CALLING all BRATs alumni! Do you think about the educational, yet oh-so-much fun time you had at your camps and think “I really miss that!”? If you do and you’re from workshops from the past three years, we’re inviting you to join us at our upcoming BRATs Year-End camp!
Happening Dec 2-5 at Berjaya Langkawi Resort, Pulau Langkawi, the workshop will involve 30 BRATs participants, who will come together to plan activities and stories for next year as well as learn more about what it takes to be a R.AGE journalist.

During the BRATs workshop, participants will be trained on how to come up with story angles, upload the stories online and share them on social media. Then, they’ll be putting their skills to the test through field assignments. — SAMUEL ONG/The Star

At the BRATs Raub camp in March, participants went to The National Elephant Conservation Centre (NECC) in Kuala Gandah, Pahang, where they helped feed the elephants. Fun fact: they are given three sticks of sugarcane each for brunch. — SAMUEL ONG/The Star

The bunch of aspiring young journalists met husband and wife duo, Chiew Kek Whye and Cindy Chow (second and third from the right) when they were at the second BRATs workshop in Johor. Chiew and Chow run Kedai Dobi Shanghai, which has been in the family for two generations and has done laundry for the previous four Sultans of Johor! — AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star

Who said work can’t be fun? Participants from the Johor workshop enjoy a dip in the pool at Legoland Water Park, Johor while filming their assignments. — AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star
This will be the second time in two years that the BRATs take on Langkawi. Last year, they went behind the scenes at Underwater World Langkawi, then went on an eye-opening cruise where they learnt more about the island’s ecosystem and even spoke to a group of buskers who performed every night at the famous Pantai Cenang.

Last year’s BRATs got to experience the natural beauty of Langkawi. They were on the gorgeous powdery sand, by the Andaman Sea! — SAMUEL ONG / THE STAR, 12TH DECEMBER 2014
So, rest assured we’ll be taking things to a whole new level with some pretty exciting assignments this time around, like a trip to the SkyCab and SkyBridge (newly reopened in February), and an outdoor adventure at Skytrex Adventure Park!
Participants will also get their hands dirty, as we’ll be taking them to Kilim River for mangrove planting and to see other attractions like the crocodile cave and bat cave.
Interested? Well, all you have to do is submit a 500-word essay to brats@thestar.com.my on why we should select you for the BRATs Year-End camp. Deadline is Nov 16, so get cracking on those essays!
Tell us what you think!