EXPERIENCE makes for perfection.

Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), which came out tops in the first Straits Times National Schools Newspaper competition in 2005, repeated its victory this year.

Its team was led by editor David Aw, 15, a Secondary 3 student who is a third-time participant in the competition.

Team members included Secondary 3 students Lim Jia An, Joshua Rong, Joshua Ho, all 15, and Secondary 2 student Jonathan Seet, 14.

Joshua Rong said that before the 24-hour competition to create a four-page newspaper, the five of them met to research magazines and the Internet to decide on a winning concept.

He attributed their success to having worked together as a team on their school's quarterly newsletter.

'We're ecstatic that all our hard work has paid off,' he said. 'We're going home to celebrate with our parents who have supported us in this competition.'

They edged out runner-up Victoria School and third-placed Raffles Girls' School to snag the top spot.

The top three teams won $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. Merit awards of $500 were given to Yuying Secondary School, Cedar Girls' School and Raffles Institution.

Pei Hwa Secondary School, CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' School, Jurong Secondary School and St Joseph's Institution won consolation prizes of $200 each.

The team from Yuying Secondary, which also received the 'INviting' award for best layout for a school newsletter, was thrilled.

'We did not even expect to make the finals so we are really happy to walk away with two awards,' said Daniel Peters, 15, adding that the team will definitely come back.

'We'll be more prepared with the experience we have gained. We are gunning for the top prize next year.'

Last year's champions, CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' School, took consolation prize this year.

Editor Sarah Sim, 15, a Secondary 3 student, said the girls were disappointed, and acknowledged that the other teams were all very prepared this year.

'We will learn from the other teams and prepare to be back next year, stronger than before,' she said.

Raffles Institution, which won in 2006, this year received a merit award and a special award for an advertisement design.

'We are slightly disappointed that we did not walk away with the top prize,' said team captain Zhang Yao Lin, 15.

'But through this we managed to forge closer bonds with one another, which will help us next year.'

Straits Times deputy editor Alan John, who handed out the prizes, said the students' efforts were impressive.

'Every newspaper was outstanding in its own way. I hope that some of you will come back one day to work here as journalists,' he said.

The winners were announced yesterday, the last day of The Straits Times Media Club Camp, which was attended by 109 students from 12 secondary schools.

The camp is organised twice a year for all schools that subscribe to The Straits Times and its accompanying weekly secondary school publication, IN, which is published on Mondays.