud of it. Let’s make full use of the Planner.

I was also reminded by Muhammad that I had not kept to my promise of one blog entry a month. Like the rest of you, I have been busy…. but that’s a lousy excuse. I have made a New Year Resolution for 2009 – I will never use “I have been busy” as an excuse for not getting things done.

This being the beginning of the year, I believe making resolutions is a good thing – provided we keep it of course. I would like to appeal to all of you to make our value on Service Excellence a part of your New Year Resolution. Make it a point for the rest of 2009, to be an excellent service provider to your customer: your school. You can be an excellent service provider in many ways.

Firstly, be responsive to the needs of your teachers, HODs, VPs and Ps. Try to anticipate what they will need even before they articulate their needs.

Secondly, in whatever you do, put in your best – nothing short of the best will do. It should be second nature to you. Your school expects it and you will not shortchange the people in your school.

Thirdly, be conscious of meeting deadlines. No procrastinations. You must be seen to be a responsible person who can be depended on to deliver as promised.

Lastly, go the extra mile. Wow them! Surprise them! Always under-promise and over-deliver.

So for the rest of 2009, let’s aspire to be excellent service providers!


Victor Pinto
11 January 2009

Camp Aspire!!

It started out when the Girls Brigade teacher approached me to source out for vendors to conduct a camp for 20 girls. After sourcing and looking at the quotes we gathered from various vendors, ATN was chosen for its availability and lowest cost.

The timing was just right as I was then posted to HQ as a roving CCPE. Rockey then got me in the team with Sylvia to run the camp. Then Andrew came along being the only MAN in the whole group. By then, we had 2 weeks to start planning and making arrangements for budget, accommodation, food, insurance, programme and logistics. The initial stage was quite hectic as we had to run from places to places to gather all the items we needed. Special thanks to our AZM Farhan for providing us with the solid fuel. J

As the camp aim was to inculcate a spirit of adventure and discovery to approach life challenges, the programme had to cover the adventure criteria as well as activities that touch on important values that one face in life…

Then came the day CI Sylvia, CI Salina and CI Andrew get rolling…The first main activity was kayaking at Sembawang Yacht Club and it was conducted by our very own Fauzun. It was a nice bright sunny day and the girls were tired out by the end of the day even though it was an introductory course. We had a nice time showering as the yacht club were having some piping works and we had to find means and ways to shower with just a tiny stream of water coming out of the shower heads. It’s a good experience! Students also had the fibre glass effect (if you get what I mean) and started to use masking tape to wax their legs! *shakes head…GIRLS…*


After kayaking, we went back to the school and we had group breaking activities followed by ‘lee wee brothers nasi lemak’ dinner (Yummy!). After eating to their hearts content, we conducted mass games and the night ended with reflections and daily evaluation.



On the 2nd day, the 3 of us brought the students trekking at Bukit Timah Hill. We took on the yellow route up and down by the Green route. We expected the students to take more time but they were just too energetic to rest! At the summit, we conducted reflections and we were proud to see values such as perseverance, resilience, care & concern being brought up. Students even realize that going up and down the hills and steps are just like the ups and downs we face in life and through perseverance and resilience, it is possible to conquer. Yes, DEEP…



When we arrived in school, the girls had the most refreshing shower and we then went on to our teambuilding games, outdoor cooking and activities at night include candlelight fight, testi- whereby participants have to write nice things about one another and the night ended with our very own modified epitaph.


To me, the second day was the most fulfilling as the girls were already very soaked into the camp and we even had breakdown cases while conducting the activities. No im not being mean but when the girls cry, I had a sense of satisfaction as it shows me that they take things seriously and through debriefing, they shared their concerns and it reassures me that they really learn something. Sweet success…

The 3rd day was short and sweet. With the help of Mud, the CCPE at Outram Secondary School, we had the introductory course for rockclimbing. The great thing about it is the fact that the course was conducted by the Sec 1 students! What a way to encourage student leadership and active participation. When we went back to school, we had area cleaning for break camp and had photo taking and debriefing before we went our separate ways. I just hope that all the girls benefited and have a broader mind after Camp Aspire!

Special thanks to fellow CCPEs, Fauzun @ Coral Prmary & Muhammad @ Outram Secondary for their assistance in the conduct of kayaking & rock climbing. It worked because we were together…

Cheers!
- Salina Ahmad Shah -
Aka Salinasaurus (RAWRR!!)

Introducing... Faceball...

So yeap! Looks good aint it?

This is my proposal.....

Lets have it during DnD!!!!

Ok guys. Keep the smile on. ;)

-Muhammad-

Go Flea-ing!!!!

What’s free, fun & filled with good stuff going cheap cheap cheap?
Flea.Fly.Flo.Fun (http://community.livejournal.com/fleaflyflofun) Flea Market!

No, flea markets are not for fleas to shop for groceries. It’s a rojak market selling all sorts of fashionable clothes, funky items & a variety of second-hand goodies.

If you’ve missed out on all the joys of flea-ing, here’s your chance:

What: Flea.Fly.Flo.Fun Flea Market (Le 2nd Anniversary)

When: Saturday, 25 October 2008, 1pm – 6 pm

Where: Singapore Conference Hall (7 Shenton Way)

(How to get there: Tanjong Pagar MRT, Exit E. Walk along Maxwell Road for 5 mins and you'll arrive at the venue.)

See you there!
Nad
(le avid flea-goer)

(p.s. Yours truly have a flea stall this Saturday somewhere amidst all the chaos. Come find me!)

CCPE Adventures: The Kayaking Story

by Nur Huril Ain


Day 1: Saturday, 23 August 2008


What do you do on Saturday & Sunday rainy morning? Sleeps...sleep...sleep & sleep!

But sadly no, 13 of us didn’t.

13 of us decided to be "badak berendam" (floating hippopotamus) for the two days. So dear readers, welcome to the 3rd instalment of CCPE kayaking one-star Level course.

The last time Yours Truly went Kayaking was back in 2006 for an expedition. Being the facilitator back then, it was quite a challenge bringing the kids without having any certification. Even when the HOD asks, Yours Truly could only give her best crooked Darlie smile. So now when the opportunity came to own that certificate, Yours Truly felt like jumping into the water immediately without listening to all the necessary theory needed. Lucky for us, Fauzun don't drone like half lecturers do, but stuttered when necessary. He ensured that we pay attention to every single nautical, mileage, PFD, strokes definition and terms.



Despite the heavy rain, all of us (mostly first-timers) were quite excited to launch the kayak. After being instructed to carry the kayak from the shoreline and to wear our PFD (Personal Floatation Device), we were then told to hold each other’s hands and in a circle formation, slowly walk to the sea. To test our PFD, we were instructed to float on our backs while holding each other’s hands. If no one drowns, the PFD is safe to use. Right after that, Fauzun tested us on our water confidence by making us swim 50m to a pontoon.

After the 50m pontoon test, off we go with our respective kayaks. We did forward and reverse strokes including raft up. It was quite amusing seeing us do the “Raft up”, what with a lot of crashes; the panicky situations; some kayaks going out of direction. We had fun. Not even the heavy rain dampened our mood and Yours Truly wished at that very moment not to let Mr Sun come out. He never did.


Anyway, lunch was a total ROC (Relax one corner). Who cares about sitting prim and proper and dry? Even the pack Nasi Lemak got drenched with us.

After lunch, all of us went dizzy with 360 sweep strokes. Imagine 12 of us doing the same sweep strokes simultaneously. It’s just like water ballet but without proper synchronisation. The next thing we knew, the draw strokes were being drilled into us. Two draw strokes; The “J” and “classical” strokes are meant to “push” your kayak nearer to the expected objects, i.e. two kayaks, 5m apart and side by side. In order to raft out faster, we use the draw strokes.

Day 2: Sunday, 24 August 2008

Mr Sun came out to play with us for half a day and by then; we learnt new stuffs and perfected our strokes.

Capsize Drill is fun! Despite all the nonsensical stuffs gushing into our nostrils, everyone’s comical reactions were the butts of jokes the whole day.

Baizura is an expert in capsize drill. She managed to capsize with full confidence but unfortunately her capsized kayak refused to budge along with her as she swam towards the shore. *GRIN*


That aside, we also learnt TX rescue; either with 3 people (mainly the Lead Rescuer, the assistant and the victim) or 2 people (The lead rescuer and the victim). It was hard work though, and you could see all our rippling muscles after that - from carrying and sliding the water-filled kayaks. It’s not easy being the rescuer or the victim; it was totally mind-boggling and all our inner strengths started to drain out when we found ourselves stuck and almost giving up. It was a good drill that tested our mental capabilities.


Another draw stroke was taught: the “classical” stroke. Yours truly admit that this is the best and nicest style amongst all three strokes. You can practically see Fauzun waltzing ala Zapin (Malay dance) on the water. So delicate and fragile and yet with the powerful strokes you find yourself at the other side.

With that, we ended our Kayaking journey. Mean time, feel free to view the pictures in the album!

Toodles! :-D

Yours Truly,

NurHuril Ain
Marymount Convent