A very good morning to all of you. First of all, I would like to thank you for being here. I would also like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak. My speech today concerns all of us. I hope to be able to achieve three things with this speech. One - to inform you of my choice of the course in December. Two – to explain to you why I have arrived at this choice. Three – to persuade you to vote along with me for this choice I have made.
I have done a lot of thinking and also research before this. I would like you to join me to vote for the First Aid Course run by the Red Cross Society of Singapore. Allow me to explain. Hidans lead an active lifestyle, both in the classroom and beyond. However, we are not really a careful lot. We often run into accidents. As senior students, it is long overdue for us to know that we need to have the proper First Aid knowledge and skills to help ourselves and other people, as and when needed. I think it is better late than never.
Let me repeat: We need to equip ourselves with the knowledge and skills of First Aid. The aims are to preserve life, to limit the worsening of the condition and to promote recovery. I strongly believe in the need for myself to be trained as a First Aider who is both theoretically and practically sound when I am applying my skills to help other people. I would also like you too, to be there for me when I am in need of your help.
We should take advantage of the opportunity this December to get the Red Cross Society of Singapore to come over to our school to conduct a one-week course for us. Let’s discuss some of the major benefits and I must say that the benefits are manifold. Firstly, we shall be learning skills and picking up knowledge from real practitioners in the field. If we are lucky, we could even be meeting up with one or two persons who have had experienced helping the victims of the Asian Tsunami at Phuket Island in 2004. I have been told that this will be a specially arranged session, just for us.
Secondly, let me take you back to the course itself. We shall each be receiving five days of training worth about eight hours per day. Let’s think together about some of the skills we are going to learn. Skills like how to perform a proper CPR – cardio-pulmonary resuscitation or using a tourniquet to secure an injured arm or sprained elbow or preparing a compact but effective First Aid box or even calming down any traumatized casualty will be taught. We will also be taken out to the fields and there are going to be real-life experiences for us to practise our skills after we have learned them.
Finally, let me help you further understand the lasting benefits of the First Aid Course. We will be able to learn how to identify and attend to emergency situations in the following ways. We will be able to observe what has happened quickly and calmly and look out for dangers to ourselves and to the casualty. We will learn to never put ourselves at risk and always make the affected area safe. We will behave responsibly to protect the casualty from danger and be better aware of our strengths and limitations. We will also be able to assess each casualty to determine treatment priorities and treat those with life-threatening conditions first. Last but not least, we can quickly but surely ensure that any necessary specialist help be summoned and be on its way. We can immediately and effectively apply what we learn. Can you see how much you will be missing out if we don’t sign up for this course? I certainly hope you do.
Let’s consider the alternatives. The other two courses in the shortlist: Personal Fitness Training Course and Personal Finance Management Course are equally good.
Admittedly, both courses offer instructions which are also beyond our school curriculum. Let’s consider the Personal Fitness Training Course. It is a good course but I think we should ask ourselves this question. Don’t we see P.E. teachers all the time and don’t we receive good enough instructions from our teachers? I think we do. We will certainly learn something more but I would like to learn a lot more this December. Besides, in school, we have also learned about the need to have a healthy lifestyle and the importance of daily nutrition. I don’t wish to see an overlap which I am beginning to think I might if I were to attend this course in December. I don’t wish to sound negative here but my concerns are real.
Next, let’s consider the Personal Finance Management course. It will certainly be preparing us for our future when we take on our first job after we complete our ITE or polytechnic or university education. That will be another three to four years’ time. Learning how to manage our money sensibly is important but I think the timing of the course seems a little premature. We cannot apply what we learn immediately and by the time we are ready to, we will need to attend further personal finance related courses to update our knowledge and skills. That is why I think we may not immediately reap the benefits from the present course. This is again my real concern and I think many of you will agree on this point with me.
So there we have it. The instructions from the three choices are going to be beneficial to us. However, because we can only have one course, I think the First Aid Course should take priority over the other two. I urge you to make up your mind with me now. In the very short time that we have, it is best for us to take up the course that allows us to reap the most benefits. It is better for us to get to the basics first by taking up the First Aid Course. After we have learned about First Aid and become more confident people, then perhaps, it is time for us to persuade the Principal to let us go for these other two if there are opportunities later on. So for now, join me to vote for the First Aid Course when we get to do so. Let’s make the correct decision by voting for and attending the First Aid course together. I need your strong support and swift action in this matter which concerns all of us. Let me end my speech here. You have been a wonderful audience. Thank you very much for your kind attention.
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