ASPIRING journalists picked up tips and tricks in the lead-up to their big showdown: The Straits Times National Schools Newspaper Competition.

Finalists in the upcoming 24-hour challenge to put together a four-page tabloid are: Ang Mo Kio Secondary School, Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), Cedar Girls' Secondary School, CHIJ St Joseph's Convent, CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' School, Holy Innocents' High School, National University of Singapore (NUS) High School, Pei Hwa Secondary School, Raffles Institution and Victoria School.

At the Singapore Press Holdings' News Centre at Toa Payoh yesterday, a trainer from Comat Training Services coached 43 participants in using the software for the finals, Microsoft Publisher. They also learnt how to use in-house archival service Nica for research, and how to write headlines.

The five-member teams will return to the News Centre to duke it out on Nov 4.

First-time finalists from the NUS High team are excited. Said member Wilson Nithin, 17: 'We will keep in mind the layout and editing techniques taught today for next week.'

Victoria School, which took second spot in this competition for the last two years and clinched the top spot in 2006, is already busy developing its newspaper design. Most importantly, the team wants to bond together, said de-facto editor Yeo Tze Yang, 15.

The winners will take home the gold award of $3,000 and an internship in The Straits Times newsroom. The fifth annual competition is organised by The Straits Times, with Comat Training Services and Microsoft.