We entered Poppy Scotlands moving story competition in November 2012. The S3 class worked really hard on ideas about what remembrance meant to them. We came up with a theme first and the idea that we wanted it to be a positive and “joyful” message about our personal freedoms. We then worked on story boards in groups and agreed as a class to include the best ideas from each group. A script was the next job and Max Mackay (our producer/director) got to work on the technical side of things. We then started filming and were very pleased with the final product. We got it posted just before the deadline and hoped for the best.

We were thrilled when we heard we had been short listed to the final two – along with Kinlochbervie. This meant we would spend two days with a professional film maker getting to reshoot our film. The pupils really enjoyed this opportunity and were involved with lighting sound and filming as well as interviewing Tom Rooney and Gordon Rae who agreed to take part.

Then the public vote started! We waited for nearly three weeks knowing that it was too close to call and then the email came on the 28th June telling us that we had won. We were all very excited, and I was very pleased that the pupil’s hard work and effort had been recognised and rewarded.

“Winning the Poppy Scotland Video Competition is a superb achievement for our young people and I’m very proud indeed of the sensitivity and respect for service men and women, past and present, that they’ve shown in it.

Their experience will be a lasting one.  I’m looking forward to using the video to support next year’s poppy appeal and remembrance day.”

Dr Hunter, Rector