Celebration of Success
Supportive Education staff held an event on Wednesday 8 June to thank students for their persistence and determination to succeed over the last two years of covid-impacted learning and teaching.
The morning session focused on S4-S6 school pupils who attend Transition to College progs every Wednesday and who took on the challenge (at the height of the Pandemic) of combining their six classes into an online programme of events across 6 schools using Teams for the first time and completing live challenges, which were also integrated into class projects throughout the week-no easy task, but one they undertook bravely!
The afternoon session honoured our full-time and part-time students with another ceremony where students received a personalised certificate with a message from their guidance lecturer and had their progress over the last couple of years recognised and rewarded.
The event concluded with refreshments in our community well-being garden, which we aim to promote over the next few months as an outdoor classroom suitable for students who need a different type of sensory environment in which to learn/access college. This is also a space we share with our Early Years colleagues, which creates exciting opportunities for collaboration.
A lovely accompaniment to the ceremonies was the music provided by our Head of Learning and Skills, Greg Cassidy, who treated the students to a variety of songs on his saxophone.
"Over the last couple of years, our students have shown just how able they are to find positives in difficult situations. Our community of students, staff and partners have embraced suggested solutions to new learning and teaching challenges the Pandemic created, and it's important that we take a moment to recognise what's been achieved and give thanks to all."
Arlene Trapp, Curriculum Manager, Essential Skills
As part of their Enterprise unit, Connect to Careers also took on the challenge of virtually walking the 3035km from John O’ Groats in Scotland to Lviv in Ukraine to raise money for the Ukrainian Appeal. They worked as a team, with each student having a target of completing 218km towards the total distance.
Every week as part of Wellbeing Wednesday the students would go for a short walk around the campus helping to improve their physical fitness, mental health and motivation as well as raising awareness of what is happening in Ukraine.
Students monitored their steps and recorded their weekly totals in a class spreadsheet. Each week they chose a different city along the route to research.
This was a sponsored event and the students have raised almost £300 so far.
The students completed the 'last leg' of their journey through a balloon arch at yesterday's event to thank students for their persistence and honour their achievements during Covid-impacted learning and teaching.
Well done to Lesley Bell, class Guidance lecturer and Support Assistant, Andrea Bennie, for their input throughout the class-project.
Find out more our Supported Education courses here: https://www1.ayrshire.ac.uk/find-a-course/all-courses/supported-learning/
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