Year 2021 - 2022
This academic year marks the 82nd Anniversary of the 16th Hong Kong Group since its establishment in June 1940. This year, we had set up four sections to cater for members across different age groups, namely Grasshopper Ring, Cub Pack, Scout Troop and Venture Scout Unit.
DIY Mooncakes: Scouts Embrace Tradition with Backwoods Cooking
Face-to-face scouting activity gradually resumed from May 2021 since the easing of social distancing measures arisen from the 4th wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. As such, our Group had organized various activities and trainings to our members. On 18th September 2021, our scouts made their own mooncakes with their fellow patrol members by using primitive outdoor cooking techniques. Self made paper-box oven was made to bake the mooncake instead of modern electric oven. It was a totally DIY mooncake by our scouts, from purchasing, preparing, mixing the ingredients and materials, to squeezing the dough using tailor-made mold to become a mooncake. After that, the dough was baked in a paper-box oven and charcoal. The delicious mooncake was distributed to each scout and their parents, as well as our Principal of Secondary Section, for enjoying the Mid-Autumn Festival. Bravo!
Scouting Online: Virtual Activities Amid the 5th COVID-19 Wave
It was pity that the outbreak of the 5th wave of COVID-19 pandemic since January 2022 kept all face-to-face scouting activities on hold again. While it was not a total ban of our scouting activities, during the suspension period, our Group held various of online scouting activities via Zoom. One of the highlights was the Joint Troop Online Activities held on 10th, 17th and 23rd April 2022 with 13th North Kwai Chung Group and 15th Hong Kong Group. Leaders of the three Scout Groups organized multiple games and activities for the participants so that they could broaden their horizon under the pandemic. About 100 scout members from three Scout Groups participated in the activities. All of them enjoyed the activities!
Running Strong: Our Group's Remarkable Feats at Island Scout Walk 2023
With the stabilization of COVID-19 pandemic, all face-to-face scout activities resumed in mid-May 2022. In late-May 2022, our Group participated in the Island Scout Trail Walk 2022, which was a virtual hiking competition organized by the Hong Kong Island Region of the Scout Association of Hong Kong. 40 of our scouts, venture scouts and leaders (10 teams) enrolled the 25 km event (Competition Category), and four of our venture scouts enrolled the 50 km event (Competition Category). One of our teams won the first runner-up of the 25 km (Competition Category). Congratulations to them for their achievements and personal breakthrough!
Group Council
In January 2010, the Group Council was established with the ultimate aim of providing support and guidance for the development of our Group. Comprised of dedicated individuals, the Council members have generously contributed their time and resources to oversee the Group's operations. Their valuable support, both in terms of finance and human resources, has been instrumental in our growth and success. We are immensely grateful for their unwavering generosity and contribution.
Fostering Unity: The Council's Reunions Across Generations
Council members have devoted a lot of time to oversee the operation of the Group and given generous support in terms of finance and human resources. Members graduated between the 1950s and the 1990s were also involved in the Council affairs. We are much indebted to their generosity and contributions.
Moreover, the Council served as a bridge to reconnect the members of different ages via a lot of reunions, as seen from the increasing number of Council members. In late 2021, the Council invited the Supervisor, the Principal of Secondary Section and some of the current leaders to the annual dinner of the Council. The Principal was warmly welcomed by Mr. Stephen CHAN, the Chairman of the Council. We do hope that the connection between different generations of the scouting brothers prevails!
Cub Scout Pack
Cub Scout Pack is committed to fostering the holistic development of primary section children, specifically those in grades Primary 3 to 6. Our comprehensive program focuses on nurturing their physical, mental, and spiritual growth. We have 36 members in total this academic year.
Learning Beyond Limits: Cub Scouts Embrace Hybrid Model
The impact of the pandemic is far-reaching on all scout activities in 2021 – 22. Under the leaders’ guidance, Cub Scout Pack adopts a hybrid model in running both online meetings and self-study activities every Saturday afternoon from September 2021 to May 2022. Our Cub Scouts took this unique opportunity in the age of New Normal to learn new skills like Scratch Programming Language, Meteorology and local history, besides the scouting skills and life skills in every meeting.
A New Chapter: Cub Scouts' Return to Outdoor Activities
Fortunately, with the resumption of fac-to-face scouting activity in June 2022, our Cub Scouts could meet physically and engage in different games and trainings. In August 2022, our senior Cub Scouts joined a day camp in the School and around the Western District to sharpen their scout skills and prepare for future outdoor trainings and activities.
We are looking forward to meeting again in the coming academic year with more outdoor activities, together with the lift of social distance restrictions.
Scout Troop
Activities of the Scout Troop aimed at helping young people aged 11 to 16 (mainly S.1 to S.3 students), providing them with challenging and progressive training programmes for their physical, intellectual, social, spiritual and aesthetic development. This year, we had over 80 scouts in our Troop. Devoted leaders spent much of their leisure time to organize games, training sessions and meetings for our youth members.
Peewit Patrol Returns: Honoring Tradition and Leadership
With the increment of our scout members, as well as the potential patrol leaders in our Troop, Peewit patrol was re-established since the patrol optimization scheme in 2013. It was fortunate to have Mr. LAM Chak Fung, Charles, the Patrol Leader of Peewit 2013 – 2014 and currently the Assistant Cub Scout Leader, for handing over the patrol flag and souvenir to LAM Sun Yui, the Patrol Leader of Peewit 2021 – 2022. We wish more and more potential patrol leaders could be nurtured under the guidance of our leaders!
Countdown to 2022: Highlights from Our Winter Camp
Wild camping is one of the essential elements in scout training. Our Troop organized a winter wild camp from 31st December 2021 to 2nd January 2022 at Tung Tsz Scout Center so as to enjoy the wild life. One of the highlights was the countdown party to celebrate the moment of stepping into Year 2022 with about 70 scouting brothers. Another highlight was the campfire night for celebrating the start of Year 2022 on 1st January 2022. It was our honor to invite Dr. YICK Ho Kuen, Victor, the Principal of Secondary Section, and Mr. SO Ho Yin, Steven, the Group Scout Leader, to ignite the campfire and enjoy the night with our scouts. All of the scouts enjoyed the relaxing wild camp very much!
Day and Night Adventures: Hiking and Mapping Skills for Scouts
After the resumption of face-to-face scouting activity in mid-May 2022, our Troop organized various activities to enrich the scout training for our members. On 25th June 2022, our Troop organized an 8-km hiking trip for our new members, starting from Siu Lek Yuen via Gilwell Campsite to Tsz Wan Shan. Essential map reading and navigation skills were taught to our members. At the same night, our current members participated in the night trip, starting from Siu Lek Yuen via Ngong Ping to Ma On Shan. It was a valuable experience for our members to hike at night through adventure. Special thanks to our Troop Leaders for leading two trips from day to night. Salute!
Connecting Online: Joint Troop Activities Amid Pandemic Restrictions
Due to the outbreak of the 5th wave of COVID-19 pandemic, all face-to-face scouting activities were suspended from January to May 2022. During this period, our Troop kept organizing online activities for our scouts, such as handmade lantern and badge assessments. One of the highlights was the Joint Troop Online Activities with 13th North Kwai Chung Group (CNEC Christian College) and 15th Hong Kong Group (Wah Yan College, Hong Kong). Our scouts made groups with other scouting brothers and sisters to complete tasks assigned by the leaders. By the end of the programme, participants made a series of remarkable products, such as infographics and videos, to honor such a memorable occasion.
Scouting Under the Sun: Training and Team-Building at Summer Camp
A summer camp was held from 13th to 15th August 2022 at Community Sports at Sheung Shui, which aimed to train the scout skills and let our scouts enjoy the camping life during summer holiday. Various scoutcraft and team-building games were organized by leaders, such as Kim’s game and mock emergency evacuation. It was a challenge for all participating scouts who took part in all outdoor activities under 35°C of hot summer, and all of them rose up to the challenge. Tough boys!
Nurturing Future Leaders: Leadership Exploration Programme 2022
To explore the leadership skills of potential scout members, a tailor-made programme, namely Leadership Exploration Programme (LEP), was held in July and August 2022. Multiple tasks and projects were assigned to them so that those participants could cooperate with each other, and enhance their soft skills for equipping themselves to be a patrol leader. A training wild camp was held from 27th to 28th August 2022 at Tung Tsz Scout Center, which was the first LEP wild camp held since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Congratulations to all patrol leaders being selected. We do hope that the new patrol leaders could pass the torch on to our younger scouting brothers!
Venture Scout Unit
Operating under a constitution, our Venture Scout Unit shares similarities with other school associations. Our motto, “Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained” reflects the ethos of our unit. Members are entrusted with the planning and management of their own activities, both internal and external, while receiving guidance and support from school and leaders of the Venture Scout Unit.
Rising Above Challenges
Despite the pandemic, our Unit had accepted a series of challenges to hold a lot of internal and external events and activities successfully in this scholastic year. In October 2021, a Venture Scout Epaulettes Training Camp, which was a skills training camp, was jointly organized by our Unit and 6th Kowloon Group Venture Scout Unit (Diocesan Boys' School). Advanced map reading skills and backwoods skills were included in the Camp. Our members were keen to learn new things.
In November and December 2021, three flight simulation courses were held by Mr. Benson AU YEUNG to allow our members to learn about some flight knowledge. Not only shall we focus on skills, but also our treasurable brotherhood. On 22nd December 2021, a Christmas Party was organized by our Exco to gather all members together to celebrate the joyful festival, as well as strengthen our brotherhood.
Virtual Ventures: Engaging Online Events and Skill Development
The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic did not blanket our passion. During the severe pandemic, one of our Exco members, who specializes in Adobe Photoshop design, taught our members to equip the skills of using Photoshop through online platform.
Besides, philosophy talks were one of the vast internal events held online during the suspension of face-to-face scouting activity. Philosophical topic was chosen and discussed once a week, and our members did some research before each talk to broaden our knowledge.
Penta was one of the vast external online events jointly organized by 6th Kowloon Group Venture Scout Unit (Diocesan Boys' School), 11th West Kowloon Company (Queen Elizabeth School), 16th Hong Kong Group Venture Scout Unit, 31st Island Company (St. Francis' Canossian College) and 99th Hong Kong Group Venture Scout Unit (Raimondi College) in early April 2022. Escape room, Live action role-playing (LARP) game and multi-tasking games were prepared by the organizing committee. All of the participants enjoyed the online activity very much. It was also a pioneer for us to organize an online joint unit activity under pandemic situation.
Night Walk and Sunrise: Venture Scouts' 10 km Journey
After the resumption of face-to-face scouting activity in early-May 2022, our Unit organized a night trip on 25th June 2022 to allow our members to adventure over the midnight. The trip was started at Kowloon Reservoir, via Lion Rock Hill to Kowloon Peak with about 10-km. All of our participating venture scouts enjoyed the night walk with a prized sun rise very much!
Uniting Over Film: Venture Scouts and Guides Enjoy Movie Sharing Day
A movie sharing day was jointly organized by our Unit and 25th Island Company (St. Paul's Secondary School) on 11th June 2022 at our School. Venture scouts and girl guides from two units enjoyed the movie “Princess Mononoke” and some tasks prepared by the organizing committee.
Ukiyo Under the Stars: Highlights from the Joint Unit Campfire
The highlight of this year was the Joint Unit Campfire. On 27th August 2022, “2 × 16 Joint Unit Campfire” was co-organized by our Unit and 2nd West Kowloon Company (Diocesan Girls' School) at our School. The theme was “Ukiyo”. Over 100 scouts and girl guides from different units took part in our campfire.
