Tag Archives: awards

Two more Secondary schools to receive the Game On Plaque

Lourdes Secondary School and Shawlands Academy have both joined the award winning secondary schools now to hold the Game On Scotland Plaque for using the Games as an inspiring context for learning.

The teacher leading the initiative at Lourdes, Kerry McSween, says: This is an excellent and fun opportunity for the pupils to be actively involved in their learning. The projects are giving the pupils the opportunity to learn about different countries and cultures in a more inspiring and motivating way, whilst giving them the opportunity to learn and enhance their experience of the Commonwealth Games.

Shawlands Academy has a long history of using the Games to create exciting learning experiences for their pupils. Amongst their accolades are their participation in Glasgow’s bid for the Youth Olympics, submitting the winning design for the official Glasgow 2014 Tartan and being part of the Queen’s Baton presentation at Buckingham Palace last October. Now the school is determined to get the whole school and its community inspired to engage with the Games by implementing an extensive cross –curricular, whole school programme.

Young people display Olympic spirit: The 2013 Inspire>Aspire Awards

Some of the country’s brightest young people visited Glasgow City Chambers to receive medals for their work on the Inspire-Aspire programme from Olympic Gold Medallist rower, Katherine Grainger CBE, IOC member Sir Craig Reedie CBE and the Lord Provost of Glasgow Cllr Sadie Docherty.

The Inspire-Aspire Awards programme reached 25,000 young people this year by using the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the character qualities of Olympians to inspire young people to set personal goals and to develop future aspirations.

Winning a joint- Gold, 1st Level award at the event were Iona Robertson, Banff Academy and Dornie Burnett from Inverurie Academy.

Dornie chose Nadia Elena Comăneci as her inspirational figure as part of her work on the programme.  Expressing her reasons for her chosen inspirational figure, Dornie said:

 “How many future gymnasts did Nadia inspire? I don’t know the exact number, but it is at least one, because she inspired me”.

 Before presenting the awards, Olympian Grainger told an enthralled audience that it takes commitment and courage to reach the top. She spoke about how it was sheer determination that had helped her finish the race at the London Olympics in 2012. Grainger expressed how important using the Olympic and Paralympic values in everyday life can be, not just in sport.

Inspire-Aspire aims to help young people gain a better understanding of their own character qualities and values and inspire them to create a personal development plan. 

Iona explained how much of an impact participating in Inspire-Aspire has had on her: “The questions it asked me made me put my goals and targets into perspective.”

Youth Legacy Ambassadors win Environment Award

Youth Legacy Ambassadors from Shetland have been awarded winners of the Environment Award at the Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards 2013.

Over the past 12 months, they’ve worked had to promote legacy themes with a particular focus on helping their community become more environmentally responsible and live more sustainably. They have secured over £5,000 of external funding for their project which involves visits to local renewable projects and encouraging local children to stay active.

They’ve also helped secure 420 trees which will be a new feature in their local community and laid a sustainable legacy plaque, which was made by the Cunningsburgh glass recycling business.

Sam Maver, 17, Youth Legacy Ambassador said: “We didn’t think we were going to win. It’s completely surreal, I was just shaking. It’s been a wonderful opportunity to talk about what we do. We’re so proud of the work we’ve done and the work we’re continuing to do to make a lasting legacy for the Commonwealth Games in our community. Like the 420 trees we planted , we want our project to continue to grow. This is a chance to thank people from Shetland for their support and tell them how brilliant they’ve been.”