"I've always looked up to the academy, just because of how they led. It was a main part of the school when I was younger."
Academy director, Pita Lloyd, was previously a drill instructor in the NZ Army and said while he believed his team could win, it rested entirely on the judge's point of view.
"I am extremely proud of them. It was fairly tight this year, last year there was a clear winner, but these guys still did better than anyone else.
"We practised every day leading up to it and my job is to try and get them as ready as possible and then I hand them over to the defence force staff and it is their job to continue on what they have started and hopefully it comes off."
He said the aim of Drill is to produce a student who is "proud, alert, and can form the basis of teamwork.
"That's the prize that all the directors' want to win.
"It is not like any other competition because it doesn't matter how fit you are, it is how disciplined you are and how self-controlled you are.
"It is about the student being individually focused for that period of time and the true person that they are. It makes people better and it doesn't matter what condition you are in."
Year 13 student Dream Taumata took out the platoon award with her brother, was the most improved and was offered the opportunity to go on a leadership training camp, something she never expected to achieve.
"I joined the academy because I thought it would really help me in my career path with the army. But I've learned a lot more."