The Fifth SCEN China Youth Summit at the wonderful Edinburgh International Conference Centre on 2 December attracted 555 Delegates. 37 schools were represented from 9 local authorities, SCIS, the Edinburgh Chinese Community School, and 10 schools from Hong Kong. The venue was superb as was the hospitality. The varied programme was highly stimulating and managed to capture so much of what is happening across our growing number of schools and communities. Our Mandarin class pupils gave a fascinating and lively dance. Feedback from the pupils was very positive and this experience has undoubtedly whetted their appetites for continued learning on China related matters.

Martin Coyle (2A4): “On Friday I went to the Fifth SCEN China Youth Summit to perform the dance for the Chinese pop song ‘Small Apple’. It was very fun and I would love to do it again. It was very interesting learning about Chinese culture and watching the many different performances that were very good.”

Jagoda Halicka (4A7): “Last Friday, I was honoured to attend the Fifth SCEN China Youth Summit to give a speech in Mandarin as well as perform a dance to the Chinese song “Xiao Pingguo” (Small Apple). It was a very, very interesting experience which allowed me to learn more about Chinese culture as well as listen to other people’s opinion on the importance of language which really inspired me to continue studying Mandarin.  All in all, I’m really glad I had the opportunity to attend this event and I hope that I can attend a similar one in the future.”

Grace Holland (2a5): “last Friday I was able to attend the Fifth SCEN China Youth Summit to perform a dance called little apple. I really enjoyed the trip especially meeting two girls from Hong Kong. I learned so much about their lives in Hong Kong and how different their lives are compared to mine. I would love to go next year!”

Lewis McLachlan 5A3: On Friday I felt very privileged to be able to participate in the Fifth SCEN China Youth Summit. I was able to perform a dance called ‘Xiao Pingguo’ which translated to small apple. It was great fun and also interesting to learn how other people view the Chinese culture. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would like to go again next year for the Sixth China Youth Summit or any other conferences in the near future.

William Cheng (5a9): on Friday, I was given the privilege to attend the Fifth SCEN china youth summit. It was an interesting experience as I was allowed to communicate with foreigners from Hong Kong. I was able to learn more about my culture, and hear the opinions of others. I am glad I went this year, and would gladly go to another one next year.

Rhianna Isaac (3a6): Last Friday I got the opportunity to take part in the fifth SCEN china youth summit In Edinburgh. I found it very interesting and learned a lot about other people’s experiences with learning Chinese and it showed me that I can do many things if I can speak even a little bit of Chinese. I even got to participate at the conference by performing a dance called ‘xiao pingguor’ which was very fun. I met people from hong kong and they said that they love ‘xiao pingguor ‘and I found out a bit about their lives in hong kong. I thoroughly enjoyed the event and I would love the opportunity to go again.

Lucia Doyle (3a2): On Friday the 2nd of December I was given another opportunity to go to the Fifth SCEN China Youth Summit. We watched performances and even had the chance to hear about others’ experiences in learning Mandarin and what other amazing chances they had on going on trips. I also had the chance to talk to the secondary school pupils from Hong Kong. They were happy to listen to our experiences in Scottish schools and how different it was here than back in Hong Kong.  Back in 2014 I was able to participate in the 3rd SCEN conference in Gleneagles. This event was just as enjoyable as the last. I hope I will be invited back to future conferences one more time.

Callum Holland (5a1): I found the SCEN conference a greatly interesting and thought-provoking experience. Getting the opportunity to listen to some very great speakers regarding China was hugely enjoyable. I am very glad I went!

Gabriel Curran (4a10): On Friday 2nd December my classmates and I, along with the other pupils studying Mandarin, went to the fifth annual SCEN China Youth Summit in Edinburgh. The event was held in the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, and there were presentations by many schools from across Scotland about their experiences of studying Mandarin or visiting China. There were also musical performances such as a scene from a famous Chinese Opera, and a well-known Scottish marching band. The pupils from St Ninian’s also gave a presentation and performed the dance “Small Apple” for the conference audience. We all thoroughly enjoyed the experience and were inspired by  the pupils from Hong Kong who gave a presentation in English about their experience of visiting Scotland and a Scottish school. It has encouraged us all to continue to study Mandarin into the future and has sparked a strong desire to learn about the culture and the language.

Mark Rae (S4) has written a short reflection about the Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Margaret Sinclair which took place on Tuesday 25 August.

Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Margaret Sinclair – by Mark Rae (S4)

Below is the speech made by our Head Boy, Ronan Doherty, during the Head Boy elections.

Head Boy Speech – Ronan Doherty

Two of our pupils, Mark Rae and Callum Holland (S5), were offered the wonderful opportunity of visiting China this summer. The boys took part in the Hanban Summer Camp 2015.

Photographs and feedback from the trip can be viewed here.

The candidates for this year’s Head Boy were very strong. Jack Dudgeon went on to become one of our Deputy Head Boys after a closely run campaign. His speech can be viewed below:

Jack Dudgeon – Deputy Head Boy

Feedback from our winners of the Mandarin Word Wizard Final 2015 can be viewed below:

Erin Leahy (S2)

“I am so glad that I got the chance to represent the school in the Mandarin Word Wizard competition at the Scottish Parliament. It was a nervous wait, sitting through four other languages prior to the Mandarin Final, all of whom had set high standards. Then it came to my turn in the Mandarin Beginner Final. Thankfully my name was called first and I continued by setting the bar high with a target score that was not beaten. I really enjoyed the tour of the Parliament building as well as the whole experience”

Callum Holland (S3)

“It was a fantastic experience, and very nerve-wracking too! It expanded my knowledge of Mandarin and increased my confidence. I enjoyed it and I would definitely go back given the opportunity”

Hepsi Xavier (S3)

“The Word Wizard Final was a fantastic opportunity for me! I was so lucky to get through. I will always remember this day. I have to admit that I was nervous. Just a little bit! However, I am so glad that I got second place. Thank you so much for this great opportunity. This has really helped me to improve my Mandarin”

Below is some pupil feedback from the Chinese Delegation visit to Saint Ninian’s on 28 April 2015.

Chinese Delegation Visit – Pupil Feedback

Below is a copy of Laura Mackie’s Testimony from The Bishop’s Lenten Catechesis on Sunday 15 March at St Mirrin’s Cathedral Paisley.

Laura Mackie Testimony 15.3.15

A copy of the talk given by Nuala McBride (S4) at St Cadoc’s Mass on Education Sunday can be viewed below:

Nuala McBride – Catholic Education Week Reflection

Anna Campbell (5a10) has written about her experiences in Poland with Paisley Diocese:

In October, I had the privilege of going on a pilgrimage to Krakòw in Poland as part of the 1+1>2 project with Paisley Diocese. I went with 32 other young people in the diocese, four parish priests, Sister Freida and Bishop John. We spent 6 days exploring Krakòw in the footsteps of Saint John Paul II, visiting the salt mines, Czestochowa and the old Jewish quarters as well as having the once in a lifetime opportunity to visit Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II Birkenau.
When we arrived we went on a guided tour of Krakòw city centre and it was clear from that moment that religion is very important to the city of Krakòw and that John Paul II was a great inspirational figure to all Polish people. That evening Bishop John said mass at the Devine mercy sanctuary, the resting place of Saint Faustina, where during the homily he spoke about the importance of youth and saying yes to God.
We also went on a trip to Czestochowa, where we had a guided tour and were able to see the Black Madonna and have a mass in the Jasna Gora Monastery where Fr Frank explained to us the importance of the Black Madonna.
On our third day we went to Wadowice, Saint John Paul II’s birthplace, in the morning. We went to his home which has now been converted in to a museum and were taught about the inspirational life he led. After this we went to the Church, next to his home, where we were able to renew our baptismal promises in the same font that John Paul II was christened.
Our visit to Aushwitz and Auschwitz II Birkenau was a truly emotional and unforgettable day. Going to the largest Nazi concentration camp is something that nothing can prepare you for. It is very hard to understand the extent of the holocaust until you witness the victims shoes, hair, suitcases and numerous other belongings along with the photos of the victims on arrival at the camp, many of whom were smiling as they believed they were going to be set free. We were able to go to the starvation cell that Saint Maximilian Kolbe was tortured and died in. He sacrificed his own life to save a Jewish man, which was only one of the many influential things he did throughout the Holocaust. On our arrival at Aushwitz II Birkenau, it was beginning to get dark and the air was cold like a winters night. The camp stretched for what seemed like miles with only the remains of the old train tracks, many chimneys and two of the largest gas chambers and crematoriums. The Nazis burnt down the wooden shacks at the end of the holocaust leaving only chimneys, but there are reconstructed stables fit for horses which are identical to those in which the millions of people were crowded in to to sleep. We went to the end of the railway line where we lit candles and had a short prayer service, silently remembering the millions of holocaust victims. Visiting Aushwitz was a very emotional and harrowing day however it is something that everyone should experience as it is important to remember the tragedies that took place during World War II to ensure nothing like this will ever happen again.
On our fourth day we continued our walking tour of Krakòw in the footsteps of Saint John Paul II, visiting the cathedral where he was the bishop in before he became Pope. We also visited the Jewish quarters and the five synagogues there, only two of which are still active. This is because before the war Krakòw was inhabited by 56,000 Jews and after the Holocaust only 2000 Jews stayed there.
We ended our pilgrimage by visiting the Salt Mines. During Nazi rule, religion was frowned upon and if it was worshiped there was a high probability you would be sent to a death camp. So, the people of Krakòw went into the mines and turned them into a place of worship. Everything is carved out of salt, the ceilings, the walls, the floor, the statues and even the chandeliers. We were fortunate enough to celebrate mass in the salt mines, it was an interesting and different approach to mass which each of us thoroughly enjoyed.
The pilgrimage was a once in a lifetime experience in which my faith was truly deepened. Not only was it the holiest but it was also one of the most fun weeks of my life. I now fully appreciate how amazing it is to be Catholic.