Group+3


 * Group 3: Samuel, Jack, Shaun, Justyn**

__**The way to be a scout**__

"Hurray! I was chosen to be a member of the Alpha scouts in my neighbourhood!" They were known in many places around the world as they had won many scout championships in other states. It was the dream of many boys of my age to join, I bet that when I go back to school and share the news with Jeff and John, two of my best friends, they would be so envious of me. I couldn't wait for the weekend to end.

Let me tell you how it started... It was the month of May, and on one fine weekend, a letter was sent to me personally, telling me that I was invited to join the Alpha scouts squad if I had the qualities to join them. I was elated! A chance to join the Alpha scouts sqaud was the rarest in a boy's whole life!

In about a month, the holiday passed and I had to go back to school. When I was whistling merrily on my way to the class, Jeff and John caught up with me and told me that they had also recieved the letter allowing them to join the Alpha scouts. We read from the letter that there was a meeting for the Alpha scouts. We went to the meeting together. It was quite enjoyable and the Alpha scouts decided that we should go to Australia to have a camping trip and attend the World Scouts Association Grand Meeting during the June holidays to let the new scouts learn more about being a scout.

After many Alpha scouts meetings and boring classes in school, the school term was over and the Alpha scouts had a final meeting before its annual camping trip to Australia. After the camp we were supposed to go to the World Scouts Association Grand Meeting for new scouts. After gathering my passport and luggage, I was fnally ready for camp!

The first day at camp, counsellor Tim led us through the thick shrubbery that lay around. A few times, we even needed to cut them away using a Swiss army knife. Finally we reached a place with flat land all around which was just perfect for us to pitch our tents. A few of us new scout recruits were trying to untangle the tent but with having no success while some other new scouts had brought along "A scout's guide to camping".

Tim said that the more experienced scouts would be testing the hunting skills, tracking skills and survival skills of the new scouts for this camping trip. With our camping equipment, we should stay in the forest for one month and our food stock will run out in three days so the new scouts, taught by the experienced scouts, would set traps to catch animals and make bow and arrows with the natural resources.

On the first day of the second week after coming to Australia,the Alpha scouts hiked through the shrubbery and Tim hiked in front while his assistant Jasmine hiked beside him.The new scouts, ten of us, were not paying attention and chatting. Suddenly, all the experienced Alpha scouts all seemed to disappear! In a flurry of actions, Tim and Jasmine were out of sight in the dense and deep woods along with the other scouts.The new scouts were at a lost what to do as we had hiked deep into the forest. Taking out my handphone, I tried to get a signal but to no avail.

After measuring the position of the Sun with the time of day and checking with my handheld Global Positioning System (GPS) which was my birthday present, I walked back to the group and told the group that we needed at least a 2-day walk to get to the nearest village for help and we have nearly finished with our food and water supply. Just then, Jeff suddenly said:"Errm...Tom, we apointed you as the group leader as you know more survival skills than us." "Huh?" I thought. I was shocked as I had no leadership qualities at all. Even though I am a little bit more experienced than others in camping, I did not know how to lead a group of scouts to get help from a village 10km away. I was shocked by their choice of their leader.

On the first day when we were lost, we found a piece of flat ground and we decided to camp there. Jeff had an interesting idea to refill our water supply through condensation. Two of us shared a tent while the remaining five tents are slung onto the trees to collect dew. We also dug some traps and covered them up to trap wild animals for our diminishing food supply. In the traps, there are sharpened branches to wound wild animals that might fall into the traps. In front and around of our tents, we also put many sharpened branches to prevent wild animals from attacking us during the night. Jeff praised me of commanding the group. I then realised that I was gaining leadership qualities from this camping trip.

On the next day, about dawn, I listened a wild animal howling in pain. I led my group to a trap and saw a wild boar killed. Before the dead boar were infested with maggots, we dragged the wild boar back to our temporary campsite and decided to have it for dinner. What a merry feast feast had indeed! The next morning, there were howling at one of the pits. My group raised to the particular pit and saw that Jasmine accidentally fell into the pit. Despite Jasmine's injury, we rejoiced at meeting the more experienced scouts again. After that, my group packed up our bags and leaved for the base. A few hours passed and finally, we caught sight of the base. We went to the village which we almost reached and borrowed a van.

During the meeting, something unexpected happened. I was awarded a special "good leadership"award by the chief scout. It came to me so sudden, that for a few moments I was lost for words. As it turned out, Tim, Jasmine and the others were peeping at us secretly,so as to know our weaknesses and strengths at camping. Just then, Jasmine did not know the newly dug trap so she accidentally dropped into the pit unknowingly. From that day onwards, I was promoted to the assistant leader at the same rank as Jasmine! I taught the more inexperienced scouts survival skills for them to learn and sharing my story with each and everyone of the new scouts, never failing to amaze and impress them.