North Berwick High School
Newsletter
May 2003
huge thank you to all the staff who‟ve been Introduction involved in our activities, especially our Welcome to a very full newsletter, the last one convenor, Mrs Macaskill, without whose of session 2002-2003. There are articles about support nothing would be done! all aspects of school life, which indicate the scale and breadth of our activities. As I write Catriona Howie this, another group of students are sitting their SQA examinations and we are preparing to
Dates for your diary welcome next year‟s S1.
June thThe main issue affecting the school at present Wednesday 4 S1 Consultation Evening: is the PPP programme. I have copied the for classes 1A, 1B, 1E, 1F relevant page from the East Lothian booklet th„Building for Learning‟, which shows the Friday 6 S6 Leavers‟ Dance
scope of the building programme which has threally just started for us. We shall finally have Thursday 12 S1 Consultation Evening a complete building of which to be proud by for classes 1C, 1D
the summer of 2004. It will be the measure of thany school in the land, complementing the Tuesday 17/ S1 to S3 Award Ceremonies thexcellent work within. Wednesday 18
thDuring the construction phase in particular, it Thursday 19/ Two-day visit by new S1 this vital that Health and Safety is at the Friday 20
forefront of all our thoughts and actions. All of rdus will need to be alert throughout the term of Monday 23 Parents‟ Evening - new S1 the programme. A particular concern is going thto be the shortage of car parking spaces and Friday 27 School closes for summer „drop off points‟ to the front and sides of the holiday
school. Please do not bring your vehicle into
the school grounds at any time during the August
school day. Tuesday 12th SQA certificates delivered
thColin Sutherland, Head Teacher Monday 18 Senior Staff available for
consultation regarding SQA
results Charities Committee In June 2002, the Charities Committee chose thWednesday 20 School re-opens for Session as our two school charities for the year Guide 2003-2004 Dogs for the Blind and Alzheimer’s Scotland. Over the course of the year, ?2479.01 has been thPTA Ceilidh – Wednesday 18 June raised for these charities at discos, quiz nights and, of course, the S6 Charities Day! (That To round off a memorable year of fund raising,
total is about one third of a guide dog!). the PTA will be holding a „Midsummer th Ceilidh‟ on Wednesday 18 June, from 7.30 In addition to this money raised for our chosen until 10.30. The ceilidh will allow the new S4,
charities, the dress-down day for Children in S5 and S6 to celebrate the end of the session in
Need raised ?475 and, thanks to Ms Prete‟s style. Dress will be informal. cake-eating competition and three very brave,
if foolhardy, S6 boys, ?1286.96 for Red Nose Mathematical Challenge Day. Congratulations go to the following pupils who recently won the following awards in the It really has been a tremendous year, and on 2002-2003 Mathematical Challenge behalf of the Charities Committee, I would like to say a huge thank you for all the support Emilie Tennant Gold we‟ve received. This year‟s grand total of Maggie Holme Silver ?4359.09 has broken all our records! Lastly, a Megan Barbour Silver Annabel Sergeant Bronze NBHS Newsletter, May 2003 - 1 -
bringing home the reality of fear and loss of Amnesty Group choice and the uncertainty of what the future North Berwick High School Amnesty Group holds…all very real for the millions who has been very active over the past few months. suffered and died during the Holocaust. Amnesty International is committed to promoting the human rights of all people and “I knew I was painting for my life” is an art particularly focussing on situations where exhibition documenting the experiences of there are abuses of human rights. Our group of Holocaust survivor Marianne Grant. approximately fourteen S1 and S2 pupils has Marianne‟s paintings illustrate the changes that been very busy over the last while. We have she went through and the cruelty she witnessed been involved in of man‟s inhumanity against man. ; Highlighting the plight of children caught For the Philosophy class, they were privileged up in the Palestinian and Israeli conflict, to hear the story of Ernest Levy who spoke by speaking at S1 and S2 assemblies and frankly and honestly about his own organising a petition for pupils and staff to experiences. This was followed by a talk from sign. Fergal Keane, the BBC‟s special ; Organising a petition for an appeal for correspondent, who spoke about his own Amina Lawal who has been sentenced to experiences of reporting on the ethnic death in Nigeria. cleansing which took place in Rwanda and the ; Giving out information for pupils to sign western world‟s lack of response to the plight an on line petition about the human rights of hundreds of thousands of innocent people concerns in the war against Iraq. who suffered and died. ; Buying and selling lots of chocolate- fair trade chocolate that is! For two weeks we The day‟s events were well received by pupils sold chocolate to staff and pupils to raise who were sensitive to the atmosphere that the profile of fairly traded products, where surrounds such a disturbing part of human the growers and producers are given a fair history. wage for the products they make. Current Affairs Emily Parker, Erin Prigmore and Toby The Current Affairs Group is open to all pupils Sherwood from S1 to S6. It meets on a Thursday at lunchtime and the group has discussions about, Holocaust Day events 2003 well, current affairs! The main topics this year Edinburgh have been Edinburgh was host for the international ; The war in Iraq Holocaust Memorial Day events this year. The ; The Fire Fighters‟ strikes RMPS dept. took the opportunity to take all ; The Scottish Elections and pupils from S2 and Higher Philosophy to the ; The War on Terror. theatre and art gallery to learn more about this dark and recent period of human history. In 2001-2002, the main topic was September th11, while this year it has certainly been the Ernest Levy is a survivor of the Holocaust and war in Iraq. Just like Resolution 1441, the club his remarkable life, which has led him to settle unanimously voted against the war (in 1441 it in Glasgow, has witnessed many horrors which was, in a way, the other way round), but now, are hard for most to imagine. “Just one more just like the UN, we are now not unanimously dance” is a theatre production of Levy‟s life against the war! and the early years of his childhood showing the rise of Nazism and the brutality of the You don‟t have to watch the news (or listen to concentration camps. Levy survived and it) to join, you can come along and just express makes it his lifelong vocation to tell people your own opinion on what matter we discuss about the experiences which he witnessed and and whatever your opinion on it is. There are why an atrocity like the Holocaust should usually no right or wrong answers! never happen again. So, the next Thursday lunchtime you have free, The safety and security of passively watching why not come along to Current Affairs in a play production was rudely interrupted by History 1 (Miss Munro‟s room) at 12.30? search lights and loud speakers ordering everyone to move from their seats and walk Tim Oliver through a make shift concentration camp,
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Afterwards we continued to watch the senior Languages Club Theatre category which was really difficult and we Competition didn‟t really understand. After a long wait at The Languages Club started last year as a bit the end we were really tired and wanted to go of fun! It is made up of a group of S3 girls; home. Just as well we didn‟t though as a man Caroline Barrack, Danielle Claysey, Sarah stood up and started talking in French and the Docherty, Laura Hemsley, Jennifer Lee and next thing we heard was, “North Berwick High Holly Maynard. We meet on Wednesdays and School, Graeme High School and West Thursdays at lunchtime. Mrs Fletcher who Calder”. We‟d all won joint first out of about leads the club decided to let us choose what we 7 schools. We got special praise for our wanted to do this year instead of games and costumes, then we had to collect t-shirts and a quizzes. We thought we would like to do certificate. The school also wins free some drama and Mrs Fletcher found a play in subscription to the Institut Français for a year. French called Petit Chaperon Rouge or Little Red Riding Hood. After that we got on the bus and were so happy. We started singing funny songs such as The Rehearsals started, then one lunchtime Mrs Teletubbies and the Tweenies, as well as songs Fletcher told us about a competition in from musicals. Already we have started Edinburgh at the Institut Français. We all talking about next year and we think it would agreed it would be great fun to enter so we did! be good to do a musical. But let‟s see what happens! A big thank you to Mr Baillie (Art) We then had to get costumes together. Thank for the most wonderful masks, Mr Smith you to Mr Baillie who made Holly (rabbit) and (Maths) for driving us there and back and Mrs Sarah (wolf) fantastic masks. We all started Hemsley (Laura‟s Mum) for such a lovely bringing in our costumes. Petit Chaperon cloak. But we would never have been able to Rouge (Laura) had a wonderful cloak made by do it without Mrs Fletcher. her mum. (Merci!) Meanwhile Mémé (Granny) Caroline wore a bathrobe and bonnet Laura Hemsley, Holly Maynard, Jennifer Lee, while Jennifer doubled as Maman (Mum) and Caroline Barrack, Sarah Docherty & Danielle the chasseur (Hunter). She had an axe to cut Claysey open the wolf – but wore an apron and skirt for the mother. Finally, Danielle the narrator had Lyon Trip - April 2003 a massive red book to read the story from,
made by Laura. At the last minute Holly came At the beginning of April this year, six Higher up with some lovely scenery. French pupils from fifth and sixth year went for a long weekend in Lyon, accompanied by To get some practice in before the big day we Miss Brown and Mrs Macaskill. Lyon is a practised in front of 2 first year classes. We popular city in eastern France, which attracts were all nervous but really excited! many tourists for its reputation as a thriving and dynamic city, as well as for its historical Then the day came! On Friday 28 February significance. Mr Smith (Maths) drove us by minibus to the We stayed in a hotel in the town centre, within Institut Français in Edinburgh. On the bus we walking distance from all public transport and all felt sick with nerves. We all said we the central shopping area. On the morning after wanted to go home instead! When we arrived our arrival we began our sightseeing in the at the theatre we were greeted by a charming Croix-Rousse region of Lyon by taking a French man. We were led down a spiral guided tour. We discovered the history behind staircase to a large room which we thought we the city‟s prosperity as the silk-making centre had to ourselves but about 5-10 minutes later a of Europe. This employed a large proportion of large group from another school came in and it Lyon‟s population in the 1800s and centred on was packed! After this we were taken to the a network of passages through the high-rise seating area to watch other schools perform. buildings in which the working-class lived and worked. These were called “Les Traboules” Then suddenly we were called on to the stage and are similar to the tenements and closes in an hour early as another school hadn‟t turned Edinburgh. We were then shown the process of up. What a rush to get ready! silk dyeing in an “Atelier de Soierie” (silk making workshop). In the evening we saw On stage our nerves completely disappeared „Chicago‟ at a “Pathe” cinema. The film and and we performed so well we didn‟t forget any tour proved particularly useful as they were lines! What a relief when we were finished. spoken entirely in very rapid French.
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The following day we visited the more ancient Je me demande maintenant si je veux repartir part of the city which had acted as the second en France…….
city of the Roman Empire – Fourviere. Whilst
there we saw a fantastically preserved Roman “When I heard I had to spend a year abroad, amphitheatre, complete with mosaic stages and away from my family, I must admit I was a beautiful hillside location. We also saw the terribly afraid: I had never been abroad more famous Cathedrale St Jean, which stood upon than a month! But I had to recognise the the Fourviere hill, very much dominating the obvious: if I wanted to improve my English city. In the afternoon we separated to explore and become a teacher, I must leave. Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon) and met in the evening
to eat at a traditional French „bouchon‟. These The first days were really difficult but as the were small French restaurants that served local people around me were fabulous, I got cuisine and were popular with tourists and accustomed very quickly. I like the Scottish locals alike. environment, both different and similar to the
French environment. It is surely thanks to the Unfortunately we had to leave on Monday fact that the Scottish people are very warm. morning. However, every moment had allowed practice of the French language and even As far as my life at the school is concerned, it though booking tables for dinner proved is a really warm experience. I don‟t know if it problematic, we got by! It was a very useful, is because of the close ages but pupils have interesting and enjoyable trip for all who went been very tolerant and also very receptive to and I would like to thank the teachers for all I do with them. I teach them French allowing it to happen. language and they help me with my English. It
is a wonderful collective work and I would Jemma Ross 5L2
really like to thank them all for their kindness. French Assistant – Samantha MasuyerIt is the same thing with the staff. They are Samantha writes to us about her year here at fabulously helpful and I do not know if I NBHS. For those of you whose French is a would be where I am today without them. little rusty, the English translation is also here! I shall conclude with these words: this year Lorsque j‟ai appris que je devais passer un a will have given me a lot and now, I am sure of l‟etranger, loin de ma famille, je dois avouer what I want to do. Thanks to all of you. I am que j‟avais terriblement peur: je n‟etais jamais now wondering whether I want to go back to partie plus d‟un mois seule! Mais il fallait me France….. “ rendre a l‟evidence; si je voulais ameliorer mon anglais et devenir professeur, je devais A big thank you to Samantha for helping our partir. class in improving our French skills. In particular, she made French more interesting Les premiers jours ont vraiment ete tres by giving us the opportunity to talk about difficiles mais comme j‟etais bien entouree, je current events, and things that are important me suis tres vite acclimatee. J‟aime cet and relevant to us. environnement ecossais, a la fois different et Evonne Pasquill 4C2 similaire de l‟environnement francais. C‟est surement du au fait que le peuple ecossais est We enjoyed speaking with a French person – a tres chaleureux. more fun way of working! We learned a lot of things from Samantha – she does lots of fun En ce qui concerne ma vie a l‟ecole, c‟est une activities. experience vraiment exceptionnelle. Je ne sais Craig Gilroy 2L2 and Jamie Gibson 2L1 pas si cela est du a la proximite de l‟age mais les eleves sont vraiment tolerants et receptifs a We wish Samantha well for the future. She has ce que je peux faire avec eux. Je leur enseigne been a delightful colleague. She and her le parler francais et ils m‟aident avec mon mother came to see our party in Lyon and we anglais. C‟est un magnifique travail de groupe thoroughly enjoyed their visit. Everyone in the et j‟aimerais vraiment les remercier pour leur department has greatly appreciated all her gentillesse. Il en est de meme pour le work over the year. It made a big difference to personnel de l‟etablissement. Ils me sont d‟une us to be able to send small groups to work with aide reellement fabuleuse et je ne sais pas si je her, and of course the pupils also liked this serais arrivee la ou je suis sans eux. very much. Je concluerai simplement en disant que cette annee m‟aura apporte beaucoup et je sais Miss I N Brown maintenant ce que je desire faire. Merci a tous.
NBHS Newsletter, May 2003 - 4 -
(drawing birds), French (learning each other‟s Ski Trip to Courmayeur 2003 languages), and English. Prior to their visit, the We set off on the 20th of January at 9am with pupils had established links through letters and our luggage and pillows, excited, but not email. The Danish pupils spent the whole week prepared for the long, tiring journey ahead of in North Berwick and took part in a range of us. We watched videos and talked until we activities. reached the ferry later that evening. After the ferry we got back on to our buses and drove After the summer holiday, a group of senior through France all night till we reached Italy. students are being taken by Mrs Donoghue and The views in Italy were breathtaking. When Mrs Medine to Kerteminde to perform songs we arrived we first went up the mountain on a and sketches of our superb recent school show, gondola to “ski hire”. As we approached the Grease. We shall read a report of their visit in slope first impressions by all were “Hillend the next newsletter. doesn‟t look like this!” After our skis had been fitted we went to the accommodation and we S1 History Trip were given our rooms. An S1 trip will go to Stirling Castle and the thWallace Monument on Thursday 5 June. All The next morning was an early start, but after
178 S1 pupils will travel by bus to the castle, seeing how cool the slopes looked everyone
where some will be entertained by a Jester who was raring to go! We reached the slopes and
will also show them round. Others will have a we were put into our groups and given our
guided tour of the castle building. At the instructors, whom we would stay with for the
Wallace Monument, we hope there will an remainder of the week. The weather all week
activity organised. We hope S1 will really was sunny and it snowed a few days, which
enjoy the trip and be, as usual, a credit to the was nice.
school. There will be one part of this trip I will always remember and it was when I was going up on Mrs J Lindsay one of the chair lifts. I was sitting watching skiers come down the main slope when I Silver Duke of Edinburgh Hiking recognised one of our groups. I couldn‟t see all Group 2003 of them but some were coming down the slope Day 1: We began our hike in the “exciting” doing their new-learned parallel turns across town of Spott. Despite what Mr Fell says, there the slope and looking very good indeed! Then is really nothing to do there. After only ten suddenly Callum came whizzing through minutes of walking everyone was exhausted everyone, not worrying about perfection but and when we realised we still had 47.5km left, about speed! Around the bottom of the stands depression kicked in. We eventually made it to which held the chair lifts up were luminous the campsite, an hour early (dodging raindrops orange sponge protection padding. (Hence the along the way)! As we sheltered from the rain luminous orange, so you could see them and in our „5 star accommodation‟ (tents) we avoid crashing into them). As Callum was so looked at the sodden group of boys arriving. concerned about how fast he could go he We contemplated lending them a hand but forgot to notice these stands! He went head wisely chose not to! first then flipped over to land face-flat in the snow. It looked painful but Callum just got up Day 2: We all got up bright and early (thanks and carried on skiing down the slope. to Murray!) to face another eventful day being The second year ski trip is an experience I will chased by sheep, walking continuously uphill always remember for great laughs and getting and getting sunburnt (not what we expected!) to know different people, even the teachers! I Better weather allowed us to have a campfire now see every teacher on that trip in a totally which improved everyone‟s mood. different light than I had before we set off. I would like to thank our parents and teachers Day 3: Home is in sight! Although today was who made the trip possible to us. Without you short, walking over moorland made it longer. it wouldn‟t have happened. Thank you! However, a small white speck in the distance -
the minibus - lifted everyone‟s spirits. Ashling Bolt Although everybody found the weekend
Danish Links – Kerteminde physically demanding the camping was thOn Wednesday 30 April, a group of thirteen fantastic and there was an overwhelming sense Danish pupils from our twin town, Kerteminde, of achievement when we had finished! spent the day shadowing 1C1. They attended
history (the Vikings – very appropriate!), art
NBHS Newsletter, May 2003 - 5 -
so strange to believe that this was our last Grease concert, something that personally sunk in on North Berwick High School Youth Music being presented with flowers from the String Theatre made a welcome return in 2003, Group! On behalf of the out-going S6, I don‟t playing Grease to packed and enthralled stndthink I can say thank you enough to the Music audiences on 1 and 2 April. Using a simple Department for the opportunities they‟ve given set and props, the cast produced a memorable us over the last six years. For all the nagging performance which concentrated on the power and moaning, it really is brilliant to see so of the songs and dialogue. many people getting involved, and so many magical performances. Directed and led by Mrs Donoghue and her superb musicians, the cast of Shir Knani, I know we‟ll all miss this, but I have every Maggie Holme, Robert Jones, Rowena faith in these concerts getting better every year! McIntosh, Oonagh Fraser, Moira Morrison, Alan Travers, Robin Hiley, Kieran Wood, Catriona Howie James Lowe, Hannah Rawson, Rochelle MacGee Swanson, Gareth White, Michael
Brass Associated Board Music Pepper, James Ross, Fiona Henderson and
Martin Fell were ably backed by the chorus of Ruth Lyall Trumpet Grade 2 Merit Catherine Braine, Alexa Craig, Charlotte Jade Hunter Cornet Grade 2 Merit Davey, Emily Jordan, Mhairi McLeish, Jane
McPhail, Leila Nichol, Rachel Pooley and Charlotte Davey is in the National Youth Brass Jemma Ross. Band of Scotland, and was fifth in the Under
16 Scottish Solo Championships. Everyone present felt it a privilege to be there.
Well done everyone! Guildhall School of Music – Guitar Examinations March 2003 ‘Spring into Summer’ Concert Another summer term, another summer Alan Travers Grade 5 Merit stconcert! On 1 May, Brass, String, Guitar, Catriona Bamford Grade 3 Merit Woodwind, Jazz and Percussion Groups Pamela Grant Grade 3 Honours produced customarily spectacular items for the Annabel Sergeant Grade 3 Honours „Spring into Summer‟ concert. This also Sammy Thomson Grade 3 Merit featured a number of smaller performances, Patrick Waite Grade 3 Honours piano duets from Beth Williamson, Tamzin Suzanne MacKintosh Grade 2 Merit Ross, Julia Boon and me, and Maggie Holme‟s Adam Ovington Grade 2 Merit solo, the wonderful „S wonderful‟ from the Jamie Ross Grade 2 Merit musical An American in Paris. Similarly well-Mia Knani Grade 1 Merit received was Hannah Rawson‟s vocal solo, a rare violin jazz solo Stormy Weather, feelingly Percussion Guildhall Examinations played by Robin Hiley, and Rochelle Bethany Gascoigne Grade 2 Merit Swanson‟s moving Advanced Higher Seb Donoghue Grade 7 Merit composition Song for Callum. The Recorder Michael Pepper Grade 7 Merit Group with their Buddy Holly medley was James Ross Grade 4 Merit specially commented upon by David Cameron, Head of Education, who described it as „the Rochelle Swanson was Best Soloist at the best recorder group I‟ve ever heard!‟ Balerno Band Festival And, despite all fears, both the Orchestra and Piano Music Examinations Mrs Casson‟s Choir and Chorale Groups Robert Williamson Grade 4 Pass proved that it‟s right what they say: it‟ll be all Abigail Baikie Grade 5 Pass right on the night! The orchestra took us to a Rachel Carr Grade 3 Pass spellbinding journey downstream with The Moldau and the Chorale Group‟s performance Catriona Howie has been selected to go to of And so it goes and Blue Moon evoked both Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Russia in July melancholy and fun. with the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra. This will be a wonderful opportunity for one of our most I guess now is the time to say sorry to Mr talented musicians, who has been a stalwart Holden for cutting his guitar group off in its since S1. prime. I only hope the Sixth Years‟ cover of
Avril Lavine‟s Complicated made up! It seems
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Associated Board Music – Recent Session and Holiday Dates Woodwind Examination Results 2003-2004
These are given below. They are also to be Clarinet
Emma Wheater Grade 2 Distinction found on our website (www.northberwick.e-
Sam Finlayson Grade 2 Merit lothian.sch.uk) which also contains a great deal Naomi Scott Grade 3 Pass of information about the school, including our Jane MacCallum Grade 3 Pass handbook and other items of interest. Please Mathew Brown Grade 4 Pass put our website into your „favourites‟ folder Kathryn Knight Grade 5 Merit and visit our site regularly!
Rosie Bamford Grade 5 Merit thWednesday 20 August School re-opens for Sheila Grant Grade 5 Merit
Hannah Charles Grade 5 Pass pupils
Moira Morrison Grade 6 Merit th Monday 15 September Holiday
Flute thBeata Brignall Grade 3 Merit Friday 17 October School closes for
October week Jenny Robinson Grade 4 Merit thKirsty Shand Grade 4 Pass Tuesday 28 October School re-opens
Katie Murray Grade 5 Pass thMaggie Holme Grade 6 Pass Friday 19 December School closes for
Tamzin Ross Grade 7 Pass Christmas Holidays th Monday 5 January School re-opens
Saxophone thLaura Weeks Alto Grade 2 Merit Tuesday 10 February School closes for
February half-term Andrew Culbard Alto Grade 3 Pass thCatherine Holme Tenor Grade 3 Merit Monday 16 February School re-opens
Brian Burgon Tenor Grade 3 Merit nd Friday 2 April School closes for
Easter Holiday Guildhall Music Examinations thAmy Nash Alto Sax Grade 5 Merit Tuesday 20 April School re-opens
Lizzie Woolley Alto Sax Grade 5 Merit thLeila Nichol Flute Grade 5 Pass Friday 30 April School closes for
Kathryn Knight Theory Grade 5 May Day holiday th Wednesday 5 May School re-opens
Robot Games thFriday 25 June School closes for Over forty S1 pupils got an unexpected treat thSummer Holidayson Wednesday May 6 when Professor Ian Watts of Brighton University and former As always, please ensure that all family NBHS pupil Bill Hutchison of the Institute of holidays are taken outwith term time so that Applied Technology came to run workshops in learning and teaching time is maximised. robot design. The pupils designed and built some amazing robots, using simple equipment
such as cardboard, blu tack and glue. This, ‘Surf Dudes’
together with imagination and remote-Finlay Robertson and Tim Oliver have been controlled radio equipment, produced robots showing off their internet research skills. which competed against each other in an Choosing subjects close to their hearts, they „Olympic Games‟ style contest with the have gathered information and created web-winners going on to the national competition. pages on the school website to display their
finds to the World. The pages can be found Professor Watts, of BBC Television Robot within the Geography section of the site and if Wars‟ fame, was an excellent motivator and you want to try doing the same contact Mr tutor and really made principles of physics and McKain to find out how.
engineering come alive. He was greatly
impressed by the work and results of our Remember, our school web site contains lots budding robot makers, and wished everyone of news and information about the school. Log success in their future endeavours! in to northberwick.e-lothian.sch.uk. NBHS Newsletter, May 2003 - 7 -
investigating the prospect of car racing, By Gareth White, Head Boy and coincidence someone with whom I raced karts Tamzin Ross, Head Girl knew of a team which was looking for a driver Gareth White has been a mainstay of school for 2003. I was invited to test their car at music and drama ever since he joined us in S1. Knockhill last October and November and, in Now our Head Boy is going to be moving on January this year, I joined the team as the to even higher things. Remember, when he‟s Number Two driver. an international star, we‟ll be able to say „we saw him first!‟ In order to race this season I was faced with the challenges of gaining my car racing licence After playing a lead role in Grease, Gareth and finding enough sponsorship to pay for the then played the part of Romeo in the Scottish year! To gain my racing licence I effectively Youth Theatre production of Romeo and Juliet had to sit a driving test round a race circuit. at the Citizen‟s Theatre, Glasgow and then at This included a theory test (not while driving the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh. Gareth was round the circuit, however!). Fortunately, I outstanding as Romeo, playing his role with passed with flying colours, which just left me maturity and passion. It was a privilege to see with the task of convincing companies that I Gareth as the lead in the national theatre was worth sponsoring! company. So fat I‟ve raced in five events this year, with Gareth and Tamzin Ross, our Head Girl, gave all my funding coming from JCB Landpower. memorable performances at the PTA and then My best result to date has to be finishing the North Berwick Burns Club Burns Suppers. eighth from grid 13 in drying conditions, but Gareth gave the Toast to the Lasses and the best part about that race weekend was Tamzin replied. They were undoubtedly the signing as many autographs as the Number „stars of the night.‟ One driver. Tamzin has also been busy fund raising for her For the remainder of the season I hope to Gap Year working in Guyana before pursuing improve my driving and I am looking forward her studies in Medicine. to our team trips South to Croft and Oulton Park. Both Tamzin and Gareth have been excellent leaders of the school. They are outstanding Sarah Playfair 6L2 role models and really have „set a benchmark‟ for future S6 students. Mount Kilamanjaro – Robin Hiley Robin managed to climb the highest mountain Freestyle Kayaking – Edward Smith in Africa, Mt Kilamanjaro. It towers a massive Edward has gained a place on the British 19 500 feet, which is about 32 times the height Freestyle Kayaking Team for the World of Berwick Law! Championships in Austria this summer. For this he will be training in London and at the One thousand people attempt the climb every National White Water Course in Nottingham, year but only about half succeed. The before going to Austria to train for a week mountain has a mortality rate of about 1%. before the Championships. After this, Edward will also have the chance to train with an ex-The trek took six days (four days to climb up World Champion, Ollie Grau. and two to come back down). The major problem of such a climb is altitude sickness, Karate – Sean Hunter which makes you extremely tired and can give In February, Sean Hunter S5 achieved the feat you an awful headache. Robin endured all this of gaining a Second Dan Black Belt in Karate, to reach the summit. Robin describes the trek a remarkable achievement for someone so as truly amazing, but one not to be repeated! young. Sean can now teach people up to and including the level of Brown Belt. Well done Sporting Achievements indeed! As usual, we have many successes to celebrate, including: Motor Sport After a successful six years in kart racing, Football highlights of which included finishing in the Andrew Driver was selected to play for top ten in the country and being selected for Scottish Schools at Under 16 level, including the Scotland Team, I decided to start playing in tournaments in Holland and Ireland.
NBHS Newsletter, May 2003 - 8 -
Andrew has played team football since the age schools were defeated and the school came of six. He has played for Oldham Athletic, first in their pool and reached the semi finals in Huthie Vale and currently plays for the Hearts the East District First XI tournament. Despite youth team at Under 15 level. He has also all the moans about the early mornings, it has played for the Under 18s on a couple of been a great year, due to great team spirit, our occasions. Last year Andrew represented brilliant coach Mrs Walker and also having an Scotland in a schoolboys‟ away match against international player on our team! Belgium. He has also played in a Home
Nations tournament which was televised. This year the team was made up mainly of S5 Andrew intends to leave school at the end of and S6, with Heather Scott S4 also playing S4 to play football full-time. He has been superbly all year, scoring many of our goals. offered a two-year apprenticeship with Hearts. To end the season on a very high note, we beat He hopes to play for the first team in a few the Teachers 5-0 (our first ever victory over years. them, and surely not the last!), with Victoria
Barbour, Alice Campbell, Sheila Grant and
Heather all scoring great goals. I must also Horse Riding
Nydia Hadley was selected for the Scottish mention the defending skills of Caitlin squad for the Pony Club Tetrathlon. Macnamara, Fiona MacCallum, Jill McNicholl,
Karen Menzies and Esther Armstrong.
Sailing
Matthew Day was selected for the British Personally, this season has been brilliant for Transitional Squad for 420 Dinghy and, me. Good luck to next year‟s team. I‟m sure
together with Lindsay Doig and Laura you‟ll go from strength to strength!
Sandison, attended the British Youth
Championships at Hailing Island (in the Laser Eilidh Dickson
Radials)
School Rugby Hockey A major element in our success this season has Alice Campbell has been playing hockey at a been the involvement of the 6th Year pupils in high level for many years. In 2001, she made coaching the junior players. We started this the Under 16 East District team before being last season but it has really taken off this chosen for the Under 16 Scotland team after season with nine lads having gone through the weeks of tough training and assessment. Alice Level 1 Coaching Course (plus, eight of these has represented Scotland in nine test matches did the Referees‟ Course). Three of them each so far, and she has now been selected to play worked with S1, S2 & S3. The benefits to for Scotland at Under 18 level for the school rugby have been enormous. forthcoming internationals.
Also, as part of the development process, a Megan Barbour qualified for the East Under junior tour to Yorkshire took place as an Under 15 hockey squad. 14 squad for a two match trip at the end of April. Twenty three S3 and S2 players took Badminton part, losing the first game narrowly to Queen Megan Barbour won the Under 14 Singles, Elizabeth Grammar School and then winning a Level Doubles and Mixed Doubles at the close game against Sandal RFC Under 14s. Lothians Christmas Tournament at The boys played some very good rugby and Meadowbank. In the Scottish Schools really came together well as a squad. More Championships, Megan won the Under 14 importantly, they were excellent ambassadors Girls‟ Singles and Megan and Rose Campbell for themselves, their families and the school. won the Under 14 Girls‟ Doubles. All the parents with whom the boys stayed praised them for their manners and attitude. Our school Under 14 team qualified as East Particular praise goes to Peter Gannon S6 who Lothian Champions for the finals of the Royal came as Assistant Coach and was an Bank of Scotland Quaich in Grangemouth, outstanding role model for the younger boys. where they performed very well. The senior side helped achieve one of our objectives by getting through again to the last School Hockey 16 of the Cup, losing an extremely close game The School First Eleven has had a very to Strathallan through a try in the closing successful year, winning all its games except minutes. for the fixture against Trinity, in which they
suffered their only loss. Many „fancied‟
NBHS Newsletter, May 2003 - 9 -
On the representative front, from seven boys in For safety, hygiene and performance reasons the Pathway, we have again retained two lads all of the above are required and we need your in the Integrated U-18s. We have four in the support in ensuring that your child has them Integrated U-16s. for every PE lesson.
We have also broadened our horizons with Thank you for your cooperation fixtures against English schools at senior, U-16 & U-13 level and we have had visits from Ronnie Jeffries, Principal Teacher of Physical touring teams from Canada and Ireland. Education
So to next season. In the hope that the S1 boys
all step up, fixtures have been arranged for two New Community Schools Post teams at S2, together with two teams at S1. Suzanne Lorrain-Smith is now in post as These squads, together with the S3 team and Integration Officer for the North Berwick the First and Second XVs, mean that we shall cluster (North Berwick High School and our be putting out seven teams next year – a partner primaries). New Community Schools is remarkable achievement. There cannot be funded through the Scottish Executive and many schools in any sector that can say that aims to create opportunities and offer support they are expanding like this. for families across East Lothian. We work with
schools, families and other agencies and can Representative Honours offer:
Edinburgh Integrated Under 18
; Individual family support Bob MacKintosh, Richard Tichborne ; Information Edinburgh Pathway Under 18 ; Advocacy
; Help to access other services in the Nick Scott, Bob MacKintosh, Peter Gannon, community Gareth Carter, David Thorburn, Richard ; Support to families in developing Tichborne, Danny Waldman links with schools Edinburgh Integrated Under 16 ; Support with school, health and social
issues Danny Thorburn, Callum Mark, Nick Lekkas,
; Groupwork Gavin Law
East Lothian Under 16 Young people can be referred to new
community schools through schools and other Danny Thorburn, Callum Mark, Nick Lekkas,
agencies. You can also refer yourself to us. Gavin Law, Seb Donoghue, Mark Johnstone,
Involvement is entirely voluntary; we will only Andrew Scott, Andrew Gannon
become involved if you want support. East Lothian Under 15
For more information please contact Jamie Ross, Peter Littlefair, Jamie Dove, Suzanne Lorrain-Smith, Integration Officer Richard Ince, Ryan MacGee Swanson, Philip Stevenson Tel: 01620 894661 A Request for Support from the Mobile: 07909 877214
Physical Education Department
We have been increasingly concerned about
the deteriorating standards in bringing
appropriate clothing for PE lessons by all year
groups. The pupils are all aware that they
should bring the following: a change of
trainers (which should be clean for indoor use);
a plain coloured or sports tee-shirt; a pair of
shorts or jogging bottoms (not ones with leg
pockets and zips); a warm top (not their school
sweatshirt) and a change of socks.
NBHS Newsletter, May 2003 - 10 -