News
LEAD 2014 CONFERENCE – MARCH 2012
Strathclyde University was the destination that 32 East Ayrshire Young Ambassadors and CSLA pupils from the 9 Secondary Schools headed for to attend this years LEAD 2014 Conference. The Conference is a day in which pupils can work in groups and learn from the university students on how to deliver activities and events to the best of their abilities. From this event pupils will be heading back to their schools to plan LEAD 2014 events in their schools, mostly in early May and will highlight the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games at the same time.
Active Schools Coordinator Gordon Cunningham said “LEAD 2014 is an excellent programme for our Young Ambassadors and CSLA Pupils to be a part of, as it gives them the tools to take back to school so they can deliver something the school can be proud of. Promoting the Glasgow 2014 Games is equally as important as promoting the London 2012 Olympics and must all do our part to raise the excitement and participation in events until then. All pupils who attended this event got a T-Shirt, a Kit Bag of resources for their school, access to online resources, points towards becoming a volunteer at the Glasgow 2014 games and most importantly inspiration to take back to their schools”.
LEAD 2014 FESTIVAL IS A SLAM DUNK SUCCESS
Pupils from the 9 Secondary Schools battled it out at the LEAD 2014 S1 Interhouse Basketball Finals on Friday 3rd February 2012 at James Hamilton Academy to celebrate the lead up to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. East Ayrshire Active Schools and the adiStars ran the finals after each schools adiStars planned, organised and delivered their own festivals back at their schools with all the S1 interhouse winners coming to the finals. Auchinleck Academy were crowned champions after beating a very spirited Stewarton Academy 8-2 in the final.
Active Schools Coordinator Gordon Cunningham said “LEAD 2014 is all about young leaders organising and running sports events in the build up to Glasgow 2014, in order to raise awareness of this major sporting event, which will soon be coming to Scotland”.
Councillor Hugh Ross, who attended the event, added “The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games sometimes recieve less coverage due to the upcomming 2012 London Olympics. Our Active Schools team have, as ever, done sterling work in promoting Glasgow 2014, as well as continuing to reinforce the message for our young people to get more active, more often. I thoroughly enjoyed this event and was impressed by the skill of the young players”.
FLAMES FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS LONDON 2012
East Ayrshire Active Schools set up the “Flames Programme” for the Month of November, where the Kilmarnock College Advanced NC students went out to 6 Primary Schools to promote the values of the Olympic Games through using the Active Club Pack. The 3 Olympic Values are Respect, Excellence and Friendship and the 4 Paralympic Values are Determination, Courage, Inspiration and Equality. The 21 students were working with various P6/7 Classes every Tuesday in November for 5 weeks and played various fun games using the Active Club Pack with the Festival on the 6th December at Kilmarnock College Centre of Sporting Excellence. Each School represented the country given to them recently for the year in the lead up to the London 2012 Olympics, please see below;
- New Farm – Romania
- Silverwood – Switzerland
- Mauchline – Ethiopia
- Kirkstyle – Japan
- St. Andrews – Greece
- Mount Carmel – Chile
It is hoped that after the pupils took part in the coaching and festival they will then look to take up various sports after school or in the community after getting a Taster. The flames programme and Active Club pack are resources from the British Heart Foundation and all the Students have been trained through an Active Club Workshop delivered by Gordon Cunningham, Active Schools Coordinator. Active Schools would like to thank Councillor Ross for attending, Kilmarnock College’s Sandy King for giving us the Facility for the afternoon, Lecturer David Malcolm for helping organise the event with all the advanced HC Sports Coaching pupils who were all excellent.
AMBASSADORS BECOME ADISTARS
East Ayrshire’s Active School’s Young Ambassadors took time out of lessons recently to attend the adiStars Conference at Kilmarnock College Centre of Sporting Excellence. At this Conference, held on Friday 11th November 2011, all the Young Ambassadors became adiStars. AdiStars is a programme led by Active Schools, Sportscotland and the Youth Sport Trust and sponsored by Adidas. East Ayrshire is one of just 10 local authorities in Scotland to be selected to run this programme, based on last years success of the East Ayrshire Young Ambassadors.
At the Conference Senior pupils from the 9 secondary schools enjoyed an opening ceremony with a motivational Olympic Games DVD and Presentations from Platinum Young Ambassadors Jenna Holland and Robert Shaw, both pupils at Auchinleck Academy. World curling triple gold champion Ewan MacDonald dropped in to meet the pupils and share his experiences through a workshop and pupils also joined in a quiz hosted by Gold Ambassador JJ Hawkshaw of Grange Academy. A sports panel was certainly the highlight of the day with Team GB hammer thrower Shirley Addison, Local sportsman Michael McRobert of Phoenix Taekwondo and Paul McDonald of Kilmarnock FC on hand to answer questions from pupils and staff. The adiStars now go back into schools ready to go with challenges given to them to overcome to improve and highlight sport within their schools.
SCHOOL SPORTS EVENTS PACK
East Ayrshire primary schools have been allocated their own Olympic country, which they will then represent in a series of competitions, climaxing in a full-week Olympic Carnival during National School Sports Week in June. Six festivals for different Olympic events will be held throughout the school year and winners of each festival will progress to the grand final for that event. Pupils will also gain points for participation, which will be added to a medal table with the overall winner from each category (schools with up to 250 pupils & schoole with more than 250 pupils) announced in June.
First off the starting blocks is the cross-country festival held in the grounds behind Onthank Primary on Thursday 27th September, in partnership with Kilmarnock Harriers. Next up will be a basketball festival in November at Kilmarnock College, Townholm Campus. Other festivals set to take place will feature netball, football, badminton and sportshall athletics. Read more here.
GLENEAGLES TRIP / GRANGE CSLA
Grange Academy on August 26th travelled to Gleneagles with PE Teacher Mr. Adams and Gold Young Ambassador JJ Hawkshaw thanks to money from the East Ayrshire Junior Golf Partnership to pay for transport for 20 pupils who were able to enjoy Quality Golf Coaching from on course professionals and meet some of Europe’s biggest names in Golf on the course. This was the first time an East Ayrshire School has been able to attend this event, as places for this event with the coaching are limited and at a premium.
Pictured above is Grange senior pupil Ryan Kulezich with Thomas Bjorn from Denmark who is the most successful Danish golfer to have played the game having won thirteen tournaments worldwide on the European Tour. In 1999 he also became the first Dane to qualify for a European Ryder Cup Team.
From this inspirational day all 46 Community Sports Leaders Award (CSLA) Pupils from S5/6 at Grange have been trained in Tri Golf by Active Schools and will now deliver Tri Golf at Annanhill and Gargieston Primary schools to 7 classes from P5 – 7 over the entire month of November. This links in perfectly to the partnership action plan of promoting and supporting golf development to our primary pupils. Grange CSLA pupils have already assisted at Annanhill Primary Schools Fun Run, Delivered Netball and Basketball to various campus primary classes, are working within Park School for swimming, been trained in Active Club Training through Active Schools and are looking forward to doing their SFA Early Touches Award over the OctoberHolidays and First Aid Award before Christmas.
YOUNG AMBASSADORS CONFERENCE 2011
On Thursday 22nd September 2011, Active Schools Coordinators Lynsey Hogg and Gordon Cunningham travelled to the International Climbing Centre in Ratho, Edinburgh with Platinum Young Ambassadors Jenna Holland and Robert Shaw from Auchinleck Academy and with Gold Young Ambassadors JJ Hawkshaw and Hannah Wales from Grange Academy for the National Young Ambassadors Conference. This annual event is the main starting point for the East Ayrshire Young Ambassadors programme and the Platinum and Gold Ambassadors gain lots of knowledge and inspiration from this conference to empower them to go back to their schools to try to encourage Pupils to get more active, more often through various after school / lunch clubs in addition to organising festivals at their schools. These pupils will soon also be assisting Active Schools in organising their first adiStars Conference, as East Ayrshire became one of the chosen ten local authorities in Scotland to get this new exciting Young Ambassadors programme which will see the 18 East Ayrshire Young Ambassadors across the 9 secondary schools become adiStars, which is an Adidas Sponsored programme run by the Youth Sport Trust.
Term 2011 / 12 is an important School year as it is also an Olympic Year and the pupils were delighted to meet athletes such as Female Rower Katherine Grainger, 400m Runner Liz McConnell and the Hammer Throw’s Shirley Addison. They were also able to get their photograph taken with the New London 2012 Olympic Torch, which 8,000 lucky Touch Bearers will soon be able to carry when the torch relay begins on the 19th May 2012 for it’s 70 day journey to London to signal the start of the Olympic Games. The Olympic torch is 3 sided and the reason for this is that each side symbolises one of the three Olympic values which are Respect, Excellence and Friendship. 3 Values Young Ambassadors promote in every school. The Torch also has 8,000 holes on it, with each hole representing every one of the 8,000 Olympic Torch Bearers.
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR 2010-11
East Ayrshire Council’s Education Department recently rewarded the hard work and generosity of volunteers who willingly give up their free time to help young people get involved in sporting activities. The Active Schools team held their first ever Volunteer of the Year awards ceremony in Burns Monument Centre.
Each Active Schools co-ordinator nominated two volunteers, one over the age of 18 and one under 18. Winners were selected by judges John Wilson, Links Officer in Education and Arts; Kenneth MacKinlay, Principal of the Quality Improvement Team; and Cheryl Brady, Active Schools Manager. And there was such a strong field of talented entrants, that not one but two winners were named for each category. Celebrating scooping the senior award were joint winners William Clark, 21, from Galston and Kilmarnock man Kyle Burns, also 21. Both were nominated by Active Schools Co-ordinator Lynsey Hogg. William and Kyle are former pupils of St Joseph’s Academy, where they had their first opportunities to volunteer through the Community Sports Leaders Award (CSLA) organised within the school.
Lynsey said: “William and Kyle are dedicated, hard-working and committed individuals who help us to provide a quality service. Both are willing to give up their time, even if that means taking time off college or work. No matter what challenges are put in front of them, they are always more than capable of delivering. The rapport they have built with school pupils and school staff over the years is tremendous”.
Junior winners were former Stewarton Academy pupil Kiefer Sinclair, 18 and Lauren Sloan, also 18, formerly of James Hamilton Academy. The two were nominated by Active Schools co-ordinator Gordon Cunningham. Gordon said: “Kiefer has been leading sessions with S1 boys through the Soccer One programme at Stewarton Academy. He plans and runs his sessions to a high standard, providing coaching at the start of each session and then allowing the pupils to play games. The PE Department and Kilmarnock Football Club have supported Kiefer with advice and kit. The school put Kiefer through his CSLA and identified Kiefer as a role model to attend the LEAD 2014 Conference at Strathclyde University.
“Lauren also completed her CSLA last year. She has delivered football sessions to P3 – P7 girls at an after school club in New Farm primary school. Lauren’s work was excellent, due to her knowledge and experience of playing football at club and international level. Lauren made each session fun and she is a fantastic role model for women’s football”.
Spokesperson for Lifelong Learning Councillor Hugh Ross said: “The Volunteer of the Year award is for those who have shown first class commitment in encouraging young people to become more active, more often. Congratulations to William, Kyle, Kiefer and Lauren, who are excellent role models. I hope many more young people are inspired to follow their example”.
P7 EASTER TRANSITION AT GRANGE
East Ayrshire Active Schools in partnership with the Gargieston Parent Council organised a fantastic P7 Easter Transition event over 2 days at Grange Academy. There was 66 P7 pupils in attendance both days from the 5 cluster schools and these pupils took part in Taekwondo, Basketball, Volleyball, Dance, Dodgeball and Zumba. Through these fun sports and activities delivered by Coaches and Active Schools Physical Activity Assistants, pupils were able to meet new friends, try new sports, use the sports halls and most importantly have fun before they begin S1 in August.
AIMING FOR FUN AT DODGEBALL FESTIVAL
Youngsters at a local school spent a morning dodging balls recently, rather than doing school work. Forty-eight primary 5, 6 and 7 Annahill pupils enjoyed a lively inter-house Dodgeball Festival in Grange Academy, led by Community Sports Leaders – senior Grange pupils who are doing a course to enable them to deliver sporting activities.
The festival’s emphasis was more on having fun than keeping score – all part of Active Schools’ aim to encourage pupils to take part in at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day. Active Schools Coordinators help pupils completing their Community Sports Leadership Award (CSLA). They provide first aid training for pupils and log books to record progress, as well as setting up placements.
Pupils work on this award during school time, as it is a recognised subject at PE and an alternative to a Higher or module. Active Schools Coordinator Andy Black said: “It was a fantastic morning enjoyed by all and another successful festival run by the CSLA pupils, who are a credit to their school.
LEAD 2014 Conference
Active Schools Coordinators from East Ayrshire took a group of young people to Strathclyde University to the LEAD 2014 Conference on Friday 11th March 2011. These 21 young people were S5 & S6 pupils from the East Ayrshire’s Young Ambassadors Programme, CSLA Pupils and Sports Leaders within their schools.
The LEAD 2014 Conference was designed to help these young people learn new skills to aid them in organising and running a Glasgow 2014 activity / sports festival within their schools across East Ayrshire. Active Schools will now be working with these young leaders in the coming weeks to support them in their roles to ensure each of the schools have something fun and exciting going on before the Summer holidays. These festivals will promote LEAD 2014 in the role of promoting Glasgow 2014 through young people leading young people, giving inspiration of these upcoming games.
WEST OF SCOTLAND JUNIOR BOCCIA CHAMPIONSHIP
Active Schools took 11 pupils with additional support needs from East Ayrshire to take part in the first West of Scotland Junior Boccia Championships which was staged at Linwood Sports Centre, East Renfrewshire on the 22nd November 2010.
There were over 50 competitors ranging from Primary age to Secondary age, from 15 schools across the West of Scotland. Pupils were competing in three categories – classification A, for those with a physical disability; classification B, for those with a learning disability; and classification C, for those with sensory impairment.
East Ayrshire competitors had great success with a stunning haul of medals.
| Cumnock Academy | 2 Gold medals and 3 Bronze medals, |
| Doon Academy | 1 Gold and 2 Silver |
| Park School | 1 Gold |
This event was a great success for all East Ayrshire Competitors. Boccia is a key sport for people with disabilities; therefore in the New Year Active Schools are holding their inaugural East Ayrshire Boccia Festival for pupils with additional support needs. More information to follow soon.
East Ayrshire Young Ambassadors
East Ayrshire Young Ambassadors, Jenna Holland and Robert Shaw – S5 pupils from Auchinleck Academy – attended their first National Young Ambassadors conference at Ratho International Climbing Centre recently.
As part of a national programme, which is supported by Adidas and the Youth Sport Trust, the Council’s Active School Co-ordinators recruited two Young Ambassadors from each secondary school in East Ayrshire to help promote school sport. Jenna and Robert were selected to attend the national conference where they attended workshops which provided them with information and inspiration to actively promote sport and specifically promote the values of the Olympic Games.
Councillor Kathy Morrice, Spokesperson for Improving Community Health and Wellbeing said: “Our young ambassadors had a fantastic experience at Edinburgh meeting both Commonwealth and Olympic athletes who proved to be a real inspiration to our ambassadors. As part of the workshops the young people at the conference were asked to choreograph a Young Ambassador’s dance and I am very pleased to say that Jenna won best dance. Her choreographed moves have been named Scotland’s Young Ambassadors dance and will be available on the Olympics website – www.london2012.com
“Jenna and Robert will now be making a presentation to East Ayrshire’s Young Ambassadors outlining what they have learned at the conference and how best they can promote sport within their own schools.”
Physical Activity Assistants
In March, the Active Schools team in East Ayrshire commenced employment of new Physical Activity Assistants posts. The new positions are funded through the Future Jobs Fund which aims to create 111,000 additional jobs by March 2011, primarily aimed at 18-24 year olds who have been out of work for six months and claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, to deliver real benefits to communities. Initial interviews secured three new staff members and the second round filled the remaining seven posts. The PAAs will assist Active Schools Coordinator in their respective learning communities to carry out administrative duties and help deliver more extra curricular physical activity sessions.
Council Employee Excellence Awards Finalists
East Ayrshire Active Schools team were nominated for the Partnership Award at the 2009 Council Employee Excellence Awards for their work on the “Bike It” project (with Neighbourhood Services) and were finalists at the awards ceremony in October. Please click the link for more information on the Bike It project.
