Summer 2010 news Ellesmere COLLEGE Page 1 Ellesmere College Newsletter - Summer 2010 Students from Ellesmere College Sail into Team GB Two students from Ellesmere College, George Shelley and his brother Ed, have been selected to represent team GB in the RS Feva Sailing Nationals. Both boys have been avid sailors since they could walk and were selected in October 2009 to join the National Squad, in competition with 70 other crews. They sail every weekend come rain, sleet or snow, mostly training at Whitemere near Ellesmere but travelling the entire country to take part in Team GB races. Besides the sailing element the boys have to undergo rigorous land training exercises to increase their overall fitness levels. Due to their excellent seamanship, they have been selected for extra training by one of the top coaches in the UK. George and Ed have been preparing for the Nationals in May/June and the World Cup in July this year which will be staged in Carnac in France. Here they will race against other RS Feva crews from around the world, with 130 boats already registered for this event. The boys have recently been sponsored by the OE Club and as a result will be sailing with the School crest on their boat. There are other opportunities to sponsor George and Ed and have your companies name on the sail or their boat. If you are interested please contact [email protected] We wish them all the success in the future. TeamPage 2 GB Page 3 Ellesmere College Newsletter - Summer 2010 Sixth Form Prefect, Joshua Boswell, found himself at the centre of political power recently when he won first place in a national writing competition organised by the Parliamentary Press Gallery. Josh wrote the best essay in the country recommending three policies which could be adopted by any of the parties in the 2010 General Election. Josh’s winning essay outlined his ideas for reforms of the Financial Sector and minimum wage, as well as the legalisation of cannabis. His submission was read by all three party leaders and won him a two-night stay in London, a visit to Parliament and a meeting with Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, at No 10 Downing Street. Afterwards Josh commented that ‘It was an In the amazing and unique experience, as well as a great opportunity to make contacts in the light of my personal career ambition to go into Political Journalism and eventually Politics.’ thick of it POLITICALPage 4 POWERPage 5 Ellesmere College Newsletter - Summer 2010 Ellesmere Students Meanwhile, closer to home three African charity, Monduli Green and Chris has Ellesmere Sixth Form Students received coached hockey to Lower School pupils. Whilst the High Sheriff’s Award for their studying for the International Baccalaureate, at the Model outstanding display of good citizenship. Nick West has been volunteering in his local Oxfam shop. The recipients were Elizabeth Evans, Chris United Nations Johnson and Nicholas West. All three students have been supporting individual younger pupils as part of their voluntary contribution within the We congratulate all Support for Learning Department. three students for their Whilst studying for their A levels and supporting exemplary contribution younger pupils at the School, Elizabeth has done much fundraising for the School’s nominated to the wider community. YOUNG CITIZENS’ AWARD High Sheriff, Anna Turner, presents the awards to Nicholas West, Elizabeth Evans and Chris Johnson. Some of our ‘model’ students, who attended the Conference in The Hague Photo : From left to right: Artyom Drobysh, Niko Wojtynia, Ludwig Schinzing, Joshua Boswell, Dominick Coppinger, Georg Berezkin, Fredi Steinebach, Rebecca Maas, Viktoria Schaeff, Ouming Huang Ten students from The School’s participation in The International Baccalaureate Ellesmere College recently the Model United Nations was Coordinator at the School, Dr. travelled to Holland instigated by Cathy Allen, Head Ian Tompkins added, ‘The Model to participate in the of English as an Additional United Nations event embraces internationally represented Language. The simulation the ethos of the IB Diploma lasted for three days and the that is offered at Ellesmere Model United Nations. Ellesmere College group was since it focuses on fostering Four hundred students from truly international with English understanding and cooperation around the world came together students Joshua Boswell amongst students from around for a realistic simulation of the and Dominick Coppinger the world.’ United Nations, with some of participating alongside Artyom the debates being held in the Drobysh, from Russia, Georg UN Peace Palace in The Hague. Berezkin, , Rebecca Maas, The Ellesmere College team Viktoria Schaeff, Ludwig were chosen to represent China, Schinzing, Fredi Steinebach, Israel and Amnesty International Niko Wojtynia, from Germany in the debates. and Ouming Huang from China. Page 6 Page 7 Ellesmere College Newsletter - Summer 2010 National Mathematics AwardsMATHS Year 8 Physics Following their recent participation in the National Intermediate Mathematics Challenge a group of top performing Competition Winners Ellesmere College pupils have now The Physics Department recently ran its A wide range of topics within Physics was received their results. third annual Year 8 Physics Competition, evident, from Optics to Convection, Energy in Whilst nine pupils won Silver awards and four producing an enthusiastic response a mousetrap-powered car, Standing waves, pupils achieved Gold awards, Year 10 pupil, Mark from the year group. Circuits, Rockets, and from a wildly entertaining McBrien excelled in the Challenge and won the demonstration on Friction to a personal blast Best in School award. Fellow Year 10 students, Twelve entries made it to the final stages, where from the past with Thermoelectricity. However, Joseph Haigh and Andy Main also gained Gold guest judges Louise Paton, Head of History and as in all competitions, there had to be winners. awards, as well as Christian Cieslik in Year 11. Ranjit Chatterjee, Head of Middle School and In third place, Andrew Bolton and Charlie Silver awards were gained by Year 9 pupils, Head of Biology, joined by Year 13 students, Whitehead offered a model of energy changes Benjamin Hughes and John Leadbeater. John quizzed them on their models. within roller coaster rides, and in second place, Paul, Dominic Simpson and Luke Taylor in Year Rebecca Neary and Catriona Jones recreated a wartime foxhole radio to show tuned circuits. 10 as well as Gordon Humphreys, Ryan Morley, 1st Katherine Neary and Freya West in Year 11 also The overall winner was James Schofield, who achieved Silver awards. A further ten pupils from demonstrated Newton’s Third Law using a Years 9, 10 and 11 also gained Bronze awards. fan-powered vehicle. 2nd 1st: Overall winner - James Schofield, with guest judges Ranjit Chatterjee, Head of Middle School and Head of Biology and Louise Paton, Head of History. 3rd 2nd: Second placed winners, Rebecca Neary and Catriona Jones Mr John Cowley, Head of Mathematics, with some of the 3rd: Third placed winners, Andrew Bolton and Charlie Page 9 PageCollege’s 8 award winners. Whitehead Page 9 Ellesmere College Newsletter - Summer 2010 Old Ellesmerian Simon D’Arcy, who left Simon himself College in 1969, started his solo challenge benefitted from to circumnavigate the UK clockwise from this test when, Chichester Marina on June 1st 2010 in in 2009, he a 24ft Cornish Crabber as part of ‘The discovered that Prostate Challenge’. he had lived, unaware, with a The voyage of some 2500 miles, will take between tumour for five years. After successful treatment, Lower School three to four months, and is part of a campaign Simon is now hoping to galvanise men over to highlight the little-known fact that a simple 50 years old to take the test as a result of his PSA blood test for the early detection of Prostate Charity Baskets a adventure, through the massive press coverage Cancer is available to all men over 50, simply by which the Challenge will generate. visiting their GP and requesting it. Keep up to date with Simon’s voyage by logging Huge Success onto www.sailingchallenge.blogspot.com Following the production Miss Lizzie Jones from the team of young gardeners PROstAte CHALLenge and sale of winter Charity was delighted to enthusiastically embraced the hanging baskets by receive the sum of £200 and challenge to produce high Old Ellesmerian keeps the flag flying for charity a group of Ellesmere congratulated the pupils on quality hanging baskets, which Lower School pupils, their continuing support for were then sold to staff and a representative from their work. parents. Cancer Research was As part of the Wednesday It seems as though the pupils’ invited to meet the team afternoon ‘Survive and Thrive’ green fingered efforts are and be presented with programme of activities likely to go on blossoming a cheque. for Year 7 and 8 pupils, a in the future. Old Ellesmerian, Simon D’Arcy, faces new challenges as he sails around the UK Page 10 Page 11 Page 10 Page 11 Jayne Griffiths, Academic Secretary. With 3 miles to go my legs ached and I started to long for the finish line, but then I spotted a raised over £1,500 for the Oswestry banner over Westminster Bridge - ‘3 MILES Orthopaedic Hospital thanks to an AND YOU ARE PART OF HISTORY’. These eight Sixth Form extremely supportive army of sponsors. words spurred me on and I pushed myself along At 9.45 am on 25 April 2010, standing in line the Embankment, down Birdcage Walk where the with thousands of other like-minded people crowds were deafening, and with Buckingham in Greenwich, London, I was about to fulfil Palace looming ahead I knew I could do it. Students Run Moments later the most precious medal I have one of my life’s ambitions and compete in the 2010 Virgin London Marathon.