Students at the Helm

If you had taken a wander round the college earlier on Wednesday evening, you would have been welcomed by Conor on reception. If you had gone upstairs you would have found Chris invigilating a room full of nervous adult students of Spanish, who were slaving over their hot examination papers. It is great to see so many complete the course and take their assessment. I hope that Una Cole was a well-behaved candidate, and that Chris didn't have to intervene to get her to concentrate!

Around Midnight

I was sitting in school at an unearthly hour of Wednesday night, when a great big coach drew up an hordes of our year 11s poured off. They were on their way home from their day out to Brussels, and full of frites, waffles and dames blanches. Moules anyone? After the students had sorted themselves out and met their parents, the two staff members and all their shopping tumbled off. No self-restraint those two - they claimed the bags were full of fathers' day presents. all the bags? It sounded like a fantastic trip, suggested by the students themselves, who had originally wanted a day trip to Paris, but were delighted with Brussels as a Francophone destination within reasonable reach. I am just consumed with envy!

Celebrity Shimna

They won't thank me for this blogtitle, but Mark, Rachel, Calum, Tanya and Kevin all had their celebrity moment this morning on Radio Ulster's Sunday Sequence discussing the nature of celebrity itself, and its influence on the current school age generation. They did a great job of putting across a reflective and personal response, distinguishing between celebrities they felt had earned their fame, for example Alan Sugar and Quentin Tarantino, and those who had become famous for being famous, for example, Jade Goody and Katie Price. Good to hear you on the airwaves.

Dr Gallagher Bursaries

We are absolutely delighted that two of our students have been awarded Dr Gallagher Memorial Bursaries which will guarantee them both substantial financial support for their studies at university. Matt McComish and Natasha Ferris both had to make written submission, provide references about their work and commitment to study and also attend for interview. Both of these students have made a real success of their time at Shimna, and we are very happy to see them win support which will help them continue their hard work and love of their subject at university level. Very well done.

Very High Fliers

Very, very early on the morning of Sunday 18 May, 8 wide awake students, plus Alasdair Spence and Michael Trotman, met up at George Best City Airport for the Bombardier ‘High Fliers’ event. The free flight was in a Bombardier Q 400 aircraft, which is partly built at the Shorts factory in Belfast, and operated by FlyBe from the City airport. The weather was good, and pilot Alan Reynolds announced that we would fly up the Antrim coast to the Giants Causeway. At 2000 feet all the way there were great views of the Antrim Coast, Rathlin Island , Portrush and Portstewart. For Nathan Mullan, Carrie Mc Alinden and Ryan McQuitty it was their first flight, and they received special certificates. Thanks are due to the parents who got up so early to drive everyone to Belfast. The flights were won by the students in a science competition this year.

Peterson Toscano

I've just been listening to Sunday Sequence on the radio, to an interview with Peterson Toscano, who is in Belfast for one performance of his one man show. We area very fortunate that Peterson is also coming to Shimna to give workshops for our year 8s - a real coup! Watch the CreativityBlog to see how the visit goes.

Best of Luck

The very best of luck to all our year 12 and year 14 students who headed off today to start their examination season. You are a wonderful bunch, and we fully expect that you will carry on Shimna's outstanding academic tradition.