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ECHO

James Wang | Jasper Chao | Edward Goh | Dylan

Hodges | Archie Sproules | Sean Tseng

Nathan Liew | Sean Luo | Aryan Bhalla

Takashi Canale | Ethan Chen | Daniel Chen | Zakariya

Huq | Christopher Khong | Sean Tseng

Jonathan Wang | Aiden Yin

Lucas Qin | Thomas Klebanowski | Aaron Lau

Alex Liew | Finn Schultz | Aiden Tang | Ayden To Aiden Tsui

EDITORIAL

Welcome to the final Publications release for the year the Semester 2 ECHO!

It’s been a blazingly quick yet jam-packed semester, so let’s take a look back at all the events and moments from the past two terms!

House Swimming may be the event the student cohort feels most divided about. For the aquatically inclined, it’s an exciting opportunity to showcase their naval prowess; for the more grounded among us, perhaps a little less so. Nevertheless, the competition was filled with enthusiasm and joy, once again highlighting the value of House spirit.

Next up, a look back at Clifford’s Big Freeze from Term 2 a chilling success! The event featured plenty of brave student leaders and teachers (including the unforgettable dousing of Mr Jeacocke at assembly), all in support of raising funds for FightMND

The Prefect team has also been hard at work defending the grand name of Camberwell. Take a look through their heroic exploits in netball games against Fintona and CGGS all while trying to remember not to dribble the ball!

Schofield’s Great Debate provided no shortage of laughter as teachers faced off against students in a battle to prove their “superior stupidity.” With proceeds going to charity, the day was packed with quick-witted exchanges and plenty of clever references.

Following that, we covered the final House sporting event of the year Cross Country For the elite few, the three-kilometre course was conquered with ease and elegance; for others, it loomed as a far more formidable challenge

Next came the Winter Concert a vibrant celebration of the hard work and talent of Camberwell’s musicians and performers. The night showcased an array of stunning performances that left the audience in awe

Then it was on to House Debating, where orators unleashed their verbose vernacular and sparred with razor-sharp wit. The passionate exchanges kept both teachers and students entertained, rounding out the House events with a flourish.

House charities weren’t finished just yet Steven’s inaugural Steven Games brought a burst of energy and fun competition to the school With delightfully ominous costumes and spirited challenges, the day was a resounding success.

Our cadets also returned from their gruelling Annual Camp, equipped with new skills and stories sure to be retold (and exaggerated) for years to come. Despite a few technical hiccups during the 48-hour capture-the-flag activity, the experience proved to be an enriching one for all involved

The final pages of this ECHO feature something special a call to action for you, the reader, to join the club next year! With some exciting new plans up his sleeve, I have no doubt that the 2026 Publications Prefect, Nathan Liew, will have no trouble convincing you to get involved in this amazing opportunity.

Finally, a note of sincere gratitude: Thank you to James Wang and Sean Tseng for being such dedicated members of the writing team, tirelessly crafting articles; to Alan Wang, Aiden Tsui, and Lucas Qin for their design and editing work on this edition of the ECHO; to our talented photographers for their contributions; and especially to our Year 11s for their invaluable efforts throughout the year.

And so, I sign off one last ti P bli ti Prefect passing the torch Liew

From the desk of the editor,

Christopher Khong, Prefect of Publications

The annual CGS House Swimming Carnival kicked off in the Sports Centre in Week 11, morning, recess and Middle School in the afternoon, everyone was perhaps energised by the warm scent with negative anticipation. Some students were buzzing excitement - or quite the opposite for their upcoming race(s), while others took to the pool deck, cheering think)

Swimming stands out as a key highlight of the school year - a chance to gain House Points in the pool and soak up the atmosphere (or for a chance others, however, thought submerging chlorinated water among dozens of spectators is enough to spark a sudden and excuses to of House; or in some cases, an impressive combination of both.

The annual CGS House Swimming Carnival kicked off in the Sports Centre in Week 11, fresh into the new semester. With the Year 9/10s in the morning, 11/12s after recess and Middle School in the afternoon, everyone was perhaps energised by the warm mist and the sharp scent of chlorine, students gathered with both positive and negative anticipation. Some students were buzzing with excitement - or quite the opposite - for their upcoming race(s), while others took to the pool deck, cheering loudly and yelling words of encouragement (so we think). For many, House Swimming stands out as a key highlight of the school year - a chance to gain House Points in the pool and soak up the atmosphere (or for swimming scholars, a chance to show off). For others, however, the mere thought of submerging themselves in chlorinated water among dozens of spectators is enough to spark a sudden and suspiciously well-timed “stummy” ache, headaches, random excuses to their Head of House; or in some cases, an impressive combination of both.

With Mr Jones at the microphone, the and began morning. alike began hastily coordinating people to their respective areas of eagerness nervousness was one not to be matched by any other school event since House Chess (kidding). Moving to Publications, numerous

explicit instructions “not to take photos of people outside of water” Nevertheless, the of Chris propaganda secondary role of the day. Whoops, back on track now - the a program events, traditional races like freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly, alongside medley relays and conventional ones alike people, everyone mostly cheering on their house swimmers and not Clash or Brawl Stars Nevertheless, day with no major hiccups.

With Mr Jones at the microphone, the marshalling and chaos began for the morning. House Prefects and teachers alike began hastily coordinating people to their respective areas - the combination of eagerness and nervousness was one not to be matched by any other school event since House Chess (kidding). Moving to Publications, numerous photographers swarmed both morning and afternoon, with explicit instructions “not to take photos of people outside of water”. Nevertheless, the onslaught of Chris Khong propaganda and several teacher close-ups took on the secondary role of the day. Whoops, back on track now - the day featured a packed program of events, including traditional races like freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly, alongside medley relays and conventional ones alike. The pool seating area was absolutely packed with people, everyone mostly cheering on their house swimmers and totally not playing Clash Royale or Brawl Stars. Nevertheless, the day was a successful operation overall with no major hiccups.

1st 2nd 3rd

At the much-anticipated assembly the following week, Mr Jeacoke (dramatically and slowly) presented Macneil with the House Swimming trophy for 2025 in a surprising result. The rest of the results can be seen below:

Mr (dramatically and slowly) presented Macneil with the House Swimming trophy for 2025 in a result The rest of the results can be seen

A massive on behalf of Publications to Macneil Captain Lau, House, Green remaining swimmers and contributors for taking their first House Victory and podium come)

who contributed to the overall results, not just Macneil (but they should definitely be as well) If you want to see the trophy, it’s in Mr ledge checked, stealing it or something :D).

A massive congratulations on behalf of Publications to Macneil Captain Ethan Lau, Head of House, Mr Green and the remaining Macneil supporters, swimmers and contributors for taking their first House Victory and podium finish for the year (hopefully more to come). Well done to all the swimmers who contributed to the overall results, not just Macneil (but they should definitely be congratulated as well). If you want to see the trophy, it’s in Mr Green’s office on the ledge (last time I checked, subject to Ethan Lau stealing it or something :D).

Was the water wet? You’ll have to ask Macneil about that one.

Sean Tseng and Edward Goh

Was the water wet? You’ll have ask Macneil about that one. Sean Goh

Last term, as part of the school House charity initiative, Clifford ran a fundraiser known as the Big Freeze - aiming to raise funds for FightMND. The charity itself ran for numerous weeks, as students collected donations through beanie sales across the school. However, the event was highlighted by the “Big Freeze” as students and teachers alike were subjected to the brutal ice bucket challenge!

FightMND is a leading Australian charity founded in 2014 by Neale Daniher, Dr Ian Davis, and Pat Cunningham to fight motor neurone disease. Their mission is to fund research for treatments and ultimately a cure, while also improving care for those currently living with MND. Over the years, the organisation has raised over $117 million, supporting major research projects, clinical trials, and assistive technologies.

FightMND is leading Australian charity founded in Neale Daniher, Dr Ian neurone disease. Their mission is to fund while also improving those currently with Over the years, the $117 supporting and assistive technologies

The hallmark of the FightMND organisation into ice baths the AFL’s King’s Birthday match to raise awareness and money

FightMND a force disease

The hallmark of the FightMND organisation is the “Big Freeze”, where celebrities slide into ice baths at the AFL’s King’s Birthday match to raise awareness and money. Through its dual focus on "care and cure," FightMND has become a national force in the fight against this debilitating disease. charity initiative, Clifford ran a fundraiser FightMND. The charity numerous weeks, as students collected However, was highlighted challenge!

assembly, as our Principal Mr was Senior

welcome Bec Daniher, daughter of Neale and the speak a more organisation Bec truly able with the students, having

majority of her life From here, students listened intently neurone disease, delivered unique outlook whole. Bec within the decision-making - highlighting the explained even dad, in condition, lead with the right values and priorities lasting on all students attendance

The CGS adaptation of the “Big Freeze” began at assembly, as our Principal Mr Jeacocke was dunked with an ice bucket by students in front of the Senior School, but this was not all. We were lucky enough to welcome Bec Daniher, daughter of Neale and the Executive Director and spokesperson for FightMND, to speak a little more about the FightMND organisation. Bec was truly able to resonate with the students, having lived right around the corner from the school for the majority of her life. From here, students listened intently as she spoke about her personal experiences with the ‘monster’ that is the motor neurone disease, and delivered a unique outlook on life as a whole. Bec explained the roles of “Mr Positive” and “Mr Negative” within the decision-making process - highlighting the extreme benefits of not listening to the latter. She explained how even her dad, in his condition, is able to lead a fulfilled life with the right values and priorities remaining at the forefront. Her profound words left a lasting impression on all students in attendance.

Anticipation was high as the day progressed, as we inched closer and closer to the events that would unfold at lunchtime. By the time lunch rolled around, a sausage sizzle was awaiting students in the Senior School Amphitheatre, having been organised by student volunteers. The sausages were sold for $2.50, with soft drinks available for $2. At the same time, waves of students and teachers surrounded a line of empty chairs as the spectacle grew closer.

Anticipation was high as day progressed, as we inched closer and closer the that would sizzle was awaiting students the Senior School volunteers sausages were $2 50, with drinks available At the time, as the grew closer

At first, by popular vote, including head Mr subjected the - spurred excited at the chance to see their teachers under the iceparticipation Captain House Justin Kwan. By this point, solid drenching the students and providing a more long-

At first, teachers selected by popular vote, including the head of Clifford, Mr Ruffles, were subjected to the daunting ice buckets - spurred on by masses of students excited at the chance to see their teachers under the ice bucket. School prefects were next - highlighted by the participation of School Captain Charlie Weickhardt and Clifford House Captain Justin Kwan. By this point, solid ice cubes had transformed into ice-cold waterdrenching the students and providing a more longlasting “freeze”!

Dylan Hodges

Dylan

This year’s round of Prefect Netball games saw Camberwell’s 19 Prefects setting off to Fintona, Camberwell Girls, and Strathcona to compete against them Armed with their training and four-directional passing drill, they headed off for their first game against Fintona.

Taking place within Fintona’s indoor facilities, the Prefects found themselves severely outmatched in both number and sound; Fintona’s entire Senior School had come to watch With the crowd of at least 20 in attendance, Camberwell started with speed and aggression, leveraging their speed and, surprisingly for many, their height to outpace Fintona. Successfully ending their first-ever quarter of a netball game up 7-1, Camberwell kept on the aggressive thanks to spectacular shots from the Captain of Bridgland, Jason Kua and some…enthusiastic goalkeeping from Prefect of Faith and Social Justice, Ethan Tan.

Through the match

decibel cheers of Fintona, with Captain of Derham, Ross Armstrong, Junior School and

Camberwell continued to up the tempo and pressure amid the ~100 Middle School Liaison, Anson Lim, and Captain of Robinson, Kensei Soegijono providing a dominant front to keep on the attack With a final score of 16-6, the Camberwell Netball Firsts found themselves with a 100% win rate in their first season, capped off with the cooption of a sign slandering our lovely school. That sign, now detailed with the crushing score of defeat for Fintona alongside the signatures of each of the Prefects, stands mildly vandalised, within the Common Room as a memento of our victory

Next up to the Camberwell Grammar guillotine was Camberwell Grammar…Girls. Once past the initial confusion, the sunny day and outside setting provided a jovial overtone as the Prefects readied themselves. But all their prep seemed to be for naught as they were immediately set on the back foot by Camberwell Girls, with not even Captain of Games, Chauncey Yu’s valiant blocks preventing them from stepping out of the first half down 2-5. Explosive leaps from Vice Captain Adam Li and eagle-eyed shots from the Captain of Schofield, Jack Brant, allowed the Prefects to staunch the bleeding going into the third of six halves Then, of course, our comeback began with the entrance of truly the sportiest of prefects, Christopher Khong, Prefect of Publications, as Goal Keeper Alongside his crack team of Goal Defence Captain of Debating and Public Speaking, Bach Tran and Wing Defence Captain of Macneil, Ethan Lau, they proved an unfaltering wall against the three attempts Camberwell Girls made at shooting, enabling their scorers to take full advantage of their indefatigable rear guard So assured were they in their strength that Ethan Lau even decided to tie his shoelaces midpoint, confident in the abilities of his teammates.

Before the resumption of the last three quarters, the score now standing 9-8 in Camberwell’s favour, Camberwell Girls presented an extraordinary half-time show, deciding to take the creative win over the sporting victory Nevertheless, undeterred by their obvious attempts at intimidation, Camberwell roared back into the game with expert plays of forgetting to guard his opponent from the Prefect of Environment and Sustainability, Ivan Zhang, being too injured to play from the Senior Cadet Under Officer, Kristofer Vos-Rutter, and not even showing up from the Captain of Music, Nicholas Branson Key defensive plays from Captain of Steven, James Gaudion and Captain of Clifford, Justin Kwan, allowed Camberwell a sweeping five goals unanswered in the fourth quarter.

During Week 1 of Term 4 - the penultimate week before the Year 12s surpassed their expiry dates - the fabled Schofield Great Debate took place in the Senior School Amphitheatre. This year’s topic of debate“That students are smarter now than they were 30 years ago”, obviously having the teachers argue for and the students against. Now you’d be thinking - how will they profit off this? Apart from the overall profit of group entertainment, Schofield also made it a mission to support a men’s mental health charity - Grab Life by the Balls. How canonically fitting would it be if they sold meatball subs? Well that’s exactly what they did

The combination of humour and the fact that no one basically knew what they were arguing for contributed to the overall excitement and suspense behind the event While the actual matter of the debate can pretty much also be debated, roasts and yaps from both sides were mostly received extremely well by the audience; however some waffling from both the teachers and students still occurred. Some big words that were thrown around include the fabled ChatGPT, the classic 67 and how some of the students were “aura farming”.

Jokes aside (for now) - it would be a good time to introduce the battlefield; that is, who was drafted to be free propaganda material on behalf of Schofield. On the Teachers' side, we had Mr Grigg, Mr Jones and the classical Mr Hone They made it their unequivocal mission to prove (somehow) that students were smarter now than they were 30 years ago. Anyways, on the students we had School Captain Charlie Weickardt, Ross Sykiotis and Matthew Allsop.

Back to the balls now. Provided by Chartwells, the Schofield students managed to sell out their meatball subs in a whopping 15 minutes, even before the roasts began on both sides These were sold for five dollars each, while soft drinks were sold for two dollars each I myself as a Schofield student can testify to the soft drink portion of the charity, hard labour from myself, Silas Qian and Alex Gao was used to bring over 300 dollars of fizzy, carbonated, sugar water from the Coke company from Costco to Mr Miriklis’ room, due to the fact we couldn’t get into Dr M’s office because she was overseeing Cricket training Obviously, that was more important; we just had a lack of oversight So if you were complaining about why the drinks were room temp, it’s either his room was too warm or we couldn’t afford ice cubes Either way, Schofield still managed to profit a significant amount from this one event

So, what happened after this quite inspiring debate? Well the adjudication proved eventful, with Captain and ViceCaptain of Schofield Jack Brant and Tiaan Burger chairing the debate, and incoming Prefects for Debating & Public Speaking Kevin Ch’ng and Matthew Stephen leading the adjudication. While the effectiveness of this was discerning, I am happy to report that the adjudication consisted of “67”, “that’s very aura” and “I hate myself” So, take it upon yourself to figure out whether it was bias or a clear, impartial decision.

Overall, the crowd voted in favour of the students of course (reports vary, but it was safe to say there were MORE students than teachers) - however it should be noted that the teachers still won, due to the nature of the debate. However, this ruling was quickly overturned as perhaps the teachers’ side remarked they would not be returning for next year’s debate if they lost. In a dramatic plot twist, the teachers upheaved from their chairs at once and walked off (in victory or defeat?). To be continued, WILL the teachers return next year? Jack now ends his reign as Captain of Schofield and hands over leadership to the incoming Jasper Chao, so whether or not they continue with the balls theme is up to him.

“[...] Sex septem” - Mr Marcus Jones, Year 12 Coordinator at Camberwell Grammar School.

Sean Tseng

As usual, the annual House Cross Country rolled around in the third week of Term 3 Because no one loves nothing more than going for a 3km run after roosting in their cozy homes during the holiday for term break, resulting in slightly perhaps “undesirable” paces. On a more positive note, it included screams of encouragement, sweaty teenagers and a combination of encouragement, self-determination and who-knows-what fueling everybody along Nevertheless, House Cross Country is the ultimate House sport event for the year, serving as quite a sentimental time for Prefects and Year 12s alike.

Since Cross Country was not featured in last year’s ECHO (wow, we’re so original), I’ll take the time to take some inspiration Mr Jones remarked on the day how you could say, they were “Faster than a horse, faster than the wind”Sun Tzu, The Art of War. It may perhaps be the only event of the year where everyone is forced to participate, but more on that later Moreover, it may strike a close resemblance to House Swimming (see previous in ECHO) that it causes the most sicknesses out of ANY school-affiliated event to date

Unlike previous years, the Publications’ propaganda teams were NOT sent out (what a shame), instead leaving photography to the utmost respected Mr Chockalingam. What a disastrous sight - the Publications Team could not capitalise on the endless amounts of free content compared to other years Howev manag took th

And at last, the forsaken House Captains’ photo with everyone in one place after events, not in water or scattered all around - the Year 12s claimed their final sporting event of the year; whether exhaustive or enjoyable - WHO CARES, THAT’S THE SPIRIT OF CROSS COUNTRY Free participation points go to everyone; the only event of the year where your House’s fate is determined by those six or seven guys in your year who can run faster than Chris running from his SACs

Yes, I actually found the list of results (thanks, Ms Whelan) on the weekly Senior School updates this time instead of having to get a Year 12 (who is totally not Chris) to scramble somewhere online through 25 virtual filing cabinets to find the results

Congratulations to Kensei (athletics foreshadowing later in the year) and to his House (Robinson, of course) for winning Cross Country, 2025.

What can I say? At least it didn’t rain this year

The annual Camberwell Winter Concert marked the end of Mr Kerr’s career at CGS, and a fitting tribute it was. A conclusion of music rehearsals, dedication and collaboration culminated in this epic performance. Due to the abundance of events, separate Strings and Band Festivals were hosted two weeks beforehand, as Mr Bishop noted “[...] the performance would have been six or seven hours long [if we had not organised festivals] ”

The night began with a collaboration between the CGS Drumline, Philharmonic Orchestra and guest organist Horus Cheung playing the well-known Phantom of the Opera. This was a combination of extremely unique lighting visuals, the popularity of the suite and one of the only times the school organ has been used in combination with an orchestra After the performance, Music Captain Nicholas Branson gave a speech to thank not just the students playing throughout the night, but also the parents for supporting Camberwell’s musical prowess, accompanied by the usual jokes of “thanks for supporting your son’s very expensive hobby. SS Concert Band began their second performance of their pieces following our Music Captain's speech, having just played at the Band Festival Nick quickly returned to the stage through a gap filler, alongside Derrick Kwon, reenacting a duet they performed during the abysmal times of lockdown for a full circle moment Afterwards, JS Choir sang a song named after what students may be thinking as exams draw closer, I Wish I Had a Brain, and after they managed to Go the Distance, the Barbershop ensemble took over for A Quick Break

The iconic Swan Lake was then performed by the Symphony Orchestra, and Mr Kerr took his final stance on the stage Conducting the well-known Sabre Dance, Mr Kerr ended his instrumental conducting at Camberwell with a bang. Not done yet, Mr Kerr and Chorale sang Tap Tap, ending his time at Camberwell, conducting the music group that he created himself many years ago It should also be noted that this marked the final year the Music Department could make the joke “the Kerrale”, the exception being Carol Choir To finish off the first half, Highton Strings returned to the instrumental feel, playing Elgar’s Serenade for Strings; followed by Drumline’s second appearance, drumming BLU and AYS, before a rousing finale to the half was brought about by the Haydn Cello Concerto, played by the Music Captain himselfalongside Chamber Orchestra

The second half was much shorter on paper, having but two performances to end the night. To begin, the Senior School Stage Band played Oh Lady Be Good, then led on to the magnum opus of the night, Verdi’s Requiem. The entire School Choir was accompanied by a massive Chamber Orchestra, composed of students from Years 7 to 12, and presented the arduous 30-minute piece (with a lot of cuts) The audience was captivated from the stirring cello intro, all the way to the intense Dies Irae, and finally the once more calm ending It was clear that many hours of rehearsal, and last-minute Mr Bishop crash-outs were integral towards presenting the powerful show that was bestowed on the audience that night, and despite how many times the altos didn’t sing loud enough in rehearsals, the final performance was spectacular (jokes on the night include “salva no”).

Jasper Chao and Sean Tseng

Amidst the chaos and stress of examinations and assessments building upon the fragile spines of the Senior School cohort, an ominous cloud of suspense crept upon those fateful few. “House Debating” had returned once more. Some may dread it, others may crave it; like wild animals giving themselves over to their innate desire for war, argument, and the thrill of intellectual combat And somewhere, behind the curtain, teachers no doubt chuckled deviously over a glass of wine as they devised yet another batch of questionable topics to set the stage ablaze

The first round began on 13 August, with the Year 11/12 A team opening the season with the topic “That we regret the rise of the urban sprawl ” A day later, on 14 August, the Year 11/12 B Team took to the podium to clash over whether “The Australian voting age should be lowered to 16.”

After witnessing the devastating linguistic prowess of the senior levels, the Year 9/10 A and B teams followed suit on 15 August The younger debaters battled fiercely over the topics “That schools should incorporate indigenous languages into the school curriculum” and “That social media usage should be banned for people under the age of 14.” Both debates proved that even the lower years could unleash rhetorical chaos when given the stage

The second round of debates saw even greater intensity. On 21 August the Year 11/12 A team wrestled with the ethical intricacies of “non-fatal diseases and embryonic genetic modification,” while the B team faced the contentious issue of whether “Airbnbs have done more harm than good.” Meanwhile, in a rare twist, the Year 9/10s went earlier this time on 20 August, debating “That social media should restrict AI-generated content” and “That Australia should implement compulsory national service.”

De bat i ng

By the time the final rounds rolled around, tensions were high and voices were sharp On 2 September, the Year 11/12 A and B teams concluded their campaigns with the topics “That Australia should substantially invest in nuclear power” and “That we regret the rise of reality television.” These closing battles proved both fiery and thoughtprovoking, as debaters balanced logic, wit, and a healthy dose of theatrical flair.

The Year 9/10s wrapped up their session on 5 September, debating “That Australia should have substantial tariffs on foreign countries” and “That we should ban the process of trying to revive eating animals.” A fittingly chaotic end to a month of eloquent warfare.

After weeks of fierce competition, dramatic monologues, and more rebuttals than one could count, the results were finally revealed SCHOFIELD took home the crown in triumphant first place (LET’S GOOOOOOOOO), followers by Steven in second, Robinson in third, and Summons in fourth, Clifford and Derham shared the honorable fifth place, as per Camberwell Grammar tradition, with Macneil in seventh and Bridgland rounding things out in eighth.

The adjudicators commended the incredibly high standard of all debates, noting the passion, creativity, and composure of every team. And in the words of the one and only Dr Mandusic herself: “Well done!”

school grounds with one goal in mind: raising money for a worthy cause.

When the announcement first came, reactions across the Senior School were let's just say, lukewarm. Seniors, with their hands full of assessments and caffeine dependence, were perhaps too busy surviving their own academic “Squid Game” to join another one. However, the enthusiasm demonstrated by the Middle School students was a completely different story. They embraced the idea with infectious enthusiasm, volunteering, cheering, and even plotting their game day strategies weeks in advance

In the weeks leading up to the big day, the socalled “Steven Games personnel” in a cosplay of the square and circle guards could be seen roaming the school corridors menacingly, handing out devious invitations to potential participants

Although these invitations unfortunately lacked the demand of life and death commitments (joking), they promised an afternoon of chaos, laughter, and friendly competition, all in the name of charity

Exercise Emu 25

CDTSGT Archie Sproules

We arrived at the training area with excitement and anticipation for the biggest field exercise of the year. From the start, the camp was filled with challenges, surprises, and a fair share of chaos.

During the first few days, platoons took part in navigation tasks, section challenges, and night exercises under the bright light of a full moon.

Cadets had to remain stealthy while avoiding roaming patrols and completing their missions Coordination and communication were constantly tested, especially as different platoons operated close to one another with limited information.

Unexpected moments became the highlight of the week. Platoons were ambushed right after collecting their supplies, and confusion spread when two platoons were given the same grid reference for their base. Some sections showed creative “problem-solving,” while others learned the hard way that radios only help if you know how to use them. Despite setbacks, morale stayed high, with plenty of laughter and teamwork keeping everyone going.

The main 48-hour capture-the-flag exercise pushed every platoon to their limits. Each group had to secure their flag, conduct raids, and defend their positions, all while managing resources and navigating through the bush. Rival platoons made surprise attacks, asset trading became a hidden strategy, and even simple tasks like reaching the “puzzle palace” turned into an adventure.

By the end, everyone was tired, muddy, and proud of what they’d achieved. The exercise tested leadership, adaptability, and resilience in ways no classroom could. It was a challenging but rewarding experience, and one that will be remembered as a true test of teamwork and spirit.

Also gg ez 3PLT win

We interrupt this issue of the ECHO to bring you an important notice...

JOIN PUBLICATIONS! JOIN PUBLICATIONS!

We need more pages for the ECHO sooooo...

JOIN PUBLICATIONS JOIN JOIN JOIN. Starting 2026, under the magnificent guidance of the wonderful, lovely and chaotic Nathan Liew, signups will be available early next year. Unfortunately, I cannot put in any information related to Chris Khong or James Wang as they have both reached their expiration dates. We meet in M28 every lunchtime, and it’s a great opportunity for those who like media (photography), graphic design, web development, or writing propaganda (join writing). Especially seeing as one of the Publications writers achieved a raw 50 in English in 2024 (100% true, trust me bro), so if you want that to be you, JOIN JOIN JOIN (the words of James and Chris themselves).

Sean Tseng :]

Still not convinced? Check out these glowing reviews from some randomly selected, non-biased members of the school community!

Publications is an exceptional outlet for student creativity. Joining was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, alongside downloading NordVPN, the fastest and most reliable VPN around. Also, Chris Khong was there, 10/10

- Nathan Liew, CGS Publications Prefect 2026