Enterprising kids emerged triumphant from a \u2018Dragons\u2019 Den\u2019 challenge in East Ayrshire Council Chambers \u2013 having impressed top judges with their creative designs.<\/p>\n
BBC Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark and famous Scots sculptor Andy Scott were among luminaries who came to Kilmarnock to assess the talents of local pupils \u2013 and award prizes. Media consultant and ex-BBC correspondent John Morrison chaired the event.<\/p>\n
Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of the Council, said: \u201cI am continually impressed by the creativity and skills of so many young people in our schools \u2013 and this Interaction Challenge highlights that.<\/p>\n
\u201cKilmarnock has also just won the Creative Place award, which is further evidence of the level of imagination and talent blooming in East Ayrshire\u201d.<\/p>\n
So impressed was former Kilmarnock girl Kirsty that she awarded the prize for best presentation to Loudoun Academy\u2019s team of Angus Kerr, Dylan Speir, Ewan Cochrane, James Clements and Sam McVey\u00a0 (all S3) for their presentation about the structure they had designed to sell products made in school.<\/p>\n
Kirsty said: \u201cI was very impressed with their terrific focus on customers and their good clear film about the process. There are several young people here who could have a future in television\u201d.<\/p>\n
Prize for best model was awarded by Andy Scott to James Hamilton Academy\u2019s team – Rebecca Mackie, Aimee McCabe, Hayley McMillan, Danielle Murray, Sophie Smith, Natalie Waddell – for a \u201creally funky design\u201d.<\/p>\n
Fellow judge Alan Hooper, of the Mackintosh School of Architecture, Glasgow School of Art (GSA), also commended their forward-looking use of cardboard which he said was being pioneered by Japanese architects designing earthquake-proof buildings.<\/p>\n
Michael Breen, depute principal of Kilmarnock College, awarded a prize for partnership working to two schools \u2013 St Joseph\u2019s Academy, Kilmarnock and Doon Academy, Dalmellington.<\/p>\n
St Joseph\u2019s had worked on a \u2018Cook School to go\u2019 for Braehead Foods\/Cook School Scotland and had taken many of their partners\u2019 ideas into account.<\/p>\n
Doon Academy was commended for an idea which had \u2018great potential\u2019. Their design was for tepees to create a camping and leisure area for visitors around Loch Doon and the new Dark Sky Observatory, to promote tourism and outdoor activities.<\/p>\n
Prizes at this stage of the project, for designs in development, are experiences, rather than awards. All nine new structures will be realised by summer \u2013 and an overall winner decided.<\/p>\n
The Loudoun team won a visit to BBC HQ in Glasgow where they will meet programme producers, while James Hamilton pupils will spend a day at Andy Scott\u2019s amazing warehouse studio in Glasgow, where the sculptor develops huge public art installations.<\/p>\n
St Joseph\u2019s and Doon pupils will get the chance to have input into the interior design of \u2018the hive\u2019 \u2013 a social area for students on the planned new \u00a350 million Kilmarnock College campus.<\/p>\n
Alan Hooper invited all teams to GSA for a tour of the famous Mackintosh building and a presentation of the design for the new GSA building designed by world famous architect Steven Holl.<\/p>\n
The <\/em>Interaction project \u2013 brainchild of David Ross, Design Director of Keppie Design – called for students in the nine East Ayrshire academies to create and build structures to use to sell enterprise products.<\/p>\n David Ross said: <\/em>\u2018The initiative was born out of a determination to enrich the creative educational experiences of young people in East Ayrshire and to promote connections and partnerships with local business and the wider learning spectrum.<\/p>\n \u201cWe co-ordinated a first-rate judging panel of people who share this vision, including leading broadcaster and former pupil of Kilmarnock Grammar School, Kirsty Wark and Andy Scott, whose iconic sculptures can be seen from Cumbernauld to Chicago.<\/p>\n \u201cThey brought a diverse range of expertise to ensuring the pupils\u2019 hard work was given serious consideration.\u201d<\/p>\n Councillor Stephanie Primrose, Spokesperson for Lifelong Learning, said: \u201cCongratulations to all the pupils who took part\u2013 and thanks to our expert judges for taking time out of their busy schedules for this important event in our education calendar\u201d.<\/p>\n Councillor Douglas Reid added: \u201cA key strategic priority for the Council is to raise educational attainment and equip our young people for the world of work. With the strong backing of mentors and business leaders local and national, we are well on the road to achieving this aim\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Enterprising kids emerged triumphant from a \u2018Dragons\u2019 Den\u2019 challenge in East Ayrshire Council Chambers \u2013 having impressed top judges with their creative designs. BBC Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark and famous Scots sculptor Andy Scott were among luminaries who came to Kilmarnock to assess the talents of local pupils \u2013 and award prizes. Media consultant and … Continue reading Design challenge a big draw for celebrities<\/span>