Campus Q&A Maria Kanellopolous tells us about the UCL Academy in Swiss Cottage, North London, a state comprehensive school set up in partnership with Camden council. Maria is 12 years old and a year seven student in Orion House.
What has been your most memorable experience been at the UCL Academy?
In January 2013, the whole school moved into our new building. Walking into the new school for the first time was amazing. What is your favourite subject at school?
I like art and engineering. I had never done engineering before and it’s a bit like art, but you get to use different materials such as wood and acrylic. In art you can be really creative and don’t have to be told what to do. At the moment, we are sketching self-portraits and learning how to use watercolours properly. What is your most treasured possession?
Photos of people who aren’t here anymore, because they are irreplaceable. What is your favourite journey?
I like travelling to Greece with my family. It’s fun travelling together. We stay in
a house in the city but near the beach, and when we arrive I know I have the whole summer ahead of me. What is your best characteristic?
Being talkative – I think that is a good thing! And I am very sociable so I find it easy to make friends.
What do you value most in your friends?
The friends that I have made at the academy are all very trustworthy and honest. You can tell them something and they won’t tell anyone else. Who is your favourite fictional hero?
I really don’t like tomatoes because they are too squishy.
I don’t really have a pretend one, but a real hero would be British Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds. She won loads of gold medals at London 2012 and I like swimming.
What talent would you most like to have?
What achievement are you most proud of?
I would like a talent that not many other people have, like being able to write with both hands.
It was a while ago now, but winning the Camden Art Prize for my painting of an imaginary bird walk.
What thing do you most dislike?
If you could choose to live anywhere, where would you choose?
In Brazil. I have never been there, but I have a friend from there and she says it’s very warm and I like warm places.
Every Friday students at the UCL Academy write a blog to reflect on the week’s learning. You can read about what they have been doing online: www.uclacademy.co.uk/media/blog 29