Commander June Chia from Outpost #05 – Harborlight Church, received her NYAA Gold Award together with Commander Ivana Choo (Outpost #01 – Bethel A/G) from President Tony Tan at a ceremony recently.

What does she have to share about her NYAA Gold Journey and advice to future Royal Rangers who will embark on a similar path to NYAA Gold.

Q: How have you have benefited form Participating in the NYAA Scheme?

More often than not, young people today, are usually faced with the fact that their results would prove whether or not they are successful whatsoever. The usually better results ones would be the ones where everyone goes, “Wow… so smart” and the ones that don’t do as well would usually be snubbed upon.

Fortunately, unfortunately, I came from the latter group, my results were not as great but I was better at (other activities). Being able to participate in the NYAA Scheme has allowed me to realize that being successful is not mainly about my results, but when I’m out in the working world, the character that I have in me, would be more relevant in my contribution to society.

The NYAA Scheme has allowed me to build up my leadership skills as I had to lead myself to stay focused on my all the projects and skills I have chosen to undertake. Giving up was an option but it also meant that either I gave up totally or start all over again. I decided that I wanted to complete the award well and with a spirit of excellence. With reference to my residential project, I would not have been able to gather as many of these young people together if I have been sloppy in my leading of the group, given the fact that they are usually free to come and go as and when they like. I have also learnt to be more pro-active as I could not simply wait for a residential project to come to me but had to simply, through the many things happening around, evaluate what was most important then, to decide what was needed to be done.

It has been an exciting and at times, stressful time of my life. Nonetheless, I truly enjoyed this experience as it has also since, allowed me to know more about my personal self, that I am able to complete my tasks and projects through my own determination as well as through the encouragement of others around me. I have also acquired better public speaking skills through this project, as I had to present to others my idea before I was given the ‘Go-ahead’ sign.

Q: What words of encouragement did you receive that you would like to share with others?

I would like to share a poem I came across from the movie, Coach Carter. It is by Marianne Williamson;

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking.
So that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were all meant to shine, as children do.

It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,

our presence automatically liberates others.