CCA Previews 2013

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Milky Way -- taken by our very own Astro Photographers at Port Dickson! — Milky Way — taken by our very own Astro Photographers at Port Dickson!

If you find the night sky profoundly riveting and are consumed with a desire to unravel the deeper workings of the universe, the RI Astronomy Club wants you!

Why astronomy? Astronomy is an intriguing fusion of art and science: while it obsesses over the pulses of radiation emitted from a nebula, it also revels in the intricate patterns of the nebula; while it details the luminosity of a star, it also muses over the Greek mythology which inspired the constellation to which this star belongs. It chronicles the past, present and future of Man, our home planet and the vast depths of space.

At the RI Astronomy Club, members learn to truly see and appreciate the enthralling universe that surrounds them, as well as the various facets of theoretical astronomy. All these happen at the club’s weekly Friday night sessions, where members congregate and are entertained by lively lectures conducted by fellow members on various topics of astronomy. After, they adjourn to the parade square, where telescopes are set up for all to stargaze and learn the tricks and ways of practical astronomy.

The club also hosts events Astro Night, where members spread their passion for astronomy to the rest of the school. At Astro Night, non-members joined in the fun, getting the chance to view the sun and planets through a telescope and learn more about astronomy trivia and the relative scale of planets and stars. Members carry out fringe projects such as an outing to view meteor showers or building a Dobsonian telescope from scratch! These are born out of pure enthusiasm, and the club is open to members initiating them.

A glimpse into the fun-packed calendar of the club: in early June 2012, members of the club went to NUS for the once-in-a-lifetime observation of the Transit of Venus, as the small dark disk waltzed its way across the face of the Sun. Subsequently, in mid-June, the club joined the 19^th IPS/NYP Astronomy Retreat to Port Dickson and got rewarded by a breathtaking, crystal-clear view of the Milky Way. Members also participated in the TASOS stargazing trip to the Semakau Island, which boasts of some of the clearest skies in Singapore, ideal for observation.

“We usually don’t sleep during these overnight stargazing sessions, but that’s what I love about Astro. Astro is where I have friends who will stay up through the night with me just because the sky is awesome.” said Vice-Chairperson Lien Chun Hui.

Crescent Moon, also taken by an Astro photographer

Apart from these enticing adventures, the club is also committed to serving the community in its own unique way. It frequently collaborates with Maris Stella High School, which is equipped with one of the largest observatories in Singapore, to conduct stargazing for the public. Recently, the club organised “Fathers@School”, an evening of bonding and appreciation for the cosmos for students and parents of Maris Stella. “The experience was fulfilling on a personal level because it enhanced my familiarity with the night sky. Beyond the self however, it was also heartening to see the students’ enthusiasm for astronomy and their eagerness at having a go with the telescopes,” said Wei Shen.

In recognition of the club’s fierce devotion to firing the intellect, members will clock in two points per session under the cognitive domain of the Raffles Diploma. Club members are also known to have a stellar track record when it comes to the competitions, bagging Team Champion in the Advanced Category for the NYP Astronomy Competition, Team Champion, Best Astronomer, Best Project and Best Observation in Senior Category for the NUS-NTU AstroChallenge 2012.

However, ultimately, most members of the club prize the close friendships forged and invaluable knowledge gained above the tangible benefits. For those who are confident they possess the unbridled passion the club is looking for, hesitate no more and join Astro!

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The world-renowned playwright Shakespeare once brilliantly wrote: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players”.

Raffles Players is a community of diverse talents with a communal love for the stage. If you love being in the limelight or have always experienced an inherent calling for theatre, then this is the place for you. There are no prerequisites to joining this CCA because, remember, everyone is born an actor.

With only one session a week every Wednesday, we allow members to juggle between other commitments with ease. Members will gather inside the Theatre Studies and Drama (TSD) room or beside that at the Windy Benches each week and almost instantly, these venues dramatically transform into your home. Activities range from bonding games to serious down-to-earth meetings prior to productions. But, in all honesty, just be prepared for fun!

When a production is around the corner, you can expect to meet up almost every day for a good month or so. “It is the long nights that we spend together huddled up in the TSD Room and intoxicated by our fatigue that builds up the camaraderie between us. Those nights essentially make us family,” remarked Chairman, Sean Sum (13SO3E). Wouldn’t you be intrigued to be eye-witnesses of the night-life in school?

There are two major productions each year: a mid-year College Play production as well as the end-of-year J1 production on top the annual Dramafest event. Naturally, joining Players will open you up to a myriad of opportunities involving theatre, and not just acting. As member Shrey Bhargava (13A01C) puts it, “Players isn’t all about acting. If you have talent in art and design or writing or anything for that matter, Players is the place to be!” In fact, if you are feeling bold enough, you could try your hands in directing the J1 year-end production for your batch. On hindsight, director Muhd Shadman Ishraq aptly commented, “If anything, this play is about us.”

Being a part of Players offers you more than the tangible rewards you get out of participating in competitions such as Dramafest or SYF. It is a unique journey you can only experience for yourself. When you put a bunch of overly dramatic people into an enclosed black box (a.k.a. the TSD), you get a chaos which resonates as empty noise to the world outside the room. But from the inside, you wished you never had to leave. From the words of member Soham Sheel Saini (13S06S), Players is “the place where dreams come true.”

It won’t be easy trying to be a part of this performing arts club but nonetheless, it is definitely worth the effort. Auditions usually entail delivering a monologue coupled with improvisation for actors or simply presenting a portfolio for other roles, such as set designers or lights and sounds.

Given its versatile nature, Players is also opened to the proposal of additional opportunities such as external CIP projects or even an overseas cultural exposure trip. Discounted or early-bird tickets to other school’s productions also mean you have more chances to learn from others and improve your own drama experience.

But really, all craziness and wackiness aside, we are really a group of lovable and friendly people who just gather each week and have fun (even at the expense of work sometimes). So if you think you are wild enough and are ready for that much fun, then Players is the home and family for you!

Read the Press review of the Players’ 2012 J1 Production here.

Raffles Press

CCA Preview ’13: Astronomy Club

CCA Preview ’13: Raffles Players

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