St Thomas of Aquin's High School
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St Thomas of Aquin’s High School Celebrating the achievement s of the St Thomas of Aquin’s High School Community 2011-2013 St Thomas of Aquin’s High School helping to create . SUCCESSFUL LEARNERS CONFIDENT INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS EFFECTIVE CONTRIBUTORS This booklet is updated in August of each year St Thomas of Aquin’s High School Wider Achievement Summary – 2011-2014 d://cmarshall/widerachievementsummary 0 John Achievements in Art & Design Byrne Award Winners John Byrne Award 2011 Congratulations to Julie Anne Fernandez, Alex Mainnie, Holly Semple, Matilda Whitby, Aidan Cifelli, Gregory Dommett, Matthew Durkin, Luke Paxton and Aaron Wright, Maria Iannone, Louise Jackson, Zaynab Noor and Deepika Sharma who were the proud winners of the John Byrne Award 2011. From their winnings of £7000, £5000 has to be spent on a local charity and following much research the group have donated their winnings to help fund an Art Therapy unit at Fort Teviot in the Edinburgh Sick Kids Hospital. The remaining £2000, to be spent on personal development subsidised a cultural trip to London were they were given a guided tour of the Tate Modern Gallery. The three original canvanses can be viewed in the Conference Room and have been part of a British wide exhibition. Knowledge by Julieanne Fernandez, Alex Mainnie, Holly Semple, and Matilda Whitby Acrylic on Canvas (80x100cm) The elderly man was chosen when thinking of the values in our society. It seems older generation are sometimes dismissed despite being rich in both knowledge and understanding. We felt that through experience there is much to be learnt from past generations, in an academic and social sense. We feel the contribution people make through experiences they have lived through, enriches us as a society. Knowledge Culture by Aidan Cifelli, Gregory Dommett, Mathew Durkin, Luke Paxton and Arron Wright. Acrylic on Canvas (80x100cm) In our artwork, we study how a person can be wealthy not only through material possessions, but also in a much deeper way culturally rich. The sitter is wearing a pair – of headphones, to explore this theme. In our painting we have tried to show that through advances in technology we can access other cultures by listening to a diverse range of music, view imagery and read text from other countries. It makes us more understanding of our world and closer to the people we share it with. Culture Nature by Maria Iannone, Louise Jackson, Zaynab Noor and Deepika Sharma. Acrylic on Canvas (80x100cm) Nature can be found at the heart of every culture and religion. Each flower and plant is visually different in colour and texture to another, but fundamentally each require the same elements to grow. This is true of people themselves as each person is unique, but we need the same things in order to develop. As a group we wanted to represent the beauty, importance and fragility of nature in today’s worlds all of which can so easily be overlooked. Nature St Thomas of Aquin’s High School Wider Achievement Summary – 2011-2014 d://cmarshall/widerachievementsummary 1 Our Nations Sons - Street Art Miss Ewan and the Art Department collaborated with Irish artist Joe Caslin who delivered a presentation to the Higher Art class and invited them to get involved in his street art project. Edinburgh City Council financed the project which allowed pupil portraits to be pasted on council property including King George IV bridge and Warriston’s Close steps. The ‘Tyros’ were senior pupils Luke Paxton, Jonathan Duffy, Andreas Christodoulidis, Declan Walls, Keir Hughes, Euan Begg, Kieran Lyons and Matthew Durkin. S6 pupils are pictured in front of Keir Hugh’s portrait Photography Project Miss Ewan and Miss Wilson from the Art Department were asked to participate in a photography project with a local museum. The Sixth Year pupils studied the theme ‘Fashion’ and then developed an A2 print. Higher Art Work Again, our art pieces/folios for SQA assessment continues to produce excellent results. Art pieces are on regular display around the department/school, but a few examples are illustrated below. Justin Fernandez, S4 Dominika Mulak, S4 Joanna Strachan, S6 Wiktoria Mulak(S6) & Olivia Stokes (S6) Kit Andrew, S6 St Thomas of Aquin’s High School Wider Achievement Summary – 2011-2014 d://cmarshall/widerachievementsummary 2 John Byrne Award 2012 Our pupils continued to excel in the annual John Byrne Award Ceremony and reached the Grand Final again. The stimulus on 2013 was The Proclaimers hit ‘Letter from America’ and the art work is on display in the Conference Room and on the staircase leading up to the second floor. Paolozzi Prize 2013 The City of Edinburgh has sponsored a memorial to Eduardo Paolozzi, the Edinburgh born artist which was held in the National Gallery in April 2013. Senior pupils were encouraged to submit artwork under 3 categories which are: Talent & Creativity Innovation Overcoming Barriers The three submissions from Kit, Olivia and Wiktoria are illustrated below: Paolozzi Prize Commended 2013 Innovation – Olivia Stokes Paolozzi Prize Winner 2013 Talent and Creativity – Kit Andrew Paolozzi Prize Entrant 2013 Wiktoria Mulak St Thomas of Aquin’s High School Wider Achievement Summary – 2011-2014 d://cmarshall/widerachievementsummary 3 Achievement in Amasanyu (Africa Interest Group) The Amasanyu Group continue to meet weekly and are still developing resources for our partner schools in Uganda and organising craft scales in both the school and other venues throughout Edinburgh. These goods are produced by women’s groups in Kampala. Some examples of the sterling work undertaken by our Amasanyu Group include: Ecumenical Service Senior pupils from the Amasanyu Group continue to celebrate and promote their work beyond St Thomas’. Six pupils, Ellen Renton, Ciara Wilson, Katie Mitchell, Clare McDevitt, Courtney Ferguson and Sarah Monan attended an ecumenical service at St Augustine’s Church and answered questions from the congregation. Past Paper Book Sale The Amasanyu regularly sell old past paper books with the monies raised going to our link schools in Uganda. Staff Car Wash The Senior Council organised a staff car wash with the proceeds being donated to the Amasanyu funds. The combined total raised was £98.63. Welcoming our Ugandan Visitors to St Thomas of Aquin’s At the start of December 2012 we welcomed two guests from Uganda to our school, Hilda and Olivia. Olivia is the head-teacher of the Railway Primary school in Kampala and the founder of the Hope and Glory Foundation and Hilda works as a tutor and mentor for the Hope and Glory Foundation. Over the past 5 years St. Thomas’ has had growing links with the Railway Primary School; each year since 2007 staff from St Thomas’ have visited the school and in 2010 and 2013, our pupils visited Uganda. Additionally, our Fair Trade group has supported pupils at the school and provided pencil cases for all of their P1 children and Amasanyu have provided resources for all year groups. Our PE department have also provided the school football team with its strip. St Thomas of Aquin’s High School Wider Achievement Summary – 2011-2014 d://cmarshall/widerachievementsummary 4 Hope and Glory Foundation Hope and Glory was set up to support orphaned girls who once leaving the Railway Primary, could not afford to continue with a secondary education. Each year the foundation provides training in vocational and life skills to a group of the most vulnerable girls. Olivia and Hilda had a busy week with the following planned activities taking place: Year Group Assemblies Strategic Planning Meetings Visit(s) to our associated primary schools Selling African crafts at Waverley Court Visiting Greyfriars Church and Community Project On Friday 7 December 2012, our Amasanyu Group led in earnest by Liam Stout and Wiktoria Mulak held a very successful African themed Ceilidh in the school from 7.00 – 10.00pm. All money raised was donated to the Hope and Glory Foundation. Uganda Visit – June 2013 Eight members of the Amasanyu Group and two members of staff travelled out to Uganda in June 2013. They visited and took educational resources to the Railway Primary School in Kampala and the Budongo and Nyabeya primary schools near the Budongo Forest. Our pupils also had the opportunity to spend time with the school children, to learn about their lives both in and out of school and have a little taste of standing up in front of a class of up to 120 pupils. Our pupils who visited Uganda in June 2013 were Beth Cunnigham, Helena Hardman Moore, Sophie Paxton, Lisa Wilson, Moreen Randall, Michael Binnie, Rhona Lilley, Kathleen O’Dwyer The group took the proceeds of sales of crafts to the Hope and Glory Foundation and the Budongo woman’s group, as well as purchasing new crafts to bring back to Scotland. Further information on Amasanyu’s activities can be found at http://www.amasanyu.org Some memories from Uganda, June 2013 St Thomas of Aquin’s High School Wider Achievement Summary – 2011-2014 d://cmarshall/widerachievementsummary 5 Achievements in Biology Mr Bagnall supervised his Advanced Higher Biology class and a few interested seniors to Stirling University to listen to a presentation on chimpanzee behaviour in Budongo Forest, Uganda. This theme is of direct benefit to many of our pupils and staff who have strong links with several schools in Kampala, Uganda. Open your Mind Roadshow – Wednesday 19 September Edinburgh University Neuroscience delivered a science roadshow for S3 and S4 pupils on Wednesday 19 September 2012. St Thomas of Aquin’s High School Wider Achievement Summary – 2011-2014 d://cmarshall/widerachievementsummary 6 Achievements in Business Education/Young Enterprise State Street Bank, October 2011 & 2012 In 2011 and 2012 Mrs Turner and Miss Carnegie have taken their S3 Business Management classes to visit State Street in 2011 and 2012.