Strabane Academy Magazine

STRABANE ACADEMY SCHOOL MAGAZINE

SKI TRIP

CHARITY EVENTS

NEW SCHOOL BUILD MUSIC

SPORT

SCHOOL PLAY

Welcome to the first Strabane Academy School Magazine; it is a pleasure to write my first foreword. This magazine documents another fantastic year in the life of our school and I have been able to share many celebrations with our pupils as they continue to make our school extremely proud. They have achieved so much, not just academically but also in sport, drama, music and through the many clubs which we offer outside of the classroom. I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has contributed in some way to the production of this magazine and pay a special tribute to Dr Bresland and his editorial team.

I am sure you will enjoy reading it as much as I have.

David Hampton Principal

BANG BANG BANG! We all took off sprinting down the winding road as Callum hit the door, my heart beating like a drum, my legs going as fast as ever, my arm swinging as the other one held up my falling trousers. The sense of fear was contagious, although we couldn’t help laughing hysterically, the thrill was a drug.

We stopped in an alley, twenty of us or so all panting like dogs. Callum was last, he claimed that no-one had even come out so a sigh of relief was shared amongst us.

Two or three minutes had passed since everyone had lit their cigarettes, they were having a good time laughing and sharing jokes, except me. I couldn’t shake the feeling of paranoia, something wasn’t right. I started counting the seconds 1…2…3…4…5 for every second a ball of sweat ran down my face.

I couldn’t take it anymore, I crept through the alley with a small group, who said I was mad, but suddenly a black van quickly halted at the entrance to the alley, its tyres screeching. A look of fear and panic pulsed through the alley. Everyone quickly put their hoods up and dropped their cigarettes as the van door swung wide open, and a bald man with a body built like a tank emptied out. We had already split into groups and were dashing through numerous alleys by the time he had stepped foot in the street. Me and six others had cornered ourselves into a small bush in a garden, neighbouring a field so we had escape routes.

I could hear him, stomping around, shouting and screaming, he wasn’t giving up.

Every row of houses had been knocked asking for our whereabouts, except ours… we were next. He started knocking and I started counting down houses…1…2…3…4…5…6…7, ours was 8…

I looked at Ciaran, he knew we had to escape, or we were dead! Just before the towering man entered, we swiftly jumped the picket fence and dropped into the ditch. We had lost him! There was a rumour of an abandoned house somewhere in the field so we decided to go venturing and hope the rumours weren’t lies. We finally arrived, the house once a beautiful, towering ancient temple was now nothing but a scrapyard. It was better than a jail cell or no shelter at all. We slowly crept into the dilapidated mansion, shining our flashlights in every corner, making sure we didn’t have company. We were safe, or so we thought. We set up camp, placed our sleeping bags and told stories and shared jokes until we drifted into slumber.

I awoke, it was still dark and no one was anywhere to be seen, except Flynn, who was sitting up staring at the door…his eyes so empty and black…Slowly the door opened…

Rory Connolly (Year 10)

11/10/2017 – The first day Waking up at 04:30 in the morning wasn’t exactly a hit with the students or teachers but we struggled through it. Honestly the teachers were miracle workers to deal with a bus-load of 24 grumpy teens.

When we arrived at Belfast International Airport the troupe of pupils wandered around for a while, which for some that included the top priority of getting an early morning Burger King until it was time to board the plane. The flight lasted a little over 2 hours and we eventually landed in Keflavik International airport with a full day ahead of us.

It was there that we began our bus journey to Iceland’s capital: Reykjavik.

Our first activity took place in the city of Reykjavik where we spent some time shopping with our brand-new Icelandic Kronas. Finally, when all souvenirs were purchased it was time to visit the hotel, but we still had a sight to see.

It was after dinner when we were on the bus once more but this time it wasn’t going to any town - far away from one, actually. An isolated viewpoint of sorts beside a little church in the dark of night was where the pupils and teachers stumbled off into in the frosty air. The cold was irrelevant however, as above us the Northern Lights ignited into the inky-black night. The experience cannot be put into any words, nor can photographs do the sight justice – but I can tell you that the sight truly was amazing.

12/10/2017 – The Golden Circle 9:03 A.M. Tensions are high as the group waits anxiously for the remaining late stragglers to get on the bus.

Another journey with magnificent mountains in the distance that we photographed, and finally a Geothermal Power Station! The Hellisheidi Power Station is located right next to a dormant volcano that erupts every 5000 years, as told by the workers there. We received a very interesting and informative presentation about how the geothermal power station runs and converts the steam produced by hot springs into electricity and uses the hot water for homes – but I won’t bore you with the details.

After the presentation we had the chance to look around and ask questions about the station and even try their earthquake sound simulator - the only order was ‘don’t spam the button more than once at a time’, otherwise the system will crash. It wasn’t long before we heard the abrupt silencing of the room where there had once been rumbles of an earthquake. We all looked over to see the perpetrator who had likely crashed the system to see none other than our own Mr Hetherington standing at the simulator with nothing but a black screen in front of him and laughing people around him. Fore shame, Mr Hetherington. Fore shame.

The next location went without incident which was the Kerid: a crater that is almost a perfect miniature volcano surrounded by red volcanic rock (which some may or may not have taken from the site as souvenirs). It slopes inward and holds a pool of water at its base where people can walk down and around the inner circle, as well as an isolated bench that Mrs Aiken took full advantage of in hopes to get a photograph so good that it would win her a new camera.

The Gulfoss waterfall was one of three waterfalls that we would visit on our tour.

The sight was beautiful, but then my dear friend Kelsey and I realised that we had only 10 minutes to get back to the bus to go the Geyser…which required us to climb a lengthy journey uphill.

Fun fact: hot springs smell like sulphur and eggs… so not a very pleasant experience when the wind blows it in your face. This location started a debate on whether “geyser” was pronounced “guy-ser” or “geezer,” (though I prefer the first one as I’d rather not imagine elderly men exploding out of the ground).

The last attraction that day was the Bingvelli National Park which was the meeting point of two of the earth’s tectonic plates.

13/10/2017 - Friday 13th October.

Another waterfall graced our presence, this one more that 200ft high and my favourite. The base of the waterfall was pleasantly refreshing with the cold water and frosty air, but when you looked up you saw the sheer magnitude and beauty of this natural cascade, especially when the spray caught the light and created a glorious rainbow. However, there was a downside…

Stairs.

More than 430 of them to the top.

They loomed above us and we sent a quick prayer before beginning the ascension.

It was alright at the beginning, but then it only went down from there. About a quarter of the way our legs began burning. Halfway and we were griping the side rails. Three quarters and we were stopping at every other landing to rest. The sweat accumulated. The morale dropped, yet we soldiered on, determined to finish what we started - and we did. Let me tell you, the view was worth it.

Not long after we travelled to the black-sand beach, which was indeed true to its name. The teachers decided to get a group photo, this one at a cave opening with rock formations and basalt columns similar to the Giant’s Causeway back home. All was going well until suddenly yelling could be heard and a crowd sprinted away from the ocean in a frenzy. Once the panic had subsided we onlookers saw that an especially large ‘sneaker’ wave had surged up the shore and had forced a few unsuspecting victims to the ground as the water rushed over them, but thankfully nobody was injured. A few of our own then discovered that they couldn’t outrun nature as they gained soggy boots.

After being only mildly traumatised by the ocean it was soon time to move on to our next location, but not before “borrowing” some dark sand from the shore as yet another souvenir. While I filled my sandwich bag with the black grains I met a few fellow criminals from America that joined me in the thieving act before our group had to move on.

Waterfall number three was nicknamed “the health and safety hazard” by a few of us pupils as it was the one that we could walk behind because of the water eroding the surrounding rock. As magnificent as the scene of nature was, I think at this point we were more excited about walking behind the water and climbing up the rocks around it as a sort of adventure trail. We turned into mini Indiana Jones’ and scaled the jagged faces, leaping here and there with dramatic stumbles that almost sent us tumbling into the icy water below. Well, maybe not that extreme.

14/10/2017 – The Final Day Despite the sad realisation that we were soon to return home, our spirits were lifted as we travelled to our final destination: The Blue Lagoon. The legendary natural geothermal pool that is one of the wonders of the world became the last Icelandic attraction that we were able to visit. The pastel blue water was a heavenly 35°C40°C that contrasted with the chilly air of Iceland, and we were sad to go after 2 hours.

With the trip coming to a close we approached the airport, however upon arriving we discovered that our flight was delayed 2 hours – it seemed that even Iceland itself wanted us to stay longer.

I left Strabane Academy in the class of 2016 gaining A levels in Maths, Chemistry and Biology, along with geography at AS level. I am now studying Medicine along with an intercalated BSc degree in Childhood Studies at the University of Bristol.

When moving to Bristol for the first time, I was full of excitement, nerves and anticipation at the prospect of beginning a new chapter of life away from home.

Having grown up on a farm in the countryside, moving into halls in the city centre was certainly throwing myself into the deep end! New Bridewell, my first year halls, were new and I was the first cohort to move into them. As far as halls go it was definitely luxury living, with every room having an en-suite and a double bed! I lived in a flat with two girls who studied chemistry and English and one boy who studied law. With demanding contact hours in medicine totalling 25-27 hours a week combining lectures, tutorials and labs, it was great living with people who had similar demands. As a flat we all got on really well and somewhat became a little family. It was an amazing experience meeting and becoming friends with people from different cultures with my flat comprising of people from Malaysia, Wales and England.

Living in halls allowed me to make friends from my course too and soon we become close friends. This year, I moved into a rented flat with three other friends and have definitely became even more independent when you’re having to wade yourself through a mountain of utility bills and learning how to work a new washing machine, which was challenging to say the least!

Studying medicine is challenging at times (especially in the run up to exams!), but the reward and stimulating environment certainly outweighs this. Working with professors and doctors at the cutting edge of medicine along with meeting and talking to patients makes you realise what you are studying for. Medicine at University of Bristol is a great mix of traditional teaching in the form of lectures, practical lab sessions which consolidates learning, tutorials and patient contact in the form of GP attachments in health centres around Bristol and week- long hospital placements. My personal highlight so far has been combining my love of the arts with medicine. By choosing Creative Arts as a Student Selected Component I worked alongside artists and doctors painting, poem writing and clay modelling and learning how they coincide with catalysing the healing process in patients and the astounding difference it makes to their lives on a Friday afternoon!

The classic perception of medics living a ‘work hard, play harder’ lifestyle certainly does not disappoint. Galenicals, University of Bristol Medical Society, have a big range of sub societies to suit all; ranging across sports, music and arts. Away from medicine, University of Bristol also has over 330 societies, with something to suit all.

Over the last two years I have tried my hand at lacrosse, Pilates, Wind band orchestra, Caledonian Society, Irish society and teaching CPR in schools. Joining lots you will never be stuck for something to do or see.

of societies allows you to meet other like-minded people that you might not have necessarily met on your course and broadens your horizons further. I would recommend trying things that you already like doing but also try joining societies you wouldn’t normally- you wouldn’t know what talents you could unleash! Bristol itself as a city is vibrant and fast-paced, with festivals and events happening all year roundyou will never be stuck for something to do or see. If you are still undecided about if you want to go to university or what course to study, my advice would be to continue to work hard and choose something that you really are passionate about and what could open doors for the future.

As pupils we are always aware of Mr Hampton’s presence. He appears around corners, strides across pitches and stops to have a chat. He gives speeches in assembly and attends innumerable meetings and school functions. Rumour has it too that he specializes in exotic dishes in Hospitality class. We sat down with him to find out more about him.

Our first question to Mr Hampton was about his own memories of secondary school.

He went to Banbridge Academy, and loved his days there, but says he spent “far too much time playing sports and being outside”. He was quick to remind us that this probably wasn’t the wisest idea, and he says he now empathises with his old teachers, who encouraged him to work harder. His love of the outside influenced his initial decision to apply for a Forestry course at a University in Wales, but he settled on a Combined Sciences course at Ulster. But ultimately, he never really saw himself as a scientist. He realised that his love for PE could be used to inspire younger generations.

Career plan sorted, he entered Strabane Grammar as a PE teacher, teaching History on the side in 1992. He became the head of PE in 1997. Not content with teaching two subjects, Mr Hampton started teaching Careers and soon became the head of that department as well. His rise through the ranks continued, as he took charge of A-Level students in the sixth form, and he joined the School Leadership Team. He became Vice Principal of Strabane Grammar in 2005, at which point his days of teaching History were well, history.

With the announcement of the amalgamation of Strabane High and Strabane Grammar, came Mr Hampton’s chance to progress to the next level. He wanted to utilise the training he took: he trained for school leadership and it felt like a natural progression. He wanted to lead.

As Principal, Mr Hampton gets to be part of all the School’s greatest moments, but we wanted to know if he has a proudest memory. “Proudest memory?” he said, “It’s got to be every results day. It’s just so great to see all the students who work so hard reap their rewards.” We pressed him, saying surely that’s not the only thing he thinks this school is about, and he agreed: “Of course I am immensely proud when every school play is produced, when the rugby and hockey teams play matches, and when I sit and listen to the choir sing at the Carol Service.”

“What’s the most important part of being a pupil?” we asked him. “My answer can really be summed up in one word: respect,” he replied. “It’s so important to have. respect for your peers, respect for your teachers, respect for your parents, and ultimately respect for yourself.”

With the new build to the forefront of most peoples’ minds, we asked Mr Hampton what excited him most about the future of the school. “The new build is definitely something we are looking forward to as a school, the new facilities will really open up new opportunities for the pupils; from state-of-the-art sports pitches to an enhanced classroom experience in every subject, we really hope that we’ll be able to offer something new and exciting for the future pupils of Strabane Academy.”

The highly anticipated new build started in December 2017, and possibly what excites Mr Hampton the most is the prospect of finally having all pupils, both junior and senior, on the one site. “I think it will be extremely valuable, especially to the juniors, as they will have the chance to learn from pupils who have gone through the school system, and they’ll have the sixth-formers to look up to.”

“What would you say to people when they ask you what Strabane Academy is like?”

“We really are a close-knit group; we’re a family of all different types, and I think this is something unique to us as we’re such a small school.”

Something that we pride ourselves in as a school, is our Pastoral Care team. We asked Mr Hampton to describe how important it was. He believes that Pastoral Care is “hugely important” and is a core strength of being a small school. He appreciates how approachable all the teachers are, and with 200 days of school a year, he stresses how important it is to have a strong pupil teacher relationship.

“And what about the staff? How would you describe them?” Here Mr Hampton laughed a bit, describing the staff as incredibly hard-working and good- humoured.

It’s evident that he really values their commitment to the school pupils, to himself and to each other. “We really would be lost without them, all of us!”

With Mr Hampton running everyday life in our school, we were curious to see what changes he would make if he were in charge of all the schools in Northern Ireland.

His answer: “I would make every school equal by giving them the same budget, and the same foundations for essential facilities, so that every pupil has as good a chance as the next to succeed. I would give each school the same amenities, but then allow each to develop and specialise as they see fit.”

We thought giving each school equal opportunities seemed like a good way to ensure that every pupil reaches their full potential come results day. Following on from this, we asked for his advice to pupils who are preparing for exams. “Prepare, prepare, prepare! If you fail to prepare, then prepare to fail! It’s important to take everything in manageable chunks, and make sure you fully understand each point before progressing.” He specifically emphasised that revision and exams are longterm projects, and that you may have to practise delayed gratification.

To conclude our interview, our final question to Mr Hampton was, “Can you describe Strabane Academy in a sentence?” After taking a few moments to come up with an answer, this was his response: “As a parent I want my child to be happy, and I know that by sending them to this school, I know they’ll be happy and receive a great education – both inside and outside of class.”

As is the trend with this magazine we decided to interview another new teacher in our ranks who joined us in September 2017. As per tradition with these interviews, we composed many a question about her life choices to be put in our magazine, hopefully boring no one in the process.

Mrs Campbell-Hanna has been to many schools in her eight years of teaching English including Foyle College, St Mary’s, Castlederg High and Lisneal College before finally securing a post in Strabane Academy. Mrs Campbell-Hanna originally studied RE, English Literature and History for A level however after receiving mock results that were not as good as she had hoped, she dropped out of school in upper sixth. After that she had a job in the civil service for five years but realised that she still wanted to finish her education, so she enrolled to do NWRC night classes in the Tech as an A level equivalent, studying a foundation diploma which allowed her to pursue her career through university.

In Ulster University she studied English Literature with Education where she received a first-class honours, and PGCE in English with Drama and Media. Mrs Campbell-Hanna wanted to emphasise to us that there is no one set way to get where you want to go in life or to university, and that everyone should have the same chances and opportunities no matter which path they choose to take. When asked why she came to Strabane Academy, Mrs Campbell-Hanna replied that she loved the way our school was an “all-ability school” with all ability teaching of different classes that each have different strengths and abilities and that students are given room to grow under the guidance of their teachers.

As an English teacher she loves her job as she has a certain degree of independence in her subject regarding which literary texts we are able to study, truly giving a scope of no limitations within English. She very much encourages pupils to study English for A level as it gives you skills that are applicable and transferable for a variety of jobs, including communication skills that are always desirable. “There are so many careers that require English,” she told us, “more than most people think.”

Her advice to pupils taking English exams is to make sure you read and revise. “I’m tired of the excuse that you can’t revise for English. You learn through reading your material and other outside sources that each give you new pieces of information that can be used in an exam. Practising is essential.

We had a great time interviewing Mrs Campbell-Hanna and are grateful to her for a fun and insightful interview. We hope that she enjoys life here at Strabane Academy and hopefully entices more pupils into exploring the wonders of English. a

Mrs Phillips came to our school as head of our RE department in December 2017.

We wanted to give her a (belated) welcome by questioning her life choices. This was, in reality, just a friendly chat (which included sweets and biscuits).

Keen to prove that she was once a lowly student like ourselves, Mrs Phillips told us about her A-Levels at Larne. She took Art, English Literature and RE for A-Level simply because she really enjoyed these subjects and was good at them. She went on to study English with Biblical Studies at the University of St. Andrews, but after a year switched to studying for a masters in Theology as the prospect of War and Peace for four years caused her some internal strife. She also realised she was far more interested in Theology and Philosophy, making the course swap a far easier decision. After completing her degree in 2005, she went on to study for her PGDE at Edinburgh University. She became a fully qualified RE teacher in 2006.

Mrs Phillips stayed in Scotland after graduating, working in various schools as a RMPS (religious, moral and philosophical studies) teacher. We asked her how this subject differs from Northern Ireland’s Religious Education course and she said that where RE has a focus on Christian studies, RMPS is reflective of Scotland’s more religiously diverse society.

In keeping with the standard remit of these sort of interviews, we asked Mrs Phillips why she wanted to become an RE teacher. Aside from the fact that she enjoyed the subject, she wanted to teach RE because she feels it’s important to allow young people to “have a space to think critically about what they’re told by the media, their peers, their family, the church; society in general”. To be able to provide a safe place in the classroom where pupils can debate and come to understand the important and often controversial topics that our society faces today is part of the reason why she wanted to become an RE teacher.

So why Strabane Academy? The Phillips family had decided to move back to Northern Ireland from Scotland to be nearer to family, and they decided to settle in Fermanagh (for the scenic views of the Lakelands). This meant getting a new job (apparently the daily commute from Fermanagh to Scotland isn’t the easiest). It just so happened that Mrs Yeates (our previous head of RE) had decided to move school, and the job came up here. Obviously, she’s glad she applied – for a number of reasons. Strabane Academy is the smallest school she’s worked at, and the split site campuses offered her a welcome challenge. Mrs Phillips really likes the small community feel of our school and is glad that everyone has been so welcoming even though she did get nearly hit by a snowball (it was an accident of course). She also finds teaching here very different to teaching in Scotland, but is immensely grateful that Mrs Yeates had curated such a well organised and involved RE department.

We wanted to find out what skills a student can develop by studying RE. Mrs Phillips gave us a wide ranging list, RE students learn how to: debate, think critically, research, respect & tolerance, essay writing and an appreciation of diversity. Careers that benefit from a background in Religious Education include ministry and theology (that one’s a given really), teaching, counselling, psychology, nursing and the care sector.

Next we asked Mrs Phillips why pupils should pick RE for GCSE / A-Level. She stressed here that RE is not just a glorified Sunday school, but it is an extremely well respected academic subject that is extremely relevant to real life. The transferable skills learned are invaluable, and being able to discuss the big issues in life with tolerance and respect is highly regarded by employers. Learning about equality is another important aspect of RE that helps with your future career. It’s also good fun if you discount the essay writing – unless you enjoy that sort of thing!

Her advice to students taking an RE exam is to not waffle. Because the topics covered in RE are so relevant, she says that its often easy to become too opinionated in your answer. Pupils should remember that examiners are looking for a strong argument, but that there should be a clear point in every sentence.

We finished up the interview by asking Mrs Phillips what she hopes she can change or add her own touch to in Strabane Academy’s RE department (and school life in general). She hopes to make students realise that RE is not just about religion, but also comprises of ethics, morals and learning about respect and tolerance towards others. She also wants to make sure that the subject is as inclusive as possible and that she can “tackle the ignorance” that sometimes surrounds the subject.

We really enjoyed interviewing Mrs Phillips and it was extremely grateful to her for setting aside some time in her busy schedule in the middle of exam season. We really hope she’s enjoying life at Strabane Academy!

Strabane Academy has a variety of dedicated and qualified teachers and Ms Boyle happens to be one of them. As a new teacher to Strabane Academy this year, she came to give her time and effort to contribute to the school as one of our maths teachers. To find out more about this new teacher we asked her a few questions about her past as a student, teacher and on what she thinks of our school in general.

Originally, from Sion Mills, as a student Ms Boyle studied Maths, Chemistry, English and Spanish then went on to study at Queen’s University, Belfast, where she enjoyed learning pure maths and statistics, saying she especially enjoyed Pure Maths because of the “satisfaction of solving the problems.” I guess we all have our hobbies.

Ms Boyle has been a teacher for the past 10 years and this was always what she wanted to do. However, she also wanted to work in finance but was put off the idea from doing work experience before deciding that teaching was more interesting. She taught in London for the past few years but decided to come back home so she applied for a job at Strabane Academy. She told us that she wanted to come to Strabane Academy as she knew that it had a good reputation for high grades and it was also a quiet school unlike the schools that she taught in London. The rural setting and countryside also appealed to her. Her first impressions of the school were that it was a close-knit friendly place with both kind pupils and staff.

However, there are a few changes that she wishes to make within the school such as being able to go on more trips for STEM subjects; for example, when in London she visited the Bank of London for maths trips which inspired her and ultimately led to her decision to study maths in sixth form and further education. She also hopes to raise the profile of maths so more pupils, especially females, will consider studying the subject in higher education as it leads to more opportunities in life.

Miss Boyle thinks that we should study maths for the range of opportunities it provides; it is also an interesting subject and it is highly respected by employers.

We hope that Ms Boyle is enjoying her time teaching at Strabane Academy and that her enthusiasm for maths encourages her pupils to explore the subject beyond the ‘joys’ of Pythagoras Theorem or even circle geometry.

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The music room on the Liskey Road is quite small and secluded and you’d (almost) be forgiven for forgetting it was even there. However, every Christmas our school’s musicians and vocalists emerge from their seclusion in order to help spread some festive cheer around the community.

It all begins in October (because it’s never too early for Christmas apparently) when all classes get an announcement in Form: Mrs Ryan would like to see any members of the choir and orchestra at lunchtime. For some people advent calendars and the Coca-Cola ad heralds the start of the festive season; for musicians at Strabane Academy: it’s this message.

At this meeting we’re given our parts to learn for our Christmas performances and we have a quick run through of a piece or two to get us in the Christmas spirit. The vocalists also find out what songs and carols they will be performing this year as well.

What follows is weeks of rehearsals at lunch time and after school to make sure that we can come together as musicians to perform as an ensemble (which is trickier than it sounds); it doesn’t take long before we’re ready to leave the music room and bring our music to the real world.

Our Christmas schedule is hectic. This isn’t a complaint – it’s actually great. Every year, we perform in Melmount Manor and Strabane Day Centre and in Foyleside Shopping Centre (as part of the Save the Children Christmas Appeal). Every other year there is a candle lit Carol Service in a local church that is open to all the community. Our repertoire for these events includes traditional Christmas carols such as Silent Night and Carol of the Bells and festive songs like Sleigh Ride. These performances are fun to do and are always well received by the public.

Whilst our performances centre around the festive period, Strabane Academy’s music department also features strongly at the annual Prize Giving Evening in September and the Open Night in January. A small ensemble usually opens the Prize Giving ceremony and the choir follows with a well-rehearsed feature. Both the choir and orchestra perform on Open Evening with popular favourites such as the theme from the Flintstones. We also have music in the foyer which provides some nice background music to the evening.

Our GCSE and A level classes also get to experience days out to Belfast to watch the Ulster Orchestra perform lunchtime concerts which helps them better appreciate musical history and aid them with their practical understanding of the subject. A level students also attend open days and workshops at Ulster University.

We have the benefit of music tutors from the Education Authority coming in to teach our pupils. Opportunities here include voice, strings, woodwind, brass and percussion tutoring: these lessons are a fantastic extracurricular activity (that also gets you out of class for half an hour). The Junior Campus also hosts the Education Authority’s Youth Orchestra every month for rehearsals.

So next time you find yourself looking at the music room, know that there’s a whole array of activities going on, even if you do just hear a lonely piano playing an out-ofpractice piece.

What better way to spend the last few days of a busy academic year than for our year 11 and 12 pupils to jet off to New York City. The group had the opportunity to visit many of the famous sites of New York including a cruise to the Statue of Liberty, Times Square and a captivating view of the Empire State Building at night--time. The group had a guided tour of Macy’s to find out about the history of the oldest department store in the world, a trip to the Federal Reserve to see the gold chambers and the ‘Wolf of Wall Street Insider Tour’ of the financial district. From this we went to spend quality time visiting the American Museum of Natural History where we all encountered many interesting artefacts. The group also made time to not only pay our respects at the 9/11 Memorial but to visit the 9/11 Memorial Museum, which proved to be very humbling. No trip to New York is complete with hot dogs in Central Park, visiting the Coney Island funfair, attending the Broadway show ‘Chicago’ and even managing to squeeze in some time for retail therapy. Wow, what an action packed trip!

“The strength of the team is the individual, but the strength of the individual within the team is the team itself” was a clear underlying message delivered by Mr McDonald during a recent interview one Wednesday lunchtime.

I opened the interview asking Mr McDonald about the rugby teams run in the Dankse Bank School’s Cup and subsequently the Danske Bank School’s Trophy. The response was one of pride, reflecting on how the team grouped around each other and worked as a unit, one of the key reasons for the success. “The sport in the school punches miles above its weight” was another clear message voiced by Mr McDonald. When talking specifically about the rugby team, Mr McDonald stated that “with there being a lot less boys than girls at the school, and with rugby being a such a physical sport, we really don’t have an entitlement to play at the level we do”. Mr McDonald later spoke again of his immense praise for the squad of 21, “I can’t really put into words the achievement of those players to get to and play at that level and not only play but perform. The squad trains 3 days a week with Mr McDonald, as well as giving up much needed relaxation time during the Christmas break. The 1st XV rugby team reached the semi-final of the Danske Bank School’s Trophy for the first time in Strabane Academy’s history, narrowly missing out on a spot in the final.

I then wanted to find out a little more about the PE department and their role in ensuring that all pupils, regardless of ability, are given the opportunity to be active and apart of the sporting success at Strabane Academy. “I believe that we offer the most balanced and broad range of sporting activities as possible”, was the first response I received from Mr McDonald who later spoke of his vision for the physical education department at Strabane Academy. “It is my vision for the PE department to offer every child access to 2 hours high quality PE and school sport with potentially club links”. The curriculum follows active sports, including the invasion games such as hockey, football and rugby. Along with invasion games there is the net and ball sports such as tennis and badminton, striking and fielding sports such as cricket and the creative sports such as gymnastics. The PE department also try to encourage fundamental movement sports, these are the simple movements of running, jumping, catching, kicking and hitting along with health-related exercise.

“Cricket is our most profitable sport in terms of trophies” was the immediate response that I received after I asked Mr McDonald about cricket in the school, and he would be correct. The girls have won trophies at year 8 &U15 level as well as being the current U19 champions. The boys have won U12, U13 & U15 competitions in the past and the only trophy that they haven’t won is the senior trophy.

Mr McDonald also spoke of the individual successes from pupils past and present at Strabane Academy. Sommer Lecky and Steven McCallion, who left at the end of last year, had success at various levels with Steven being successful at inter-provincial level with Sommer winning many titles at both national level and international level, including high jump gold at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games and silver in the U20 high jump world championships. This led to Sommer being called up to represent Team Northern Ireland in the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Australia.

More recently, Benji ‘The Dolphin’ Cummings and Sarah McMorran who both compete in school swimming at a very high standard. Mr McDonald then spoke about how individual successes have gone unnoticed and with the new school nearing completion, both junior and senior pupils will be able to be inspired and learn from each other and become aware that in all year groups success is happening, but not every pupil is aware.

I would like to thank Mr McDonald for giving up his only free lunchtime, as he coaches cricket every lunch time apart from Wednesday.

Poland, Krakow, Auschwitz-Birkenau, Wieliczka, were just a few of the highlights of our recent trip to Poland. Three teachers and twenty-nine pupils travelled to the beautiful city of Krakow to delve into its rich history. Our jam-packed tour started with a guided tour of the Auschwitz -Birkenau Nazi Camp. The tour showed us the main buildings at the Auschwitz I- Camp and the most important original camp buildings in Auschwitz II-Birkenau. This included the prisoner barracks, the unloading platform, the ruins of gas chamber and crematoria II and III. This was a harrowing yet humbling experience and one which all involved thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated. We visited the wartime ghetto of Podgorze and Old Town Square, viewing the University District, Wawel Castle and Kazimierz, the former Jewish Quarter on our walking tour of this magnificent city. We concluded our trip with a guided tour of Schindler’s Factory Museum (made famous in Steven Spielberg’s 1993 movie, Schindler’s List). Not forgetting to relax, we also visited Wodny Waterpark with its twelve slides, eight Jacuzzis and a lazy pool! We also took in a spot of bowling and experienced a great tour of the world famous Wieliczka Salt Mine. The scenery, the architecture and the history made our trip to Poland an unforgettable experience.

Eight am rises for weekend training, hours of gym practices after school and of course the long distance travelling to every match. This is the dedication demonstrated by our school’s rugby team every year, as they prepare for the annual school rugby cup. This year as an absolute necessity and not at all as an excuse for a tan, the boys embarked on a five-day training camp to the beautiful climate of Algarve in Portugal, in preparation for the up-and-coming school’s cup. The 5-day tour comprised of daily pitch sessions at the state of-the-art VRSA sports complex in Monte Gordo, video analysis and recovery sessions. The culmination of the journey was a 600km round trip to Lisbon, where the 1st XV would face current Portuguese U18 ‘table toppers’ University Technico Rugby Club. The outcome was a draw with 12v12, a result the boys were extremely proud of, giving them a spur of enthusiasm and positivity for the impending school cup. It proved an extremely valuable experience as Gavin Doherty, a key player in the team stated, “It was a huge learning curve to have the opportunity to play against a completely new opposition and very interesting to see the standard of rugby outside of our own school and even country!”

The trip wasn’t all spent on the pitch however, the boys also gained an education in the Portuguese culture, experiencing what the stunning country had to offer, through dining and sight-seeing every evening. They also took part in a series of surf lessons and although the boys are confident in their rugby skills, the same cannot be said for their surfing ability. It was revealed, a large degree of splashing was heard, a result of the many who resurfaced after plunging in the water. However, no fall was without laughter and every boy agreed it was an “amazing, yet hilarious experience.” Later in the evenings American football was played on the beach and even the teachers took a break from their sunbathing to join in! Although we’re sure that is somewhat the truth, the teachers on the trip: Mr. Mc Donnell, Mr. Sargent, Mr. Moore and Mr. Bratton have always been extremely supportive of the team’s rugby endeavours and the same can be said for their dedication throughout the trip.

Every member on the team agreed that it was an “invaluable experience,” one they will not forget and expressed their gratitude to the school for providing them with the opportunity. The rest of us applauded them for their sacrifice of missing five days of school and their willingness to travel to the beautiful coast of Portugal! All jokes aside, the team truly deserved this amazing opportunity, their dedication is evident with every practice they attend and their teamwork shines through in every match. Jamie Browne, a player on the team commented that: “The trip not only improved their skills but also bonded them as a team”; a team we as a school are very proud of.

The school formal was an event that required countless hours of shopping for that perfect dress, what seems like thousands of pounds spent on hair and makeup and there’s even several bets being placed on who’s going to ask who out on a date.

Overall, the night was filled with laughter, dancing and music.

The event was organised by the Sixth Form Formal Committee who were responsible for raising money through an ever-increasing barrage of bun sales! The whole Sixth form have this Committee to thank for making the night as amazing as it was.

The 20th December 2017 was a day filled with stress, panic and overall excitement for the night ahead.

Buses were arranged to take the pupils from Strabane to Letterkenny and back.

Once we got to the Silver Tassie, outside Letterkenny, the place looked like a scene from one of Gatsby’s great parties with chatter and laughter filling the room and the people looking like elegant millionaires with their overpriced dresses and glam accessories that crafted them to perfection. Everyone looked like they were celebrities who were attending the Met Gala. It was a great experience to be able to get dressed up for just one night and forget the stress of the upcoming exams and be able to enjoy mingling with our peers and creating new memories that we knew that we would never forget.

The first part of the night was getting photos taken by a professional photographer; many couples queued in what seemed like a never-ending line just for that souvenir of a photograph. Numerous compliments were given out in the line and people who had never spoken to each other before were taking selfies and acting like long-term best friends who hadn’t seen each other in months. It was a joyful and welcoming atmosphere.

After the photos we were seated at our assigned tables that ensured everyone was sitting with someone they knew whilst the teachers had their own separate table at the front. While waiting for our food, we were shown what was known as ‘the wall of shame’ for the upper sixth. This consisted of several embarrassing photos of every upper-sixth being put onto a PowerPoint presentation for everyone to see. It was very entertaining (at least for those of us who didn’t have the ‘privilege’ of being on the wall!) After this there was the awards that were given out for both students and teachers. These awards consisted of things such as ‘soundest teacher,’ ‘hedge cutter’ and ‘Mr E=MC2.’ The awards given were extremely imaginative and unique making it very entertaining, giving us all a good laugh.

Finally, after a long wait, we got our meal which consisted of a three-course meal including vegetable soup for starters, a choice of chicken or beef for a main course and a selection of deserts for the final course. The food overall was gorgeous and I, and many others would highly recommend going to the Silver Tassie for your Sunday dinner. It was definitely worth the wait.

After the dinner everyone moved from their own tables to chat to others while the staff got the place ready for the DJ. The friendly environment was what made the formal so successful. There are not many sixth-form students at Strabane Academy so we are naturally a close-knit community since everyone knows each other. The opportunity to meet new people was also available as many students brought dates who attended other schools.

A photo booth was available, and it was the most visited attraction without a doubt.

Everyone took advantage of this free (well, for us anyway) facility and went to the booth numerous times to get photos with different combinations of people in order to get that perfect angle. The formal was a one night only event and many wanted to savour the moment with various photos of the night.

After the meal the students and even the teachers danced the night away. The students interacted with the teachers at the formal, giving us the chance to get to know them outside of the normal classroom environment.

The formal was a great success and we hope that next year the formal will be just as good as this year’s. However, it will be a challenge to try and get it up to the same standard.

Every two years Strabane Academy performs a school play to showcase the school’s talent. This year the decision was made that the play would be the wondrous fairytale, Cinderella. Now we will tell you, our dear audience, the backstage shenanigans of the cast and crew as we geared up for the final production.

The audition process consisted of us being separated into small groups and improvising a quick scene, for example being stuck in an elevator (that one had some very interesting interpretations), followed by a quick interview to see what we could bring to a role. A week later we found out who we would become. And so, our first afterschool rehearsals commenced.

We met up at half three on the Junior campus and got to know the rest of the cast which was a great opportunity to speak to people from all the different year groups and get to know them in a way that probably wouldn’t have happened before. We glorious senior pupils were met with awe and interest from the juniors that hadn’t known we existed due to the split campuses (especially when witnessing the Sixth years, with our snazzy blue shirts and red ties), before promptly being forgotten about as the arduous process of creating a performance fit for the West End…of Northern Ireland began.

It quickly became apparent that no one really had a clue what they were doing in the first few rehearsals, which I’m sure was quite hilarious to some onlookers. For some it was their first time being part of a school production so they were hesitant to completely give themselves to their roles without fear of embarrassment; however, some veterans of the trade such as the actors and actresses of Prince Charming and Cinderella (among others) and the teachers were quick to push (shove) them into action with encouragement and a regime that would whip any beginner performer into a master in no time.

I think I speak on everyone’s behalf when I say that learning the numerous songs and choreography was no simple two-step. By the end of it I’m certain that the teachers had gained a few more grey hairs and the pupils had gained a lot more confusion, and I’m certain everyone has the words to “We will rock you” and “Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo” ingrained in our memories for the rest of our lives (if only that would be useful during exams). However, despite how hopeless it seemed at times to painfully teach we uncoordinated students how to dance, we all had an amazing time with many laughs and great experiences.

However, when the show was a few mere weeks away, things turned tense.

It became a place of gruelling trials and long hours… and some didn’t make it through the arduous journey. We lost a few people along the way, friends and family that could no longer bear the struggles, but they will not be forgotten! This was no mere school play anymore, oh no, this turned into something far more. Acting isn’t all fun and games anymore. We certainly weren’t in Kansas anymore. This was, put simply, Cinderella: the boot camp.

Rehearsals now took place at least four days a week, including after school. Hours were extended, sometimes as late as 7:00 in the evening. Chicken nuggets were purchased from the shop across the road to sustain us in our time of need and distributed among the cast members. Last minute choreography changes and technological mishaps were raising the tension among the group of pupils and teachers alike, not to mention making slight alterations to costumes (especially the glamorous dresses of Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother which caused endless amounts of grief), before all was finally settled and ready for the big performance.

So, the big days were here to finally showcase the hard work of each of us.

Excitement buzzed through our veins, and I can honestly say that despite the tedious repetition of rehearsing the same scene over and over and over again, the experience was one of great joy and I would highly recommend taking part in a school performance yourself – even if you have to have clips in your dress to hold it up!

The Sixth form committee is a group of around 8 people in sixth form who come together to address issues concerning the sixth form students. The aim of the committee is to try and improve the school environment for those in the sixth form who are stressed about exams and other concerns. They meet with the Heads of Year to discuss how to address these issues and make school life for pupils as comfortable and stress-free as possible. The staff care about the welfare of the students, their thoughts and opinions and want them to have as much input as possible into the running of the school, so this gives an opportunity for all to work together to achieve this. It is important that the students’ voices are heard which is why this committee was created; they act as a link between student and teacher.

The Committee is a new initiative and we hope that it will go forward to do great things for both the school and its pupils. So far, they have discussed topics based on enrichment experience, after-school activities and study leave. These meetings gave the teachers a better understanding of what the older pupils want and practical suggestions on how they can help, whether by changing a few rules or trying to get future events organised for the benefit of all.

1. Bring Snacks and Food Sixth Form can be stressful. Sometimes you’re just after a long lesson and you need something to look forward to and get you through the next lesson / study period.

Top snacks include: • Chocolates • Sweets • Fruit (if you want to be healthy and have a balanced diet – but Sixth form makes

you question life choices anyway so maybe fruit isn’t worth it?)

Also, are you really going to survive your A-Levels if you don’t always have like a gallon of tea/coffee/hot chocolate? Bring your own tea bags and your own milk, which you can store in the fridge. Be careful about the fridge though, as leaving milk in there for even a class is like a signal to others that you are a generous person who will of course allow the rest of the Sixth form to use your milk. It will happen. You have been warned.

2. Invest in a Travel Mug Study isn’t complete without your favourite hot beverage sitting beside you acting like a comfort blanket. Unfortunately, because we are clumsy (probably because of the extreme tiredness that you will experience), we are not allowed normal mugs. A good solution however is to get a travel mug with a lid that means, even if you do knock over your mug in your desperate attempt to find that essay that is due in five minutes, you won’t cover the rest of your work in liquid.

3.

Bring Earphones

As sixth formers you will be introduced to a whole array of new privileges (no, you don’t get to skip to the front of the dinner queue – that is reserved for prefects only).

One of these privileges is being able listen to music as you study. This is brilliant for those who want to drown out the sound of silence with noise. A good idea is to keep a (cheap) spare pair of earphones in your pencil case for those inevitable days when you forget to bring your normal ones.

However, a note of caution: don’t abuse this allowance. You are expected to study, not sit on your phones all day. If you mess around too much, phones and earphones will be taken away from the year group. That is not good. Don’t do that.

4. Be Organised Setting aside the irony that this article was written literally just before our deadline, organisation is important in sixth form. Even telling yourself that you are organised can help mask the pain. Sarcasm aside (not really), organisation is essential to success and a clean desk (probably) makes revision a whole lot easier.

5. Revise from the start of the year This is so useful if you actually do it! Not only does it make your teachers think that you are an extremely organised, productive student, but it actually makes revision a whole lot easier when it comes to the cramming session the night before your exam.

By updating your notes as you learn the topics, coming to make a final set of revision notes (also a useful idea) makes life that bit easier. It also ensures that you are reinforcing your learning – you’ll come to find that you remember stuff you didn’t know you remembered!

6. Be Organised (part ii) Setting aside some time during the week to review your files and work completed is invaluable. Not only do you prevent your work from becoming as messy as your life at the moment, but you get to see exactly what you need to focus on for the next week. This task doesn’t take too long to do, and it makes you feel good inside (hyperbole? perhaps); it is also a relaxing form of work that doesn’t kill your brain cells as intensely as that maths homework that you’ve been putting off.

7. Ask Questions This might seem a tad obvious but asking your teachers a question can really reinforce your learning. Asking even a simple question in class can help boost your understanding of the topic, but don’t be afraid to come to teachers if they have a spare moment in between classes: this shows that you’re really engaged in your learning and it gives your teachers more time to enjoy your fantastic company.

8.

Become a master of timetabling

No matter how many times you hear it in assembly, you still don’t make a timetable. You tell yourself you want to, but you’ve never stuck to them before so what’s the point? By having a clear revision plan, you are able to focus on the subjects you feel you need to revise (i.e. the ones where you’ve been saying “I’ll start those notes tomorrow”) without losing out on time where you can make nice colourful notes for your favourite subject.

But be tactical: are you really going to revise 7 hours every day from day 1? Answer: no; you’ll do it for two days, feel great and then sleep for 6 months. Instead, build your stamina. Your brain is a muscle so, just like the others, it needs conditioning.

For example, start by revising an hour a day for 5 days and take the week off.

Gradually add 15-30 minutes to each session until you find you’re able to revise

Timetable in some chill time and if you’re still months from exam season, don’t feel guilty for going out or skipping a few sessions the occasional time – just make sure you’re still putting in the hours.

However, be careful not to spend hours upon hours making that perfect, colourcoordinated spread sheets: it may be fun to do and pleasing to look at, but it’s wholly unnecessary! A simple morning/ evening/afternoon plan may be enough to keep you on track – and it only takes 10 minutes to do!

9. Find your revision style If you don’t remember the countless times you’ve been asked whether you’re a visual, auditory, kinaesthetic or whatever learner, did you even attend Strabane Academy? Those questions were designed to make you find out what sort of learning environment suits you best. However, because we all have that need deep down inside of us to mess with the system, we’re unlikely to tick just one of those boxes. So, what do you do now? Experiment.

Some people like to make flashcards and mind maps, others swear by re-writing model essay answers. Yet more put all their faith in learning through osmosis by sleeping with your head on the textbook. All of these (bar the last one unfortunately) are proven to work. Mix and match. Got loads of definitions to learn?

Flashcards and apps like Quizlet are your best friend. Essay topic to revise? Mind maps and model essay answers are worth their weight in gold. A really useful trick for any form of revision is tactical colour-coordination. This doesn’t mean writing in random colours just because it’s aesthetically pleasing, it means choosing a specific colour to highlight a key term or topic. This is useful for everything from flashcards to model essay answers.

It also goes without saying that past papers will probably become your bible at some point during sixth form. These are the best way to learn exam technique and what the style of the question will be.

If you really want to embrace your nerdy side: engage with your subject more by reading around. Reading books that aren’t just Harry Potter or Game of Thrones but related to your subject can help you gain a wider knowledge of your subject which can help in exam conditions. It also makes you look smart when it comes to writing a personal statement for UCAS in year 14.

10. Utilise your Free Periods Despite the title, these periods are not exactly “free”. They can mean catching up on literal mountains of work or rushing that homework that you “forgot at home” which is due next period. However, some careful management can make life a bit easier.

- Claim your corner – if the sixth form isn’t too busy when you have your frees, try and claim a spot where you can revise properly. Proximity to natural light is useful, as is having enough space not to feel crowded

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Get on with your work – sixth form has been known to have its fair share of drama from time to time. This only distracts you from your work: try your best to plough on and catch up on what’s happening at break.

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Adhere to the study rules – as will be pointed out to you multiple times, silent study means silent study. Whispering work related questions to your friend is fine but keep the decibels down as other people still have to work.

11. Know your exam timetable Knowing exactly when your exams are may sound a bit obvious, but it’s so easy to walk into an exam having prepared for the wrong module. It also helps with your revision timetabling as you can focus your revision accordingly when an exam is coming up. Also, know when results day is – just so you don’t get a surprise when you find a letter with your grades lying open on the kitchen table.

12. Relax (seriously) Talk to any sixth former and they will probably tell you that they’re a bit tired. This is a sad reality of sixth form. Also, sleep may just become your new best friend.

Staying healthy and getting a good rest each night is so important not just for academic reasons: the stress of exams can seriously affect both your physical and mental health. Whoever said that your school years were the best days of your life obviously wasn’t thinking of sixth form. There’s no denying that you have signed yourself up for two years of hard work, but by just taking time to chill you can decrease the pain just a little bit.

As well as following a healthy lifestyle, you can zone out by going out with friends, having a regular hobby or activity or even meditate (crazier things have been tried).

If you need support, talk to someone. If someone needs support, talk to them. Look out for each other and for yourself. You’ll quickly learn of the sense of community that develops in sixth form and this can become a real support base either to enjoy breaks with friends or to help someone frantically complete a homework (it’s not just you that’s completely disorganised).

So, there you go: twelve tips to survive sixth form. If you’re not fully equipped to start your A-Levels by now, don’t worry: it’s highly unlikely anyone else is either!

The annual Scripture Union weekend to Ballymena took place in September 2018 with pupils from Years 8-14 in attendance. This year, as always, the weekend involved lots of crazy games, a “minute to win it� team challenge, photo challenge, good food and some shopping too! Our guest speaker, Craig Johnston, helped students grow in their relationship with God through a series of talks. Our pupils enjoyed this opportunity to be together jointly as a junior and senior S.U. and left with great memories, eager for the next weekend!

The sun laughed at us through the endless sky, like a cat in a fishbowl.

The sun danced across the sky almost like a dancer on a beautiful stage.

The wind whipped around my head while howling a deafening howl in my ears, the warm winds shaped the sand into piles as large as mountains.

The snow fluttered and glided down onto my head, like a bird in the sky.

The snow danced through the sky and finally down to the wideeyed, open-mouthed faces of young children staring with wonder and excitement up at the sky.

Juliana Osterhus (Year 8)

The sun breathed on me with its warm breath.

The rain cried on me for three hours.

The wind gave me a cool hug then Proceeded to push me onto the ground.

The snow chilling out.

The sleet was being unoriginal so it decided To copy the rain and snow. The ice wasn’t feeling nice today So it decided to trip people up.

Jack Hamilton (Year 8)

Every day the sun gazes down on us, Clutches the blank clouds to have cover, Wails like a child when it feels droplets of rain, Travels around the sky all day every day And finally rests under the midnight moon.

Scott Wallace (Year 8)

I hate it when hailstones fall down and attack me, I love it when the sun comes out to play, I don’t like it when the rain hurts me, I hate it when thunder and lightning come down to my window and yell, “Boo!”, I love it when the snow helps me decorate my clothes, I love it when rainbows come and carry me to land of dreams!

Beth Hamilton (Year 8)