Valedictorian Speech at Akela Award 2008

By Daryl Yeo

Good evening, Guest of Honour Mr Lee, Commissioners, Leaders, Teachers, Parents and fellow cubs. 

I am honoured to represent my brother cubs present here. We are very proud to receive this prestigious award and yet humbled because of what all this award represents in the scout movement.

Scouting is the only CCA that allows us to develop life skills like working as a group, build our confidence and at the same time instill in us a caring nature and love for our country, respect and care for others as well as groom us to be a responsible leader.

For this we must thank our leaders, school and parents for the support, encouragement, dedication and commitment that saw us through the years of scouting. Please give them a round of applause.

I joined scouts together with my parents because at Gongshang, priority is given to students whose parents are willing to play a part in scouting. This is a novel way to select and recruit cub scouts and at the same time get help to run the unit. I am a beneficiary of a unit run entirely by selfless parents. Thank you Auntie Kat for being so creative and our parent volunteers for the great sacrifice of your time, often forgoing sleep to plan meaningful scouting activities.

My four years of scouting have been very exciting, fun, fruitful and fulfilling.  I participated in international, national and unit programmes organized by the Scout headquarters, Scout units, and other Cub Scout Units.  Such activities like the Cub Scout Goodwill Camporee in Perth, Flamboree, National Exploration Challenge, National Pioneering Competition, Camp Seeonee, Sixer Training Camp, Cameron Highlands Conservation Project, Pulau Ubin Hike and St John’s Home Visit and many more has left a deep impact in my life and I will treasure the experience and wonderful memories.

My parents and me (left) with GS parent volunteers and fellow scouts at Cameron Highlands

Through scouting activities, I have discovered and developed my leadership skills as well as my confidence.  It has helped me to be more courageous (especially now when I am standing right here delivering this speech) and to be brave in all difficulties, to overcome fears or at least manage my fear of heights.  I also learned to help the younger, weaker and less fortunate ones.  Scouting has indeed made and shaped me to what I am today. I am sure it has likewise shaped you too, my brother cubs.

I hope all the cub scouts who are present here today will continue to join scouts in secondary school and encourage friends to do so.  However, if you are unable, remember that “once you are a scout, forever you are a scout”. 

I would also like to take this opportunity to encourage the scout leaders, teachers, parent volunteers and parents from all over Singapore to spur young scouts on so that 1 day, they would come up here to receive the Akela award!  I am sure my fellow Akela recipients will agree with me that this sense of achievement is so good.

To all Akela award winners, continue to enjoy scouting for life! For it will be one that you will reflect on and remember forever.    

THANK YOU!