By Fu Quanming (27A01D), Han Penghao Matthew (27A01A) and Gao Yuanji (27S06M)
In the 2026 NSG season, RI’s girls’ tennis team has once again overcome the odds and found themselves in the finals against year-long rivals—Anglo-Chinese School (Independent).
Just as the year before, the stands were split into two halves, the atmosphere tense with anticipation as the players slowly streamed into the courts below. The dim glow of the overhead lights and the excited buzz among the spectators only added to the growing tension. Three courts, side by side, would decide the outcome of this championship.
By Gregory Ng (27S05A), Harish Arun Prasad (27S05B) and Ong Tsz Xiang (27S06M)
All photographs provided by Clara Grace Lim Zhi Yun (26S03A), Lin Sihan (26A01B), and Poh Le Yang (26S03F) from Raffles Art and Photographic Society unless otherwise specified.
Despite copious provocations in the form of being called a “vile chemist”, I (Tsz Xiang) have never ceased my niche fascination with learning about the countless facets of Chemistry.
Many others, though, do not share this passion. Gregory, for one, takes the hybrid stream partially to avoid the subject. Granted, the learning curve of Chemistry can be quite steep, given the transition from drawing displayed formulae in secondary school to trudging through high-cortisol 15-mark organic structural elucidation questions in JC.
Yet, the passion of Chemistry does not have to be exclusive to this small group of geeks! The Alchemy Club returns with its second Chemistry Week, featuring more energetic and colourful demonstrations to invite both STEM and Arts students to embrace the appeal of Chemistry.
By Olivia Chia Lu Xuan (27A01A) and Janelle See Jia Xin (27A01D)
Photo courtesy of Chim Yoke Hei (27A01D) from Raffles Art and Photographic Society and Tan Si Ling Kayla (26S03E)
The tension was palpable in the air.
Raffles Institution (RI) and Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) were neck to neck, neither team showing any signs of backing down anytime soon. Though Raffles was lagging slightly behind towards the end of the third quarter with a score of 40-31, the gap was still narrow enough to be closed.
While the players battled on the court, the supporters from both schools also engaged in a contest of their own from the stands, as the sports hall reverberated with both schools’ own spirited chants of the North-South-East-West cheer.
The team fought till the end, drawing energy from the crowd’s elated cheers after each successful shot. Eventually, however, they ended with a score of 56-39 in a hard-fought match, earning their titles of First Runners-Up.
All images courtesy of Raffles Art and Photographic Society unless otherwise stated.
The Girls’ Team marching into the arena. (Photo provided by Aleenta Quek from 27S06B)
All eyes were on them. Dressed in their iconic green, black, and white jackets, the Girls’ team marched into the arena, steeling themselves for the match ahead.
You could feel the excitement among the spectators. Cheers rose above the chaotic din of clappers, as a palpable enthusiasm swept across the stands. Amidst the crowd, flags were waving high in support of the teams.
This year, the Girls’ Team was matched against their long-time rivals, Hwa Chong Institution (HCI), to whom they lost last year. Historically, the championship has swung between RI and HCI, and so, the day’s match was looking to be another toss-up.
The question here was: Was the team ready to win back the title?
All photos taken by Chim Yoke Hei (27A01D) and Chloe Tay Yu Hsin (27A01D) from Raffles Art and Photographic Society
Semi-finals
After a statement victory against Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) in the semi-finals that graced the team’s 2025 NSG campaign, the basketball boys pursued a return to the final as they stepped onto the intensely illuminated court. Coming up on the other end of the laminated floor, with similarly lofty ambitions, was Hwa Chong Institution (HCI), and it was immediately apparent to the mass of spectators that we were up for a thrilling contest.
Amidst the players’ brilliant show of their basketballing prowess with audacious three-pointers and mazy dribbles in what constituted an eye-catching warm-up, the Raffles support in the stands also did their utmost to energise the team. Clappers and face paint were handed out to the willing, and the councillors made sure to create an atmosphere rooted in intense, ardent spirit as they prepared their hefty sequence of cheers.
As the game kicked off with the fiery cheer “Take Them On”, the players found themselves in sync with its demands. Within mere seconds, they snatched the first point of the game with a free throw by #11, Dayler Ng (27S06L).
Player #11,Dayler Ng (27S06L), fends off an opponent
It was far from the last free throw RI would be awarded.
