Category Archives: Games Legacy

athletes, Games Legacy, Glow Meet, Legacy 2014

New Glow Meet offers on Game On Scotland

Game On Scotland will run a number of Glow Meets in order for learners to relive their Games experiences, connect with Team Scotland athletes and consider the wider legacy implications of the Games such as Scotland’s international reputation, global issues such as inclusion, diversity or justice (Glow access is required to join these sessions).

Initial offers include the following Glow meets for learners:

  1. ‘Golden Moments’:  Meet Louise Kimberley Renicks, judo gold medallists; 24 September 11 – 11.30am.   Join this exclusive session here:  http://bit.ly/gosgoldenmoments

Louise and Kimberley will speak about their experiences of becoming Commonwealth Champions within the space of a day from each other.  They will also share with learners some  their special Games moments as well as the secrets to success.  A highly inspiring session with the chance of young people to interact with Louise and Kimberley and have their questions answered.  

                 2. ‘Celebrate success’:  Join us live from Glasgow City Chambers to hear from learners and athletes about their Games experiences and future ambitions; 30 October:

  • 9.30 – 10.15:  Team Scotland athletes share their stories and answer your questions.  This interactive session will feature athletes from a variety of sports who will present their experiences as well as ambitions around the Games in order to inspire young people across Scotland.  Learner participation will be at the heart of this session.

 

  • 10.30 – 10.45:  Key notes:  Young people present their own Games journeys and speak about their personal success as well as ambitions and hopes in the wake of the Games.
Active, athletes, Games Legacy, SLF 2014, Uncategorized

Game On Scotland at the SLF 2014

Join us at this year’s Scottish Learning Festival to reflect on the benefits the education programme delivered, discuss its legacy components and the potential long term impact.  Gold medallist Louise and Kimberley Renicks will join us to talk about their remarkable achievements and the experiences with the Game On Scotland athlete visits programme.

Seminar: The educational impact of the 2014 Commonwealth Games ( Wed, 24 Sept @9.30am, Alsh 1)

This seminar will showcase the breadth and depth learning experiences provided by schools across Scotland and beyond through Game On Scotland, the official education programme for the Commonwealth Games. Supported by speakers that were at heart of the Games and its education programme, this session will recall some of the most exciting initiatives schools have been involved in around the Commonwealth Games and highlight the success of key partner programmes at the same time. The seminar will examine the impact of the education programme to date and allow discussion around the educational legacy of the Games.

Presenters: Klaus Mayer (Education Scotland), Steven Kidd (Education Manager, Glasgow 2014)

Sign up to our seminar here (Wed. 24 Sept – 9.30, Alsh 1)

Conversation session, Area A( Wed. 24 Sept @12 noon, main exhibition area )

Speak to a number of teachers, athletes and programme managers involved with Game On Scotland to find out more about the legacy plans and follow-on projects in the wake of the ‘most successful Games ever’.

Keynote seminar: “We all need good role models” (Thursday, 25 Sept, 11.15am, Lomond Auditorium)

Join Sir Bill Gammel (Chairmand and Co-Founder of of the Winning Scotland Foundation) and the Health and Wellbeing team from Education Scotland to discuss the impact good role models can have on children and young people. Learning in health and wellbeing ensures that children and young people develop the knowledge and understanding, skills, capabilities and attributes which they need for mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing now and in the future.

Sign up for the seminar here.

Related keynote: Sport’s learning edge at 2014, Wed.24 Sept.,  12.30

Frank Dick, former British Athletics Federation’s Director of Coaching, is delivering a keynote at this year’s Scottish Learning Festival. Focussing on sport’s learning edge Frank will talk about the importance of leadership, the balance between challenge and support and how getting this right equips young people with relevant skills and experience.

Find our more about this seminar and sign up here

Art, Competition, Culture 2014, Expressive Arts, Games Legacy

Athletes’ thank-you to young artists from Wick

This is a moving story which we have picked up from the John O’Groats Journal and Caithness Courier stands synonymous for all those inspirational memories that the Commonwealth Games have created and will live on in the hearts, minds and diaries of young people across Scotland.
You must read to the end!

“A NUMBER of pupils from Hillhead Primary in Wick have returned to school after the summer break to receive postcards from athletes and coaches who participated in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

The school participated in the Game On Scotland athletes’ village art competition where pupil artwork was produced to decorate the bedrooms of the athletes and team members who attended the games.

Each piece of work was accompanied by a stamped, addressed postcard and the school had produced special postcards which showed the pupil with their work.

From the 12 pupils who submitted pictures, the school received seven replies. Beverley Jones, a para long jump medallist, and Carys Parry, a Welsh hammer thrower, wrote back to Primary 7 pupil James Thain and Primary 3 pupil Milissa Keenan.

The English gymnastic team responded well to the initiative. Primary 7 pupils Tyler Orbell, Kevin Plowman and Emma Hamilton received cards back from the team manager, Mike Weinstock, and coach Liz Kincaid who said: “Hi Emma, thank you for your gymnastics picture. I am afraid you didn’t get a famous gymnast but the team England coach… I love the picture.”

England’s double gold gymnastic medallist Becky Downie wrote back to Primary 7 pupil Joshua Frain saying: “Thank you so much for the lovely picture and making me smile when I first entered my room.”

The English gymnastic star Kristian Thomas, who won a gold and two silver medals, sent a postcard to Primary 3 pupil Eilidh Forbes which said: “Thanks for the great drawing. It looked brilliant on my wall above my bed.” He also e-mailed a photograph of himself holding Eilidh’s picture to the school.

In the accompanying note he wrote, “Just want to say a big thank you to Eilidh Forbes for the fantastic drawing. It was displayed in my room at the Commonwealth Games and definitely encouraged me to go win my medals!”

This has special relevance for Eilidh as along with her mum, dad, brother Calum and sister Lena she was a spectator at the gymnastics events in Glasgow when Thomas won his two silver medals. At the time she was completely unaware that her picture hung in the athlete’s bedroom.”

Active, Culture 2014, Early Years, Game On Challenge, Games Legacy, Glasgow 2014, Uncategorized

spotlight on 990

On your marks.....
Andergrove State School, Queensland Australia were the 990th school to share their Commonwealth Story by registering their challenge with Game On Scotland. Judy Corbett shared with us how her prep class of 5 year olds are fascinated to know that whilst they were sleeping, folks here in Scotland were wide awake and athletes were competing in the myriad of sports involved in the games.

With a number of weeks to go until the end of their school term, Andergrove youngsters are engaged in a good natured battle to collect stickers in their own bid for Gold. To gain a sticker, youngsters have to overcome a number of challenges including a series of races and learning activities. Clyde has featured heavily in activities, especially in science activities where the children are learning about living things.

Andergrove were delighted to discover that they were 990…..now the race is on for the big 1,000 – watch this space!

athletes, event, Game On Challenge, Games Legacy

Your Games experiences!

Have you seen Usain Bolt run, taken a selfie with one of the many gold medallists,  watched Neil Fachie’s fantastic race in the velodrome, or been part of the amazing cultural events, volunteered, performed…?.  We are keen to hear your stories!

Please send us some of your favourite moments, images and experiences or pass on your comments by emailing enquiries@gameonscotland.org .

Games Legacy, Glasgow 2014, Legacy 2014, Team Scotland, Uncategorized

Commonwealth Games Success

Just over half way through the biggest multi sporting event every hosted in Scotland the atmosphere in Glasgow as well as other Games and cultural venues is electric and the excitement has reached the hearts and minds of people across all walks of life.
With five exciting competition days still ahead, Team Scotland have already surpassed their previous record of 33 medals won at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh in 1986. Some wonderful moments have resulted from the Scottish success with the men’s gymnastics team winning silver, Libby Clegg become the first Scottish track and field athlete to win Gold for over 20 years, Erraid Davies becoming the youngest competitor ever to win a medal and of course the look of disbelief on Ross Murdoch’s face after having won Gold in the 200m breaststroke.
Game On Scotland is particularly delighted for judo gold medallists Louise and Kimberley Renicks, who participated in the our Athlete Visits programme, fitting in a number of school appearances in between training sessions prior to the Games to inspire young people across Scotland. Thank you to both of them!

Many records have been broken over the last 6 days and Game On Scotland is delighted to say that we ourselves have surpassed many of our own targets and expectations after engaging schools, learners and teachers across the world in wider range of learning opportunities connection with over 1 million learners. Our website is the most successful free standing website produced by Education Scotland, receiving over 1.25 million views from over 200,000 unique users since its launch in 2013. It also saw 4,300 people register for regular updates and an estimated 100,000 downloads of teaching materials equating to 1 in every 2 visitors to the site downloading free educational resources.

In the new session Game On Scotland will continue provide opportunities to engage learners by continuing with our athlete visits programme, sharing of case studies, awarding Game On Plaques and offing a number of Glow Meet sessions for learners to speak to those at the heart of the Games.
We hope you enjoyed the Games so far and benefitted from the wider range of offers available through Game on Scotland. We would be delighted to hear some of your stories around the Games, comments you would like
 to pass on or suggestions to make. 

If you wish to find out about the latest opportunities around Game On Scotland make sure you register with us to receive our regular e-updates.

Educational resources, Equality and Inclusion, event, Games Legacy, International partnerships, Sport

Spotlight on Australia

Game on Scotland is supporting youngsters across the globe as they explore learning inspired by the XX Commonwealth Games.

In New South Wales there is a real spotlight on Health and Wellbeing. 1st Oak Park Joey Scouts and ensuring youngsters start as they mean to go on by exploring why exercise and healthy diet are important. Knoxfield Primary, Melbourne continue with the Healthy theme, setting themselves a Healthy Eating challenge.  They will also focus on the challenges of countries across the Commonwealth – both the challenges they face within individual countries as well as the challenge to enter a team of athletes to participate in Games events.  Students in Monash Special Developmental School are playing the different Commonwealth sports and St Philip’s Community School are running a two week themed event which has a range of sporting events as well as crafts and afternoon tea – sounds lovely.

In Western Australia Year 1 students are learning about other cultures and developing a greater awareness of tolerance and understanding. By focusing on Commonwealth countries, students can begin to appreciate opportunities available across the world, how they themselves fit into this and how they can use this purposefully as they grow and learn.

In South Australia over 400 students in Risdon Park Primary are buddying up to compete in a Commonwealth Sporting extravaganza. Each class will also research and study a Commonwealth country and share their learning at an assembly. Over in Blackfriars Priory School, there has been an explosion of “Spud-letes”. We were intrigued by the Spud-letes (athletes made from potato). Students are busy creating their Spud-lete, putting together their profile, autobiography, vital statistics etc. Spud-lete’s will represent different Commonwealth countries across a range of events – “Spud-put”, “Spud-vault”. Students will then measure, record and display results alongside their Commonwealth Country statistics and information. Here at Education Scotland we can’t wait to see pictures of the Spud-letic Games, and we will share these with you!

As you might expect, schools in the Queensland area are beginning to get excited about the XX Commonwealth Games and the prospect of them being handed over to GOLD Coast Organising Committee in a few short weeks.

Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment are already exploring ways in which they can best support students to learn more about the culture, customs and people across the Commonwealth. Their eLearning platform Scootle is already filling up with resources, learning ideas and competitions all aimed at helping students embrace cultural studies of the Commonwealth and develop local community partnerships.

Musgrave Hill and Park Lake State Schools are already hard at work in digital design of a mascot that they hope will be photographed across the Commonwealth. They are keen to compare the view from their own school with those of others across the Commonwealth, discovering similarities and celebrating differences in lifestyle and location. Year 5 students in Bounty Boulevard State School have a 100 days of learning Diary Challenge using the Kids Journal App for iPad. Stories will be shared with buddies in the upper school as well as North Lakes elderly community – where it is hoped students will gain some interesting tales of days gone by. Up on the Sunshine Coast, Glasshouse Country Christian College are holding an Athletics Carnival showcasing a range of Commonwealth events. In preparation for this, students will keep a journal of their training efforts and accomplishments.

Finally, Year 4 students at Mudgeerabab Creek State School have been set a challenge to design a drink bottle suitable for an athlete to use. The bottle needs to be suitable for a range of sports with youngsters drawing on their scientific knowledge of both natural and processed materials in a bid to identify the best option for their bottle. Prototypes will be put to the test during Mudgeeraba Creek’s own Commonwealth Games event as students compete over a range of sporting events.

Wow! We are excited reading about all the interesting activities planned in Australia over the next few weeks and months in celebration of the Games. We are sure that this is the first rung on the exciting ladder leading up to the XXI Commonwealth Games 2018 in Queensland – now less than 3,800 days away!

Active, Games Legacy, partnership

Commonwealth Games Legacy Week

Initiatives such as engineering, environment and educational projects delivering lasting benefits from Scotland hosting the Commonwealth Games will be celebrated during the second dedicated Legacy Week (9-13 June).

With less than 50 days to go and organisers confident of delivering the greatest ever Games, the nationwide focus on the Games’ wider benefits includes a Legacy 2014 Celebration Event at the Murrayfield Stadium (10 June).

150 people from across Scotland will join Cabinet Secretary for Commonwealth Games Shona Robison; Glasgow 2014 Chief Executive David Grevemberg; Michael Cavanagh, Commonwealth Games Scotland Chairman; and Glasgow City Council’s Councillor Archie Graham to celebrate the achievements of over 50 national Legacy programmes, plus the input from all local authorities in creating a sustainable legacy Scotland wide.

Compered by cyclist and broadcaster Mark Beaumont, the event will include a performance of the ‘Let The Games Begin’, the Glasgow Games’ single by East 40 benefitting one of the Games’ official charity partners, UNICEF.

Legacy Week is a partnership between the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and Glasgow 2014, ahead of the Queen’s Baton Relay arriving in Scotland on 14 June.

Cabinet Secretary for Commonwealth Games and Sport, Shona Robison, said: “The Scottish Government and partners are committed to delivering a positive and lasting legacy from hosting the Games.

“This Legacy Week is another opportunity to promote the successful work which is well underway across the country, ensuring that Glasgow 2014 is about much more than 11 days of scintillating sport, but a catalyst for regeneration and economic growth.

“Our ambition is now to turn a good legacy into a great legacy, securing Scotland’s reputation worldwide as one of the frontrunners in delivering nationwide benefits from hosting a major sporting event.”

David Grevemberg, Glasgow 2014 Chief Executive, said: “Glasgow 2014 and its Games Partners, Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government, firmly believe that legacy doesn’t just happen to you, it happens by you getting involved and making things happen.
 
“The legacy of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games is already apparent and many people are benefitting from the Games by participating in a broad range of successful projects, some of which will be highlighted during this coming week.
 
“Our vision is to create a world-class stage for the elite athletes of the Commonwealth, generate enormous pride in Glasgow and Scotland, and leave a lasting legacy.”

Councillor Archie Graham, Executive Member for the Commonwealth Games at Glasgow City Council, said: “We are just a few weeks away from hosting the biggest sporting event ever to be held in Scotland.

“Legacy Week is a great opportunity for people to find out about the work we’re doing across the city to make sure there is a lasting benefit from the Games.
 
“Glasgow’s preparations for the Games have already left the city better off economically, environmentally and socially. 

“Many of our legacy ambitions have already been delivered such as jobs, apprenticeship and training places for our young people through the council’s ground-breaking £50 million Glasgow Guarantee. 

“All our venues have been built, opened and in use well in advance of the Games.
 
“We want to make sure no one is left behind and Legacy Week is an ideal opportunity to highlight what  communities and groups are doing to make sure they can make the most of this once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Mike Hooper, CEO, Commonwealth Games Federation, said: “The Commonwealth Games Federation is pleased to note the success of the Games Partners to date in ensuring a lasting legacy from Glasgow 2014.

“Indeed the CGF’s Co-ordination Commission has formally congratulated those involved and called it a ‘blueprint for future Games’ in its report on progress towards delivering an outstanding Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer.”

There are over 50 Legacy 2014 national programmes delivered by national partners and more than 70 supporting Legacy 2014 projects in place across Scotland, generating jobs and training opportunities, investing in new or upgraded community facilities, helping people to get more active, and inspiring fun learning opportunities and new global connections.

Glasgow City Council has its own legacy plan and suite of programmes to deliver a sustainable legacy at Glasgow level.

Community Sport Hubs, Game On Scotland, the official education programme for the Games, and the PE Disability Inclusion Training Programme are among those national programmes highlighted during the Murrayfield celebration event. Speakers will include: Scottish Enterprise’s 2014 Director Linda Murray; the founder of Street Soccer Scotland, David Duke; Clyde Gateway CEO, Ian Manson; and Young Scot Youth Legacy Ambassadors.

There are many ways in which people can still get involved in the legacy of the Games. Organisations can apply for Active Places Funding, Community Sport Hubs are available across the country, and people can take part in Games for Scotland and enjoy the events being hosted as part of the nationwide Culture 2014 programme.

Games Legacy, Legacy 2014

Game On in Cyprus

Catching up with the Queen's Baton Relay in Cyprus

This is our second brief blog in the series which highlights how partners across the Commonwealth, and indeed the globe are using Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games as a context for learning.
This month, we are shining a spotlight on Highgate School in Nicosia, Cyprus. Highgate is an international school for learners from 29 different nationalities. Highgate posted the 700th Game On Challenge and the Year 4 class have been exploring Scotland through a cross-curricular project.

At the beginning of the project, learners shared their knowledge of Scotland and famous Scots. They had heard of the Picts and Celts and that the Romans build Hadrian’s wall. As to wildlife, we have Highland Cows, Haggis(!) and Nessy, the Loch Ness Monster (although the children were not sure what a Loch was until it was explained to them!) Turning a spotlight onto Culture, children told tales of old castles, shortbread, tartan skirts(!) and Bagpipes.

This provided an interesting beginning for the children as they went off in pursuit of their challenge to find out more about Scotland. They have been exploring Scottish Culture and identifying a number of famous Scots both past and present who have had an influence across the World.
Children have been gathering all they have discovered, putting this together in a short video of 61 Facts about Scotland which is well worth a watch!

Not just confined with interesting facts, the youngsters in Nicosia have set themselves some sporting challenges too. They have just completed their Swim Relay Challenge and it is clear that everyone is having great fun!