Smart holds 'SWEEP AMEzing Race'

MANILA, Philippines - Ten teams composed of teachers and students engaged in a teambuilding activity held recently in Mandaluyong City to jumpstart the activities for the 5th Smart Wireless Engineerng Education Program (SWEEP) Awards.

In keeping with this year’s theme “Managing Emergencies and Maximizing Education” (ME2), the teambuilding activity billed as “SWEEP AMEzing Race” featured emergency-related tasks.

Eighty-one students and teachers from 40 partner schools under the SWEEP participated in the fun games.

The teams assembled at Congo Grille El Pueblo where they were each given Smart Money cards to make their purchases. After using their phones to activate their Smart Money cards, the participants boarded their vans to SM Megamall Supermarket to buy first-aid supplies.

The teams then rushed to the designated PLDT payphones in the mall where they received the next clue, then to PLDT Innolab-Dansalan in Boni Ave. to sign up for first-aid training with members of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC).

“You’ll be learning three bandage techniques: burned back of the head, burned hand, and finally sprained ankle, shoe off,” explains Asther Calmateo, a volunteer instructor from the PNRC-Rizal Chapter.

PNRC instructor Raffy Amata also taught participants two ways to carry the victims: the lovers’ carry, where the rescuer scoops up the victim (similar to what newlyweds do) and the six-man or hammock carry, which involves several rescuers.

The teams rushed to nearby barangays to apply their newly acquired first-aid skills. For some groups this meant rushing to barangay Barangka Itaas basketball court to perform a six-man carry on one of the senior citizens.

From barangay Barangka, the teams proceeded to Fully Booked Shangri-La Plaza Mall branch to buy a book on first aid. Next stop was Netopia Internet Café in SM Megamall. Using the book as reference, the participants were tasked to answer an online crossword puzzle. Soon after, the teams rushed to Congo Grille El Pueblo where celebrity host Ryan Agoncillo announced the official time for each group.

Prices included P15,000 for the champion; P10,000 for the first runner-up; and P5,000 for the second runner-up, courtesy of Sysnet.

Members of Team Infinity, which was the first to complete the Netopia leg, each received 12 hours of free Internet usage in any Netopia branch. Team PLDT Payphones also received premium items for completing the PLDT Payphone leg of the race. Team Smart Buddy won the “Most Dramatic Moment Caught on Camera.”

Thamar Tan of University of San Carlos, who is part of the winning group Team MyDSL, said that cooperation and team effort made all the difference.

“We divided the tasks. Our driver also played a major role. He knew the road so well,” Tan adds.

“In the middle of the race, the door on the passenger’s side got stuck. There was no way to get out of our van except through the rear door,” relates Carlos Lacson of Team MyDSL. “We ended up hurdling the car seats and jumping out the back door at each destination. We also had a rough time looking for the correct payphone in Megamall B because there were just too many of them.”

As for the first-aid training, Systems Plus College Foundation’s Antonio Dungca Jr. says he was able to apply what he learned on himself. “I sprained my ankle last Saturday. So, the bandage technique came in handy,” he explains.

Catherine Miranda of St. Mary’s University said her team ran all the way from Megamall to Congo Grille just to avoid traffic. “Our efforts paid off. We won second place,” she enthuses.

Team PLDT Payphone’s Arnulfo Gutierrez of Don Bosco Technology Center in Cebu says the AMEzing Race was a good teambuilding activity.

“It’s like we’ve known each other for a long time. This activity was really fun and unexpected. It’s different when you’re just watching it on TV. It’s good to know how it actually feels to play the game. I hope we can do it again,” he adds.

The SWEEP Awards is an annual activity organized by Smart Communications, Inc. as part of its SWEEP program, an industry-academe partnership that seeks to improve the level of technology and engineering education in the county.

For five years now, students from SWEEP partner schools gather for the much-anticipated SWEEP Innovation and Excellence Awards, a search for the best wireless applications by student-teacher teams. The event also features the annual PalaECEpan quiz bee. Other highlights include performances by today’s popular young artists, a mini job fair, learning sessions, raffles, interactive booth exhibits, and free Internet surfing.