Alzeihmer's
Our group recently carried out a treasure hunt for grades 2-5 in the primary school. The surprising complexity involved in organizing such a seemingly simple event was a new experience for me. We needed to have six different routes to the treasure, to allow for some competition. This meant fanning out to all parts of the school, marking eye catching land marks as clue spots. We also had to market the event properly to attract as many primary school kids as possible. Another key difficulty was digging the treasure hole, more physical than mentally challenging.
The event on the whole went off successfully, although the kids did prove to be a little cleverer than we believed, finishing off in less than half an hour. Our total gains from the event was roughly 12,000 rupees, which is pretty successful.

Saisa Basketball Nepal

Our basketball team ended our season coming in fourth place overall out of eight teams. Admittedly this is dissapointing from last year, but the amount the team has grown together and fought hard at most times through the season has been rewarding to watch. Travelling to Nepal was also a new experience to me, and was something I also loved. Flying over the breathtaking himalayas, living in the magnificent hospitatlity of our host, the cheerfully cold weather and the new school were all mememorable experiences. Hopefuly, next year the team will grow and reach past heights once again.

BASKETBALL
My second try out for the basketball team has recently begun. This year we are decidedly with less firepower than last year, nevertheless the enthusiasm and determination of younger students are positive. Training is as usual both mentally and physically challenging but it becomes extremely rewarding to meet the challenge and makes the activity more fun.

Sri Lanka Alzheimer's Foundation Walk
Our elective group from the Overseas School of Colombo participated in a charity walk organised by the SL Alzheimer foundation. The majority of particpants were elderly so the teenagers from our group helped provide a bit more energy to the event. The walk was a short 4 kilometers, with lots of music, red&white balloons and large banners. This was the first time we had actively participated with the larger alzheimer foundation group and it was pleasing to see the fairly widespread response the event recieved.

Alzeihmer's Elective

In addition to the raffle, the SL alzheihmer foundation is also organizing a 'Walk for Alzheimers' on the same day. Our first step to get people to the walk was to put up posters literally everywhere in the school! We then asked all our members to also bring a friend along to the walk, which should increase our numbers. Unfortunately, my co-leader will not be able to make it since he is attending a SAISA swim meet in Mumbai, India.

Cancer Hospital

We recently visited the hospital after the summmer. The new play room is much cleaner, 'spick and span' and rather alluring as well! The kids, however, were not there on that day, so we improvised and cleaned the area outside the playroom - lots of wet sponges, mops and brooms!   

Leadership Workshop

Recently, the school organized (for the first time ever) a leadership skills building workshop for all OSC service leaders and the Student Government. We were made to carry out several abstract tasks in order to provide a vivid description of what leadership is, which was beneficial. For example, we were asked to describe a picture of cow dung upclose, with fungi growing on it and pleasant trees in the background. This led to several good examples of what a leader should observe and do, most importantly being able to look beyond the short term. On the whole we were able to understand the demands and responsbilities of a leader in better terms and I don't think I will forget the 'definition' provided for leadership, as someone who creates "an enabling environment" with a "shared purpose", advice that I found to be true and I will keep to help me in future endeavours.      

Alzheimer's Elective

We've been doing a lot of work recently, very active. The SL Alzheimer Foundation is organizing a raffle for which we have been asked to sell 20 booklets. To do this we have been making posters that were put around school. We then sell the tickets straight after school with two people from the elective volunteering to help me and seong. The ticket sales have been quite rapid as well as another fun experience in raising funds. And i believe we've created a shared purpose with an enabling environment in selling these raffle tickets :)

Grade 12

We're now seniors..our final year. The summer went pretty well for me. I got invloved with an advertisng agency (LeoBunett) for about two weeks which was extremely fun and useful experience. 

I also managed to stay true to my aim of keeping my tennis skills alive, by practicing atleast once a week and sometimes even twice or thrice a week. It was great, I love playing tennis  and it was a good way to keep fit as well, so that I wouldnt be completely out of shape for basketball later on in the year. 

This year me and seong (my fellow leader) will continue to lead the alzheimers elective, with no senior help to turn to :) We've already done our presentation to the school and we have seven people in the elective, which is pretty good, and more than the first sem. last year. Leading this elective is something that excites me this year since we constantly have to use so many skills to make it successful including public speaking skills, organisational skills, responsibility as well as keep the group and its members continually excited to be part of the elective. 

I also plan to continue my involvement with Cancer Hospital Project. OSC's has recently completed a newly refurbished play room for the kids there and we hope to go visit it sometime.