“We had a glimpse of what happens in the heart of a star”
Twenty S4-S6 Chemistry and Physics pupils recently made the trip to Geneva for a tour of European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN). After a quick train and tram journey from the airport, the pupils dropped their luggage at the hostel before enjoying ice cream in the glorious sunshine beside Lake Geneva.
The group took advantage of the weather by exploring the sights around the city and took a water taxi across the lake to see the Jet d’Eau.
There was an early start on Tuesday as the pupils made their way to CERN for a lecture by Mike Tyrell who discussed results from the various detectors at Large Hadron Collider and the benefits that the program has brought to society.
They then made the short trip over the border to France where they were given a tour of the testing facility and central control centre. Everyone enjoyed a well earned lunch with the scientists at the the CERN restaurant before taking in the Microcosm and Globe of Innovation and Science exhibitions. There was just enough time to take in the Natural History museum the following day before making their way back to the airport to catch the flight home.
Mr Leitch and four senior pupils (Morgan Lynch, Heather McCallum, Kate Sutherland and Elizabeth Gentleman) will be flying out to Malawi next week and are still looking for donations of basic first aid items such as plasters, bandages, antiseptic wipes and sprays, anti bacterial hand gel and so on for first aid kits which can then be distributed to the Girls Go For Health coordinator there.
S3 pupil, Mackenzie, recently won an award in the Under 17s category at the recent Glasgow and West of Scotland Branch of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association drumming competition held at Coatbridge High School. Well done, Mackenzie!
