strengthened.
THE Emart Youth Leadership Camp held at SMK Pending from July 7 to July 9, was an immersive leadership camp which aims to build a solid foundation in leadership among students. Some 160 prefects, class and assistant class monitors, and librarians participated in the camp which was sponsored and conducted by Emart Group of Companies as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, an idea mooted by Emart’s founder, Ngu Ting Sii, or better known as ‘Daddy Ngu’. According to Steven Chai, a CSR Executive with Emart, their vision is to inspire everyone to live a happy, healthy and joyful life. Twenty-three teachers from the school assisted in the smooth running of the camp.
The EYLC serves as a platform to impress upon our students the need to address onslaughts and challenges that come their way, and to embrace the fact that they are the hope and backbone of our country ; it is on their shoulders that the responsibility to create impactful changes lies. It is also an avenue that allows them to work together with individuals from different races and diverse backgrounds. Throughout the camp, the participants engaged in games, activities, simulations, and heartwarming sessions which contained leadership elements.
The numerous group activities conducted also helped to instill in the students a sense of loyalty and pride centred on purpose to their group. “Through the various activities, it is our hope that our students will learn and discover more about themselves – their personality, character traits, talents and skills that maketh them. Surely they will experience discomfort when their boundaries are pushed, but that’s one way to know that you’re indeed stronger than you believe yourself to be,” opined Ustaz Awang Arippin Bin Awang Kamarudin, the Senior Assistant for Student Affairs who were with the students for the whole duration of the camp.
The school principal, Yong Ing Thung expressed his deepest appreciation to the Emart Team for making this camp possible. He said it is vital for the students to be equipped with some leadership skills from young, and they must understand that leadership is not a privilege, but a responsibility. “Being leaders doesn’t mean they have the right to assert control over others, but it means that they must work towards establishing a sense of trust in order to gain the confidence and respect of those they lead. Respect is earned, not demanded, this our students must learn,” he remarked.
It was profoundly meaningful to welcome hundreds of parents to a special session before the camp drew to a close. Most of the times, children do not realise how much their parents have sacrificed for them and that their love knows no boundaries. Some parents have difficulty expressing their love for their children, but surely, their love is conveyed through their endless deeds. This particular session was so highly charged with emotions that most present could not hold back their tears.
Emotions were indeed raw. It was a session which provided both parents and child the avenue to convey those unsaid words. “Most parents, when interviewed, said they aren’t expressive and saying ‘I love you’ to their children doesn’t come easy. Hence, we’re truly glad and thankful that parents made an effort to come to be with their child today. It will definitely be a moment that both parties will cherish for a long, long time to come,’ said the school’s coordinator of the camp, Lai Yiew Wuaeng.
Indeed the Emart Youth Leadership Camp 2017 was a roaring success. Once again, we, at SMK Pending, would like to express our profound gratitude and sincere thanks to the CSR Team from Emart Group of Companies for their time and commitment. Indeed they have touched the lives of Pendingites in ways we cannot imagine, leaving behind a legacy that helps to shape our youth for a better tomorrow.
