I believe at this point, we really have to thank the following people/groups:

1. The school for spending so much, estimated $1000 000 or maybe even more, for starting the band from scratch, the band room from scratch, since the year 2000. All our instruments, chairs, whiteboard, AC, curtains, silver and black stands, drawers, cupboards, carpeted floor etc etc etc etc. And since then, the school spent a minimum of $600 a week paying the instructors, all the way until months before the 2009 SYF, when the school can pay upto $2400 a week during the 2008 holiday practices. Not to mention the electricity bill for the lights, ACs, especially months before SYF, since the band room was opened nearly every school day. Also, recently when things weren't so organised, the scores were printed using the school's paper. Original scores were paid by the school too. Even the cost of transport for our exchange programs, several hundreds of dollars per bus, as well as the booking of concert hall which can cost upto a minimum of $800 an hour. We owe PRCS big time.

2. The instructors, for staying strong with us throughout, especially Mr Goh, who's been with us since the school started, and Mr Shah soon after. And followed by Mr Sukor and Mr Subronto months before the 2009 SYF. We've put them in a difficult spot too many times, with them repeating the same old details over and over, but to no avail. Their dedication towards us is beyond words can describe. However here we are, disappointing them over and over, making them seem like they receive their pay and yet doing little job to the school. They've never once walk out on us halfway during a practice, unlike some instructors out there. We owe our instructors a big time too.

3. Our teachers-in-charge, also for having high hopes on us, though the teachers-in-charge changes every once in a while, they bother and dedicate themselves towards the band, whether they have music background or not. They sacrifice their holidays and weekends for the sake of us. Most of them look into almost every one of our needs, and notice almost all of them tell us things nicely, instead of scolding us for our wrong doings. It's a privilege for us to come across such nice teachers.

4. The first 4 batch of students, who brought glory to the school band on their very first SYF in 2003. Even though they were unhappy and cried tears of sadness when they got a Silver back then, it's brought us a sense of pride, sense of duty, to at least maintain that silver. For this, we also have to thank those in the 2005 and 2007 SYF, for 'waking us up' by getting 2 Bronze in a row, and a figurative message for us to bring the Silver back up in 2009. Though the message hasn't gotten clear to every single person of those in the 2011 SYF, even at this point, of maintaining that Silver. Throughout, these earlier batch of students set up the band well, hoping that we can continue their legacy, their honour, their responsibility, their everything in the band. They've bought and photocopied all the "I Recommend", "Standard of Excellence", and started the band fund thing, of $1/month for our accessories like the photocopied scores, valve oil, tuning slide oil, grease, reeds, etc etc etc.

5. Finally, every single one of us members of Crestwinds. Without us members, there won't even be a COP available. Even though we weren't able to get a Silver, we've put in tons and tons of effort, sacrificing our holidays, weekends, time for studying for tests, etc. Let's be proud of it ok? Be happy that our efforts had paid off.

  Let this be a lesson to all, especially the sec 1s, 2s and 3NAs, to be pushed on, to go back up to a silver at the next SYF. Be a role model! The seniors would have probably noticed, for the sec 1s every year were always good. It's only after joining the main band when their mindset, discipline, attitude and standard of drills etc drop drastically. Why? Every newcomers tend to follow like blind sheeps. Not insulting but it's common sense, common behaviour for all, is it not? We beg of you to get rid of this "Aiya nevermind 1 la!" attitude. The sec 1s, I have no idea who's gonna takeover Jia Ling and I after we step down, but we kindly request for you all to not take things lightly. E.g. 5 mins means 5 mins. We don't know if the new leader is going to have this "Every 5 seconds 1 push up" policy or not. But we hope for you all to be disciplined, for we can never control one. It has to come out from one's self, and not forced out of you. Those sec 1s not involved in SYF, you've seen how some of your seniors feel about the SYF, we really don't want anyone of you to walk the same path of putting in multitudes of effort and having bad results. THE NEXT SYF WILL BE YOUR ONE AND ONLY SYF YOU HAVE IN YOUR SECONDARY SCHOOL LIFE! MAKE IT A GOOD ONE!

  Main band, especially the supporting pillars, please push the band onward. YOUR NEXT SYF WILL ALSO BE YOUR LAST ONE! MAKE YOURSELF PROUD BEFORE YOU GRADUATE FROM PRCS!! Don't pamper youselves anymore. If you think the current leaders are strict, wait till you see leaders who'd pull latecomers by their collar and ask them why they're late. If you think the instructors are strict, wait till you encounter instructors who waste time scolding for 1 entire hour, and then walking out on the band halfway through the practice, and then the BM and DM go chase after them and convince them to come back. If you think the teachers are strict, wait till you encounter teachers who issue a yellow form because of talking, because of socks, hairs, moving when doing drills, dropping mouthpieces etc. I AM NOT EXAGERRATING ANY OF THESE. THESE ARE BASED ON WHAT I'VE HEARD, FROM THE EARLIER BATCH OF STUDENTS, FROM OTHER SCHOOLS, ETC. Please, we beg of you. Whatever happened to the $1/month policy? Whatever happened to the individual sections' organisation of their drawers? Whatever happened to the more organised stuffs we had before? The litters in the band room? Who's going the clean them up? Can we not have the "I didn't do it, so why must I pick up?"and/or the "Sooner or later someone will do it for us" and/or the "Nevermind, pretend nothing happen first, wait until any leader/teacher/instructor tell us off then we do" attitude? These small and simple details reflects our discipline. Though small details, but many many small detail can be equivalent to a big one. Be disciplined now, and save the trouble and time of going through a lecture again in future, save the trouble and time of re-disciplining the future batch of students. What happened to the Proactiveness in us Crestians? Are we really doing the Right thing towards ourselves, towards the band, etc? Do we Care for every band members' thoughts and feelings? If yes, what can be improved? If no, what went wrong? Why is it wrong/right to you, and why is it wrong to the leaders/teachers/instructors? Be self-motivated. We don't need anyone nagging lecturing to wake us up. Really, we beg of you. The new leaders, whoever you are, we won't know how you guys are going to run things, but please, push the band onward! Really really push them on. If you have to be so bad that there'll be a riot, but deep down you know what you did is for good cause, so be it.

  Enough of being long-winded for the day. Remember not to get discouraged though, it's already over. Without failure, there won't be any learning experience and hence won't have success. Hence let's celebrate our failure to get Silver! Dance people dance!

Disco Party III

- Ching Kang